This blog changed my life.
I know, it’s been a while since I’ve been active. Long gone are the good old days – saying this makes me feel like 100 years old, but well, when you’ve been book blogging for 10 years, you’re not a dinosaur anymore. You’re like, neolithic or something. ANYWAY.
Long gone are the good old sparkling days of book blogging. Now this all feels rusty, not shiny enough, not fast enough, just plain not enough.
I don’t care.
Book blogging changed my life.
10 years ago, I was studying at university, really far away from home for the very first time. I remember that quote, hanging in my bedroom, that famous John Green quote everyone knows by heart -or at least, fans or the novelist.
“If people were rain, I was drizzle and she was a hurricane.”
Funny how a quote I love started this whole thing.
Funny how, here I am, 10 years later. Writing on a couch instead of my bed, as a full-time employed person instead of a student, AS A FREAKING PUBLISHED AUTHOR.
Excuse me. Pause because I’m tearing up right now.
Okay, I’m back with tissues, now.
I started this 10 years ago thinking this would be a fun venture. Talking about books with people on the internet! Finding new books to read and scream about!
It was fun. It’s been fun, but also, it’s changed my life. I’m probably saying this to be sappy, but it’s also so, very true.
Growing this blog made me more confident, in my writing, in my own self, in my passion. Growing this blog made me feel like I was actually good at something. Growing this blog made me want to write again, made me write one, two, three, four different books. Growing this blog made me the writer I am today, the person I am today, as well.
It’s not all sunshines and rainbows. Sometimes it’s thunderstorms, black holes of no inspiration I disappear into, heart shattered at writing for so long with no feedback, no page views, no comments. It’s hoping, foolishly, to somehow, someday, make money book blogging only to end up disappointed because some dreams can’t be real. It’s people leaving for brighter skies – read: faster skies, social media, hello. It’s losing touch.
Yet, and yet.
It’s also creating connections, meeting people from all across the world, some of whom I talk to on a daily basis, never, ever about blogging anymore, but somehow everything else. It’s connection sparkling from a love of books, blossoming into something else. Real friendship.
It’s falling in love with the process of writing, getting back to this little corner of the internet I made mine over 10 years ago, now. It’s finding sparkles for writing, it’s watching readers of a dumb old, dinosaur-like book blog buy my book, read my book, recommend my book.
It’s ending up, impossibly, at one of the biggest young adult book convention in the UK as an author. Standing there, all nerves and excitement, and hearing:
“I’ve been following your blog for so long.”
It’s tearing up while writing this post because, while my mind has been too busy trying to make it on these new platforms everyone is on, now (because they seem so necessary as a brand new author) ;
This place is, has always been and will always be one of the biggest parts of me.
I’m not sure how to end this, except with thank you. For reading, for following, for commenting, for supporting my author endeavors, for buying, reading, reviewing my book.
For the endless book recommendations, for making me discover new favorite authors, for making me fall in love with reading, over and over again.
For everything, really. Thank you.
🔎 10 years book blogging in numbers (just for fun):
- 1 304 blog posts
- 67 038 comments
- 668 371 page views
- 1 book published (!!!)
Sorry for the sappy post (and for disappearing so much). I hope you’re all doing well, feel free to chat with me in comments!? How do you feel about blogging, now?!
I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
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Against her mother’s wishes, Abby drops out of university to follow her dream: being a successful travel influencer.
Her sister by her side, Abby stretches herself (and her own mental health) thin for the likes.
But what, and most importantly, who, will she risk to lose on her way?
Us Against The Likes is a heartwarming college-aged YA book about how social media shapes us – and changes us. Perfect for fans of Amelia Diane Coombs and Kara McDowell.
Cheers to 10 years! Congratulations, Marie!
Thank you so much, Sam! <3
Congrats on 10 years of bookblogging! I think we’ve become a niche group more and more.
Definitely very niche, now, ahah. thanks so much!! <3
Happy 10th blogging anniversary. Spending a decade on a platform sure have lots of our heart and soul in it. Here’s to many more to come.
Thank you so, so much!! <3
Big hugs and congratulation on 10 years of Blogging xx
Thank you so much!! <3
Congrats Marie! 🙂
Thank you so much!! 🙂
Happy 10 years of blogging and congrats on everything you’ve accomplished over those years.
Thank you so, so much, this means so much! <3
I’ve also been blogging about books for years, and the main things I’ve heard have included:
You’re reviewing too many books (often followed by “read any good books recently?” “hint: read the reviews); or “when are you going to make money from this?” (I do it cos I forget things when I read 100+ books a year, so I write things down to remember, not to make money).
In the last few years I’ve dropped from 100+ a year to approx 10 a year. Life eh?
Happy Blogiversary, Marie! 10 YEARS IS AMAZING! 😊 You’ve accomplished so much! 💖
I’m coming up to 10 years in a few months! 😱 Doesn’t feel like it, but it’s crazy how time flies!
Thank you so, so much!! 10 years, that’s so amazing, we’re both dinosaurs ahah. Insane how time flies, but so happy to be on this adventure with you!! <3
Haha dinosaurs indeed! But I agree, so happy to be on this adventure with you, too! 😊💖 Here’s to another 10 years!
omg Marie you suddenly made me realize I’ve been blogging for about 10 years now as well… 🤯 I don’t remember when it was that I stumbled upon your blog, but so glad that I found it (also I never realized the name was a John Green quote! haha, that’s so cool) and met you, seriously feel so lucky to call you a friend and surely we’ll meet up in person again sometime soon! <3
omg 10 year buddy!! that’s so amazing! <3 so so grateful to have you in my life and yes, next year, europe agaaaain, you have to!! 😭 <3
Congratulations AAH such an achievement <3
SO proud of you, Marie – love to see you shine!!
ahhh thank you so, so much!!! 😭😭
Congratulations for 10 years, what an amazing achievement. It was so wonderful reading this post and knowing the incredible impact blogging has had on your life — the social part and the inspiration and confidence. It is a great way to write on a regular basis.
Well done for all you have achieved Marie! ❤️
Thank you so, so, so much, Sophie, this means a lot! 😭 <3
What a beautiful post!! Well done on everything you’ve achieved with the blog and now as a frickin published author- so impressed!! And huge CONGRATULATIONS on 10 years!! <3
AHHH thank you so, so much 😭😭 you’re too kind, this means a lot!! <3
Wonderful and moving post! Congratulations on 10 years of blogging and all the joys and successes it’s brought you!
Thank you so, so much, Christina, this means a lot! <3
Happy 10 years Marie! I’ve been blogging for 8 years (I’d hit 10 years in 2027, if I’m still blogging by then, hopefully I will be?) There’s definitely a part of me that mourns my early days of blogging just before social media seemed to whisk everything into it’s algorithms. However I wouldn’t trade this for anything, my blog gave me my online friends and what began as chatting about bloggings, evolved into talking about everything else. It shifted into giving me some of my closest online friends and I may not talk with everyone all the time but they’re always there to chat with.
I still love blogging even if sometimes I wonder why I love it so much because at times I feel like I’m shouting into a void. At the same time I like shouting into a void and it’s my little space on the internet where I get to ramble about whatever I like.
So proud of you for all you’ve accomplished lovely, you should be proud of yourself too and like you did this! You published a book, you’ve been blogging for 10 years despite everything else you’ve been juggling in your life. I’m pretty sure I told you this already but you were definitely one of the bloggers I looked up to when I was a newbie blogger and like even now, you still inspire me 💜
Thank you so, so much!! <3 I completely get the feeling, I feel a bit nostalgic for the good old blogging days, as well and the feeling of shouting into a void definitely is more present than ever, now, but... it's also a place that feels so special to us, a place we grew up with and it's so beautiful, too <3
Thank you so much for your friendship over the years, you're the best, i love you!! <3 <3
Congratulations on 10 years and all the accomplishments that have happened during those years! Thank-you for sharing this lovely reflection 💜 I’ve also been blogging 10 years this year and have been doing a lot of looking back. It really does make me feel cozy and inspired when I see other bloggers who are still here, however ‘much’ or ‘little’, after ten years. 😊
Oh thank you so much, Jenna and congratulations on 10 years as well, that’s so wonderful!! <3 <3
Happy blogversary!! 10 years is such an incredible achievement 🥳💞
Thank you so, so much, Caro!! <3 <3
I’m late in catching up on book blogging but ahhhh congrats on such an amazing milestone, Marie! I’m (selfishly) so glad you did start ten years ago, that I found your blog and we got to know each other! If you hadn’t, I would be missing out on a very dear friend. 🖤
Thank you so, so much, Nicole, so so grateful to have you in my life!! <3 <3
Likewise, Marie!! 🖤🖤
I thought I’d already commented on this post ages ago, but apparently I totally forgot in the midst of my chaotic November and it’s aftermath… So, obviously, I had to come back now! Because, gosh, Marie – this gave me all the feels! 😭🥰 I love how your enthusiasm for this community, for blogging, for writing, shines through in this. I love seeing how far you’ve come in these past ten years. I mean, you’re a freaking published author!! You’ve made so many people read books you recommended! Happy blogiversary; you deserve to be so proud! 🥳🥳🥳
(Also, I loved getting the backstory to your blog’s name! I actually never knew that! 🌧)
I’m so so very late to answer but thank you so much ahh 😭🥰 this means so much, thank you for your kindness and support!! 😭🥰
Congrats on 10 years!! I just started my blog and have bookmarked yours for inspo and resources. Thank you 🙂 Your blog is so cute!
OH thank you so much, you’re too kind! I hope you’ll have fun blogging!! 🙂
Happy 10 Years of blogging! So glad to have met you from blogging, and so cool how our friendship started. Two girls with a blog. Here’s to you being a famous author soon xxx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
Melina thank you so much, so grateful to know you!! <3 <3 <3