2011 - My Thoughts
So what did I make of 2011?
Business
This was a very slow year for our online bookstore, Beck Valley Books, as it was for many bookstores worldwide. Don't get me wrong we sold books but a lot less than anticipated. Obviously one of the main reasons for this is the new era of e-books with another major reason being the lack of cash for everyone worldwide. We saw many independent and chain bookstores close forever, which is always a sad thing, there is nothing better than wandering round an old book shop looking at all the decorative spines and covers, finding that one book you thought you would never be able to find, this is one main reason why books will always be here, they are a total art form. (It's ok I won't get on my soap box this time!!)
Work/Hobby
One thing I was told on a business course a while ago, was to make the most of quiet spells and use the time wisely. Which brings me onto our introduction to the blogging world in 2011. We did have something resembling a blog but to be honest there was no effort really put into it as we really didn't understand its importance. I started off working more and more on my Facebook account, learning all the time and meeting new online friends and from their guidance realised just what an impact a blog could have. She probably won't remember this but one of my new Facebook friends, at the time, helped me more than she knows at the start and she opened a group called Karmabloggers. I remember starting off with only 1 blog follower and through her initial help and the various groups guidance I am now well above that :-)
The blog became almost an obsession, with the complete re-design, learning to work with html (of which I am very proud) and working with all the different gadgets, getting everything just right. Then it was the decisions on what to post about, how to make it appealing and fun. Through even more guidance I learnt about a whole new world of blog hopping, giveaways and book reviewing, which my husband is over the moon about as he is an avid reader. I have met some fantastic authors on this journey, who I would now class as friends, they have been extremely helpful and even offered books for giveaways, On top of all that I became involved in working alongside other great blog owners and also started to help on the UK and International Book Giveaway Site, I started to create help info for UK Book Bloggers and set up a page for authors looking for book reviews. I have made some really great blogging friends in 2011, so many booky friends as well, its amazing how helpful and friendly the blogging community is and I am really proud to be part of it. Thank you to everyone who has helped me in their own way xx
Personal
Unfortunately plagued with health problems again in 2011 with my own and then finding out in February that my husband needed his metal hip replaced as 'the one' he had fitted a couple of years ago had been faulty, him and apparently thousands of other people. With this being his second operation he has found it extremely difficult this time round recovering from it and has been left with a limp due to the damage that had been caused. We now need to put all this behind us and pray for better times. Money has been a major issue this year as it has been for everyone, just waiting for the light to appear at the end of the tunnel lol x
So what will 2012 bring?
My hope for 2012 is for more quality family time, being together as a family more, less rushing around and more time to stop!! Vast improvements on my husbands health which will then also have a vast improvement on us as a family. I would love to see the blog starting to pay for all the sheer hard work that has been put into it, I still have a massive passion for the blog and am trying to find ways to increase its potential. Which then leads me onto hoping that our business, the online bookstore, will also start to pick up and help with the money side of things. Big hopes but not impossible. Lets just wait and see.................
What are your thoughts??
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