If you’re new to the blog: hi! I’m Marie and English isn’t my native language. I don’t know if it shows in my writing at all (not too much, I hope), but I’m actually French. Almost 8 years ago when I started this adventure, I chose to blog in English.
I never realized that this could make some people wonder, until I got this email from a fellow French and future book blogger, wondering whether or not they should start their book blog in their native language or in English. Little shout out to Rachel here for their lovely email and inspiration to write this post!
(Also, this is a little note that, if you have any blogging topics you’d like me to write about, feel free to let me know!)
Why I Chose To Start A Book Blog in English
I read mostly in English
I’ve always been a big reader. You know, that kid at the back of the classroom, hiding a book under their desk, that was me.
Obviously, I started reading books in my native language early on and, later, I started seeking the original words of the authors I fell for. There started my journey with reading in English and I kind of never looked back.
I was mostly reading books in English when the idea of starting a book blog came to me. I loved the books I was reading and felt the need to talk to them with more people and, long story short, this is how I found out about the blogosphere.
Since I was reading books in English, it made sense to seek people reading the same kind of books… therefore, it made sense, to me, to talk about said books in that same language, as well.
I’ve always loved the language
My first reason for blogging in English comes from my brain, that second one comes from my heart, really.
I didn’t only start reading in English just because I was curious, wanted to improve my language skills and so on. I also did it because I genuinely LOVE that language. My English classes were my favorite part of the day, I always loved writing, reading, listening to English.
Immediately, when I started thinking about writing a book blog, I started about writing it in English.
Writing my book blog in that language just felt like what I wanted to do. It’s just something that felt, from the very beginning, right.
I noticed a lot of English blogs in my niche
Noticing the amount of book blogs online is what made me start this adventure. Knowing there was an entire community, a gigantic one filled with people screaming about the same books I read, is what made this entire endeavour a bit less scary. I wouldn’t be alone.
That’s also one of the reasons why I chose to write my blog in English. After spending time online and checking out a lot of blogs, I realized that… I’d fit better with the English community.
Because they read the same books as I do, in English, but also because I found myself interested in interacting with these blogs and their content a little bit more.
So, yes. Because I wanted to fit in with these kind of blogs, easily interact with them and, hopefully for them to interact with me, too, I decided to write it in English.
It felt obvious
It’s a weird reason, but… I didn’t really ask myself the question. I never really saw myself blogging in my native language. Not sure why? Call it gut instinct?
Should You Blog in English or In Your Native Language?
I know that my journey seems a bit simplistic and that, for some people, the answer might just not be that obvious. I tried listing below a couple of ways to help you figure out what would feel right, for you!
Think about your audience
Let’s be honest here for a second: you might start a blog for yourself, but the best thing about blogging is the interaction and connections you create.
That’s why I think that, before getting started, it’s important to take a second and think about how you will reach your audience.
If you’re a reader, reading in French only, the question doesn’t even need to be asked. If you’re reading both in French and English, if you want to start a travel blog or hell, a cooking blog, you might ask yourself that question.
Let’s take the example of reading both in French and English.
If you’re starting a book blog entirely in French, you’ll obviously reach French-speaking people. You might not keep your audience when you’re talking about books in English. Why, you ask? Because you might not reach people able to read said books in English and, if the book isn’t available in French… some people won’t be interested in your content. Hard, but true.
The same goes for any kind of blog, really: when you’re sticking to one language, you obviously are shutting out people who are not speaking that language. It’s sad, but it’s true.
English is of the most wildely spoken languages : it makes sense to pick it. You might be able to reach a lot more people and make connections with people from all around the world and the growth possibilities are larger, too.
That being said, starting a blog isn’t about what makes sense in your head. It’s also about what makes sense in your heart.
Think about what makes you feel more comfortable
There’s a reason I decided to start blogging in English: it just felt more natural. Strange, I know.
It also felt comfortable, in a way. When I’m in my little blogging bubble, I feel like my thoughts, my writing, my entire blogging flows better in English. Even if I know I’m not perfect in my writing, I also know I immediately felt more at ease writing in English than in my native language.
If you’re uncertain about what to do, you just need to ask yourself this question:
- Do you feel comfortable enough with your English to write entire blog posts, reply to comments and so on?
Before you ask: comfortable doesn’t mean that you need to be perfectly bilingual. I know I’m not. With a lot of reading, a lot of practice and yes, blogging in English, I believe that my skills have improved. But I’m not perfect.
I make mistakes, but you know what? Everyone does, no matter what their native language is. Don’t let that stop you from getting started.
If there’s a thing that should stop you, it’s the answer to this question:
- Do you think it will be harder for you to blog in English?
Do you think you’ll spend a lot more time writing blog posts, a lot more time overthinking your writing? Do you think that writing in another language will feel too restrictive, too unnatural or not right? There’s your sign.
Okay, but how do I know if I’m actually comfortable enough with it, you’ll ask?
There’s no right or wrong answer here, just a blank page and you getting started. A few words, an entire draft of a blog post, a book review… just try to write a little bit and see how that feels.
Not going to lie: it might feel a bit complicated, at first. With time, practice, reading a lot of other blogs, you’ll improve, so don’t let the fear stop you from going on!
Know that choosing one language doesn’t limit you
I feel like this is important to say: it’s not because you chose, for instance, to blog in English, that you are “stuck” with it.
Some people have bilingual blogs, because they’re more at ease writing about certain topics in their native language and others in English. Or just because they want to do both.
In case you feel like writing in both languages, Canva has an amazing tool called Document Translator, where you can super easily translate your content in multiple languages quickly!
Other people chose to have a plugin on their WordPress self-hosted blog, making it easy to switch from one language to another. (Here’s a list!)
Or maybe they’ll decide to write their blog in English, but have an instagram account with bilingual captions in order to reach a wider audience.
Know that it’s also okay to change your mind. Start in your native language, try English. It’s okay if it feels messy at the start. Just like the first draft of a book, it’s meant to be messy. With time and practice, you’ll figure out what feels right and, most importantly, what makes you feel the happiest.
☂️ Want to read more about book blogging? Check out these posts:
- 5 Things You Need to Know Before Starting A Book Blog
- How to support international book bloggers
- How To Increase Your Book Blog’s Traffic : 7 Easy Ways To Grow
📌 Pin Why I Blog in English on Pinterest!
If English isn’t your native language, why did you choose to blog in English?
Do you think it’s harder to blog if you don’t blog in English, nowadays? I’d love to chat in comments!
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Wonderful blogpost! You could have fooled me. English isn’t my native tongue either (it’s Dutch) but the choice was easy to make, I read in English so book reviews are easier to write in English then (I did try it once, reading a novel in Dutch and then writing a review in English but that was difficult). I’m sure my writing is not perfect but it is good enough. I know a blogger who never writes an article before a noun (because it doesn’t exist in her language) and still I like reading her blog so I think other people might be okay with mine too. Sometimes I do miss this natural feel to put into words what I’m feeling (I’m a bit jealous of some other bloggers) but I’m great at googling ‘synonyms’ :-). You just have to do do what feels right for you and I have not regretted my choice so far :-).
Oh thank you so much, that’s the kindest compliment I could get ahah! 🥺 I understand that! When you read books in English, it’s easier to talk about them in English, just as well. And no one’s perfect! I know my writing isn’t perfect, but as long as people understand me enough to read and interact with my posts, it’s good. As long as it feels right, that’s what matters, yes 🙂
Your reasons to blog in English are quite similar with mine. I love the fact that anyone can read and communicate when I blog in English. If I use my native language, I can only interact to those who can speak my language, which is very rare lol.
I’m so glad I’m not the only one! It’s lovely to be able to chat with more people, all around the world, this way! 🙂
This is such a relatable post, Marie! While my native language is German, I hardly ever blog or write anything literary in it – I’m just way more drawn to English!
Like you, I think part of the reason is that I simply read way more in English than I do in German. But then there’s also a more personal component: I spent part of my childhood in the US and just found myself missing English so much as a steady part of my daily life. I mean, I am already immersed in a German-speaking environment, so that language is always around me anyway. But blogging is a way to fit more English into my days, and I love that so much! 🥰
And then there’s the fact that the English book community is so beautifully international – I’ve learnt so much about the world because of it! I just don’t think I’d have gotten as much out of this experience if I’d stuck to my own language.
Sometimes, though, I do feel a bit guilty about not promoting my own country’s literature more in my own language. I’m always complaining how Germany puts so little emphasis on creative writing and literature compared to English-speaking countries and how almost every book you see in a bookstore is translated. But then there’s me, also being way more drawn to the English bookish world 😅 So yeah, in the long run, I do actually plan on posting in German every now and then (the emphasis rests on “plan” because so far, I’ve written exactly ONE German post 🙈), even if my blog’s main language will always be English.
Reading your comment makes me SO happy, I’m so glad I’m not the only one feeling this way, a little (okay, a lot) more drawn to the English than to my native language haha. It’s so great that blogging in English is a thing to keep English in your life, too, when you miss it. I get that feeling so much! <3
I completely understand your point. I often feel like I should read and promote more French work, but I'm also more drawn to the English bookish world, soooooo. ahah. It's a struggle!
Praise praise on this blogpost! I totally agree and can relate so much to you! My native language is Dutch, but I read a lot in English and I love the language. English feels way more natural to me 🙂
Oh thank you, Esther! So happy you can relate to this post! <3
This was such a wonderful read, Marie! And great advice, I think, to those who speak another language. 💞😊
Oh thank you so, so much, so happy you enjoyed this!! <3
You’re very welcome! ❤️
I wanted to say that I don’t remember the last time I read a book in German, but then I remembered that I read one for a reading experiment just last year haha
I feel you on all of those though. For me, it also felt like an obvious choice, but I can understand people feeling more comfortable in their native language. I sometimes check out German book blogs, but I haven’t yet found them as compelling. That could just be a me problem though.
I get that 200%. I never found French blogs as compelling, overall. There are exceptions, but not that many. I just overall feel more comfortable and interested in what the international blogging community puts out there 🙂
Thank you so much, Kat! <3
I am also not a native English speaker and i write on my blog in English. I absolutely second all the above reasons you’ve listed. I also believe that writing blogposts and reviews in English is an amazing way not only to practice writing but to practice a creative writing because book blogs are perfect for diversification of one’s language.
Ah yay! I so agree with you, it’s such a great way to practice the language. I feel like I’ve made so, so much progress with my English because of it and I love it 🙂
I wouldn’t blog in my native language as I don’t read books in my native language anymore. I would have if you have asked me when I was in school and I was introduced to blogging community in that time but not now. It feels weird to read and listen something in native language after I’ve got used to English and moreover I wouldn’t have known how to type letters of my native language with English alphabets on keyboard.
I completely get that! I rarely ever read books in my native language. I used to, but not anymore! I feel a bit guilty about that sometimes 😂😂
Interesting topic! 😊 I’m Dutch, and just like you I also chose to blog in English while it isn’t my native language. I have some of the same reasons as you to choose for English. First of all, most book blogs I loved write in English. It seemed logical to choose the same language. I also read mainly English books, and almost never books by Dutch writers. Before starting my blog, my English wasn’t that good. Blogging actually really helped to improve my English.
Oh thank you so much! I’m so glad blogging helped you improve so much. I think it’s such a fantastic way to learn, while doing something you love! 🙂
Well, considering I’ve been reading your blog for the past few months and had NO IDEA English wasn’t your first language, I would say you’re doing pretty great! But yes, it’s definitely a choice each blogger has to make for themselves 😊
OH thank you, this is the best compliment I could get, really 🥺🥺 Thank you!!
Great post! As a fellow non-native speaker, I totally get what you mean. I study English lit and the books I read are almost exclusively written in English so it made only sense for me to blog in English. Plus the audience is just so much bigger. I love checking my stats and see that I’ve reached readers from all over the world. I think that wouldn’t be possible with any other language 🙂
Oh yes, right here with you on that: I LOVE seeing where my readers are from. It always amazes me when I see people all the way across the world read my blog! 🙂
Thank you so, so much, Linda!
This is so informative and fascinating, thank you for sharing it! I remember being shocked when I learned you weren’t a native English speaker, because your blog seems basically flawless to me! It also seemed so daunting to me personally, but seems to flow so well for you! I was a Spanish major for my first two years of college, and when I finally changed it was because I simply could not converse in it. No matter how hard I tried, it was just… infuriatingly hard for me. Like you, I loved Spanish classes in high school, and was really good at it- so much that I was in a class with kids a year ahead of me. But wow, in college, I couldn’t hack it. I’d love to try again, and I could probably manage an Insta caption (with a lot of help from a translation service heh) but I am in awe of what an amazing job you do every single post in a non-native language- and manage to make it fabulous!
Oh Shannon thank you so, so much, this means so much to me 🥺🥺🥺 I can understand that, though, it’s the same for me with German. While I studied it for so many years, I can’t converse in it, at all and it always has been a disappointment for me!
Thank you so much 🥺🥺
La première blogueuse française que j’ai rencontrée !
I’m Canadian but I lived in France for a couple of years. There were some great bookstores in our town but the selection was nowhere near what it is in English. I couldn’t find the translation for many popular English novels in those bookstores, while I don’t think I’d find many of the French books in English.
A blogger might want to take language availability in mind if they’re reading a lot of books from a genre without an English equivalent or without an equivalent from their native language. Though I think it could also make for some cool blog topics if a blogger showcase books in one language by writing posts in another language about books in another!
OH YAY bonjour! 🥺
I so get that! There are so many books I wanted to read and… well, they just weren’t available so I turned to English. I never looked back, ahah.
This is such a good idea for a blog post, to showcase these kind of books in a different language, though I’m not sure if it’d gather an interest. I guess we have to try and see! 🙂
I was around international internet for a while before I started book blogging, so it just felt right to also blog in English and I just stuck with it. I do publish posts in German from time to time, though, mostly reviews of books I read in German or that only concern German people or when I blog with a German friends. Those are relatively few.
I don’t think English is necessary to blog. It really depends on your audience and who you want to interact with, I think. I follow many German blogs as well!
Ah that’s so great! It’s good to hear that you follow both English and German blogs. I’d be super interested to hear about the differences between the two, in the blog posts they write, or the way they do things. If there are any! 🙂
Loved this post. I’m bilingual too. My native language is Portuguese, but I decided to blog in English as you did. And, in short, for the same reasons. I feel like I also fit better with the English speaker community, and I think it is better to engage with more people from the whole world.
Thank you so, so much! Always so happy to chat with fellow international bloggers! 🙂
I’m Italian, but blogging in English was a no-brainer for me, too. Like you, I’ve always loved the language (I remember wanting to know the meaning of my favourite songs’ titles as a kid, and mind you, no one at home spoke English). I even graduated in Modern Languages and Literature (English and Spanish…though I ended up forgetting the second haha). Like you, I was reading books in English, and I wanted an outlet where I could talk to like-minded people about them. The wonderful thing about is that I got to know people from everywhere, like Hungary or Sri Lanka!
Ahh Italian that’s so great, loved Italy so much when I visited. <3 And I can so relate to that! I remember looking for the meaning of songs I listened to when I was younger, as well :)
I'm so glad you decided to blog in English. It's one of the best things about it, how we get to meet and chat with people from all over the world!
As someone whose native language also isn’t English, this was such a fantastic post to read! 💕 I started out blogging in English, as it just felt more natural to me and because I read mostly in English as well 😄 I’m not really in the German blogging community at all, as it doesn’t really fit with my own reading habits 🤔
Ahh thank you so much! I get that, I feel like the French community didn’t fit for me, either. I’m glad we could find our place here! <3
I think this is such a fantastic post. For me, while I’ve had some classroom study of another language, I only really read and write in English, and so the answer is obvious. But I really appreciate how this post pointed out to me that it’s not always that simple!
I really like what you said at the end though. Starting out in blogging is always a bit messy and takes trial and error. What better time to explore what language you’re comfortable writing in? I’m sure that this post will be helpful to other bilingual bloggers out there, since even as an English speaker only, this gave me much to consider!
Oh thank you so much! I really hope this post can be helpful to others 🥰
I discovered this post quite late, but I loved it so much! I totally agree with everything you said, and your reasons are quite similar to mine, though I actually started blogging in my native language, Hungarian. I did 3 years that way, but then I changed to English because it just felt right. I love how international English language blogs are, as someone who loves learning about different cultures it’s just fascinating. Moreover, I found that Hungarian bloggers don’t really comment on blogs, and for me, comments are a crucial part of writing a blog.
Oh thank you so, so much Morgan! I get that, I love how easy it is to chat with everyone through comments on here with bloggers from all over the world. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on the topic!! <3