Yay 2014

So, here we are, finding ourselves in the early midst of the year 2014, and I am returning to resume my position as blogger, happiness giver, and overall world wide sensation here on Blue Scarf Girl. So, from now on, I am going to be a full-time, overly commited blogger, regardless of the fact that I may or may not still have people interested in my blog..

Anyway, I am currently debating my third, and final, blog name. Maybe something do do with Luna or moons or whatnot?

So, to celebrate the comings of the next year, and my decision to ban reviews on my blog after I purely wrote about fifty reviews and nothing else for a while, here's a guest post from Sunny, explaining the basics of beginning a blog (which is extremely relevant to the new birth of this blog), and the commitments which it entails.

Hey guys,

My name is Sunny and I’m a YA Book Blogger from Australia. My blog ‘A Sunny Spot’ has been running for just over a year and a half now. But enough about me, the lovely Amy has allowed me to guest post on her blog today and I’ll be giving some blog making tips. I’m sorry if these aren’t very clear and if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask me on twitter (A_SunnySpot). These are just tips so feel free to take no notice at all. Enjoy :D

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Starting a blog is hard work, I’m not going to lie. But it’s also incredibly fun and rewarding! With the right help it can also be a lot less difficult. I’d like to think that deciding to create a blog was the best choice I’d made, so if you’re hesitant but considering it.. let me help you!

Ok.. so you’re thinking of creating a blog? Blogging is time consuming and takes a lot of dedication. So you should probably be sure that this is something you're interested in doing. You can blog about anything you want, books, music, lifestyle, fashion.. there are no limits. Firstly you need to decide what you want to blog about and then we can go from there.

So you came up with a idea but now you need to come up with a blog name and believe me this isn’t easy. Try and come up with something you know you’ll be content with in years to come. Because whilst you can always change your blog title it’s always easier to stick with the one name so your blog is easily recognizable. Can’t think of anything, here are some tips.

• Think of something memorable and recognizable.
• Something that incorporates both you and the theme of your blog.
• Something fun and quirky. Maybe it’s got a hidden meaning. Have fun with it!

Once you’ve got a name. It’s time to choose a platform for your blog ie. Blogger or Wordpress? Being a user of blogger, my personal opinion is that blogger is really easy to work with, it’s free and allows a range of different customizations. On the other hand, a self hosted Wordpress (wordpress.org) is great if you willing to add some dollars to your overall blog look. Once you’ve got your blog up and running, it’s time to write a post! Your first post can be anything but a introduction post is always nice so your readers can get to know a little bit about you. Design a header and button and work on your blog until you're happy with it.

When you begin blogging it’s hard to get followers and views. But the absolute best way to do that is to BE SOCIAL. This is actually a key element of blogging because it makes the experience so much better for you, others and your blog. Blogging Buddies are the best and something I’m so grateful to have. We are not a scary bunch and it’s actually really easy to make a blogging friend. How do I ‘Be Social’?:

• Comment on other blogs: Commenting on other peoples post is a great thing to do. It can make someones day and it’s always cool to see what everyone else is writing. But comment like you care! Don’t skim the post, read the post and let them know why you liked it. Because comments really are mood brighteners
• Goodreads: If you're a book blogger then Goodreads is a great site to be. Join groups and discuss your fave reads.
• TWITTER: This is the best way to be social! I’m addicted and believe me it such a great way to make friends, fangirl and advertise your blog. Ask people how there day is and in no time you’ll make friends.

Once your blog is up and running here are some tips:

• Make sure to update frequently but in your own time.
• Don’t ditch your blog without notice, let your readers know what’s going on.
• School before blogging, find the correct balance. It’s something we all struggle with.
• Be yourself, it’s really the best thing to be. Your blog shouldn’t be a model of everyone else’s, it should be yours.
• Have fun! Blogging should feel more like a hobby and less like a task.

Anyway I hope these tips helped. There aren’t any rules when it comes to blogging and these are just tips. I’d love to know if I’ve helped anyway and if you're a new blog, give me a hollah.

So thank you so much to Sunny, for starting this blog off to a great new year!

I hope you all enjoy what is to come ahead on this blog, and please, if you have any blog name suggestions feel free to drop me a line.

So for now, adios mi amigos!