10 Years of Jenny in Neverland: 11 Achievements + a Book Giveaway

I used to do these anniversary style posts ALL THE TIME back in the day to mark another year of my blog. I haven’t done one in ages because I just felt I’d grown out of them, really. But ten years. 10 years. It seemed too big a milestone to overlook.

I turned 30 in September 2022 so my blog has been with me throughout the entirety of my twenties. 

Which actually makes me a bit emotional, considering my twenties were predominantly filled with a debilitating anxiety disorder, losing friends, no job or prospects, no purpose and very little life lived in the grand scheme of things.

I started my blog when I was in the beginning stages of my anxiety disorder, when I realised how mentally ill I was, couldn’t leave the house and was terrified to even get out of bed to make myself lunch.

The only saving grace I had was books, so I started Jenny in Neverland as a book blog, for something to do. Something to focus on.

God only knew where it would take me from there.

I’m not someone that tends to stick to things.

I was that kid in school who did dance classes, tennis lessons, drama class, played a variety of instruments and never stuck with anything. So the fact that I’ve stuck with this for so long is not only a shock but a source of pride for me.

It’s obviously got easier to stick with as the years went on and turned from hobby to career – but nonetheless, I stuck at something and I made it work.

And who the heck would have thought I’d be here, at 30, blogging as my full-time career.

When I started blogging, it wasn’t really a viable career option, apart from the select few lucky ones who thanks to YouTube more than anything, made it work.

Now, 10 years is a long ass time. And I don’t usually toot my own horn but I think considering the milestone, it’s worth sharing some achievements that have been achieved through my blog, let’s go:

I’ve recovered from my anxiety disorder

Not specifically a blogging related achievement but it’s too big not to mention. For the longest time, I thought living a small anxiety-filled life, too scared to do anything and go anywhere was going to be my entire life. I am SO proud of myself that it’s not.

I started my own successful book tour business (and made the decision to close it when it was no longer working for me)

Shortly after I started my blog, I started Neverland Blog Tours, my own online book touring business. Considering I knew nothing about business, I ran this business successfully for many years but shut it down because I just didn’t enjoy it anymore. Regardless, I am extremely proud of myself, especially as I was overwhelmed with anxiety at this time too!

I’ve worked with a ton of fab brands

Working with brands is one of the best things about blogging as a career and I’ve been so lucky to work with an array of great brands over the course of these 10 years. I still remember my first paid brand collaboration with Quorn and I thought it was the most amazing thing in the world!

I’ve been sent on press visits

Being sent on press visits is always mad to me. There’s been a few times where I’ve wondered if they’d sent the wrong person! Reviewing the Brooklands Hotel and Spa and The Ferry House Inn are two of my fondest memories from press visits.

I make a really good full-time income from something I built from scratch

If you’re signed up to my mailing list, then you’ll have access to my monthly income report and life update blog posts, where I’m very open and honest about how much I make through various streams. I am SO proud of myself for earning such a good income through something I’ve built entirely from scratch.

I’ve accumulated over 14,600 blog subscribers 

My blog following is something I’ve always been really proud of and today I have over 14,600 blog subscribers! Amazing that that many people have signed up to receive updates on my little blog.

I’ve made lots of blogging pals

The community aspect of blogging has been wonderful and I’ve made plenty of blogging pals over the years. Some who I no longer speak to (which is fine, life moves on), some I’ve met in person and other’s I’d love to hang out with some day!

I get to work for myself, from home (or wherever!) and to whatever schedule suits me

Although I’m a very organized, type A personality and a Virgo, I do like this way of working. I like routine and schedules but I love being able to fix my OWN routine and schedule and not have to live by anyone else’s work timeline.

I can write content about topics I love and am passionate about

Over the 10 years, I’ve always kept up with writing my own content (content that isn’t paid) and writing about topics that I love, that I’m passionate about, that I have experience of and that I hope will help people. I love being able to be creative in this way as much (or as little) as I like.

I’ve learnt loads of skills and become more educated and open-minded

Blogging requires a lot of skills and requires you to learn about a lot of different things. Which I think is great! And the blogging community in general is wonderful for opening you up to different kinds of people and allowing you to be educated on different things.

I think I’ve helped people

And finally, I hope I’ve helped a few people along the way, too.

A giveaway to celebrate

Because books are my favourite thing in the world and also the reason that Jenny in Neverland started in the first place, I thought it would be rude not to offer a bookish giveaway to you in celebration of 10 years.

I’ll be giving away a £30 Waterstones voucher to one winner, all you have to do to enter is follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter giveaway below.

One winner will be announced on the closing date stated on the giveaway form and contacted via email. Failure to respond to the email within 48 hours will result in another winner being picked.

This giveaway is UK only (sorry!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I’m really not sure where my blog goes from here. 10 years is a long time, like I said. I’ve filled a lot into that space of time when it comes to my blog. Things that worked, things that didn’t, things that came to a natural end.

I’m going to continue doing what I’m doing but I do hope I can find another project to start sometime soon as I would still love to grow and progress even more.

Regardless, this blogging absolutely saved me at the most dire time of my life and I’ll always be grateful to this space for getting me out of that dark hole.

Cheers Jenny in Neverland, here’s to the next 10.