Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature where book bloggers come together to geek out about their favorite titles, network with one another, and share our love of reading with anybody who will listen. This week’s topic:

Top Ten Things That Make My Life as a Book Blogger Easier!

In no particular order:

 #1 Dragon Dictate

About a year ago, my world was turned upside down when I sustained a crippling injury to both my wrists. As a dedicated book blogger and writer, you can imagine how devastated I was to lose the ability to type. This program gave me wings – the freedom to continue pursuing my dreams and following my passions.

#2 The Husband

As the person who gave me that extra push I needed to pursue my dreams, my husband has always been nothing but supportive and encouraging. Not only does he let me buy books to my heart’s content, but he also is patient and understanding every time I lose myself to my blog and writing. I am one lucky girl.

#3 Barnes and Noble

 Having been employed with them for eleven years and counting, I get to see all the new product firsthand, stare at books all day, and generally geek out with other people who like the same books I do. They even let me check out new hardcovers and take home the occasional free book. And the discounts! Let’s not forget the discounts – they are the ultimate enabler for my book obsession. It’s positively brilliant on their end: they let me play with the pretty books all week and give me money to spend on them at the end of it.

#4 WordPress

 Despite the eight month learning curve, I’m finally at the point where almost every function appeases my aesthetic tastes. It took a ton of time to figure out how to do everything (mostly I’m a perfectionist and I wanted it to look a certain way) but now that I’ve got it the way I want it I am incredibly pleased. Everything on my blog has been free (aside from the domain name), and thus far WordPress has been a killer platform!

#5 Followers

I appreciate both those who follow me and those I follow. You guys inspire me, whether by your support, great ideas, or your shared love for books. Hearing your great feedback makes it worth all the blood, sweat, and tears it takes to run a blog. I wouldn’t be doing this without you guys, so thank you!

 #6 Bloggers

You guys inspire me every day with your enthusiasm and passion for books. You exude such a great energy that I can’t help but feeling happy whenever I read one of your posts. You guys make being part of the book community fun: between weekly features, challenges, and giveaways I always feel like a part of something bigger than myself. You also keep me in the know about which books are worth my time. I especially appreciate those of you who have taken the time to encourage and support me – you guys rock!

#7 Goodreads

 Finally – a place that lets me organize all the books I’ve read, am currently reading, and want to read. I used to do this by hand in a journal. I would print out the covers of the books, tape it in the journal, and write a little synopsis next to it. Between Goodreads and my blog, I am totally digital with book organization now, and that makes me very happy! I also love how GR allows you to reference your blog with each review – it really is geared towards creating a great book-loving community.

#8 My Nook

Yes, I am among those of you who collect and cherish hardcopy books. There is, however, something really exciting about being able to take a few hundred books on a road trip – remember when you used to pack a whole suitcase full? I sure do. I also love the fact that I can turn on the little built-in light and read in the dark. My favorite feature: the font adjustment. I have horrible eyesight and sometimes reading tiny print can affect my enjoyment of the book. Overall, if I love a book I will purchase a hardcopy for my shelf, but I very much enjoy the E-reading experience.

#9 iPhoto

Once I figured out I could manipulate the photos, a whole slew of possibilities opened up to personalize my blog’s appearance. From creating headers for weekly features to sharing original photos for my Dragon Obsession posts, and has really allowed me to make it my own.

#10 My Notebooks

I swear these days these notebooks go with me more often than my book. Everything they contains is 100% blog-related and I am constantly jotting down notes and impressions from the books I’m reading. If I’m not writing about the book, I am researching upcoming releases or creating a detailed plan for upcoming posts. Say what you want about me, but damn, I am organized!

What are your essentials? :)