2011: Looking Forward and Looking Back

2011 has been a fantastic year for Willa's Ramblings and the year is about to be over. I've learned so much about the book industry, and I've gained skills that will benefit me for the rest of my life. Somehow, the year has flown by and so many things have happened for this blog! I'll give you a timeline, starting in January of 2011, and ending in December of 2011.


January, 2011
My second semester of school starts and I'm reading, like always, constantly. No blog at this time.

February, 2011
Mint Tea and a Good Book starts, and I find out about it later in the month. I begin to think about blogging about writing.

March, 2011
I launch Willa's Ramblings with a dandelion background, and make my first posts. Meredith checks it out and makes me a blog design - the dog signature and girl with curly hair. I think about blogging about books, and decide to wait a little.

April, 2011
All seven of the posts were about writing, and I hit 478 views. I find out about reviewing for BookPeople, and I get accepted to the program, and book blogging is decided to be part of the blog.

May, 2011
I start reviewing, and the blog becomes a book blog! I also do my first contest.

June, 2011
Blogging becomes serious! I drop writing, and go to my first book event. My first giveaway, of The Last Little Blue Envelope.

July, 2011
Hit 50 followers!

August, 2011
I read Anna and the French Kiss! And, at least in my opinion, started to get good at blogging. There is a difference - my style was changing, reviews became better, and I began to fall in love with my blog.

September, 2011
I participated in the Banned Books Week Hop, and gained a lot of readership. Also, I read Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick, now one of my favorite dystopian novels. Also, I updated my blog design.

October, 2011
Austin Teen Book Festival! I had been waiting for this since May, and I was part of the Teen Press Corps, which gave me the inside scoop on everything. Fantastic experience! Check out my wrap-up post here!

November, 2011
Thanksgiving, where I gave thanks for all the amazing people in my life! Love you all! Also, NaNoWriMo, where I created the story I am now writing, and fell in love with it.

December, 2011
The now month. I participated in the Wrapping Up 2011 Readathon, reread tons of my favorite YA books, and realized I had learned so much.

Now, on to the future.
My New Year's Resolutions:

1. Finish my novel. Easier said than done.
2. Go to BEA! I can't wait to meet all of these amazing people I've only tweeted with and exchange emails with.
3. MY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! This isn't really a resolution, but it's big. 
4. Keep on blogging. It has changed my life and everything I know about the publishing industry.

Have a happy New Year's Eve!