Book Blogger Appreciation Week 2011

Book Blogger Appreciation Week starts tomorrow!

It runs from Monday, September 12 (also my sis’s birthday — Happy Birthday, B!) to Friday, September 16.

What is Book Blogger Appreciation Week?

Let’s step back, first, and ask, what is a book blogger? The answer is simple: it’s someone who blogs about books. About the books they love, the books they like, the books they hate. It’s someone who usually does it all on their own time: the reading, the writing, the posting, the commenting, the (insert all the stuff it takes beyond reading and posting to be a blogger).

With that broad definition in mind, BBAW is the time to just say “hey! thank you!”

Well, it’s actually more than that, and quite better organized than “thank you.” As explained at the BBAW website, “Book Blogger Appreciation was started by Amy Riley of My Friend Amy in an effort to recognize the hard work and contribution of book bloggers to the promotion and preservation of a literate culture actively engaged in discussing books, authors, and a lifestyle of reading. The first Book Blogger Appreciation was observed in the fall of 2008 and occurs every September. The week spotlights and celebrates the work of active book bloggers through guest posts, awards, giveaways, and community activities. Book Bloggers are encouraged to register their participation for inclusion in a database of book bloggers.” That mission is reflected in this year’s theme, Cultivating a Community of Bloggers and Readers.

If you’re a book blogger or a book blog reader, this is a great way to find out more about bloggers and their blogs, plus find new blogs to read.

For the next week, BBAW has “daily topics”; bloggers post on the topics, and leave links at the BBAW site so people know who participated for what day, etc. So just check in at the BBAW website to find links to bloggers who post about the daily topics.

From the BBAW website, the topics:

Monday September 12th: Community. Bloggers are “encouraged to highlight a couple of bloggers that have made book blogging a unique experience for you. They can be your mentors, a blogger that encouraged you to try a different kind of book, opened your eyes to a new issue, made you laugh when you needed it, or left the first comment you ever got on your blog. Stay positive and give back to the people who make the community work for you!”

Tuesday September 13th: Blogger Interviews. This is part of an organized “blogger interview” swap.

Wednesday September 14th: Community Part II  “Share your tips for finding and keeping community in book blogging despite the hectic demands made on your time and the overwhelming number of blogs out there. If you’re struggling with finding a community, share your concerns and explain what you’re looking for–this is the week to connect!”

Thursday September 15th: Readers. As the BBAW website says, “Book bloggers blog because we love reading. Has book blogging changed the way you read? Have you discovered books you never would have apart from book blogging? How has book blogging affected your book acquisition habits? Have you made new connections with other readers because of book blogging? Choose any one of these topics and share your thoughts today!”

Friday September 16th: Blogging. The week ends by addressing the practical: “Share 3 things you are essential tried and true practices for every blogger and 1-3 new trends or tools you’ve adapted recently or would like to in the future.”

Finally, there are also peer Awards connected with BBAW. BBAW covers all types of book blogs (in other words, grown up books, too!) and the Awards are not just for blogs, but also for things and events sponsored by blogs. (Read the BBAW website for the full explanation of how blogs are nominated, how long lists are created, when there is a popular vote and judges, etc.) If you’re looking to expand your blog reading, the lists (both the long lists and the short lsits) are a terrific place to start.

For the long lists, if you want to do a lot of clicking:

Check out the Featured Categories, that includes lists for Best Book Blog Feature or Series of Posts, Best Book Blog Meme and Best Book Blogging Event and more Featured Categories: New Book Blog, Best Author Interviews, and Best Written Blog.

Also look at the Niche Categories, including Best Audiobook Book Blog, Published Author Blog, Classics Book Blog, Cultural Book Blog, Eclectic Book Blog, Historical Fiction Book Blog, Kidlit Book Blog, Literary Fiction Book Blog, Mystery/Suspense/Crime Book Blog, Speculative Fiction Book Blog, and Young Adult Book Blog. Some categories went straight to short list:  GLBT Lit Blog, Nonfiction Book Blog, Poetry Blog, Publishing/Industry Blog, Romance Book Blog and Spiritual/Inspirational/Religious Book Blog.

If you prefer to go right to the short lists, here are the short lists for the following: Best Audiobook Book Blog, Published Author Blog, Classics Book Blog, Cultural Book Blog, Eclectic Book Blog, GLBT Book Blog, Historical Fiction Book Blog, Kidlit Book Blog, Literary Fiction Book Blog, Mystery/Suspense/Crime Book Blog, Nonfiction Book Blog, Poetry Blog, Publishing Industry Blog, Romance Book Blog, Speculative Fiction Book Blog, Spiritual/Inspirational/Religious Book Blog, Young Adult Book Blog; 2011 Featured Categories: New Book Blog, Best Author Interviews, Best Written Blog, Best Book Blog Feature or Series of Posts,Best Book Blog Meme, Best Book Blogging Event.

Filed under: Reviews