Help...

[Leigh Smith]

Ok

So hi im new, i am not new at blogging been blogging a year and i love it (when i have time that is) i would love to do interviews and such but where do i start? big world out there you know!

I love my blog, its my baby, i am trying to be more dedicated to it and work on it more, write more, so it will come alive, but seriously thinking about getting someone to do a link button and outlay of my blog i think it looks bland!

 

So where do i start? any hints and advice would be great full!

 

Leigh

[Sarah E.]

Hi Leigh,

 My name is Sarah, I started blogging in April 2012 so I understand the frustrations you are facing as a new blogger. I think I probably redesigned my layout about 5 times (ok maybe more like 3...) but I am constantly tweaking different parts of my blog so it feels like six million times! Getting your blog to look exactly how you want it to is a huge project! I know a lot of people opt to have someone design there blog for them but I designed mine all by myself (with a little help from blogger templates). I had a look at your blog, its definitley heading places but I have a few bits of advice:

-Choose a colour scheme, stick to one palate of colours whether they be all blue and pink, or all blue or all pink, or all cool colours etc. it just helps the reader get less distracted.

-Update your header, I had a highly disastrous header for pretty much the first two months as I tried to figure out how you could even alter a header on Blogger. I think the background picture in your header is good but the colours of your title and description overcrowd it a bit (I also can't really read your description because it blends into your header). You can use an expensive photo editing tool to update the header but I used fotoflexer (its the first google search result) it is super user friendly!

     I also made my own button for the first time today! If you want any help with that let me know & I can send you some very helpful links on how to make your own button.

-Sarah

http://laceandlavenderhints.blogspot.ca

[John Brantingham]

Where do you start with interviews? If you're doing book blogs, I'd start with the small presses. These are interesting people who really want to get the word out there. I have some names if you're interested!

[Leigh Smith]

Thankyou sarah E for the comments! really needed them! I have a couple hours to my self tonight so laptop and i are going up stairs and undergoing major work....maybe drop by when i am done see what you think? and yes please bout the help witht the button i have been trying for half a year with out sucess (but i dont know a great deal bout blogging...yet!)

 

And John NAMES yes please!

 

you both have been very helpful! :D

[John Brantingham]

Well, if you're interested in poetry authors, me. Nothing like self-promotion, right?

 

I know a ton of mystery authors and I'll have a book coming out in the next year or so, but you might try Sunny Frazier, William Doonan, Marva Dale, Sally Carpenter -- all of whom are on Book Blogs, I believe.

 

You might also get T. Anders Carson (he has a website) and Paul Tayyar (also has a website). Let them know I suggested that you contact them.

 

Also, let me know if you'd like more interviewees. You can contact me directly at [e-mail].

 

[Sarah E.]

Here are some helpful websites I used to make my button:

http://bloggingwithamy.com/how-to-make-a-blog-button/

http://www.ehow.com/how_4891649_button-text-box-underneath-code.html

 

-Sarah

[Richard Lee Byers]

You shouldn't find it difficult to get email interviews. I'm a fantasy and horror writer, and I'm always delighted when anyone is interested in interviewing me. Just compile a list of people you would like to interview and start contacting them through their home pages, Twitter, Facebook, here in Book Blogs, or wherever you can track them down.

[Colette]

For interviews & guest posts have you thought about looking into doing a blog tour? There are quite a few of them out there (including my own) that specialize in any genre you can think of and are always on the look out for new bloggers!

[Colette]

I almost forgot-for blog designs there are also a lot sites that do it for free. The Cutest Blog on the Block is a great place to start, as is Shabby Blogs.

[Leigh Smith]

Thankyou all for your comments and i will get to work on them straight away! (been ill with this cold bug thing yack! last school run today) and bloging tonight so will reply to you all and thanx sarah e for the sites, John B i will have a look into the people you sugested and you! lol and colette no i havent i will add that to my list, its longer than my house work list lol x 

[TheBookGazer.Blogspot.com]

Ah! first of all welcome to book bloggers! its a great welcoming place that I think you'll enjoy!

So on to answering your questions, generally you should wait until your blog has an impressive amount of views, until you start contacting authors, so you sound more legit. (4000 views)

After that I would start slow, start doing e-mail interviews with various authors, this helps you get the hang of things before you venture forward. (honestly I have 8000 views and I'm still on the E-mail interview stage http://editorsarticle.blogspot.ca/p/e-interviews.html )

 To get email Interviews your first have to find the authors email, this can be done by going to the authors website, where they should have a contact page with their info and such.