8 top tips for new book bloggers

Jenny Davies has been blogging since 2009 over at Wondrous Reads. Her wise words of wisdom for any budding book bloggers are below, and for any UK reviewers interested in receiving review copies of our books, you can find us on NetGalley.

Write honest reviews

Don't worry about what anyone else will think about your reviews - they're YOUR opinions and your own thoughts. People will appreciate your honesty. If you didn't like a book, say so!

Post whatever you want - it's your blog!

Whether you want to include personal posts or pictures of your holidays, anything goes. It's your blog and your own little corner of the internet, so post whatever you want. Even if your blog is based around books, I'm sure your readers will be interested in getting to know you better. There are no, so go mad and have fun.

Don't read to a strict review timetable

This is something I don't like doing, so I rarely commit to reading books by certain dates. We all know life doesn't always work out as we expect it to, so I find it better to just read what I want when I want. Unless a strict timetable works for you, in which case, go for it!

Remember to read books you've bought, not just review copies

It's very easy to read review book after review book and forget about all those lovely books you bought and actually want to read. Maybe try reading one a week or one a month, whatever works best for you. Just remember they're sat on your shelf for a reason!

Take a blog break every now and then

As with any hobby, blogging and reading takes up a lot of time and effort. Take a break every now and then - schedule some posts in advance, have a couple of weeks off and read for pleasure or don't read at all. You'll come back refreshed and have a renewed enthusiasm for books and blogging.

Don't let reviews copies stress you out

It's great receiving books for review but even publishers know you can't possibly read them all, and definitely not straight away. Just read what you can when you can, and remember to email your review links!

Make friends with other bloggers

It's always good to make friends with other bloggers - they obviously love the same things as you and are great to chat to on Twitter or meet up with at events. It makes London trips less lonely and there are some lovely people out there, some of which will become lifelong friends. Who says books and blogging don't bring people together?!

Don't get caught up in any blogger/Twitter dramas

This is the one rule I vigilantly stick to. There's always a new argument or drama happening on Twitter, and it really is best to stay out of it. You'll only end up saying something that comes across wrong or that you wish you could take back - remember the internet is a public place and anyone can read what you write. Also, blogging is supposed to be fun and not like an episode of Revenge!