Sunday

Yearly Wrap-Up: Blogging Achievements in 2013

2013 has been my first full-year of book-blogging! This is actually a very surreal fact for me, because it feels like I have been running this blog and reviewing books since I can remember. My 'Yearly Wrap-Up' posts will go-live every Sunday between now and the beginning of 2014, and the point where it all starts again. Honestly, I will be really upset to see 2013 go; it's been a brilliant year, that I'm going to miss. I've got a feeling writing this post will give me a huge sense of nostalgia.
 
I hit my 25,000 pageviews!
This is something I was desperate to do this year; as after 10,000, I feel this is the next big-milestone that you can celebrate. I also reached 100 followers around the same time, and at that point, I noticed what I had achieved! A few months on, I've beat my target, and I'm now on my way to hit 40,000 pageviews by the time the fire-works begin to go off on New Years Eve.
 
Anti-Bullying Blog Week:
Last month, as you probably now, I held Anti-Bullying Blog Week and it had a heart-warming reaction. I cried both happy and sad tears, and got to chat to and work with so many fantastic authors to help take another step towards ending bullying. This also saw my blog end up as a QR Code on a school library wall, which I was really proud of, along with Andy Robb's infamous Coke Bottle Theory which was a Guest Post during the week. The week has inspired to me to continue in showing victims of bullying that they can go on and be successful authors if the wanted to!
 
Received more review books:
When I get a book-shaped package, I still freak-out and rip it open with excitement, admiring the cover and immediately tweeting about it. This is something I have done from the moment I got my first review books back in September 2012, but throughout this year I have been able to contact more publishes, becoming a member of Team Fox and joining other mailing-lists. I feel extremely lucky to get books from such fantastic publishers, and can never understand how they trust my opinion so much!

Organised the 'Invisible Girl Blog Tour':
This was the first blog tour I ever organised; aiming to promote Kate Maryon's book 'Invisible Girl' and focus on the issue of homelessness. It felt so good to do something worth-while, and I was really proud to see people getting involved by tweeting and writing their own reviews!
 
Attended my first conference:
 This was quite a big-achievement for me, as back in February - thanks to Nosy Crow - I was able to attend a conference, and I thought it was a fantastic experience. I got to talk to authors and illustrators, as well as people in the publishing business, which gave me an insight into where blogging could lead me. In the room, there was a New York Times Bestselling Author, and one of the people who had published 'The Hunger Games.' I couldn't help but feel both out-of-place and excited at the same time! The one thing I remember about that day, though, were that my hands were bleeding because it was so cold outside!
 
My review of 'Finding Your Inner Cherokee' was published in the e-Book:
I was unbelievably excited when I downloaded a copy of this book on my Kindle, only to see my review within the first few pages, right at the top! This is made even better from the fact that I'm joined by Charli - who is one of my best-blogging buddies on the page - and that it is also featured on Siobhan Curham's website and Amazon.
 
This GIF sums up my reaction every-time
 
Became a published-poet:
I'm yet to get my hands on the copy of the anthology, but I'm so, so grateful for all the extremely-nice comments on the poem 'Life Itself' that I initially posted on this blog, because I got a letter a few months later telling me it was going to be published. I can't believe I can say my work has been published.
 
Gained more confidence:
This probably doesn't seem like a huge one, but it's definitely the most important to me. Having a little more confidence and self-assurance means I'm happy to share my personality and email publishers and authors asking for things; rather than waiting to receive something first. If I'd like to review a book, I'm comfortable to send an email, something I would have never done before. I know love to chat to bloggers on Twitter, as they are some of my best-friends and always make me laugh, and I never thought I would talk to my favourite authors! It was only last-week Holly Smale was helping me with my Maths Homework!

Thank you to everyone who has helped me achieve these things this year - what have been your biggest blogging achievements? Next week, I'll be talking about my favourite events/signings.

6 comments:

  1. CONGRATSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS *showers confetti everywhere.* *spits it out my mouth* *dances*
    YOU MADE IT. seriously. blogging is something that people think isn't hard but takes so muCH EFFORT AND TIME AND OMG YOU DID IT AND I'M PROUD TO BE ONE OF YOUR BLOGGING FRIENDS but excuse me? i could have helped with your maths homework.........LOL not. ;P
    *raises butter beer* here's to many more and..*throws blackberry in the air* may the odds be ever *snorts when it bounces of your nose* in your favour...

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    1. THANK YOUUUUUU! When people don't think blogging takes any effort, it does bug me a little, because when I'm not writing a post, I'm thinking about it. Thank you so much, Hawwa, I'm so proud to have you too! I thought you were serious about that Maths joke for a minute there...

      -Sophie:)

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  2. Gaaaaahhh SO MANY brilliant achievements Sophie! If I had a list like this I'd be SO proud of myself hehe!

    1) Congrats on reaching 25,000 pageviews, it's a really great milestone! I squeal so much every time I hit a milestone for my blog and so I know what an overwhelming feeling it is… :')

    2) Anti bully blog week was a brilliant, informative community event – loved it! Congrats for organising something of that scale. :D

    3) MORE BOOKS YAY! Seriously, what isn't good about more books? ;)

    4) Oooh I really want to thank you for this one! The Invisible Girl tour was so fun and was actually one of the first tours I did… so thank you for letting me host that interview & well done for organising it!

    5) Woah that conference sounds INCREDIBLE! A HUGE congratulations for being invited there. :D

    6) Why are you surprised? That review was gold dust. ;)

    7) Now THIS is the one I want to congratulate you on the most! I remember reading and loving that poem and gah a huge well done for getting it published Sophie!

    8) I'm glad that, among all these other fab achievements, you've also achieved something quite personal that you can be proud of. For the millionth time: CONGRATS!

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    1. Aw, THANK YOU SO MUCH RUBY! You've had an amazing year, too!

      1) You're a squealer too? I freaked out so much when I saw 25,000!

      2) Thank you so much, Ruby! It means so much to me that it was well-received!

      3) I can't name one thing...!

      4) You're welcome; thank you Ruby! It was the second I had ever participated in so, it was a little crazy to be organising it too!

      5) It was freezing and I wore a dress...but, all in the name of books! THANK YOU!

      6) You're making me smile so much!

      7) I CAN'T MAKE MY SMILE MUCH BIGGER! THANK YOU! It was because of your comment that I actually entered it, so I owe you!

      8) For the millionth time, THANK YOU SO MUCH! :)

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  3. Congratulations Sophie! You should be really proud and to be honest I'm not surprised that you've achieved all this. Becoming a published poem is beyond amazing, literally so massive. I know I've said this before but you do so much for the blogging community and the Invisible Girl Tour and ABBW was such a hit. Well done Sophie, I'm really happy for you x

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  4. Those are some amazing achievements in 2013. Well done to you :)

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Thank you so much for taking the time to read - and comment on - this blog post! I read and reply to every comment, so feel free to ask any questions and I'll answer!

See you soon!

Sophie Louise