Saturday, 26 July 2014

Another Blogging Milestone


What a month - 5 years of blogging and now my 500th blog post!

I've been pondering all week what I would put in this 500th post to make it memorable.

In the end I realised that 'memorable' is a very subjective thing, so I decided to go with a trip down memory lane instead.


The highs and lows of 500 posts in 5 years....

HIGH #1 - my very post blog post was for a teen book, Gone by Michael Grant.

LOW #1 - my very first blog post comment was written by.... me (see Gone by Michael Grant)! Tragic but true.

HIGH #2 - my very first author comment was from Australian Kate Forsyth for her novel Bitter Greens.

LOW #2 - after 2 years of haphazard blogging, realising I only had 50 blog posts to my name & half a dozen followers.

LOW #3 - doubting my ability to write & find my own voice, doubting my ability to 'grow my blog', indecision, insecurity & fear.

HIGH #3 - discovering the lovely folk at Saturday Snapshot with my first entry On Chesil Beach.

Which leads nicely to HIGH #4 - On Chesil Beach was the first time I 'met' the lovely Louise from A Strong Belief in Wicker.
We read a lot of the same books, share an interest in children's books, Australian books and we are both Francophiles.

HIGH #5 - the photography urge became so strong, I decided to start another blog called Four Seasons.

HIGH #6 - I joined the Classics Club, which has led to HIGHs #7 through to #99!

HIGH #100 - hosting my very first book event last year - AusReading Month  (which I will host again this November.)

HIGH #101 - hosting my second book event in May - The Wharton Review.

But the non-stop high point of blogging has been all of you.

Yes, you - my dear readers - my followers - & especially those of you who have taken the time to leave thoughtful comments.

All of you who have shared readalongs, readathons, photos, spins & other book events with me, I thank you. 

I feel blessed to have met you all.
You have enriched my reading (& blogging) life.

Thank you for travelling with me this far...here's to many, many more shared book journeys!

17 comments:

  1. Well done on 500 posts and sticking with it. I only found your blog recently and do enjoy it. May you have another 500 posts!!!

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    1. Thanks for the encouragement!

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  2. Anonymous26/7/14

    congratulations! thanks for the idea, never really kept an eye on how many posts, and now I can see there will be some time a big one coming!

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    1. I just happened to spot my post count about 20 posts ago (as I was writing up my 5 yr anniversary piece)...and realised another big milestone was at hand!
      So I kept close track for a couple of weeks :-)

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  3. Congratulations to you. And you mention On Chesil Beach, repeatedly... one of my favorite novels ever. Maybe my favorite McEwan thing. Here's to many more 500's to you [I'm raising a beer!]

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    1. Sadly, not my favourite McEwen, although reading it on the plane at the beginning of an exciting adventure with the man I love, may not have been conducive to appreciating this story fully!

      Thanks for stopping by.

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  4. Congratulations! It is a nice milestone.

    I can identify with lows #2 and #3, but I'm working on overcoming my insecurities. Nothing better to get inspired than your own story!

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    1. Happy that I can inspire you!

      Keep working away at it - the more you write, the more your voice finds its natural, authentic groove & the more confident you grow. It has taken me 5 years to say out loud that, "yes, I am a writer!"

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  5. I've made so many great connections through blogging, and you are one of them, Brona -- I think the days are long gone where you will be your only commentator (that made me laugh)!

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  6. Congratulations, Brona! So glad I met you through the Classics Club :)

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  7. Congratulations! Well done. I think we all share you're lows and we are probably, most of us insecure in our writings. I think the best is to write of things you are yourself interested in. In this way you will find the friends out there with the same interests. Like I did, when I found you blog.
    Lisbeth@The Content Reader

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  8. 500 posts...wow! That's so awesome. Congratulations!! (Here's hoping you continue blogging for at least 500 posts more!)

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  9. Congrats on the milestone! How exciting!

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  10. Oh how chuffed am i?? High #4! We do have many common interests Brona, I know that we'll have fun times whenever we do manage to catch up for drinks or a meal. Congratulations on your first 500 posts- I look forward to your next 500. I did laugh at your low #1!

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    1. When I look at many of the comments above, I see that they are from bloggers I found through your blog, Louise, and through many of the challenges that you participate in. Discovering your blog really did open up my social blogging network.

      I'm looking forward to our first live catch-up too :-)

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  11. Congratulations on 500 posts! I love reading your blog and find it amazing and wonderful how your blog lets me connect with a reader on the other side of the world.

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