Celebrating 5 Years of Blogging

For several years before I jumped into blogging, I had kept a reading journal. Nothing fancy. It was just a place where I could keep track of what I was reading, writing down my thoughts, however brief. Then, with the encouragement of my husband, I took my reading journal public. Musings of a Bookish Kitty was born. Today is the 5th anniversary of this blog.

What began as a reading journal eventually blossomed into something more. My quiet existence on the internet slowly grew as I discovered other book bloggers, joined reading challenges, participated in memes and began making friends. I remember the thrill of receiving my first comment, a feeling I've never quite lost with each new comment I get. I squealed with the delight the first time an author commented on my blog--and again when I was offered my first book for review. Over the past five years my blog and I have gone through many changes. I experimented with formats, backgrounds, topics and features. My readership grew. I count many of you among my friends. We've shared more than just our love for reading and books.

It hasn't been without its challenges, however. There were several times I considered giving up blogging for one reason or another. I have seen my share of ugliness among book bloggers, something I sometimes found extremely disheartening. Early on I think I just took it too personally--even though it wasn't aimed at me directly. Nowadays I roll my eyes, think "not again," and move on. Most of the time. Perhaps my biggest hurdle, however, which I still sometimes struggle with, is being overwhelmed. When my blog was at its height, I suddenly found myself struggling to keep up. I had trouble finding a balance between all the review books coming in, responding to comments and visiting other blogs. I could not keep up no matter how hard I tried. And that made me feel guilty, of course. I do not feel like I ever completely recovered.

Somehow I have stuck through it all, and I am so glad I did. There are many aspects of book blogging I have come to love. The community being top among them. The best part of all is the friends and acquaintances I have made. I am not sure I would have continued so long without you all. Reading is a solitary activity; it's just the book and the reader (maybe the author too). But when you add book blogging to the mix it becomes so much more than that. I also have enjoyed being able to meet and interact with authors, the people who create the stories and characters I love. And of course the books! The books! Thanks to you, I have learned about so many more books than I ever knew about before. You have expanded my reading horizons. I have discovered new authors, traveled to places via the pages of books I never imagined I'd go, and I have grown as a person--not just as a reader.

Because of recent life changes, book blogging has taken a relatively low place on my priority list. I have only recently begun to jump back into it, even if in a limited capacity. I miss the writing aspect of blogging more than I thought I would. Last year when I learned I was pregnant, I went back and forth about whether to continue blogging. I decided that if I did, Musings of a Bookish Kitty would not change. It would be all about the books. I am a relatively private person and that suited me fine.

The closer it came to the birth of my baby, the more I let my personal life spill out onto my blog. I couldn't help it. I was going through a lot of changes and writing about it helped ease some of the pressure. Many of you have been with me through it all, and I cannot even begin to express my gratitude.

The other day I had a thought that perhaps I should start a second blog, one of a more personal nature. I do not care if anyone reads it. I just want to write. Then Jennifer of Tropical Fruit Bowl suggested I could combine the bookish talk with the personal. I immediately thought of Florinda of The 3 R's Blog: Reading, 'Riting, and Randomness and Trish of Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity, both bloggers whom I admire and respect. It makes more sense. Especially given how difficult it is for me to write about personal stuff sometimes. Plus, do I really have time to keep up two blogs? I can barely keep up with one right now. And if I did mix more personal with bookish topics on a regular basis, would I have to change my blog name? I don't know. I am just thinking out loud--or rather in writing. I hate to ostracize my readers who would prefer I stick to bookish topics. Regardless of what I decide, I am not ready to give up blogging any time soon. I just may end up taking a break now and then.

I have seen the book blogging community grow by leaps and bounds. It is a wonderful thing. It is also impossible to keep up with it all. My blog is just one of many, but it is my home. I don't go in for pretense or formality. I like to think of it as that proverbial kitchen table where we sit down for an afternoon snack and refreshment and chat about books and about life. I hope you will join me!

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In honor of the 5th anniversary of Musings of a Bookish Kitty, I am giving away a gift card to a bookstore (winner's choice between Powell's, Amazon or Book Depository). The giveaway is open world wide. There are a couple of catches though! First, you must have a valid e-mail address. And second, please share with me something you especially like about my blog, whether it be a favorite feature, post, or the way I always use the phrase "swept off my feet."

Just fill out the form below and you'll be entered in the drawing for the gift card! The winner will be chosen at random and notified by e-mail. Deadline to enter is Saturday, August 6th.

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© 2011, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.