I was nominated for The Blogger Recognition Award by Kitty Marie’s Reading Corner. I’m not too familiar with this award since I am fairly new to the serious blogging world. But it seems to be a project for bloggers to help lift up other bloggers. I am all for that.

Thank you Kitty for the amazing nomination. I’m truly humbled. You are a far more advanced blogger than I am, but I appreciate that she sees me as worthy of a Blogger Award.

THE RULES

1. Thank the blogger/s who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
2. Write a post to show your award.
3. Give a brief story of how your blog started.
4. Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers.
5. Select 15 other bloggers you want to give this award to.
6. Comment (or pingback) on each blog and let them know you have nominated them and provide the link to the post you created.

How I Got Started

Back in 2013, I was feeling very lonely. There wasn’t a lot of readers in my area I could talk to. That I knew of anyways. I met some readers online and they changed my life forever. I discovered online parties all about books. And reviews! I could share my thoughts of books online! It was amazing! I was empowered. I wrote my first ever book review in September of 2013.

I’ve had many blog names before this trying to find one that fit perfectly. In 2015, I created the pen name for myself Willow Star Serenity. It was one of my best decisions. At one point I had a blog called Willow’s Thoughts And Book Obsessions. I wasn’t ever fully happy with this blog name. It was wordy and not really fun.

A couple months ago the name Willow Writes and reads just hit me. And I knew it was the name for me. I did what it took to make my blog official. I’m not branching out and attempting to network with other blogs. Every day I learn and grow. I’m not advanced, but I’m doing what I love. Talking about books!

My Advice To New Bloggers

1. If I can advise ANYTHING, it’s to be yourself. Post about what you love. I know it seems easier to follow the fad or the latest “viral” things. But unless it’s something that makes you happy, this won’t make you happy for long. Personally, I love to post about authors and books. I love to write reviews. It’s what keeps me happy and keeps me posting! Some people may want to blog about traveling or cooking or anything! The point of the matter is it has to make you happy in the end of the day. If that shows in your blog, the readers will follow.
2. Interact with other bloggers. Interact with the community that you’re wanting to blog about. If you want to gain interest, you have to show the people that you’re there. You don’t have to be totally extroverted to do this. It may make the process a lot easier. But in time, it will come.
3. I know I’m only supposed to post two pieces of advice, but I feel this one is important. Please be patient. Things take time. You’ll learn and you’ll grow. The readers will follow. Circling back to Tip #1, be yourself. If you are true to yourself and your blogs, your readers will be true to you. Give it time.

This is the part where I’m supposed to nominate 15 people. As I’m new to the blogging world, I don’t know 15 people to nominate. Maybe one day I will. Until then, if you are reading this and you are a blogger, feel free to tag yourself! All I ask is that you put the link to your blog in my comments so that I can read and share it! I’ll also follow your blog if I’m not doing so already!