I cannot believe how fast the week has come and gone. It has been so much fun to join in all the blogger talk and I am already looking forward to doing it all over again next year!
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| Design credit: Emily of Emily's Reading Room |
It is Day 5 of Armchair BEA and today's topic is the following:
The Future of Book Blogging/Ask the Experts
If you have any burning questions for your fellow participants about book blogging, now is the time to ask.
I have only been blogging for five months, so I definitely still have a lot of questions. For right now, I'm pretty happy with the content of my posts, though I do know there is a LOT of room for improvements - which I am working on slowly.
My concerns at the moment are mainly about the look of my blog. I always worry if readers can read everything okay, or if my blog is maybe too dark. Also, I would love to play with my layout a little bit, but I have no idea where to start.
Are there any websites you like to go to for design advice - for the blog layout in general as well as for individual posts - which are fairly easy to understand? I'm not tech savvy at all when it comes to coding and all that.
One other thing I can't seem to figure out is how to add tracking to my blog, so I can check my stats a little bit better and more thoroughly. I tried adding the free Google one, but I can't, for the life of me, figure out where to place the code for it. Like I said, I'm not tech savvy whatsoever. ;)
I don't want to overdo it with tons and tons of questions, but I do have one more.
How do you link your facebook page to your blog - or is the other way around? I have tried it a few times, but I can't seem to make it work. Maybe I'm just too stupid to do it, haha. Honestly though, I would love to connect the two, so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Well, I guess my questions aren't so much about actual "book blogging", so maybe I should add one more question.
I'm sure everybody has times where they just don't feel like writing anything. How do you motivate yourself during those phases? What gets you out of a writing funk?
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Thank you so much in advance for answering my questions! I really, really appreciate how helpful and supportive this blogger community is. I am so proud to be a part of it!
Thank you all and I hope you all had as much fun and excitement as I had during this past Armchair BEA week!
I definitely agree with this!
ReplyDeleteFor tracking, I like SiteMeter and pmetrics best. Both are easy to add!
ReplyDeleteAs for blog design, I'd just google what you want to do. Your blog is a touch dark, but I can read it fine and I don't have great eyesight. I will say that a darker font on a lighter background is easier to read than lighter font on a dark background.
I'm a new blogger too, so I don't have all the answers to these, but I'm going to be checking back because I'm sure you'll get some great advice!! Sorry I couldn't be of more help :S
ReplyDeleteMy "Ask the Experts" post
Honestly, dark backgrounds and white font makes my eyes swim. I'm not familar with blogger (I use wordpress.com) so I am not much help with your other questions.
ReplyDeleteHope you had a great ABEA!
Shelleyrae @ Book'd Out
Woah! lol I on the other hand don't like TOO light layouts :/ they hurt my eyes, I can read your posts though...I've never had a hard time doing so.
ReplyDeleteAnd about linking your page to the blog? What exactly do you mean? You know I have my facebook page widget on my blog...is that what you mean? Or another thing?
I actually never did any research when it came to the blog design. You know I have the one I have there now because it was a gift. My older one also was dark...again with the light ones :( I have to squint to read them or I add a lot of contrast to the PC in order for it not to hurt my eyes, but also, when a light layout also has like different shades, seen Rachel's? hers is light but it doesn't bother me, she uses a light grey not pure white >.<
I have no idea about the tracking?! T_T
oooh good question! I've been on 2 funks this year already :/ but interacting with you guys, visiting my fave blogs and just sticking to reading or rerereread my favorite books help!!!! I just post on my blog how I'm feeling to let people know that posting on the site might be slow...
:D
Oh Ina! I love these questions! I'll be visiting later then...to see more replies
Here's my ABEA for today! You're welcome to stalk-> http://bookpics-reading2alba.blogspot.com/2012/06/armchair-bea-ask-experts.html
I like ready made templates, such as "the cutest blog on the block" or "hot bliggity blog"...all you do is copy and paste the html and you don't have to worry about a thing. As for the tracker, blogger does have one in the "layout" section---go to layout, then click any of the "add gadget" places and just look from there. Personally, I like a "clean" blog, rather than one that has a lot of stuff on the sides. But thats just me. Oh---and turn off the captcha! :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with everything!
Amanda
I've got nothing on the tech aspect as I don't have a Facebook and I'm new to tracking stats. As far as a writing slump, my advice is to prepare posts in advance so you have some reserves to draw upon when you're just not in the mood to post new stuff. Hope that helps! :)
ReplyDeleteI wish I had some great answers for you. I use the tracking from my hosting company because it is by far the best I have seen.
ReplyDeleteI installed a wigit for facebook, but I don't remember where I got it. I think it was from facebook or maybe it was one of the tools they have in blogger.....
ReplyDeleteKate @ Ex Libris
I do think a lighter background might be better - but not too light or you can't see the text (unless you make that black, which is usually easier on the eyes than white).
ReplyDeleteWhen I am in a blogging funk I just try to not stress myself... It is supposed to be fun.
ReplyDeleteI'm a new blooger, too so I can't help much....
ReplyDeleteI don't like white text on a black background, either. But your blue one is not that bad :)