It’s been months since my last discussion post so here it goes.
I started blogging almost three years ago. Wow, it’s been a while. My blog started out in Blogspot and looked very different. For one, I had no idea what I was getting myself into or that it would take so much time or that I would love doing this so much. I also didn’t understand how interactive bloggers and the blogging community is. I thought having an online blog would be less social because it’s the internet and don’t people always say get off the internet and be social? I was so very wrong.
It turned out, blogging is a lot of interaction. And I’ve always been a shy person. My shyness showed up when I was blogging. I would read blog posts but wouldn’t comment on them. I didn’t participate in book clubs or readathons. I sucked (and still do) at social media because I didn’t know where to start. I was a little intimidated by other bloggers, especially if they had a large following [or any following actually. My mind cannot be reasoned with]. And this hurt my own blog because I didn’t have a presence in the community.
It took me two years to start getting the hang of it. To go comment and share blog posts. To actually make social media accounts related to my blog so I can be more involved. It’s still a work in progress, especially on Twitter, where I still find myself refraining from replying to tweets even if I have things to say. I even waited forever to make Netgalley and Edelweiss accounts because the idea of talking about myself felt strange.
I eased myself in, starting with a few blogs where I would comment regularly and expanded from there. Gradually over the past three years, I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable commenting and replying to comments. Mostly because every blogger I’ve met thus far have been nothing but kind and welcoming which is the best encouragement I could have gotten.
What about you? Did you immediately get comfortable around other bloggers? Or did you ease yourself in?
Through the Book Portal 
I love the honesty in this post, I was definitely shy at first, I made this blog a year ago, but I only started commenting and doing discussions this month actually, so I kind of understand what you mean.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with this, some people take longer to be social and that’s okay.
And I love how kind this book community is, I definitely feel more at ease now and more confident of what I have to say
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Thank you so much! Oh yay! I’m glad you can relate! It feels great to finally be comfortable enough to comment and post discussions. The book community really is full of truly nice and genuine people.
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I think it takes people a lot of time to get comfortable with commenting. I know I was a little shy at first, but for the most part if I had something to say, or wanted to add I would comment. Now I can’t seem to find the time to comment, or give the big thought out comments I want to write… because I can get a bit gabby 😛
I really like this blog post because it was honest & showed your struggle and how you overcame that, so yay! 😀
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Thank you Meghan!!! Ooh, that’s nice to know! I guess everyone is a little shy at first. Hehe, I also have a hard time finding the time to comment now 😀 especially during the school year. Gabby comments are the best though! 🙂
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You’re welcome! 😀 Haha they are!
Ha, they say as you get older you have less and less time, I’m coming to realize this is true!
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This is a really great discussion and I’m sure a lot of people will relate to this! I adore your honesty and openness!
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Thank you so much!! That means a lot to me 🙂
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I’m not very shy, so it was easy for me to start commenting. It took me a few weeks to comment on some of the big name bloggers though. Also, one thing that I don’t do a lot is comment on blogs when I see that they don’t reply to the comments. I feel like there should be interaction, not a one-sided conversation.
Netgalley took me some time because I felt like I wasn’t good enough yet, and I still haven’t got Edelweiss. But this has a lot more to do with the fact that I feel like I have do improve my blog and prepare before I start something additional. (It took me a couple of weeks (I think 2-3) of research and planning to start my blog.)
Twitter wasn’t that easy, I was quite shy on there at the beginning, but when people with fewer follower numbers started replying to me, I was able to overcome my shyness because I realised that I like it when people reply to me, no matter who they are. The first step of tweeting to someone is always the most difficult, and then I feel like I have broken down a barrier.
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I’m still a mess when commenting on big name bloggers sometimes. Yes! I do the same thing. If I comment on their blogs a few times and they never take the time to reply, I don’t go back.
That’s a great reason to take things slow! You’ll be much more prepared to start expanding your blog. Those 2-3 weeks of planning is why your blog looks great 😄. When I started my blog, I had no idea where I would go with it and had no research whatsoever, I just knew I wanted to write about books.
Yay, I’m not alone! That’s really good to know! I’m going to try and reply to more tweets from now on and break that barrier.
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Thanks for the compliment!
Go for it. If you need encouragement, you can always write with me!
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Great comment, I completely relate to most of this.
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Great post Shouni! I appreciate the honesty. I am actually shy too, but mostly in person. I don’t go up to a person to introduce myself. Blogging is quite different. It’s all behind a screen and chatting is much easier. I am more outgoing behind the screen than in person haha.. Even so, I haven’t made any blog book best friends like some bloggers have done because I want to read and review more than chat. 🙂 I’m glad blogging and commenting have become easier for you 🙂
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Thank you Jasmine!! I thought that would be the case for me too since it’s all behind a screen but I still felt shy at first 😀 . I haven’t either! But I do love all the people I interact with 🙂 .
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Awesome post, Shouni! I definitely relate to this. I was so nervous to share my content with others and to comment on their posts. I’m still not very good at social media because I’m really shy, as well, but I’m definitely getting better. Both blogging and social networking take time to get used to and to get comfortable with but it certainly helps that the majority of the blogging community is very kind and supportive! I love the honesty on this post. Thanks so much for sharing! ❤
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Thank you Azia! I’m the exact same way! I’ve never been good at social networking so it’ll definitely take more time for me to get used to it. Everyone in the blogging community is very encouraging and supportive! It’s why I love being a part of it! 🙂
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Exactly! Pretty soon we’ll be social media pros haha 😉
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OH this is such a great and honest post, thank you so much for writing it. I have been blogging for over two years and a half now, and it took me a little while to actually comment on other blogs and try and interact with people. Just like you, I’m still questionning myself whenever I am on Twitter and refrain myself from answering because I’m too shy – things feel somehow too “big” on twitter, compared to here. If that makes any sense. But on blogs everyone is always so sweet and welcoming, I appreciate it so much, it is so great to interact with the community this way ❤
As time goes on, I'm feeling more and more comfortable now to comment on lots of blog posts, even on the big bloggers' I was a bit afraid of at the beginning. I built lots of friendships and I'm so grateful for it. It's such a lovely community 🙂
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You are so sweet! Thank you, Marie!! 💜💜 I guess we started off in the same head space then! I feel the same way when it comes to twitter. Everything seems bigger and more public. I’m more comfortable interacting on blogs too, everyone is so nice!
I’m easing into commenting on more bigger blogs, I’m okay with it now but it’s something I never would’ve done my first year of blogging. (It’s also funny you say that because you are one of those big bloggers to me 😊😄).
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Blogs feel more safe and fun, somehow, I don’t know. Maybe we will get the hang of Twitter someday though 😀
Ohh really? I never saw myself as a big blogger, you are way too sweet, thank you<3<3<3
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That would be wonderful! Aww Marie, you definitely are 🙂
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You’re too sweet ❤ ❤
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I find it much easier to be social on the internet than in real life, so I immediately dived into the commenting world. I started with small blogs like my own, started following some big blogs, but ultimately I usually comment on smaller blogs. Because I feel like we discuss and get a conversation going and persisting so much better. And I make connections and try to keep them over time. Like with you ❤
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Awww thank you Olivia! 💜💜 Your blog was the only one I regularly commented on when I started out and you are always just so sweet!! I find myself usually commenting on smaller blogs too for the same reasons.
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I totally understand this! I’ve been blogging for over 2 years now, but it took me at least an year to start interacting with other bloggers on Twitter. From there, I worked to commenting on other blogs. I’m definitely still learning and have trouble sometimes about what I should say on Twitter, but I think I’m getting better each day. Thanks for sharing!
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I’m also still trying to learn to navigate the Twitter world. I’m fine with commenting on other blogs now though since I almost always receive great feedback. Thank you for stopping by!
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Love how honest you are in this post and you’ve actually given great advice to the newer bloggers.
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Thank you so much! I hope it was helpful 🙂
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