Sometimes it seems as though book blogs aren’t as popular as BookTube, Bookstagram, or *cringe* Booktok (I cringe despite the fact I’ve posted some Tiktoks that are book-related, haha). For the most part, this is probably true. So then, why do we still find book blogs appealing? Well, I can’t answer that for everyone, but I can at least answer for myself.

The main reason I even started a book blog is for reviews, so that’s what I’m usually looking for when I’m going through my WordPress Reader page. I know you can find plenty of reviews on Goodreads or Amazon, but the thing is, some people only post part of a review on those sites, and link the rest to their blogs. I’m guilty of this as well, sometimes. My point is, I like to read all of a person’s thoughts on a book, or most at least, since most of us book bloggers try to keep things spoiler-free.

Another reason is for bookish lists and discussions. You know, things like recommendations, bookish pet peeves, bookstores to visit, etc. They’re fun posts to write and to read because of how different everyone answers can be. It’s a great way to find new books and authors, and have bookish discussions. The discussions on blogs just seem fuller because they’re on a normal website platform (though I do sometimes comment back using my phone). I know that I make less spelling errors when I’m typing on the computer rather than my phone because autocorrect doesn’t always work for me. The discussions are a great way to well, discuss anything about books.

Attention span. That’s another thing. I’m more likely to read through an actual blog post than a caption on an Instagram post (because let’s face it, most of us just scroll and ‘like’ the images without commenting when we’re on a roll) or even watch a BookTube video. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the thought that goes into prepping an Instagram post or the production of a video, I’m just more of a blog reader.

What I probably love the most is the individuality of book blogs. Unlike the other ways of sharing bookish content, your blog is unique (for the most part). Depending on whether you use a free version of a blog, pay for special features, or host it all on your own, your blog isn’t like everyone else’s. The look is going to look different for the most part, because even if you use the same theme as other bloggers, you can add your own images/graphics to make it unique. Some blogs have really cool names, and I was so relieved that mine wasn’t taken when I came up with it, but there are some other great ones that are more individualized (like it includes the blogger’s name in a pun or something like that). And, of course, we can’t forget that everyone’s writing style is different. For the most part I’d say that bloggers are very casual with their writing (I know I am), but there are some who take a more formal approach to their writing, and that’s cool too.

The last reason I like book blogs is the time people take to put into them. Again, I’m not putting down the other formats (Insta, TikTok, or BookTube), I’m just appreciating the time it takes to write out the post, create images, put in links to socials or other websites, and all that. Some people prefer to write (as I do) than to make a video or take photos. I actually happen to like all three, but I find writing and photography to be easier because I suck at talking, even if it’s just to a camera (for more about my thoughts on having a blog vs. YouTube vlog, check out this old video of mine). If you see the video I shared, you’ll see that I messed up a lot when I recorded videos. I kind of miss doing them, but I don’t have a proper place to record them anymore that has adequate space for me and the camera (and gear) or is quiet (there are little kids that live upstairs and run around all. day. long.).

In any case, I love all formats of sharing bookish thoughts and reviews. I just wanted to share why I still like the bloggings format and I hope it stays relevant for years to come, no matter how many new social media apps come out.

Now, I’ll ask you the same question that I (sort of) answered for this post:
What do you love about reading book blogs (as opposed to watching Booktube or scrolling through Bookstagram)?

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