As of February 2022 I have officially been blogging for TEN AND 1/2 WHOLE YEARS. Compared to my humble beginnings…this feels monumental.
Eleven year old Mary sat down during Sixth Grade to create her very own book blog. I also used it, for quite a lot of those first few years, to write about my own creative writing adventures. I was inspired by Nicole Brinkley‘s now defunct book blog (def check out Nicole’s work though because she is still active in the book community) but quickly tumbled into the book blogging community that was reaching its height right when I joined. I had no idea exactly what I was getting myself into then–and I definitely didn’t expect to still be blogging about books at twenty-two just as I did at eleven.
Even though blogs aren’t the most fashionable online platform anymore–some might say that are reminiscent of early 2000s online culture and eek of the internet past–I’ve maintained this site despite the rise in BookTube, Bookstagram, BookTwitter, BookTok. The list goes on. I love seeing books celebrated across social media platforms and continue to participate in those communities–albeit to varying levels. But as a book lover, nothing quite compares to the long form writing of a blog. And even though my readership is dismal and this website is primarily for me–and my grandmother, who diligently proofreads all my posts–I can’t help but keep writing. These feels like such a tender and curated space that I’ve carved out on the internet. It makes me so happy to write reviews and catch-all book posts and other musings about my life. As I’ve written about before, there is a private long-form writing journey that I have on the pages of my journals, but the material I tend to produce for this platform usually looks quite different.
It feels like eons since by posts were about words of the day and a few sentences about what I’m currently reading–I certainly no longer post with the almost daily frequency those first few years brought, I no longer write under a Warrior Cats inspired pseudonym (RemedyLeaf), I’ve moved off of Blogger and onto my own self hosted site (that’s no longer self designed, but designed by a company)…even the literature that I read and write about has changed. But…I’m also almost 22. I grew up on the internet and–with the exception of Myspace–have dabbled in virtually all of the popular social media platforms that have come since. The way that I present myself and continue to use the internet inherently is defined by all of the time I’ve spent on it.
As for this space, it’s also defined by all of the Book related platforms and fellow bloggers–still active or defunct–that I’ve met along the way. I’ve made fantastic friends, have attended book conferences and festivals around the country, have met authors, gotten signed/exclusive editions, have read advanced copies months before they come out, have participated in blog tours and attended author events, I have read so many good books.
As I noted in my reflection on ten years of journaling, blogging is a personal hobby of mine only exceeded in length by my vegetarianism (since age nine, so to date twelve years…also is this a hobby??), my piano playing (since age five, so to date sixteen years), and my love of reading (since age zero…baby Mary loved books). More than journaling, however, this space feels intrisinically linked to my love of reading. I usually tell people that I started blogging because my parents were tired of me talking about books at the dinner table–and to some extent this is true. But the space has always been about sharing my love of books and reading. Though the types of books I love has changed, but my love for reading has not waned, this space continues to be a fruitful platform for reflection.
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