Good morning, afternoong, evening friends, happy…Tuesday! It is with a certain kind of emotion that I am writing today’s blog post, and taking part for a special time to Top Ten Tuesday, meme, a special feature created by the lovelies over at Brokeandbookish. If you remember correctly, I told you that I would stop this kind of post on the blog, but not before writing down this special one…
I completely missed today’s prompt and I apologize, but for this last Top Ten Tuesday, I’m going to write down something special, and make this the Top Ten Reasons I am thankful for the Top Ten Tuesday. In my almost two years of blogging, this has been a regular feature on the blog, and it brought me so much. Here’s a huge thanks to the Top Ten Tuesday, and many reasons why memes can be GREAT.
✏️ It brought me out of my blogging shell
Let’s be honest, when we all start blogging, we are alone, and we FEEL it, especially on the stats side. I know, statistics are NOT what matters the most in a blog, but everyone will think it does when we start out. And it does hurt when no one comes to visit. Discovering Top Ten Tuesday really brought me out there: it made me be seen, viewed a lot more by everyone, and just…it encouraged me to do more.
✏️ It brought me new friends
If Top Ten Tuesday allowed me to be seen and heard, it obviously brought many new people on my little corner of the internet. People coming to leave just one comment, but…you know, it starts like that. One comment and another and before you know it, you’ve grown yourself a little circle of book blogging friends. Now this is the most amazing part of it, really.
✏️ It challenged me every week
With every new Tuesday coming around, a new theme, and new books to talk about. Seriously, I can’t even begin to explain how LONG it took me, at times, to find enough books that suited the theme every week. In a way, it’s challenging and rewarding to find books like a little scavenger hunt.
✏️ It made me re-discover old books gathering dust on my Goodreads shelves
To find all the books, obviously, I had to turn to my best friend, Goodreads….and sometimes, I found some old books as well. Books I have read YEARS ago, way before I started blogging. It always brings out some kind of nostalgia, to find books like that.
✏️ It gave me ideas
With different lists every week, and lots and lots of blogs participating in this feature, it’s hard NOT to let my mind swirl everywhere and get new ideas. Ideas of bookish recommendations, ideas of bookish discussion themes, just, IDEAS everywhere.
✏️ Great bookish recommendations everywhere
You know how book blogging made you discover SO many new books, and made your TBR grow so much that you can’t even see the sky anymore? Well… Top Ten Tuesday is like 80% responsible of this. A list of ten books everywhere on the book blogging community every week. That did NO good. Or maybe that did wonders, because I have heard of so many awesome books thanks to this.
✏️ It made me discover the blogging community is HUGE
It is huge, seriously. I didn’t know I wasn’t that alone until I discovered the lists of blogs doing the Top Ten Tuesday prompt every week. Hundreds of blogs everywhere. Not so alone after all now, am I?
✏️ It gave my blog some consistence
Being there every week, Top Ten Tuesday helped me a lot, at first, to blog in some sort of regular way. Because when you’re a beginner, sometimes, you have no idea where to start.
If Top Ten Tuesday brought so many incredible things to my blog (views, followers, friends, ideas, and I could just re-quote everything I said right here), it also takes A LOT of my blogging time. Scheduling every week’s post, finding new books to talk about without quoting the same ones too many times, making the page layout every time with all the book covers…really, it’s time consuming. This is one of the reasons why I am not going to be participating in Top Ten Tuesday’s anymore, for now though. But this post was a way for me to say how fantastic this feature is, and how it is really helpful to other bloggers, not only in terms of stats, but also in terms of inspiration, challenge and most of it all, FUN.
I take part in TTT, and it’s really fun to find books that much the theme. But I have to agree on the time, it’s so time consuming, it takes me a lot if time to get the list just right. But I love book lists so the time spent on creating them ‘s worth it.
I’m happy to hear you have a great time doing these TTT, they are a lot of fun 🙂 Even if it takes time, if you’re happy with the result it’s all that matters 🙂
Aww, what a cute idea for your last TTT!! I love TTT for all of the reasons you mention here, but I think it’s awesome that you’re branching out as well. It’s nice to switch things up now and again! 🙂
Ohh thank you Holly, I’m glad you like it 🙂 You’re right, it was good, but it always feels nice to change things up a bit 🙂
Aww this is a great post Marie! I’ve never participated in TTT, I’m not sure why haha. This post is so sweet though!
Thank you so, so much! I guess these posts aren’t for everyone, but I always see TONS of bloggers doing this – and this is why I started ahah. Thank you <3
I love this topic! <3 and I agree with you on most of this. When I first started blogging (that's actually only five months ago lol) all I posted were reviews and occasional list of random books but then I discovered Top 10 Tuesday and it brought me out there! My blog started getting more visitors and I discovered more and more blogs to follow. I'm pretty sure I met my favorite bloggers from TTT link-up! And yes, it gives me ideas to write my own post and it's great! Though sometimes I feel like it's a chore… like when I don't really like the topic or when I feel like I'm repeating the books. Now I decided to only HAVE FUN with it and to just simply not do it if I'm not fond of the topic, that way it stays fun and challenging. Great list 😀
Oh thank you so, so much, I am so happy you like this and can relate! <3 Top Tens are such a great way to find new bloggers, and this is how I found most of the bloggers I follow and talk to daily now, as well! 🙂 You're so right, this is meant to have fun before anything 🙂 Thank you so much!
Absolutely! It really is a good way to find friends and new books to be added on my TBR 😀
It is…even if it makes our TBR… HUGE ahah.
TTT was he first meme I found when I started blogging (it was also one of the very first posts that I did!!) I love finding old and new books, recommendations etc. But TTT also put me out there where I think I would have otherwise failed! Plus I found some amazing people along the way 🙂
I think it was one of my very first posts, as well, and it is INCREDIBLE how many books I found thanks to this. And bloggers as well, obviously 🙂 Thank you so much for commenting 🙂
You do get around pretty quick through this meme!! 🙂
I agree with all your points here. When I just started blogging, I’d always see the TTT posts floating around and because of this meme, I found out that the book blogging community is HUUUUGE. I’m pretty sure I found you through a TTT as well. ?? That said, it is quite time consuming so I understand why you’re going to stop taking part for a bit. I’m still looking forward to your other posts on your blog. 😉
I found so many people thanks to the TTT as well, it’s crazy how huge the community is! Thank you so, so much! 🙂
I’ve done TTT off and on for a couple years or so now too I believe. It really is fun to see what blogs are out there! So many you never knew about until you do something like this meme. Maybe you could do the topics that are easy to do instead of quitting altogether? Whatever works for you of course!
-Lauren
http://letsgetbeyondtolerance.blogspot.com/2016/08/top-ten-tuesday-author-edition-with.html
I completely agree, it’s crazy how many bloggers you can find thanks to the TTT 🙂 Maybe I will do some inspiring topics, I guess I will see! Thank you! 🙂
Aww I love this list because it is so completely true. I love doing these Top Ten Tuesday posts the most, because of all the reasons you listed above, but I completely understand you wanting to do some other things as well. You have a great blog and I’m definitely interested to read your posts whether they are a top ten tuesday meme or not 🙂
Oh I’m happy you like it, thank you so much for all of your support, it means so, so much to me <3 Top Tens are so much fun, but I want to focus on other things for a while 🙂
What a great post to end your TTT run 🙂
I agree that TTT definitely helps draw me out from my shelf and introduce me to a lot of new books and bloggers too.
Personally I do TTT because it’s been a fun time for me. I love looking up books to get into the list, though some themes are really challenging. Plus, it’s a good reminder for me to check my reader feed. I have a tendency to get distracted and forget about it for a few days and TTT pulls me back. Without TTT, I might have trouble there. Haha.
PS: Where’s that cute tortoise from?
Oh thank you so, so much Jamie, so happy you like it! I’m glad you enjoy doing TTT, I agree that when you’re inspired they can be a lot of fun, and I did have a great time! Haha it’s the same for me, my feed EXPLODES on Tuesdays, that’s crazy! 🙂
Ohhh, well to be honest I found it at random and found it VERY cute ahah, I need to search where it’s from 😛
I found it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILQwTkttRP4
AHHH just how did you find this, you are the expert. I’m definitely coming back to you when I need to find where some GIF is from 😛 THANK YOU!
The art of Google Fu is a secret
Haha well maybe someday I will learn 😛
That’s a lovely way to end your TTT series. Can’t wait to see what you come up with instead 😀
Oh thank you so, so much, so glad you liked it 🙂
Since my blog isn’t all about books, I don’t do a TTT. I follow some book bloggers, but it’s not because the memes. It’s because of the posts they post. So I will continue following you.
That’s so, so sweet of you, thank you! 🙂 I agree, we all should follow blogs because of the content and not the memes 🙂
Awesome post! I love your goodbye to this meme!
I never participated because I found it to be too repetitive and a tiny bit too long to prepare, I’m such a slacker :p
Thank you so, so much Donna <3 It is kind of long to prepare, some of the themes are fun, but I understand people finding it repetitive, it kind of is at times 🙂 Haha 😛
I’ve just joined TTT, but already it’s helped my blog so much. For ages, I got 0 comments on anything other than spam, and it’s so nice to actually have relevant comments to respond to!
Yaay, welcome to the TTT fun 🙂 It is really good to find the community, I hope you will find lots of bloggers you love and have a great time 🙂
I’ve already found a bunch that I enjoy! 🙂
So happy to hear that! 😀
What a great final TTT! I already read your reasoning on your previous post and I totally get it. I was actually thinking about quitting maybe too, but I don’t have the energy to come up wtih original content hahaha
Thank you so, so much Kat, I’m happy you like it! 🙂 Haha I get that, it’s kind of exhausting and it’s making me nervous already haha. But I’m going to cut back as well the amount of posts per week because, well, adulting SUCKS. So giving up on these posts, taking a LOT of time to prepare every week, is the right choice I think for me 🙂
It definitely is the right choice 🙂 I know that adulting is super hard. I am not sure I am doing my best with it.
It is, I haven’t even started properly and I am already sick of it ahah. I’m sure you are doing your very best with it, don’t worry! <3
I think adulting is one of those things that no one has actually figured out and everyone is just pretending to know what they are doing hahaha that thought always makes me feel better.
Hahaha, well…thank you, it does make me feel better to hear that 😛
What a lovely way to end your TTT run! I love TTT for many of the same reasons you have listed 🙂
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2016/08/16/top-ten-tuesday-70/
Thank you so, so much, so glad you agree 🙂
I agree with all of your reasons! Such a fun way to connect with other bloggers and remember favorite books. 🙂 Sorry to hear you’ll be stepping away from it.
My TTT: http://www.anovelglimpse.com/2016/08/16/top-ten-tuesday-ten-romance-novels-or-series-set-in-the-workplace/
Thank you so, so much! 🙂
This is an amazing post for this week Marie, and it seems like the perfect way to say goodbye to the TTT theme on your blog as well! 🙂
I completely agree with all your reasons as well. I started TTT the same day I started my blog but it has definitely helped me get to know people within the community and make loads of amazing friends as well. Plus I know every week, at least on a Tuesday, I have one post that I know what to write.
And the amount of books that have been added to my to-read list since I started doing TTT every week is insane! 😀
Great theme for this week, I loved reading your choices for it as well! <3
Oh thank you so, so much Beth! It felt like the right thing to do to end the TTT, and I really wanted to share the love about all of it, plus it is really, really useful 🙂 Thank you! <3
That’s all right, and yeah it did feel like the perfect ending to your TTT posts. I’d say all your reasons are reasons why I started and why I continue doing TTT posts, but I’m excited to see what you’re going to be doing with your blog next! 😀
Well I really hope you will enjoy the new content! ?
I loooove TTT but I agree it is time consuming! All the time it takes to make the posts and then visit and comment on blogs…for me though it’s worth it because I love the traffic it brings in and the awesome new book recs and just getting to flail with other bookworms! IT IS MY FAVOURITE. My TBR has almost definitely exploded thanks to TTT and I have no regrets. XD
I understand, it’s just incredible how many bookworms are doing this feature! It’s such an amazing way to fangirl with others and I found gazillion books to add to my TBR as well ahah. So happy it works well for you, and all of your topics and posts are always ON POINT Cait <3
I have never done a Top Ten Tuesday, actually. I considered it when I first started out but never got around to doing a post, though they do look very fun and I enjoyed reading everyone’s posts! It’s the book blog “meme” that has the most consistently interesting topics, so I don’t mind seeing my WordPress feed filled with it.
I like to make my own lists, so I have never felt the need to to a TTT. I’m excited to see what other content you will bring to your blog on Tuesday. 🙂
It’s funny, there are so many bloggers doing TTT, I sometimes forget some others don’t ahah. Glad to hear you enjoy seeing those around though 🙂 Thank you so, so much for the support, I hope you will enjoy the new content 🙂
So much yes for everything here! I have Top Ten Tuesday to thank as well because doing it has definitely made me come out of my blogging shell a little bit, like you said. It’s such an easy way to get to know people outside your immediate community, and it’s easier to interact when you have a shared topic. And the consistence thing is right too! It’s one of the posts I schedule my other posts around, and it’s given me a structure to follow from week to week.
I’m gonna miss your Top Ten Tuesday lists! But I’m really excited to see what else you have in store for us. <3
Thank you so, so much Reg, for the support! I hope you will enjoy the new content 🙂
Top Ten really helped me get out of my shell as well, and with so, so many other blogs around, it’s good to feel less alone, and to see what everyone has to say about a particular topic 🙂
I’m sure I will! Your posts always brighten my day, and I am in awe each time. I’ve thought about doing original features as well but every time I come home from work I’m like naaah I’m just going to sit and watch TV. Teach me your ways! ?
YOU ARE TOO SWEET thank you seriously, this means the world to me <3 Well hm right now I have nothing better to do than cry trying to be an adult, cry some more and blog so, leaves a lot of time for brainstorming ideas I guess ???
OMG I can relate. I’m kind of glad I don’t have that much free time now because if I do, “crying trying to be an adult” will totally be on my daily agenda. I hope you have fun, though, and don’t stress out too much. 😛
Haha, thank you, well I will try, even if… it’s really hard not to ahah. ?
TTT is one of those posts that I consistently enjoy reading all the time 🙂 I wish I participated in them more often, though! I always have fun when I do. You’re absolutely right about TTT connecting people and making you new friends – as well as helping us discover new reads!
I really enjoy reading these kind of posts as well, it’s so much fun to see what books everyone comes up with 🙂 Thank you so, so much for your sweet comment, Aentee <3
I totally relate to your points. Writing Top Ten Tuesday posts has made my blog’s content more diverse and helped me to connect with a much bigger community. While I’ve been a blogger for years, I’m still fairly new to the community aspect of it. For a long time, I didn’t know of any good book blogs, and now I’m flooded with amazing content that used to be invisible to me. I definitely don’t want to go back to being lonely/invisible, so I have Top Ten Tuesday to thank for making me some great new friends 😀
I’m so happy that you have the same experience than I did with the Top Tens. I felt quite alone before, and now it’s incredible to see how many bloggers are out there, find out so many new books and friends 🙂 Thank you so, so much for stopping by, Paige! 🙂
I love it when blogging gives me that feeling <3
I love it as well <3
TTT is such a great meme!! They should actually make this a topic 🙂
What a great idea! I’ll miss seeing this meme on here. I guess it’s not very original though. Great last TTT topic 🙂 They should make it an actual topic!!
Thank you so, so much! <3 I hope you will enjoy the new content 🙂
You’re welcome 🙂
Aw, I love this list Marie! Top Ten Tuesday definitely helped me soooo much when I first started blogging. It introduced me to so many wonderful people. I love how many books I’ve found because of it too.
I used to participate every week, but now I only do if the topic’s something that REALLY interests me because like you said it can be really time consuming.
Oh thank you so, so much Lauren, I am so happy you agree with what I said here. Top Tens are so good to find the community, but it’s time consuming, really. We all should keep on going with what we love the most, and not make everything feel like a chore 🙂 Thank you!
Sadly I’ve only done this once- I just can’t keep on top of these things! But I like what you said about it- particularly about it bringing you out of your shell (that tortoise is damn cute!)
Thank you so, so much! I know right, I want to have a little tortoise now ?. It’s hard to keep up especially when we’re busy though. Thanks! 🙂
You’re welcome! Me too! yeah- that’s definitely true! I couldn’t even keep house plants alive, let alone a pet!
Hahahaha, well… that’s why books are great, they stand alone and don’t need us 😛
Exactly!!
I completely agree. TTT has allowed me to meet people that I probably wouldn’t have ever interacted with otherwise. It does take a lot of time, though.
I’m glad you agree 🙂 TTT takes a lot of time, but they’re ultimately worth it, just to talk about all of these people 🙂 I wish I still had a lot of time on my hands to keep on going with this, but I’ll try and focus on other things for now 🙂 Thank you so much! 🙂
That’s what blogging is about in the end, right? Meeting people, making friends. Memes like this where bloggers team up are so wonderful for that reason!
That’s exactly why, and why I am thankful for it 🙂 Thank you so much 🙂
Wahh, that’s a nice little farewell to TTT. I’ve actually never done one. although I’ve seen A LOT of bloggers participate in it. I think it’s cause we had no clue how it worked and never really thought of committing to it. Sounds like a nice way to reach out to some curious people out there! 😛
– Lashaan
Thank you so, so much, I’m glad you liked it 🙂 It’s a nice way to find out new bloggers, and themes are always different and fun to do, but it’s time-consuming as well. Thank you! 🙂
How do I sign up/participate in Top Ten Tuesday’s?
You just have to check the themes every week here: http://www.brokeandbookish.com/p/top-ten-tuesday-other-features.html and then write your own blog post on that theme, and link it up on Broke and Bookish blog. 🙂
Blogging is love, blogging is life. I’m new to the blogging scene and would love if you could check out my film review blog! Or check out my top ten tuesday christmas movie edition! Thanks for sharing. https://reelviewsbysara.wordpress.com/blog/
Welcome to the blogging community 🙂