I'd like to welcome Hilde from Turn of the Page to my blog this morning. Hilde has been kind enough to answer some questions for us about herself and her blog.
Can you tell our readers a little about yourself?
My name is Hilde, I’m 28 years old and I live in Norway where I work as a freelance translator. I love books, music, chocolate, Sydney, film & television, spring, ocean views, the northern lights and ice cream.
What fictional character do you think you are most like?
Excellent question! I wish I could say someone strong and independent like Éowyn from Lord of the Rings or Hermione from Harry Potter, but sadly that’s not me at all. To be honest I think I am more like Bess Marvin, one of Nancy Drew’s best friends. Bess is kind hearted, a little anxious and likes good food – just like me.
What sort of things do you write about on your blog?
Books! I’m quite an eclectic reader, so you’ll find reviews of books from several different genres. I also post about other book-related things, like quotes, videos, and discussions.
When and why did you start your blog?
The blog has actually existed since March 2008. I originally started it just to have a place to list the books I read, so there wasn’t much content. I had the blog for two years before I discovered the whole book blogging community and decided I wanted to try my hand at proper blogging. I posted my first real review in May 2010, and I count that as the birth of The Turn of the Page (although it didn’t get that name until a little while later).
What do you think is the best thing about having a blog?
Interacting with all the wonderful people of the book blogging community. I have learned so much and had lots of fun participating in discussions this past year. And of course discovering new books to read! I have found so many great books through blogging that I otherwise would never have heard of.
Does anything irritate you about having a blog?
Thankfully blogging has been nothing but a positive experience for me so far, and I’m very happy about that. But what irritates me about blogging, as in life in general, is people being rude. I don’t mind people disagreeing with me – how boring would it be if everyone felt the same way? – but if you can’t voice your opinion in a civilized manner, then perhaps you shouldn’t say anything at all.
Do you take part in any memes / online events?
I participate in the It’s Monday, What Are You Reading meme, because I think it’s a good way to summarize my reads every week. I also do Top Ten Tuesday and Booking Through Thursday when I like the topic.
What are your top 5 tips for writing a blog?
I’m not sure I’m the best person to be giving any advice about blogging because I’m still learning myself. But since you asked, I’d say:
Write about what you care about. If you are passionate about your topic, chances are your readers will be excited too.
Don’t worry too much about getting followers; they will find you in time.
Quality over quantity. You don’t have to post something every day, or even every other day.
Be yourself. You don’t have to get up close and personal, but people will soon notice if you are not being honest.
And above all: Have fun! That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? :)
Thankyou very much Hilde.
Do check out Hilde's blog for yourself if you get the chance.
Over to you:
Why not answer some (or all) of the questions on your own blog.
Then leave a link in the comments so that we can check them out.
Tomorrow I'll be launching my final 'Summer Special' giveaway, so check back here for that post. This will be a quick giveaway (only a few days), so make sure you don't miss it!
