I’m one of those people who pretty much exclusively follows book blogs. I’m not particularly interested in following blogs that focus on something else like travel or fashion or general lifestyle stuff. BUT I’ve found that I actually really enjoy getting little snippets of those things on my friends’ book blogs.
I thought I’d highlight some of the types of non-bookish posts and topics I enjoy seeing on people’s blogs. Not because I’m expecting anyone to specifically create more of these because I like them, but just because I thought it might be fun to feature some of the other types of posts my bookish friends create.
- Crafts – I absolutely love seeing the crafts that my fellow bloggers have been working on. Whether you’re knitting cool scarves (or cowls–this post was actually inspired when I saw this knitting post at Bookwyrm’s Hoard), or creating pottery (Steph Pajonas makes cool pottery), or creating bookish crafts, I love to see your progress!
- Artwork – Some of my bookish friends are also talented artists. For instance, Kristen @ Metaphors and Moonlight makes a lot of digital art (often inspired by her SIMS).
- Bullet journals – I’m hopeless when it comes to organization and beautiful arty designs, but I can live vicariously through my friends who have gorgeously artistic (and organized!) bullet journals! Annie over at Blossoms and Bullet Journals has a blog that focuses on both books and beautiful bullet journaling.
- Vacations – I love reading about the trips my fellow bloggers take! (Pictures are a wonderful bonus.) Or even people’s explorations of their own cities/countries. Lauren @ Shooting Stars Mag often does a Local Tourist feature. And I’ve learned some interesting things about Dubai from Gayathri @ Elgee Writes.
- Movies & TV – I like hearing about my blogger friends’ favorite movies and TV shows. Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight writes lots of posts about The 100, and she also does a feature called Sometimes I Watch Shows.
- General Life Updates – I love reading everyone’s Sunday Posts and Monthly Wrap-Ups, and I especially enjoy reading what’s been happening in my fellow bloggers’ lives lately. Hearing personal stories helps me to get to know the people in the blogosphere in much deeper ways. Other random life-update posts or tags are wins too!
I’m sure there are other topics I enjoy reading about too, but these are the ones that pop into my mind. The funny thing is, even topics I’m not all that excited about normally are much more interesting when they’re shared by a blogger I already know and love. I might not seek out posts about fitness or healthy eating or music, for instance, but I might check them out if it’s someone I know talking about those topics. (And, of course, there are probably other people who specifically like to see those topics.)
The only place I really share any of these non-bookish topics on my own blog is in my Sunday Posts and Monthly Wrap-Ups. But this has made me think that maybe I should pepper in a few of these types of posts. For instance, I just recently used illustrated book pages (from a book my son destroyed) to make origami stars. Maybe I’ll write a post about it!
Do you like to see non-bookish posts on book blogs occasionally? What are your favorite types of topics? I want to know!
I mostly use I Instagram to stalk pretty bujos but I’m definitely going to check out your recommendation!
It’s funny because I was super confused when I read your comment—I am apparently not up on the bullet journaling lingo because I was like, “stalk pretty bujos”???? It took me a good five minutes to figure out what you meant. LOL!
Ohhh me too, I absolutely love reading the monthly or Sunday posts so I can get life updates from fellow bloggers! I love seeing what everyone is up to! And I actually follow 4 clothing, 2 cooking and 1 exercise blogger on top of book bloggers. They’re ones I found years ago and fit perfectly for what I’m looking for in those categories.
I pretty much ONLY follow book blogs, but a smattering of those other types of posts is perfect for me.
I love wrap-ups and Sunday Posts because I get to learn about the humans behind the blog. Those posts also make me realize that I’m a very boring person. I don’t do crafts and can’t afford vacations. I have to live vicariously through internet people. 🙂
Ha! But your Sunday Posts are always terrifically entertaining, so I definitely wouldn’t call you a boring person.
Ohh yesyes!! I love some BuJo and personal snippets so much aswell ! Even if it’s just some chit-chatty posts, and ofcourse some games related ones too – as i’m pretty much a gamer myself.
I can’t think of anything else in the current moment, sadly XD
Gaming is another topic I often see that I didn’t think of! I’m not much of a gamer myself, but those posts are interesting when I get to see why my blogger friends love certain games.
I definitely feel the same! I like getting to know other bloggers better through personal updates, and I like reading about their other hobbies if it’s a blogger I already know. I also like doing various crafts and things myself, so I always like craft posts! 🙂
Yes, I wouldn’t go out of my way to follow craft blogs or anything, but when it’s a blogger friend posting about it, I love it!
Yes! I love reading about other than book stuff but I don’t follow really any other type of blogs either. Defintely helps when it’s a blogger I already love.
Even things I wouldn’t think I’d be interested in are far more compelling when you know the person talking about them!
I enjoy seeing different aspects of people’s lives. Things they are passionate about, how they combine it with their love of reading, how they are doing. I think it gives of a great feel for the person behind the blog.
Exactly!
Thanks for the shout out! I’ve definitely added in more non-book related posts over the years, because it’s fun for me to read these type of posts too. I like seeing what people are doing off the blog, or what else they are interested in!
-Lauren
I always love your posts about being a tourist in your own city—so often we ignore our own world because it seems boring to us.
I love seeing these kinds of posts too! And writing them. I think I start following any blog because I like the voice of the author, and then therefore, I enjoy a lot of other subjects that person writes about. Generally, I fall for the books, but I stick around for the person.
That’s so true. You articulated it perfectly—I come for the books and stay for the person I get to know through their blog. And all sorts of things sound way more interesting when a friend is passionate about them!
I mostly only follow book blogs too. I love reading the monthly wrap-up and the Sunday Post because I get to know my fellow book bloggers and their other interests and hobbies. These kind of posts help creating a connection with the person behind the blog.
Happy readings! 😉
Exactly! It’s nice to really get to know people.
I’m like you: I love these little peeks into other blogger’s lives. Especially the weekend wrap-ups, the travel posts, and the crafty posts… which is why, after years of blogging mostly about books, I decided to share a little of my knitting and spinning, too. (So thank you for the shout-out!) I follow mostly book blogs, but also a smattering of knitting and spinning blogs and Instagram accounts. 🙂
Thanks for your inspiration! I loved seeing your knitting (obviously), so I’m glad you decided to share!!
Same here!! Great post!
Thanks!!
AW you are the BEST because you know how much I put into these ridiculous The 100 posts hahah so it makes my heart SO HAPPY to see that you enjoy them! I agree though, I LOVE hearing about people’s other interests- especially shows because sometimes I find out about new ones! Travel too, I love. But honestly ANYTHING that people are passionate about I generally enjoy reading, you know? Especially since like- we get to know each other through the book posts, but I still care about everyone’s other life stuff too! Fabulous post, I could not agree more!
I agree that reading about anything my friends are passionate about is interesting! I just finally got around to watching The 100 today, so now I have to go read your recap. 🙂
Aww thanks for the shoutout and the kind words! And I completely agree. I find that sometimes I just start to like the person behind the blog, and then I’m interested in pretty much anything they decide to talk about on occasion, even if I normally wouldn’t be. And I do like getting to know other bloggers more, beyond just what books they enjoy.
Yes, exactly. Even things I don’t necessarily have a lot of interest in myself seem a whole lot more interesting when we have a friend who’s passionate about it.
It’s why I love the wrap ups so much, weekly and monthly, because I get to know the logger more and more. That was something I had incorporated a lot when I blogged at Latte Nights Reviews. And according to the readers, they loved it because I’d show pictures of my Puerto Rico island and the adventures I’d go on and go into detail about them. Since I moved to US, it hasn’t been the same so there isn’t much to share, unfortunately. I’ll definitely be checking out the Bujo blog because I need some inspo!
I agree that getting to know our fellow bloggers is (at least) half the fun. It makes blogging so much more personal!
I love this post to pieces! 🙂 Like you, I only follow book bloggers but I also enjoy reading about different topics and learning more about my blogger friends. I love the way you broke it down to specific topics and bloggers!
I figured, why not feature some specific things my blogger friends have entertained me with? 🙂
Totally agree! Practically all the blogs I interact with are primarily bookish, but I also love to get to know these bloggers better by their Sunday Post snippets and snapshots 🙂
Yes, we all love books, but it’s much more fun to talk about them with people we know on at least a little bit of a personal level. 🙂
Yep I love seeing non bookish things on blogs sometimes. I’ve been loving Kristen’s artwork it’s so cool. And I love life updates because you get to feel like you know the blogger. Also playlists and videos. I like to know what people are listening to and watching.
Exactly! It’s nice to get to know our fellow bloggers in other ways.
I’m always hesitant about sharing non bookish things on my blog.. other than movies and stuff like that because I’m pretty boring but I do want my community to know a little more about me.. so I make the effort from time to time…
It can be hard to decide what to share sometimes. I totally get that.
I love hearing about all of these too! It makes me feel like I should start incorporating these into my own blog.
Krystianna @ Downright Dystopian
I know. I’ve said that, but I still haven’t managed it (besides life updates, which I include in my Sunday Posts and monthly wrap-ups). I feel like I just don’t have time for much else.
I’m like you in that I really only follow book blogs. But honestly, I probably read more of the “fluff” or non-review posts than I do of the review posts, isn’t that terrible! Great post!
Isn’t that funny? Guess we like more than we realize we do!
I only follow book blogs, even though I do like reading lifestyle and travel blogs every now and then, they are not the kind of blogs I follow as regularly as book blogs. That being said, I’m just like you and I love getting to know the blogger a little more, too, I think that’s why I love reading monthly wrap-ups just as well and seeing every now and then some different posts, too. I’m especially a fan of travel posts 😀
Great discussion! 😀
Travel posts are great—I think they might be my favorites too.
Love this post. I only follow book blogs as well, but I definitely like to read posts about any other interests my fellow bloggers have and I’m a big fan of the Sunday posts where people talk about what’s going on their lives. Those kind of posts really help me get to know bloggers better and build a sense of community.
Exactly. I mean, we all love books, but we have lots of other interesting things going on as well.
Oh, I love reading people’s thoughts on movies and TV shows. They’ve convinced me to watch more than one program they blogged about!
Yes, me too! I don’t think I would have watched The 100 if it weren’t for Shannon. And the GoT frenzy definitely got me hooked. There have definitely been others as well.
Cool. Do you think you’ll be blogging about TV shows and films in the future?
Possibly. I have occasionally written about movies I’ve watched or TV, though it’s usually just mentions in my Sunday Posts or my monthly wrap-ups.
Things like The Sunday Posts are my favourite kind of blog posts because I get to know the bloggers a little bit better and get a snapshot of their lives. I’m like you in that I don’t really go for blogs that aren’t book focused but I love seeing other posts scattered amongst the book talk… I find it interesting. Plus, a lot of the book blogs I adore don’t necessarily read the books I do but I visit them and build relationships because I find the people interesting.
Yes, that’s a really good point. Many of the book bloggers I follow don’t read YA and MG (which is most of what I read anymore), but those “other stuff” posts can draw me in, even when the bookish content isn’t to my taste.
You know me – I’ve been slowly transition my blog from books for a long time before completely changing it. I’m glad you love reading about other stuff on their blogs though – and I’m totally cool with you not reading all my posts LOL
You can appeal to a lot of different people that way, though. If every post isn’t for me, that’s just fine—I still love to come by and hear what you’re up to! 🙂
[…] Feed Your Fiction Addiction shares “Other Stuff” I Like Reading About on Your Book Blog […]
If you crafted using *book* pages then that’s still bookish content as far as I’m concerned! I actually have a monthly if not weekly freak-out that my book blog v. rarely talks about books *slightly hysterical laughter* – tbh, I think it’s my natural inclination to subvert definition 😉 Bookish Rebel, all the way! Lol.
You rebel all you want! I always love reading your posts—and I feel like I always learn a lot from them.
I love getting a peek at the interests of my fellow bloggers, especially things that touch on what I love. Movies, manga, anime and k-dramas are a few. There are so many books and stories and with each one we get an unique POV. Great discussion Nicole! ❤️❤️
Oh, yes, your posts about manga and anime easily could’ve been on this list—I always really love reading those!!
I don’t consider my blog a ‘book blog’ but I post book reviews on my blog a few times a month. I also have pet rat posts, subscription box posts, free sample posts and post a lot of other things as well. My blog is a mix of whatever I feel like posting. I’m kinda all over the place but it’s always been that way. LOL I follow a lot of book blogs but I really like more personal posts too. I like seeing those thrown in sometimes too.
I guess your blog is one that I subscribe to that isn’t specifically about books. There are a few of those types of blogs that I follow because of the person—especially since a lot of book bloggers have branched off into other things as time went on.
[…] Feed Your Fiction Addiction shares “Other Stuff” I Like Reading About on Your Book Blog […]
Thank you so much for the feature, and for your kind words! This is a great idea for a post. I totally agree, I mostly follow book blogs but I do enjoy seeing other types of posts sometimes from the people I follow.
Your bullet journals all look so beautiful! Since I’m not artistic, I’ll just live vicariously through you. 🙂
I especially loving sharing about travel and life updates in my wrap ups. But I agree – although I will always love me my bookish posts, I also really enjoying seeing the little different posts too. I love seeing Kristen’s artwork! She’s amazing at it <3
Yes, I’ve loved seeing your posts where you talk about your travel and family!
Great post! This is an interesting topic for me to consider, because my approach to sharing personal information (which is the only topic I address apart from book-related ones) on my blog has changed over the years. I post brief updates about my personal life as it affects my blog in my monthly wrap ups. Generally, I’m not that interested in reading about ‘other stuff’ on the book blogs I follow – I’m just here for all things books 😛
I get why some people aren’t interested in reading about those other things. For me, it’s an interesting diversion, but some people are truly only here for the books. 🙂
[…] ♥ Nicole @ Feed your fiction addiction shares other-than-bookish things that she loves to see on book blogs! […]
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I love non-bookish posts. It’s so much more interesting to hear about these topics from a fellow book lover, and I agree it helps us understand each other better. Discussion posts are also fun – bookish or non-bookish. It’s something I really want to do more with my blog. (It’s just been super hard to start with work stress, but now that it’s summer vacation I hope to really get into this!)
I totally get that. Sometimes those really creative posts sound like fun, but we just don’t have the physical and mental energy for them.
I also enjoy seeing peoples posts about traveling and I am a totally sucker for anything art related as well! Great post 🙂
Yes! Give me all the art!!
[…] Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction talks about the “other stuff” she likes to read about on book blogs. […]