Filipino Reader Conference

Can you believe that the 1st Filipino Readers Conference is just four days away? Apologies for the cliche, but it really feels like it was just yesterday when I received the information about this. :) I can’t believe that it’s almost, finally here!

This week, Chris and Celina posted about being a book-lover outside of NCR and tips on bargain book hunting. Today we’ll veer a little bit from buying books and focus on something that involves a little less spending and more socializing. :)

Bookish Social Butterflies: On Social Media and Bookishness by Tina Matanguihan

I’m a fairly talkative person whether online or in real life, but when it comes to interacting with people online, I have a tendency to lurk. Sometimes, it’s just the lack of having things to say, and another is just plain laziness in leaving comments or joining conversations even if I know I can contribute something to it.

People often think that reading is a solitary hobby. Readers are often portrayed as those people with glasses, always holed up in their rooms or sitting alone in the park/coffee shop/what-have-you, reading a book while everyone else is out and socializing. In a way, it is, because you can’t really share a book with a friend and read it with him at the exact same time, right? But it doesn’t mean that loving books and reading means getting cut-off from the social world. In fact, just last year, I learned that loving books and reading can give you a lot of new friends, especially with all the social media networks available to us.

Ever since I decided to be active in book-related social networks and discussions, I found that it’s able to contribute further to my love of the printed word. Here are some of the ways that I supplement my bookishness with social media:

1. Social cataloging websites (Goodreads, Shelfari, LibraryThing, etc) - If you’re like me who wants to keep track of all the books you read, then social cataloging websites are for you. The good thing about these websites is that it doesn’t only give you a way to track your books and your reading, but the existence of friends you can add and groups you can join where you can find people who like the same books and discuss them with others. Some of them even meet in person, and trust me: when the opportunity to meet them comes, join! It’s fun discussing books and reading face to face. Book lovers are a friendly bunch, and I can say that some of my closest friends now come from Goodreads. :)
2. Facebook - Facebook comes with so many bells and whistles now that it gets overwhelming sometimes. I don’t have a Facebook for my blog (yet), nor do I really talk so much about books on my profile. But I like that Facebook allows me to connect to some authors and online-turned-real-life bookish friends. Plus it’s so easy to create and use Facebook groups now to bring people of like minds (or genres, series, love for characters) together.
3. Blogs and blogging events - You don’t have to have a blog if you’re a book lover, and you don’t have to be a book lover to blog. But the fun thing about blogging about books is it’s an effective outlet to share the love. Also, there are so many exciting events that people set-up for book bloggers, such as giveaways, book tours, memes (such as Filipino Friday) and all kinds of online discussions. Some even set-up huge events such as Armchair BEA (an event for all bloggers who can’t go to the actual Book Expo America) and Book Blogger Appreciation Week (BBAW), and these fosters so much interaction that it’s impossible for one not to have new friends or discover new books to acquire and read.
   
   Blogs also open you up to face-to-face events, such as meet-ups (I always look forward to Filipino Book Bloggers meet-ups) and the upcoming 1st Filipino Readers Conference. There is nothing more fun and satisfying than spending an entire afternoon and/or night talking about books. :)
4. Twitter - Of all the things I mentioned here, Twitter is my favorite. I love that Twitter makes it so easy to talk books to people all over the world, including (and most especially) authors. In these times, if the author doesn’t have a Facebook profile, chances are they would have Twitter (except if you’re a super-popular author, like J.K. Rowling or Stephen King). I find that having a chance to talk to the authors via Twitter makes them, well, more human and not just a word-generating machine. Plus there’s nothing more thrilling than seeing an author reply to your tweet. :) (Speaking of which, have you followed @PinoyReaderCon yet? Follow now if you haven’t yet!)

I used to complain that I hardly know people who read. Okay, sure, I have friends who do read, but we don’t really share the same passion I have with books. Now with all these social networks, I realized that it’s not so hard to find people who feel the same way as me about books. All it takes is a few clicks and a few strikes on your keyboard — a hi and an emoticon goes a long way — and you’ll realize that reading does not have to be a party of one. :)