What inspired you to start your blog?

[Ethan Schneider]

I recently got the chance to host a giveaway of the first book that I reviewed for my blog. As I posted the information, I realized that without that book, I would never have started my site. Last year, I fell into a kind of reader apathy. It would take me weeks, even months, to finish a single book. As the new year rolled in, I resolved to change my reading habits. Fortunately, the first book that I read this year was an absolute page-turner that devoured in a couple of days. With this new sense of motivation, I decided that I would read no less than one book each week. To hold myself to this challenge, I decided to start a blog where I could post reviews and chart my progress. I never dreamed it would grow the way it has, but I am very happy that I challenged myself and created a place where readers can get info. With that said, I'm curious to see what inspired others to create their blog. Whether it be that you just started on a whim or some interesting event inspired the creation, please post about you blog. Hopefully, this will serve as a reminder to everyone who reads it to remember why they blog, and inspire them to continue this exciting hobby. 

-Ethan

http://e135-abookaweek.blogspot.com/

[Flora Bateman]

I started out just posting reviews on Goodreads and I started get requests from authors to review their work.  This went on for several months when I started chatting with an author of a book that I had reviews.  He eventually suggested that I start my own blog and post my reviews. I was very surprised that anyone would think that my reviews were that good but he insisted that they were. So almost a year ago now I made my first blog post and it has grown ever since.  I am so glad that I took the chance and started my blog. I have definitely enjoyed the time and effort I've put into it and I'm proud of what I have accomplished in the last year. 

http://fromthebootheelcottonpatch.blogspot.com/

[Shelver]

Mine was just because I was tired of listening to everyone ELSE talk about books when I had things to say, too, dagnabit! I started reading other blogs to learn about the industry and trends and such, but I wanted to badly to contribute to all this lovely book love. So I started Bookshelvers Anonymous and have had a a blast ever since.

[Robin Leigh Morgan]

There's no better way to get people to begin knowing you and what you're writing

[Rhea Gulin]

I got the same sentiment! I have always been a book lover since God knows when, but when I entered high school, I got so busy on joining inter-school writing competitions to the point that I forgot that my best trainer have always been books. Now I am about to enter college, I decided to major on Literature since I am sure that it will improve my writing. Then I realized I've became such a slow reader and I lost my sense (or should I say power?) to picture out everything that's happening on the book! Good thing I've found something my granny gave- The Hobbit by Tolkien. Goodness it didn't let me sleep for two days! I've finished it in lest than two days, then I realized I needed somewhere to vent out my opinions about it, and so I started to create a niche on my blog, which is, needles to say, books and literature!

Rhea

http://outrageous-writer.org/

[Ethan Schneider]

I agree! It is nice to be able to discuss books with others who have already read them. This way you don't spoil them for your friends. 

[Megan @The Book Babe]

I had thought about doing it for a while, but not very seriously. I love books, and I really thought it would be cool to blog about them, but I just didn't have the motivation. So, then I won a book in a goodreads giveaway and reviewed it, and thought, 'huh, that wasn't so hard.' So, my blog was born. It was originally on webs.com, so I'm so happy that I found blogspot. It was also originally called 'Books to Love (And Read!)' which I honestly didn't really like, so then I changed it to 'The Book Babe'. Sort of generic, but I make up for it in charm. ^.^

http://thebookbabesreads.blogspot.com