Blog Improvement Project: Task 12

It’s mid-year review time in the Blog Improvement Project. I have to confess that I couldn’t entirely remember what my original goals were! As it turns out, they were:

Firstly and most obviously, I will keep blogging! No more letting myself get swamped by real life.

Leave more comments on other people’s blogs. This has always been my weak spot; I’m very prone to not being able to think of anything to say, or not thinking any contribution of mine worthwhile (online and off) and I’d like to see whether practice can make a difference.

Also in the networking vein, I want to expand my blogroll and participate more in things like Booking Through Thursday, Saturday Review of Books, Teaser Tuesdays, etc.

Complete and post all reviews in a timely manner. (Well, all further reviews . . . and we’ll just forget the nine days it took me to post on Sepulchre.)

Post about something other than books once in a while!

Hmm ... I’ve just about managed the first, except for a lapse of a few weeks. My blogroll has been expanded, though not so much as I’d like, and I’m a fairly regular participant at all of the listed memes.

As for the rest - I am more behind with reviews than I have ever been. I’m no better at commenting. And those not-about-books posts are still just an idea.

For the second half of the year, I’m going to keep these goals, with the exception of the meme participation, which I have already accomplished.

And now a review of the project itself, as requested by Kim:

1. What BIP task have you liked most? Least (including ones you have skipped)?
I loved Blog Post Bingo! It was great being prodded to think outside the box my writing usually occupies and try some new styles. I really hope there’s going to be another round later in the year. Least - the social media month. Blogging is about as social as I get online, outside the NaNoWriMo forums.

2. Which tasks have been the most helpful? Least helpful?
The Blog Basics task finally got me to produce and upload the self-portrait I'd been considering for, oh, a year. It also resulted in my About Me post, one of the things on my blog I’m most pleased with. Least ... probably the Social Media again. Or the Anchor Text, which seemed like a trivial matter.

3. What are the top three things you still would like to work on this year?
Commenting!! I am a disaster at commenting - I have a hard time prising myself out of my habitual silence to participate in anything resembling a conversation.

Secondly, keeping organised as a blogger - getting reviews up promptly, finishing challenges with time to spare (miracles happen), keeping my sidebars up-to-date, staying on top of my blog reading, etc.

And on a personal note, I want to expand my blog beyond the usual book reviews and book-related memes, and start posting about my various creative hobbies. I’d like to start by launching a “Fractal Friday” feature to provide a weekly dose of digital art, but it’s left me in a design quandary. Fractals need a white or black background for the colours to show true, but I love my current colour scheme!

4. Are there any blogging-related topics you feel like you know a lot about and would be willing to write a BIP guest task on?
At first glance this made me laugh - it’s strictly amateur hour round here. But on reflection, I decided I’d be willing to volunteer for a design-related task.

5. Any other comments about the BIP?
This has been a wonderfully fun, challenging, and education experience, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what’s coming up in the next six months.