Blogging Goals for 2014
It’s almost that time again, ya know…the end of the year and we’re all rushing to finish up our reading challenge goals, reflecting on the past year in blogging and in general, and getting end of the year wrap-up’s ready to go up on our blogs. We’re also deciding on what fun new reading challenges we’ll all be participating in next year and figuring out how we can improve our blogging skills and habits. I know I am; which is the idea behind this post, to give myself something to look back on throughout 2014 and remind myself of the goals that I want to accomplish and also to help be a little more organized when it comes to my blogging.
One. Be more consistent. I want to be a little more consistent with my blogging, it’s pretty self-explanatory. I’m thinking about picking at least 3 or 4 permanent days where I will blog consistently and then use the remaining left over days to catch up on emails regarding the blog, respond to book review/blog tour requests, catch up on review books/writing reviews, and prepping posts to be scheduled ahead of time on those specific days.
Two. Reducing the Memes. I’m only going to be posting 3 meme’s on the blog. I have it pretty much planned out, to where I am going to be posting those memes every two weeks to the blog. I’ll be posting the Top Ten Tuesday by The Broke and the Bookish, my version of Waiting on Wednesday inspired by the original, and The Sunday Post created by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. This one will be done twice a month as well, the first being a mid-month wrap-up and the second, being a wrap-up for the entire month.
Three. Cut back on blog (promo post only/cover reveals) tours. I’m planning to only participate in a small number of blog promo post tours and cover reveals, in the new year. My reason for this, is so that I can free up a little more of my time so that I can get discussion posts/reviews/etc. ready and written for GBYA. It’s a New Adult book blog, where I’m co-blogging with three of my best friends and fellow bloggers.
Four. Less filler and more real content. I’m planning on writing more discussion posts, getting a little more personal on the blog, and posting a new feature in the upcoming year. One of those new features is Bookish Charms and it’s a part of this blog where I will be offering custom made bookmarks (different variety of them) for sale. I’ll be charging between $15-20 for them a piece and you can either fill out the form or email me about custom designed ones. The money that I make from them, will be put back into the blog and used to sponsor giveaways that I’ll be hosting throughout the year. So, if you’re interested in a special blingy bookmark, check back after the first of the year and I’ll have the feature/page set up with more information and there will be pictures with examples.
Five. Reading and Blogging for pleasure. I’m going to be reading more books for pleasure, trying to balance out reading what I want to read and the review books that I’ll be reading for the blog. I’ve created a TBR Jar that is filled with different colored folded up post it notes that have the title and author of a book that’s either sitting on my bookshelf or my Kindle, each month I’ll be picking two random books from the jar and reading them for my own pleasure. I’ll be adding them in with the review books that I have for that month. I’m also going to be blogging a little more leisurely and working on being a lot more personable in my posts, like sharing more things about who I am and opening up a little bit more. So, you’ll definitely be seeing more posts like my If We Were Having Coffee post throughout the year.
Six. Be more personable within the blogging community. I’m going to work on getting to know you guys a little better and making friends with you, by commenting more on your blog posts and building up social media communications. I haven’t been as great with that in the past, as I had hoped to be but I do want to get to know those of you who follow my blog and take the time to read my posts.
So, that’s pretty much it, all of my blogging goals for next year. It’s just basically a guideline to keep me on track and help me to stay on top of things, also to help remind me that blogging about books and reading in general, is supposed to be a fun and enjoyable thing and not necessarily a stressful ball of disaster waiting to unravel.
Your blogging goals for 2014 sound excellent and it sounds like you have really thought about them and planned them out. I think that will be helpful in achieving your goals! The blogging community is so wonderful and there are so many fabulous people to connect with all over the place. Wishing you the best of luck with your goals. I am still trying to figure out my blogging and personal goals for 2014. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
This year, I met a few of my goals, but not as many as I was hoping I would. So, when I sat down to figure out what I wanted to do for next year, as far as the blog goes, I decided to go back to the bare bones of things and start over. It really is a fabulous place with lots of amazing people and I'm going to try to really get to know them more this coming year, by commenting to their blogs more and being a little more personal with my blog. Thank you, for your sweet compliments.
DeleteHere's to a new year, of getting to know one another better. And I hope that your goals come out strong and good for 2014. :)
This is a really good idea! I tend to get lazy throughout the year and kind of forget about my goals so writing them done and sharing them is a great way to not only remember but kind of feel obligated to finish them. Good luck with your goals!
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's what I was kind of thinking, I needed something to remind me later on in the year what I had intended to happen on this blog for 2014 and to motivate me to stick with it and not stray too much from it. Thanks, so much for taking the time to stop by, I really appreciate it. Here's to getting to know one another better in the New Year, I hope your goals and aspirations come true as well. :)
DeleteThose goals sound fabulous! It makes me want to make some goals as well! But I will just probably include it in some post. XD Gosh, posting more is always needed--life just doesn't stop for you to have time to blog, does it? I haven't really tried out a lot of memes, do you suggest any?
ReplyDeleteThat bookmark idea sounds awesome! I would really like to see some examples which you said will come. I can't wait to see a post about it because even though I might not buy it, it sounds like a fabulous idea to raise money for giveaways.^^
2014 Is coming so quick. I wish a Happy New Years and I hope you accomplish all you need for your goals to make an awesome year to come. ^^
I just wanted to stop by on your lovely blog to say THANK YOU FOR THE FOLLOW!!! IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME! <3
Aw, thank you, so much for stopping by. I'm sorry it took me a bit to get back to your blog, I've been so busy today trying to get some things done for the blog, catch up on social media, and put some things together that will be upcoming. :)
ReplyDeleteI would probably suggest starting with Top Ten Tuesday and/or Waiting on Wednesday, those are the two that I like the best and you can do them every week or you can do them every two weeks. I'm going to be doing The Sunday Post, once a month so that I can re-cap everything that's been going on the blog instead of doing it every Sunday which would be too much for me.
Gosh, I know what you mean, life is crazy and it's crazy unexpected sometimes too, which means that it's sometimes hard to find time to do the blogging. It's part of the reason why there will be 3 or 4 set days that I'll be posting here at this blog, and then a couple where I'll be posting over at Growing Beyond YA, the NA blog that I co-blog with three of my best friends. There's a link to it, in the sidebar if you're interested in checking it out.
I'll definitely be getting up pictures of examples pretty soon on the Bookish Charms page, because I am hoping that will take off at some point in the New Year and I'll be able to make a little money to help put back into the blog, that way. I really enjoy making things like that and so far, I've gotten way better with each new one that I make. This last one that I made for myself (which, will be one of the examples shown soon) is my favorite one to date.
It really is, it's like I blinked and 2013 just fluttered away on a breeze. Aw, thank you, it does my heart good to hear such sweet things from a new face around the blog. I hope you stick around and check it out even more come the New Year. I'd definitely like to get to know you more, I know I'll be visiting your blog and commenting here and there as much as I can.
I hope all of your goals and wishes for the New Year come true as well. THANK YOU, for stopping by and leaving such a sweet comment. <3
Susan these are such excellent goals. I love chatting and getting to know fellow bloggers. I have made some really good friends and it amazing me that they are scattered all over the world and know more about me than some of my family members. Good luck and a Happy New Year. I hope 2014 rocks for you :)
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, I don't know what I would do without some of the personal online and blogger friends that I've made over the last few years. Some of them have turned out to be my saving grace, really. And it's also, a lot of fun to discover new blogs and people to reach out to, with similar or different ideals and opinions that yours too. Thank you, so much for taking the time to stop by my blog and leave your sweet comments, I'm definitely going to do my best to comment more around yours. *g* I really enjoy most of the things that you post, for sure. I hope that 2014 turns out to be an awesome year for you as well. :)
DeleteThese are some excellent goals. I still have to get mine together, but we definitely share a few of the same. I really like the bookmarks and the TBR jar idea that you have. What an excellent way to read some for pleasure as well! For one thing, my reviews have petered out. I have to read more. Life took over and routines changed so I have to fit more reading back into my schedule. Good luck in the new year with your goals! Jaclyn @ JC's Book Haven.
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you so much, for stopping by the blog and for leaving such a nice comment. I was trying to think of a couple things that would spice up the blog and make it a little different (more original and unique) and that's when I came up with the TBR jar (inspired by a couple friends and other bloggers) and the bookmarks. I know what you mean, I'm resolving to be quicker and better at keeping up with my reviews, writing them, and making sure they're a little more personable and more me. Here's to getting back into schedule together and I am hoping that you'll be able to meet all of your goals as well. Good luck! :)
DeleteGreat list of goals hun!!!! (: Number 4 is one I hope to do also, I post reviews, and memes, but rarely do I do any personal or discussion posts! Good luck on your goals! (: And looking forward to seeing some of your Bookish Charms! (:
ReplyDeleteOh, yes. I really do want to definitely get some discussion posts and more personal posts, like making Bookish Charms a bi-weekly feature where I talk about the latest things that I've made as far as beaded bookmarks, jewelry, etc. that I've made. I really need to try and stay on top of my reading and not fall behind and also keep up-to-date with my reviews and not waiting til' the last minute when I have 4 or 5 that need to be written and have them all waiting for me. lol. I'm definitely going to be showing some pics of things that I've made in the way of Bookish Charms, I may make a few of them up, and then put them up with pictures on the blog to be sold to start that way. :)
DeleteThanks, so much for stopping by the blog, and I hope that your goals for 2014 turn out for you the way that you had planned.
Oo, I'm excited to see what the bookmarks look like :D I used to make simple little bookmarks with stamps and embossing powder before my friend moved away and took all her supplies with her, haha.
ReplyDeleteYou can see a picture of one of the bookmarks that I made here. It's one that I made for myself and I really loved how it turned out. Aw, I was actually thinking about buying some blank tags from Hobby Lobby, busting out my stamps, and some other things and making some bookmarks that way and attaching ribbon/string/twine to them or maybe even chain and leather and adding some beads and charms to make them look kind of snazzy. lol. I'll bet your bookmarks were cute! :)
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