Book Bloggers have evolved through the years to become recognized as integral to the industry. As such, it is so important that we maintain {and even improve as needed} in order to continue to be seen as valuable in the book world. Not only that, but as blogging tends to be a solitary activity requiring vast amounts of reading and computer time without the benefit of the coffee pot break, we need to build up each other through community. Attending blogging conferences, book events, trade shows, and even online classes can help us immensely. With that in mind, I’ve put together a few resources that I am aware of or have used/attended. I know there are many more out there and I invite you to share more.
For your mini-challenge in the Spring Bloggiesta, check in your state or country to see what blogging events may be happening in your area ~ even a general conference/meeting works and can sometimes be preferable. Leave a comment back here with a link to the event in your home state/country or send me a Tweet with the link at @thenovellife
You will be entered into a giftaway of $15 at Gone Reading, a fantastic gift store especially for readers. Giftaway is open internationally. If for some reason Gone Reading does not ship to your specific country then you will receive $15 towards The Book Depository.
Online Classes
Several courses are offered at Decor8blog.com. E-courses like Blogging Your Way, Blog Boss, and Intention and Style all sound pretty amazing. OR, if you’re lucky enough to be reading this from London then definitely join in on the Road Trip Spring, 2014!
Meet the Blogger ~ classes in Europe and Asia
Lynda.com learn via video training anything from Basic WordPress or HTML to Beginners/Advanced Photography and just about everything in between. You can watch the videos on you computer, smart phone, tablet device – just about all the electronic devices are covered making it easy to learn.
If you want to learn how to monetize your blog Secret Bloggers’ Business E-Course sounds like quite the event.
Liv Lane offers an ebook resource from the How to Build a Blog You Truly Love course that she’s now retired. The 300+ page ebook is packed full of tips on developing a blog that you feel great about ~ blogging from the heart. I still refer back to the pdf of the course even a year after taking it!
General Blogging Conferences
BlogHer This particular conference is one not-to-miss event if you are anywhere near California! Arianna Huffington from “The Huffington Post” and Actress and Activist Kerry Washington are the keynote speakers. This year’s conference is sure to be packed with talent in celebration of BlogHer’s Annual Conference being 10 years old. Conference is in San Jose, California July 24-26.
SITS Girls Bloggy Boot Camp + Women Get Social: St Louis on April 5; Philadelphia September 5-6 and Atlanta on October 11. I plan on attending the October event in Atlanta as it is in my backyard. Let me know if you’ll be there so we can meet up!
The Declare Conference Hosted in Dallas Texas on August 7th – 10th. ”A blogging conference desiring to equip, encourage and support a community of women as we seek to know God and to make Him known.” This one is on my list for next year!
Allume will be held in Greenville, South Carolina October 23 – 25. Allume is a one-of-a-kind conference that seeks to engage women by teaching blogging techniques and social media skill while also urging and encouraging women to live fully integrated lives with their faith and family.
Book Blogging Conferences
The big one for North America is Book Expo America and the BEA Bloggers Conference held May 28 – 31 in New York City. One of the highlights with this conference is the tours of the publishing houses and meeting some of the publicists and authors I’ve come to know through email. And of course, the endless opportunities to connect with fellow book bloggers is priceless. It’s like plopping down into fantasy land for book bloggers – seeing behind the scenes with other book-loving professionals!
Across the United States there are separate quadrants of Trade Shows through the American Bookseller’s Association and the local factions – for the South, the SIBA Trade Show will be held in Norfolk, Virginia September 19th – 21st, 2014.
- SCIBA Trade Show for Southern California Indie Booksellers will be held October 17 – 18. The location is still to be determined.
- New Atlantic Independent Bookseller’s Association September 19 – 21 in Arlington, Virginia.
- Northern California Independent Bookseller’s Association October 23 – 24 in San Francisco, California.
- The Heartland Fall Forum September 30 – October 2. Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- Pacific Northwest Bookseller’s Association September 26 – 28. Tacoma, Washington.
- New England Independent Bookseller’s Association April 30. All About the Books & ABA Spring Forum; Boston, Massachusetts; September 30 – October 2 NEIBA Fall Trade Show Providence, Rhode Island
- Mountains & Plains Independent Bookseller’s Association October 9 – 11. Denver, Colorado
The International Christian Retail Show is BEA for the Christian media sect and is also a bit of fantasy land for book bloggers. The place to be to meet Christian authors, publishers and fellow bloggers. It is held in Atlanta, Georgia, June 22 – 25. Be sure to let me know if you plan to attend and we will meet up!
To enter the giveaway, do a bit of research on google or elsewhere for your state or country to see what blogger events are being held ~ and remember, to qualify for the giftaway, you must leave either a comment with the link to info regarding your state/country blog event or send me a tweet with the link at @anovellife AND it does NOT have to be a book-focused event.
Happy Spring Bloggiesta! Now go be awesome!
Click here to view this promotion. You need to enable javascript to enter this campaign!Powered by PromoSimple.
