I launched my blog four years ago today. Is that ages, or no time at all? Like I said last year, it feels like something I’ve been doing forever, and yet there are bloggers out there who are coming up on a decade or more of online writing about books.
By Incabell [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)%5D.
This is my 542nd post, so the statistics tell me that I’ve been keeping up an average of just over 2.5 posts a week. Although I sometimes worry about overwhelming readers with ‘too many’ posts, I keep in mind that a) no one is obliged to read everything I post, b) a frequently updated blog is a thriving blog, and c) it only matters that it’s a manageable pace for me.
In the last year or so, I’ve gotten more involved in buddy reads and monthly challenges (things like Reading Ireland Month, 20 Books of Summer, R.I.P., Margaret Atwood Reading Month, and Novellas and Nonfiction in November); I’ve continued to take part in literary prize shadow panels and attend literary events when I can. I’ve hosted the Library Checkout for nearly a year and a half now and there are a few bloggers who join in occasionally (more are always welcome!). The posts I most enjoy putting together are write-ups of my travels, and seasonal and thematic roundups, which are generally good excuses to read backlist books from my own shelves instead of getting my head turned by new releases.
Some statistics from the past year:
My four most viewed posts were:
The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell
Clock Dance by Anne Tyler: Well…
Mixed Feelings about Elena Ferrante
I got the most likes in December 2018, and the most unique visitors and comments in August.
My four favorite posts I wrote in the past year were:
A Trip to Wigtown, Scotland’s Book Town
Painful but Necessary: Culling Books, Etc.
Why We Sleep … And Why Can’t I Wake Up?
A President’s Day Reading Special (No Trump in Sight)
Thanks to everyone who has supported me this past year, and/or all four years, by visiting the site, commenting, re-tweeting, and so on. You’re the best!
Bookish Beck = Rebecca Foster. American transplant to England. Freelance proofreader and book reviewer.
Bookish Beck 
Congratulations! The time has flown past. I enjoy your posts about book culling, travelling etc more than your actual reviews. I have so many books on my TBR mountain that I am not looking to add to it. In fact because I ‘trust’ your opinion I am much more likely to remove book(s) if you don’t think much of them!
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Well, reviews is how I keep the stream of new, free books coming, so even if it’s less unique content they’re likely to keep constituting my bread and butter on here. I’m glad I can also perform the adjacent service of steering you clear of less worthwhile books 🙂
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Happy anniversary, Rebecca. I always enjoy your posts. Here’s to many more years!
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Thank you! How long have you been blogging, Susan?
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It’ll be six years next month. I had no idea how addictive it would become or that I’d meet such lovely people, either in the blogosphere or real life.
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I believe yours is the first blog I ever followed. Next was The Writes of Woman. I’ve been a big fan of both for years now!
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Oh, that’s lovely! You’ve made my day.
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Happy blogversary Beck. Must say that I always love your nonfiction picks – I think most of my (limited) nonfiction readings comes via your recommendations.
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That’s great to hear! Nonfiction is 40% of my reading, so maybe I highlight it more than some bloggers do.
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And your nonfiction interests align with mine very neatly 😊
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Congratulations! Your round-ups are always great fun to read, and I totally know what you mean about getting distracted by new releases…
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Thank you! Many of my most rewarding reads in a year end up being backlist reads, yet I also feel like I want to be in the know about all the new releases (even more important for you in your job).
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Yeah, and sometimes that means that everything I do feels like I’m working! This year I’m trying especially hard to allow myself some frivolous reads, or some books that I want to read just for me, as opposed to because I want to determine how many other people might like them.
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I love your themed posts and your roundups and the stories you tell about your travels and your jury shadowing and your nonfiction reviews (so I can feel like I know a little bit about them without reading them all myself). I always look forward to reading your posts, even though I often fall behind. Happy 4th Blirthday!! 🙂
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Thanks, Naomi!
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It was Penny who introduced me to your blog, and despite my being a keen reader, yours is one of only two reading blogs I follow. Our tastes aren’t always the same, but I always value your views, and also your frequent book round-ups, even though they leave me exhausted! Here’s to the next four years.
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I’m honoured 🙂
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Happy blogversary! It feels like you’ve been blogging for much longer – which I mean in a good way. So glad to have met you in person and to be part of the Wellcome Book Prize shadow group. I enjoy all your kinds of posts, so keep ’em all coming – and long may Bookish Beck continue. 😀
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Yes, I feel like (and others assume that) I’ve been blogging for longer. I floundered about somewhat for the first couple of years, but since then I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable in doing what I do and comparing myself to others less.
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Congratulations on your anniversary! Yesterday was my own three year anniversary 🙂
I love following along with your reading — thanks for all of your hard work to keep it going!
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Ah, congratulations to you, too! What is it about March? 🙂
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Spring! The season of fertility and the urge to create! Or rather, here in New Hampshire, a desperate attempt to shake off some cabin fever and do something new :p
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Happy Blogoversary – and long may you continue. I always enjoy your posts and often gain inspiration for future reads, book reviewing and book blogging.
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Thank you so much!
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Happy 4th blog birthday! 🙂
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Thanks, Hayley!
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Congrats on 4 years! I really enjoyed your thematic posts and would like to do more of these myself. Dwelling with a topic a little longer by reading on a them is something I’ve realized I like a lot.
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Thank you!
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Happy blogiversary! Best wishes for the many more blogging years ahead – I look forward to following along with you. 🙂🎉
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Thanks so much!
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Happy fourth! I also feel like you’ve been blogging forever, I’ve long considered you as one of the most established bloggers! My reading resolution is to read from the library more often, I’d love to participate in the library checkout! On a instagram perhaps, which lends itself to photos! We could maybe create a #hashtag?
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That would be great if you’d like to participate. I’ve been known to use #librarycheckout on Twitter and Instagram, though I don’t think it’s necessarily a unique hashtag.
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Sounds good! Seems like #librarycheckout is wildly in use, which would make it hard to tell whose a participant and who isn’t. #borrowedbookloot sounds rad and is not too crowded (10 posts in all). Which do you prefer?
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No thanks on that one.
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If you think of a unifying hashtag, let me know!
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Congrats on four years!
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Happy blogiversary! I think you post just the right amount, and you pretty well always reply to comments so you win in my book! I’ve been blogging 14 years! and my most popular post is one I did on some keys I found that I shared everywhere, most popular book post one on one of my books, and most popular reading posts the post and page on my Iris Murdoch readalong project. The past 365 days it’s been the readalong and a book called “What Editors Do” that a popular editor friend shared.
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Thank you! I do always strive to reply to comments, or at least ‘like’ to show I saw them. It’s a big pet peeve of mine when comments go unanswered on others’ blogs, so I just think about what I would want. (Literal keys?)
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Yes, sorry, I should have said you always “Like” and then comment unless there’s literally nothing to say; it’s a real peeve of mine, too. And yes, literal keys found on my front wall, I photographed them and put them on here and then shared … and ended up taking them to the police station anyway!
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Happy Anniversary, Rebecca! Stay a happy blogger. 🙂
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Happy Blog Anniversary! I really value your blog and the accompanying Instagram. I appreciate your thoughtful, clear-headed reviews and find many great recommendations. Thank you so much xx
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Thank you! What a kind thing to say.
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Congrats
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belated congrats 🙂
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