Why?

[pontalba]

Why keep a blog? How does it really help you?
I'm interested it the reasoning and would love to hear everyone's own version of why.

[Louiseog]

I do to remember what boks I've read and that's how it started, so i didn't repeat read!
Now its because I want other people to enjoy books I've liked!

[Lilywhite]

I wouldn't call mine a blog, it's more of a list with notes ;) but for a couple of reasons it's quite helpful to me.

Firstly and mainly it's because some days I have trouble remembering my name!! I like to be able to see what I've read over the past and especially how much I rated them. If I really liked a book then I can remember the authors name and find more.
Secondly, I like to share my good reads with other people. Especially if I really got something from a book.

It's also great to snoop one what everyone is reading and has read. I'm quite nosey that way :)

[Purple Poppy]

I have only just started to keep a blog, but for pretty much the same reasons as Kat, and in the same way. My memory is appalling, and this will help me list the books I've read, (although I do have a paper list at home) and help me see at a glance what I have on my TBR mountain. I will write the odd review if I feel inspired and more importantly for me, keep a note of books I'm interested in, that I'd like to buy and read in the future. I've had so may wonderful suggestions since I joined this forum, and then forgotten them and its a shame. This bloggy type thing will help.
And because I am very nosey about other peoples' reads, I guess its only fair to share mine with everyone else!

PP

[Michelle]

Yep, mine is basically a list, and a few notes. I just like to look back over my year. Reading other people's is a great way to discover some new books.. some people don't like writing long reviews, but will share their thoughts in their blog.

[pontalba]

Thanks! I have mostly relied on my memory, although a few times Amazon has told me that I've ordered something already. :blush:
I'll probably at least start keeping a list...I'd considered it a week or so ago, and then became curious as to everyone's reasoning.
:smile2:

[Kell]

Mine's more of a memory aid for when I come to write my reviews, because I don't alweays write them right away, but like to have a bit of a think about things, by which time I may have read several more books. It helps keep things straight in my head if I can look back & say, "yes, that was the one where...", especially if I'm reading several books from the same series - they can run into each other a bit. It also means that if I can't remember who wrote a specific book off the top of my head, I can look back & remind myself - I'm pretty useless when it comes to remembering foreign names - LOL!

[dogmatix]

If you're talking about a true blog, like with lots of personal annecdotes, I'm not sure why. Some of the more famous ones out there in cyberspace are pretty entertaining. take the Julie and Julia Project. I susepct they're therapeutic and a way to get your voice heard.

Now if you mean BCF blogs then I too just started mine as a list to see what I've read. Reading others, particularly those of members that I've developed a sense of what they like, is a good way to get new ideas. Plus it forces me to write a review something I enjoy but get a bit lazy about.

Start one Pontalba, everyone's doing it.......what's the matter your mommie won't let ya';) ?

I wanna read your blog. You have such great taste in books. I'm counting on you to raise me out of the literary gutter.

[pontalba]

ROTFALOLTIC!! Don't step in the hoya on the way. :mrgreen:

Well, I have started a little teeny list in a notebook....assuming I can keep remembering, and not lose the notebook. :roll: You know at my advanced age, they say the little gray cells are the first thing to go.....
Isn't that right? Can't quite remember...................:tong:

[Liz]

I keep a notebook of the books I read and just a quick note on what I thought about them. I keep a list on here just to let the members know which books I've read, if I liked them and which I have and are planning to read.

[Gyre]

I use my blog to keep a note of the books I am reading, write down what I think of them, etc:readingtwo:

[JudyB]

I started with a notebook that a friend gave me that I wanted to use in a constructive way. Was wary of writing a diary worrying that I may lapse into teenage angst style (yes even at 41!) and so felt that I needed a focus. Realised that if I wrote about my personal responses to books I'd read and reasons for reading them in some respects it would form a picture of my life while also providing a record of what I've read. I kept it for about a year or so before publishing it on my yahoo blog - knowing that it's going public though does affect how I write - not sure if that's good or bad - it's certainly useful to have a written record of your reading and I'm glad I've put my notebook to good use. As we are now into a New Year I've been thinking about other kinds of diaries I could keep.

[Maureen]

....and to be able to take part in our own Best Book of the Year that we hold here.............(No one can expect me to remember which year I read a particular book can they?)

[Purple Poppy]

Not sure I would be brave enough to put my thoughts onto a general blog...although I know they are here on the forum to be seen by everyone anyway. Maybe sometime in the future.

[Icecream]

It is an easy place to quickly check what books I want to read, where I can see them all together (I have so many books it is easier to see a list than the actual books, even though my fiction ones are all together).

I also like writing about the books I read. Keeping a blog enables me to see what I thought of books easily, plus add more later (because I can't do it all at once), while also getting better at writing reviews to better express myself.

[Ronny]

As other's have said, I like to be able to look back and see what I read and thought. Usually I remember the books I really liked but many of the mediocre books just turn into a fuzzy barely there memory. Nothing is more frustrating than buying a new book, sitting to read it and realizing you've already read it, didn't like it enough to remember or keep it and have just bought it again:irked:

I am really working on trying to sum up the books on a blog but it's hard for me still. I'm hoping that as I push myself to do it it will get easier and I will get better at it.

[Purple Poppy]

Good luck with it Nicky! :)

[pontalba]

I am really working on trying to sum up the books on a blog but it's hard for me still. I'm hoping that as I push myself to do it it will get easier and I will get better at it.

I am sure it will become easier as you reinforce the habit.

Now if I could just get into the habit! :roll:

[Purple Poppy]

Pontalba said:

Now if I could just get into the habit! :roll:

And me too. But as you say, practice...