Armchair Bea- Nurturing Relationships

When I first started blogging I hadn't even heard of ARC's, Twitter or Ning. My blogging was a way to continue my relationships with mutual book lovers I had met on Shelfari and Goodreads that were talking about this growing community they were joining called "book blogging"! It sounded like fun and it turned out to be more exciting then any of my expectations.

I think that the basics we started with at the beginning are still so important to nurture all the relationships you want- with fellow bloggers, authors, and publishers.
First, find fellow bloggers whose blogs you enjoy and comment, comment, comment!

Second, when you post respond to your comments. Your readers want to know that you care that they took the time to visit you.

Third, keep the posts coming. Very rarely does the occasional blogger keep people coming to their blog. Besides book reviews you can participate in memes or hold an occasional giveaway or join a book tour.

Believe me newbies, this book blogging takes work and dedication. The more you socialize the more followers you will gain. That is when publishers and authors will take notice.
For those of you who desire ARC's you should have a consistent blog with good reviews. Then you can contact publishers and state your case for receiving ARC's to review. Remember that when you get them you really need to read the book and get the review up in a timely manner.

But for me personally, it has always been about the connection to fellow book lovers and no matter how big your blog may become, those readers that support you and follow you are still looking for your personal touch. Be yourself and don't forget to keep responding to your comments.