Book blogging for beginners

by Kimberly Foreman
Once upon a time (in a land before the internet – before the likes of Facebook, Instagram and TikTok), the closest you could get to connecting with your favourite author was by reading their books. Nowadays, thanks to social media, connecting with authors is easier than ever. In today's tech-savvy world, you can chat, interact, and maybe even get a follow back!

For those who aren’t aware, there’s a whole community of 'book bloggers' on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. I joined 'Bookstagram' a few years ago, hoping to connect with fellow book lovers. I’m a proper bookworm and so I always have a book (or two!) on the go. Bookstagram is an amazing place to discuss books with other readaholics but not just that...it’s also perfect for finding your next great read. I’m constantly discovering recommendations that add to my ever-growing 'to be read' pile.

So, how does book blogging work? On Instagram, for example, book bloggers tend to post eye-catching pictures of the book’s cover and in the description, they will typically post a review and maybe a rating out of 5 stars. Living in Gibraltar, I like to showcase a bit of our local scenery in my photos too, especially in spring or summer when the weather is beautiful. Popular or trending books will pop up again and again and usually you’ll see lots of people posting about the same bestsellers. In recent years, authors such as Paige Toon, Riley Sager and Ruth Ware have been all over social media feeds. Paige Toon and Riley Sager in particular have a great online presence and both authors have a substantial amount of followers. It’s always fun when a famous author reposts one of your reviews or comments on one of your posts.

But it's not just authors and readers you can connect with on Bookstagram. You’ll also find many agents and publishers using the platform too. If you’re an aspiring author (like me), then you can really use this to your advantage. Over the past few years, I’ve connected with many literary agents and publishing houses. Some now send me advanced reader copies (free ARCs) of upcoming books to rate and review. Once you have a certain number of followers, you’ll find that even the authors themselves might reach out to you to offer you a copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. With only a few thousand words left to write of my own novel, I’m hoping these connections will be helpful when it's time to pursue publication! Social media can be a powerful tool to get your name out there before you’ve even published, especially if you know how to promote your account effectively.

So you see, social media’s not all bad! I know it gets a lot of criticism sometimes because let’s face it, it can be a negative place at times. But within my little bookish corner of the internet (if you decide to join us), you’ll find a welcoming community full of avid readers. We love escaping to other worlds through the words of others and sharing our thoughts and theories afterwards.

If you're eager to connect with fellow book lovers, why not start your own book blog? There’s always a new chapter waiting to be read and another adventure just waiting to begin! Follow me @kbookblogger or search for #bookstagram to find out more.