blogging – Page 2 – Lyndsey Hall

The Blogger Recognition Award

Blogger recognition award Lyndsey's Book Blog

Hello there! It’s been a while since I posted here and I’ve really missed it. I’ve taken a bit of a hiatus over the last few weeks, Pitch Wars was a really worthwhile and valuable, but completely exhausting experience, and I’ve had a few personal things going on, but I’m back and excited to get back on track!

Thankfully, I was tagged by the fabulous Katie @ Read with Katie for the Blogger Recognition Award, which is the perfect way to ease me back into blogging!

If you haven’t checked out Katie’s awesome blog yet, pop over there immediately! Or, when you’re done here, that’s cool too.

Rules:

Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
Give a brief story of how your blog started.
Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers.
Select 10 other bloggers you want to give this award to.
Comment on each blog and let them know you have nominated them and provide the link to the post you created.

How I started my blog…

This isn’t my first blog, but it’s the one I’ve kept at the longest (recent hiatus excepted). I started it around a year ago when I first started writing my book, I wanted somewhere to share my progress and to hopefully meet other writers and readers.

In my writing research, I’d seen lots of posts about author platforms and the importance of having an online presence where readers and anyone searching for you could go to contact the author and just generally find out more.

I thought a blog might be more fun than an author website, somewhere I could post snippets of my writing, advice I’d come across and found useful, and other fun posts that people might enjoy. To be honest, I didn’t expect many followers or really anyone to stumble across my little corner of the internet, but so far there are over 300 of you! So thank you all for joining me on my journey to publication (fingers crossed!), for liking and commenting on my posts, and cheering me on. I couldn’t do it without you!

Advice for new bloggers…

#1 – Interact with your followers and fellow bloggers

The one thing that’s made the biggest difference to my blog stats, and also helped me build a community of fellow bloggers and writer friends, was interacting with other blogs. Basically, that means replying to comments on my posts, commenting back on my followers’ own blogs, and taking part in blog hops.

Joining in with weekly or monthly memes like Beautiful People by Cait @ Paper Fury and Sky @ Further Up and Further In, or Top Ten Tuesdays by The Broke and the Bookish is also a great way to find similar blogs to follow and interact with.

One of the best blog hops for writers I take part in is the Author Toolbox Blog Hop by Raimey Gallant, which is a monthly hop where we share posts with advice, support and experiences. You can take a look back at past posts by visiting the hashtag on Twitter, if you’re a writer and blogger I definitely recommend getting involved, the quality of posts is absolutely fantastic and the community of writers taking part is inspiring to say the least!

I follow a lot of the bloggers I follow on their social media accounts too, mainly Twitter and Instagram, and I’m a member of several Facebook groups with other bloggers and writers I’ve met online too. Interacting with other bloggers who write about similar topics, or who you admire and would love to emulate, is the best piece of advice I can possibly give if you want to get the most out of blogging!

#2 – Find your niche

People are more likely to subscribe to your blog if they know what to expect from your posts. Is your blog about books? Reading them, or writing them? Which genres do you prefer? Do you write reviews? Are they in depth and detailed, or mini taster reviews? Do you include spoilers? Those are the kinds of things people like to know before subscribing.

There are millions of blogs on the internet, probably even billions, so you need to carve out a little corner of paradise for yourself where like-minded individuals can find you and your posts. There’s nothing completely original in this world, so don’t worry about coming up with something brand new that’s never been done before, but if you have a niche you’re more likely to attract the right kinds of readers, people like yourself who maybe didn’t think anyone else was into the exact same type of sci-fi, or little-known manga, as them.

You’ve probably heard the saying “Jack of all trades, master of none”. Well, that applies to blogging too. If you try to be everything to everyone, you’ll wind up with a blog that has no identifiable category, that search engines struggle to place in results, and readers won’t subscribe to because they can’t guarantee that every post will be relevant or interesting to them.

You don’t have to be as specific as ‘a blog about 15th Century Italian poetry with religious imagery’, but you need to give your potential readers an idea of what to expect. For example, my blog is about writing and reading YA lit, that’s the general theme of this blog. I diverge a little, I read and review some adult lit, and I lean towards fantasy, but also feature contemporary and thrillers. But on the whole, the vast majority of my posts are either about reading or writing, and mostly YA fantasy.

I nominate…

I’m going to leave this one open, so if you fancy sharing your blogging story and some tips for newbie bloggers, feel free to pinch this tag!

Thanks for sticking with me through the impromptu hiatus, I’m hoping to be back to regularly scheduled programming from now on. I will be taking part in NaNoWriMo next month, but I’ll do my best to keep posting here as well.

In other news, I sent my first query for THE FAIR QUEEN yesterday, so I’m officially in the query trenches! Wish me luck, I’ll keep you all updated on any developments (that I can share 😉 ) and you can all commiserate with me as the rejections start to flood in.

Until next time!

Lyndsey

Beautiful People – Author edition

Welcome to the latest edition of Beautiful People, hosted by the fabulous Sky at Further up and further in and Cait at Paper Fury! Beautiful People is a monthly link up for writers that helps us get into our character’s heads by answering ten different questions about them each month. This month’s questions are a little different, though. In July, we’re zooming in on the author with ten questions about our writing process.

Let’s get started, shall we?

How do you decide which project to work on?

So far I’ve written one novel and started another, and I keep my plot bunnies saved in OneNote for when I’m finished with the project I’m currently working on. I actually combined a few ideas from my notes to create the second MS, so I guess it was a case of choosing which plot bunny felt the most intriguing and trying to flesh it out by interweaving other ideas. Luckily, several of my plot bunnies could be combined, which made my choice so much easier!

My first novel is fantasy, and the second is a sort of contemporary with elements of magical realism/fantasy. I want to try a few different genres until I really find my niche. I might try horror next!

How long does it usually take you to finish a project?

As I’ve only written one novel so far, I’ll say about nine months, because that’s how long it’s taken me, but to be honest it isn’t finished yet. I’m submitting it to Pitch Wars in the hopes a mentor will work with me to edit and revise my MS until it’s near perfect, and that will take until November. Even then, an agent or publisher might require more edits. So a long time. But I’m hoping that with each project I’ll get faster and faster at drafting and revising.

Do you have any routines to put you in the writing mood?

I make a cup of tea, make sure I’m comfortable and have everything I need at arm’s length so I won’t have to get up for a while, and I’m one of the odd people who need background noise so I put something on Netflix. If I’m struggling with a scene or plot point I like to take the dog for a walk and think about it while I get some exercise and appreciate nature. Maybe that’s strange, I need silence to think about my story, and noise to create it.

What time of day do you write best?

I am such a night owl, I don’t even function early in the morning, and if I’ve had a bad night’s sleep forget it. I love long and quiet weekends to just sit at the laptop for hours on end (with breaks to walk the dog and eat, of course), but generally I don’t get into a groove until late afternoon, early evening, and then I can keep going until the early hours.

Are there any authors you think you have a similar style to?

I honestly couldn’t say! I’d love to be compared to a famous author, it would be the greatest compliment, but I’m not sure who I think my writing is similar to.

Why did you start writing, and why do you keep writing?

I’ve always written, whether short stories or poems as a kid, blogs and essays as an adult. Novels have always been one of my favourite things in the world, but I never imagined I could write one until about a year ago. I started to get an idea for a story, and the more I thought about it (while walking the dog, doing the dishes, waiting to fall asleep) the more I knew I needed to write it. I realised I can Google absolutely anything when I need an answer to a question or a tutorial for fixing something, so surely there must be blogs and articles about how to write a novel. I was right, the internet is full of amazing bloggers and writers sharing the craft. So I started to read everything I could, using it to outline and plot my novel, and eventually I stumbled upon the writing community on Twitter, discovered NaNoWriMo, and all the other online competitions for writers.

In a nutshell, I started writing because I got an idea for a story that nagged me every waking minute and wouldn’t go away, and I keep writing because I’ve fallen in love with the craft and found my tribe.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve written?

It would have to be something about myself, my Uni application personal statement or a job application, because I’m absolutely horrible at selling myself, I’m so shy and anxious. Writing fictional stories is easy in comparison to writing something true and honest about myself.

Is there a project you want to tackle someday but you don’t feel ready yet?

I’d absolutely love to write a multi book series, but it’s so daunting. The way authors like J.K. Rowling and Sarah J. Maas weave hints and foreshadowing through early books about what will happen much later into the series, it’s an art form and I’m nowhere near skilled enough to plan that far ahead and execute it well at the moment. One day, hopefully! At the moment, I’m thinking one book at a time, as debut authors almost never get multi book series deals, so my MS The Fair Queen is ‘a standalone with series potential’ and I’ve got a few ideas for the sequel(s) up my sleeve.

What writing goals did you make for 2017 and how are they going?

I only started writing this time last year, so my goals weren’t really conscious or set in stone, but I wanted to complete my first novel, revise it, and start querying by the end of 2017. I’m entering Pitch Wars next week (submission window opens in 3 days!!!) so I’m a good way to achieving my goals, as if I get in I’ll get to work with a mentor for two months and then pitch agents in November. If I don’t get in, I’ll work on my MS for a couple more months anyway and start querying before Christmas.

Describe your writing process in 3 words or a gif!

If you’re just starting out as a writer or looking for blogs to help you improve your craft, check out some of my favourite writer/bloggers and their amazing words of wisdom:

Faye @ Writerology
Kristen @ Well-Storied
Christine @ Better Novel Project

If it weren’t for these three awesome ladies I wouldn’t be anywhere near ready to enter Pitch Wars and I’d probably have given up writing after 10k words.

I’m hoping to have more time to post once my Pitch Wars submission has gone, but if I get in I might be a bit AWOL for most of September and October too (plus I’m going to Asia for ten days in September! So excited :-D)

Lyndsey

The Sunshine Blogger Award

Thank you to the lovely Katie @ Read with Katie for tagging me in the Sunshine Blogger Award! I can’t seem to find out who created this award, so if anyone knows, please leave a comment so I can credit them!

THE RULES:

Thank the person who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.
Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you.
Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

What made you start a book blog? Now that you’re a book blogger, is it different to what you thought it would be?

I’ve had a couple of blogs in the past, a personal one and another when I sold crafts on Etsy, so I’ve always loved blogging and the community, but the book blog community is like no other! I’m entering Pitch Wars next month with my first novel and I really wanted somewhere I could share my writing journey, as well as my love of books. Honestly, it’s completely different than I expected it to be! I didn’t think anyone would read my posts and I’d be sitting here in a lonely corner of the interwebs writing my posts and sending them into the void. But, I’ve made so many blogging friends in the last ten months, I’ve got over 250 followers (how did that happen??!) and my favourite posts are tags and memes, and reading everyone’s different answers. It’s been better than I ever imagined.

Do you read eBooks and listen to audiobooks?

I’m obsessed with audiobooks, but I haven’t read any ebooks yet. I have downloaded a few from NetGalley, so I really need to get to those after I finish my library books.

Are you participating in any other yearly reading challenges apart from the Goodreads challenge?

No, just the Goodreads challenge, mine’s set at 36 and I’m slightly ahead at the moment. I’m taking part in a few buddy reads with my Goodreads groups too, to keep me on track as life is really busy at the moment!

Do you participate in readathons?

No, I wish I had the time for readathons! The only time I get chance to read several books in a week is on holiday.

Where do you purchase the majority of your books?

Sadly, Amazon. We live in a rural area without any nearby bookshops, although I do occasionally also buy from the supermarket. Is that worse? Either way, I’ve started using the local library more to save money and it’s a brilliant resource. I’d rather borrow books I want to read but probably not reread or keep.

Do you unhaul books?

I do! I’ve had a few major clear outs recently as we’ve moved house, and a couple of years ago I started a Book Exchange at work, so I take any books I don’t want anymore to work, and every six months I take the books no one wants to the charity shop.

Do you have a book buying budget/rules for book buying?

Not really, I tend to buy a few at a time to save on postage, usually when I’m about to go on holiday. I only really buy paperbacks, unless I’m desperate for a new release, as they’re cheaper. I try to ban myself from buying any more books if I still have several unread books on my shelf, but I never can resist a new release by my favourite author or a long-awaited sequel.

How long, on average, does it take for you to finish one book?

I am such a slow reader! It takes me a couple of weeks of reading for an hour a night to finish a book. I wish I had more time to read, but with work, writing and my dog and husband I’m kept pretty busy! When I’m on holiday I can read a book in a couple of days (I’ve never finished a book in one day). If I’m honest, I like to savour and enjoy books rather than rush through them, I try to put off finishing the really good ones.

Do you underline and mark-up your books?

I don’t write or highlight or anything like that inside my books, but I am a page dog-earer. Bookmarks just slip out too easily…

Do you create TBR’s? If you do, are you good at sticking with them?

I do, but I’m pretty terrible at sticking to them. I’ll borrow books I come across at the library and prioritise them because they need to go back, I’ll receive a new Illumicrate (check out my unboxings here and here) and immediately add those books to my pile. Basically, my TBR is a hot mess and I have so many unread books languishing on the bookcase waiting to be loved.

What are your favourite blog posts to write?

These kinds of posts, awards, tags, memes etc. have become my absolute favourite to read and write. Book reviews are harder than I expected! And coming up with other types of content can be time consuming, but getting tagged feels like an enormous compliment and gives me a pre formatted post to share, as well as letting me discover other bloggers and make new friends.

I nominate…

I’m just going to nominate a few people and anyone else is welcome to nab this award and tag me in your post!

My questions for you are…

Which book or series sums up your childhood?
What song takes you back to a book you were reading at the time, or reminds you of a specific scene?
Which ship reminds you of yourself and your partner or BFF?
What’s your favourite book to movie/TV adaptation? (Even if you haven’t read the book)
Which Hogwarts house are you in? (Hufflepuff fo life!)
Do you consider yourself more of a leading man/lady, quirky best friend or villain? Why?
Tell us a joke!
Bookish candles or literary tote bags?
If you have siblings, which fictional characters are they like? If not, which characters would you love to have family dinners with?
Your favourite book is out of print and you have one of the only copies. Your crush wants to borrow it, do you let them?
If you were stranded on a desert island, which one book would you want to have with you and which one author would you want for company? (No e-readers, you cheats!)

Have fun, folks!

Lyndsey