Top Ten Tuesday: Essential Online Resources for Bloggers and Readers

Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and is currently being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is “Online Resources for Book Lovers.” These kinds of posts are always so informative. I always feel like there are so many resources out there that I just haven’t discovered yet and thanks to these posts, I get to see what everyone else is using to make life as a blogger and reader easier. I hope you are able to find some great resources from my list.

1. Canva – Canva is essential for all us bloggers who aren’t graphic designers. Every graphic you see on my blog was designed in Canva. Everything I design on here makes me feel more professional and less embarrassed by my lack of graphic design skills. I think I blocked out what my blog used to look like before I discovered this website because it wasn’t pretty.
2. Thesaurus – If you have been reviewing books for a while, you understand that sometimes finding the right word is so hard. I always have a tab open to a thesaurus to help me in those moments when the right word is so elusive.
3. Evernote – Evernote is where I type out ideas for blog posts, it’s where I type out Instagram captions, and even where I write reviews when I am not at home. I always get my best ideas when I am out walking my dog and because I don’t have the best memory, having this app on my phone is essential.
4. Snapseed – If you ever wondered what kind of editing app I use for my photos for Instagram, it’s Snapseed. I’ve tried multiple editing apps, but this is the one I always go back to.
5. Photopea – I haven’t gotten a chance to explore this site a lot, but I heard that it is just like photoshop but free.
6. Nightlight podcast – A few weeks ago, I was really craving horror, but I had a full TBR and couldn’t pick up any horror books, so I went online to search for some horror podcasts and came across this one which features stories from Black writers.
7. Diversity in Horror Fiction – I just came across this blog this year and it is a great source if you are looking for diverse horror stories. There is a pretty exhaustive list of horror fiction by BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and disabled authors.
8. Hoopla – So I just recently discovered that some libraries allow you to stream movies and music from this app. Amazing.
9. San Jose Public Library – This year I also discovered that some libraries are issuing digital library cards because of Covid and after searching and searching, the first I came across was San Jose Public Library. If you live in California, you can sign up. This was such a blessing for me because my library does not have a very good selection of audiobooks but this one does! I’ve also had luck with the Anaheim Public Library and though I haven’t signed up yet, I believe Berkeley Public Library is also doing the same. I don’t know if this is something other states are doing, but it’s worth checking out.
10. Fellow Bloggers – Don’t forget that though we are a small community, we are a great resource when it comes to books and blogging. If there is a certain kind of book you are looking for or you have a question about blogging, odds are that there is someone in the community who can help you out. If you ever have a question for me, do not hesitate to ask ❤

Do you also use some of these resources? What is your go-to app for blog graphics and photo editing? Let me know in the comments and be sure to leave a link to your own TTT posts, so I can visit!