Top Ten Tuesday: How My Blogging Has Changed Over Time

I started blogging at the insistence of my partner who is definitely an “ideas” person. He was very much on board with me starting a blog and I was way more skeptical. I mean, honestly, who would even want to read anything I’ve ever written?!?! But, it’s been 14 years and I’m still hanging out here in the blogosphere sharing storytime lesson plans, book lists, and my thoughts on children’s literature.

In 14 years, blogging has changed immensely! And the way I blog has also changed, especially as I’ve become more comfortable with my blogging voice and as I’ve learned what my audience is looking for in content. Check out some the ways my blog has changed over time below.

How My Blogging Has Changed Over Time

I stopped reviewing books

While I’m a book blogger, I don’t feel like I’m great at reviewing books, so rather than forcing myself to maintain a reading schedule and posting schedule, I let go of book reviewing to focus on other parts of book blogging.

Changed my posting schedule to when people are visiting my blog

I used to post on the weekends in hopes of increasing my readership. It’s funny, because while many bloggers see a lot of readers over the weekend, my views come during the work week (probably because many of them are librarians and teachers). Now, I post primarily Monday through Thursday and see more viewers because of it.

Focused on content that is most popular – storytime

As I mentioned, I gave up book reviewing, but realized that more of my readers visit my site for storytime inspiration, so I’ve spent the past few years really focusing on providing more storytime lesson plans and my audience has increased because of it.

Plan far in advance

I actually begin planning my blog plans in the fall for the upcoming year. With a basic schedule, I actually fill out my plans for the entire year. This has helped me create regular content in a way that I enjoy. Rather than stressing over what I’m going to write every week, I already know what the plan is and I can focus on creating the content.

Started a newsletter

In the past few years, I also started a newsletter for even more great exclusive content that you won’t find on my blog! Sign up today to receive monthly content!

Amazon affiliates

I’ve started working with Amazon affiliates and while I struggle a bit with focusing on a providing a business with even more money. It does help to offset the many costs of keeping my blog running and I’m forever grateful for the readers who click through the links.

Started an Etsy shop

I can’t believe I started an Etsy shop! Like the blog, I never would have thought anyone would want something like this. And, while I don’t have too many customers, I’m continuing to brainstorm more ways to create content that shoppers will pay for.

Diversity in books has improved

When I first started blogging, I had to really, truly try to find diverse books to share with my readers. I would consciously create book lists that had a balance of diversity as best as I could. It recent years, I don’t have to try so hard and while diversity still isn’t at the level that it should, there is way more available now than when I started blogging almost fifteen years ago.

Connecting with book community

While I don’t think this has changed necessarily, I love how much connection I have with people all over the world! I’ve met librarians, book bloggers, and authors in person that I’ve only ever known through blogging and it’s such a fun way to connect.

Reading preferences have changed

In the close to fifteen years of blogging, my reading preferences have definitely changed, but working in a library has helped to keep me connected to

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.