Top Ten Tuesday- Because I'm an Expert

This week's Tuesday Top Ten from The Broke and the Bookish asks for the top ten book blogging tips for a newbie, and, since I'm such an expert and all (hello, I don't have sixty-one followers for nothing) I figured I owed it the world to chime in. 

1. Pick a cool name- Find something that will set you apart without being corny, juvenile, or vague (example: Bookishly Boisterous). 

2. Don't give away endings without spoiler alerts- Seriously, only assholes do that, and nobody wants to be an asshole. Am I right, or am I right?

3. Bigger isn't always better- Your reviews do not need to be 1,000 words. In fact, you don't even need to have reviews!

4. Organization- Lists are nice (for example, "Book Read in 2012" or "The Ultimate To-Do List")

5. Stalk others- You can't expect traffic if no one knows you exist; post updates on Facebook and Twitter and comment on other blogs (see below- all the cool people are doing it). Subtle self-promotion is key if you want to attract visitors. Also, drop by blogs that aren't book related- I comment on health and fitness blogs more than book ones, and I see some carry over.

6. Give credit- If you are lifting memes or pictures from others, make sure to obviously site original sources. It polite, it's professional, and it's the law.

7. Maintenance- Update your lists, your "about me" section, and, most importantly your blog! The main reason why I drop blogs is because of infrequent updates. Don't post just for the hell of it, though; post interestingly, and post often.

8. Sex sells- Fine, maybe not sex, but be controversial on occasion. You can be somewhat-polite while still voicing your opinion (hey, have you seen my post on The Hunger Games movie? Or Fifty Shades of Gray?)

9. Overkill- Please don't put five million challenge badges on your site. Takes longer to load and is visually cluttering. 

10. Spelling counts- So does grammar! While no one expects perfection, someone who is writing a book blog should probably be able to write coherently. 

In all seriousness, I definitely don't consider myself anywhere near worthy of handing out advice- there are far, far better book blogs than mine. I do love keeping up Bookishly Boisterous, though, which I think is half the battle- you have to love what you do!