Book Blogger Appreciation Week: Interview

As part of the Book Blogger Appreciation Week, I interviewed the lovely Jess from Barney's Book Blog

And it went a little something like this:

What’s the story of the title of your blog?

Have you ever seen the television show ‘How I Met Your Mother’? One of the characters (played by the fantastic Neil Patrick Harris) is named Barney and he has a blog where he writes about picking up chicks and being awesome. When I decided to start my blog, I didn’t like the name Jessica’s Book Blog, so instead I named it after the only person (although not real) I knew who had a blog.

What was the impetus to start blogging?

I read too much and needed an outlet to discuss my opinions on the books I read. My family and friends were at the point where they would roll their eyes every time I said, “I just read the most incredible book...”

When you started did you have an imagined reader in mind? Or were you writing for yourself primarily?

I didn’t really think about who would read my blog. It was more for me to vent my ideas and opinions about the books I was reading.

What lifted the number of subscribers and readers of your blog? Was it a particular post?

It wasn’t a particular post. It was embracing the blogger community and getting involved with weekly memes and commenting on other blogs. Commenting and engaging within the community made other bloggers search me out and become subscribers.

Do you blog all of the books you read?

No, I don’t usually review books that are a part of a series that I started reading before I started blogging. I do usually mention them in posts where I discuss what I am reading for the week.

Has your writing/ your ‘voice’ changed over the time you have been blogging?

My writing has changed. I have a very different reviewing format than I did in the beginning. I write more about the themes I see in books instead of just talking about what I liked. I also try very hard to be spoiler free.

Thanks Jess and happy Book Blogger Appreciation Week!