Happy First Birthday, Words Gremlin!

It’s time for cake and MORE WORDS because that’s how things work at The Words Gremlin when we celebrate!

And bonus bunny pictures, because I know what you’re all really here for. 😉

Where We Started!

It’s hard to believe it’s only been a year since I started blogging. WordPress tried to trick me about a month ago by sending me an email of my first anniversary, but that was when I built the site, not when I started blogging. TODAY is the real blogiversary, the day it all started!

Looking back, my first post was just a quick intro, but I followed it up with my Truly Devious review, which I’m delighted to say still gets hits now and again! I was just a wee tiny book blogger then, with not a whole lot of knowledge about how to make it work but SO MUCH ENTHUSIASM.

Can’t say that’s entirely changed. I know more now, but oh man, there’s some winging it going on at all times.

Oh, and here’s the first picture of the tiny bun to grace the blog!

 

Where We Are!

Now, a year later, I’ve written 64 reviews, have almost 300 followers, and somehow, I run a semi-functional Twitter and Insta. I keep up on my Goodreads (mostly), I haven’t missed an ARC deadline yet (wish me luck lmao), and I actually know what’s happening when new publishing drama pops up! For once in my life, I’m in the know!

Such a strange feeling, to actually know things. I feel extra accomplished for some reason.

But also, as a blogger, and stats aside, I’m more confident. I’m learning to make decent graphics, I’m starting to learn more about the more collaborative sides of blogging (one day I’ll even work up the courage to be part of a blog tour), and I’m getting a handle on the whole street team thing, WHICH IS DELIGHTFUL.

Seriously, if you told me a year ago that I would be on the street teams for the Witchlands series by Susan Dennard and for the upcoming GRAVEMAIDENS by Kelly Coon, I totally wouldn’t have believed you. But I am now!! And it’s a blast!

And of course, have another picture of the littlest bunny, one more current! She has not grown at all, since she was an adult when we adopted her, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying the sheer cuteness.

I just took this photo yesterday, and she’s made fast friends with William Sharkspeare over there.

 

Where Are We Going?

Good question tbh. I’m not totally sure yet. I would love to go self-hosted this year, but admittedly, I’m waiting to see how the first two months of post-grad life play out, since those will probably be pretty critical. And because I need to pay off student loans around blogging. 😳

But that tricky detail aside, I’m hoping to start bringing you more discussion posts, and possibly even start getting some author interaction, like interviews and cover reveals on the blog! Other than that, we’ll play it by ear and see what happens. This blog is ultimately a hobby rather than a business, so my only rule is that I need to be having fun with it, not feeling buried in it.

 

Wait, Why Are You Crying?

Because all of a sudden I’m getting kind of sappy and emotional about this? It’s been a year! A whole year, and somehow, I’ve kept up on this and I’ve LOVED every minute of it! The community is just beyond what I could have dreamed, and the chance to talk about books and such with people who actually also read a lot is something I definitely didn’t think I could have until book blogging was brought to my attention. I grew up without a ton of friends who read the same stuff I did, and no one in my family has quite the same taste in books still, so blogging has opened up an entirely new world I think I needed.

Anyways, I’m not crying, it’s just raining on my face a lot and MAYBE I’LL JUST GO NOW YOU DIDN’T SEE ANYTHING. 😭

 

But really, to everyone who’s been here since I started and those of you who’ve just checked my blog out for the first time, thank you so much. You make blogging worthwhile, and make it so that I’m not totally shouting into the void all the time. I appreciate it so much, I really do. Keep being absolutely wonderful, and I hope you’ll stick around for another year! ❤️