Top Ten Tuesday – Things that Make Blogging Easier

Today, the bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish have asked us to list ten things that make my life as a book blogger easier.

I love this topic. This is the ideal opportunity for me to appreciate all the great resources at my disposal, and it’s a great meme. I can’t wait to read what tools help make other book bloggers lives easier. I could definitely do with some tips.

1. Amazon: Yes, the big bad online retailer that is swallowing up all the book shops. Why do I love Amazon so much? Well, this was the first online tool I had access to that made me realize just how many books/genres are out there.

   The sad fact is that most bookshops in India stock mostly best sellers, self-help, and non-fiction, and so before I started blogging, I really didn’t have much knowledge about what’s available out there. Also, I don’t have many bookish friends in my real life, so I really love and rely on Amazon recommendations and they work really well for me.

2. WordPress: Every blogger needs a blogging platform, right? And WordPress has long been my platform of choice. I love its various features such as Copy a Post, which makes my regular tag posts (Teaser Tuesdays, Wordless Wednesdays, Top Ten Tuesdays) a breeze.

   Another great WordPress feature is their Media Library where I can upload images and just link to them from different posts- huge time and space-saving. I can even do some quick edits to images.
   And of course I have to mention their awesome themes. OK…let’s stop right here and say WordPress rocks, and makes blogging so very pleasurable and easy.

3. Other bloggers: Yes, other bloggers make my blogging life easier. How? Well, by their comments. It’s so encouraging when people drop by to comment or like a post.

   It doesn’t feel like I am writing only for myself, the interaction makes blogging more rewarding and therefore easier to keep plugging away.
   In addition, blogger buzz about books is another great way to know about new books that may not catch my attention. A good example is Gone Girl – a book I read and loved, and got to know about solely because of some great reviews out there.

4. Goodreads: This is not my only resource but I usually use goodreads for copying and pasting the book synopsis before I start my review (always with due credit). This usually matches what’s there on the back of the book, but it’s so much easier to copy and paste rather than write it out all over again.

   Also, I don’t always reuse the book synopsis. A lot of times, I write it out in my own words, but if I am short on time or behind in my book reviews, this short cut works for me and is really useful.

5. Wikipedia: I love wikipedia for all the great research and obscure facts I can dig up about books. Plus knowing a little more about the setting and context of some books makes it easier to appreciate.

   I know my appreciation for books such as Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Black Angel were enhanced after a little Wikipedia research :).

6. Tech: Here I give thanks to my internet connection (even if it goes down in every storm). Also, my blogging schedule really came into its own once I purchased an iPhone and an iPad.

   Apps like Evernote for note-taking and syncing on all my devices, Instagram (for taking photos for my blog), and A Beautiful Mess for making my terrible photos just a little bit prettier are awesome tools. All these tools are a boon for busy bloggers who have to steal time from real life in order to keep the blog on a schedule.

7. Publishers and book publicists who keep me well stocked with newish books that provide enough fodder for this blog to flourish.

   If not for them, I would be reading and blogging about 10-year-old books and no one would be reading my reviews.

8. Google: Just because I found so many of these great resources using Google search 🙂

And um…well, that’s all really. I think I’ve really drilled down deep making this list. And so even if it not a top ten list, it is the definitive list for me.

What are the tools/things/features that make blogging easier for you?