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Blogging: What Matters Most

apple and booksWhen I sign up to lead a workshop, I know I’ve just signed on for a win-win experience. Not only do I get to talk on a topic about which I’m excited, but I also benefit from the research I do in preparing for the workshop: I learn more (or re-learn what I’ve forgotten) about whatever I thought I already knew.

This is especially good to remember when a workshop gets cancelled for one reason or another, which was the case with my Blogging and Social Networking for Writers, II. I know, Boo. But life happens, and we move on. And hey, the prep I did was not in vain. You’re here (grin).

So, before I file all that research away for another day, I’ll share a couple of tidbits with you.

Your website, or your blog (sometimes, they are one in the same), is your calling card. Your P.O. Box online. Meaning, if you’re an author, people will Google you. You want them to see in one quick screenshot a glimpse of who you are, and you want to hook them long enough, so that they’ll scroll through a little more. Here are two tips on blogging aimed at keeping your readers’ attention.

The Layout

Think of your [blog] like a room–the only room in the house you can show to the world…where every item is displayed for the sole purpose of impressing visitors. ~ Maria Ribas

Determine what you want readers to see on first click. While you may be broadcasting a list of your publications, you’re also giving readers a taste of your writing and your style. Make sure your blog design reflects your style

IMG_0118Also, allow for easy navigation. Here I think of a time years ago when my husband and I went on a tour of homes and saw several different bungalows decorated in all sorts of styles. One house was full–every window sill, every shelf, every table–of nicknacks and tiny statues and…wait, was there a mannequin? I think there was a mannequin. The place was eccentric, definitely told me a lot about that person, but I couldn’t wait to get out of there. And, I didn’t want to go back.

When that quote above says “every item on display for the sole purpose of impressing,” that doesn’t mean every single clickety-click link or scrolling tweet or slide show. Don’t put a mannequin on your blog. Keep it simple. Keep it clean. Keep it uncluttered.

The Post

Use your space to your advantage. We readers in the digital age have a short attention span. And sometimes, as writers, we’re battling against constraints of tiny, mobile screens. Follow a few simple guidelines for posts.

  • Write good headers that give readers instant information on what to expect and/or keep them reading.
  • Keep paragraphs short and incorporate bullet points or bolding.
  • Limit your post in word count: 600 to 800 words is a good range.

IMG_0784Think like an artist; consider the flow. In painting, there is a focal point. Everything on the canvas drives the viewer’s eye, no matter where they begin their study, to that point. And usually, that flow is directed by lines, shapes, or images throughout the painting.

Think of your blog post as your canvas. Make your post easy to read with formatting and white space, but keep the reader’s eye on the page with images.

There’s more, but I can’t give away all my secrets. Instead, I’ll leave you with a few resources for further reading:

What (or who) is your go-to guide when it comes to blogging?

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One Key to a Writer’s Success: Find Your Community

Recently, I hung out with a group of women for a few days, on retreat. There were Fall colors, belly laughs, and snacks sprawled out on a long, buffet table — salty and sweet, free for grazing at all hours of the day or night. Someone stuffed a 12-pack of Cherry Coke in the refrigerator.

“I’m in Heaven,” I said.

At home, I stock apple juice and goldfish. Cheese-its on a good day. Oh, the thrill of Cherry Coke, and of seeing the bag of mini Heath bars in the mix on the table, too…I carried a candy bar around in my pocket, just for fun, until it melted.

I didn’t just laugh and eat, though that would have been enough. I also woke up two mornings in a row, at 7am, for Yoga, if only to balance my gluttony with a little meditation. On Sunday, I drove home with a full belly, a satisfied spirit, and a quiet reminder from a sign posted just outside the main building.

At the retreat center, running alongside the building and out into the woods, is a nature trail. The trail is mostly paved, as the center also caters to people with disabilities, but one part of the trail opens up onto a grassy path not as easily accessible by wheelchairs. Just before you step off of the pavement, there’s a sign: Trail may not be suitable, it says, travel with a friend.

I’m sure whoever made that sign didn’t think of the power behind those simple words, but I did. It hints at community.

What’s funny is that in the week following the retreat, I read a few blog posts that mentioned the same idea in regards to writing or publishing: the path is difficult, but it isn’t impossible, especially if we ground ourselves in community.

Anne R. Allen says in her recent post, that “Aspiring writers…make friends with each other. We get support. We network. A lot of us talk about writing and publishing. Because, um, that’s what we have in common. . . .Friends are very important in this business.”

In Natalia Sylvester’s interview with Erika Marks, Erika talks about the importance of social media to a writer’s psyche:

I know I’m supposed to see it as an extension of the business of writing, but honestly, I can’t see it that way. The friends I have made on Twitter, other writers and readers, are truly people I’ve come to feel I know and want to check in with. I never would have imagined having that sense of genuine community through social media. I am so grateful for it and for everyone I’ve met through it. As you well know, Natalia, writing can be such an isolating endeavor. It has to be, somewhat, but I think that is the appeal of something like Twitter—that it allows for communication, even if it seems brief, it can provide some much needed interaction in the midst of so much quiet.

Travel with a friend.

Almost a year ago, I wrote a post on four reasons why writing groups were critical for my success, whether that success comes in a finished story or a published book. Those reasons still hold true, especially the last one:

…I benefit from more camaraderie and support. I could tackle this novel alone, huddled over my laptop in the cold basement of my house. But, I focus better and am more driven to finish when I’m surrounded by the warm bodies of other writers.

Pack some snacks, stock up on Cherry Coke, and whatever you do, don’t go it alone.

Where do you find your community?

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Wanted: Time to Write

Clocks

Today, you’ll find me over at Heather Cashman’s blog, Better Off Read, talking about time and where to find it.

…[T]ime remains a mystery. I can’t figure out how to tame it, so I try to tackle it — stretch it out or squeeze it in or steal a little of it here and there. When I started up my blog a few years ago, I knew time would be my biggest challenge, so I titled my blog “Writing Under Pressure,” as a reminder to myself of what I was up against, and as a battle cry.
Read more….

It’s funny how the writing world works (hello, alliteration). Just as soon as I sat down to put my thoughts on paper, Twitter went all a flutter with links to posts on other writers searching for time, too.

Do a quick search using “find time to write” on Twitter and…No, wait. Don’t. You should be writing. That’s the whole point of my guest post on Better Off Read. So, when you’re done writing for the day, jump back over here and pretend I’m your Twitter feed:

  • From @NataliaSylv: My results from last week’s #writing experiment: How Much Time Do We Really Need to Write? http://ow.ly/6gSDf #amwriting >> Where Natalia reveals what happens when you devote an entire day to writing. A whole day folks.
  • From @elizabethscraig: Tips for making time for your #writing: http://bit.ly/nS5adm >> Where Mary Carroll Moore guides you through an exercise in assessing your needs and making changes.
  • From @annerallen: Why the Rush to Publish? wp.me/p1cBdi-2l from Nina Badzin >> @NinaBadzin has written several posts on managing Twitter (while not letting it run your life). This post from Nina suggests that Twitter might not be problem after all (ouch).
  • From @LisaRomeo: Getting ready to kick a few you-know-whats next week when *I Should Be Writing* Boot Camp begins. bit.ly/nbeigJ #writing #writer >> Lisa Romeo offers an online class where she (and I quote) will “help you: create the time to write…develop and maintain regular writing routines, deal with writing obstacles….” Bingo.

Time is money, folks, or at least a lot like money. You spend what you earn. So, hop on over to Heather’s blog and tell us how you tackle time.

*photo credit: blue2likeyou on flickr.com