Posted on

Taking Advantage of #NaNoWriMo

IMG_1941A few weekends ago, we headed to the Camp up north for the last time of the season. Once there, we took long walks in the woods, savored fires, and ate soup. We had a Glow-Dance party and a marathon of Words with Friends. Then, we began the process of closing up.

We hung shutters, drained pipes, pulled the main. I deflated several inflatables, which is about as fun and frustrating as blowing them up. We closed the boathouse, locked up the doors, said our goodbyes, and turned back onto the main road home.

Leaving behind a canopy of sunshine and the trees’ last leaves can make one melancholy. But, the idea of walking away for a short time can be also a good thing. A chance for us to focus on things closer to home.

November 1st began a 30-day writing spree for a mass of writers focused on cranking out the first draft of a novel. If you’re participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and you’re reading this, STOP READING RIGHT NOW AND GET BACK TO YOUR WORD COUNT. If you’re not participating in NaNoWriMo but (like me) you’re deep in the thick of rewrites and struggling to find the time to finish, STOP READING THIS RIGHT NOW AND GET BACK TO YOUR DRAFT.

That’s what I plan to do.

While I’m not participating in NaNoWriMo in the traditional way, I am piggybacking on the idea and the energy behind it, so I might push through my current draft. I call it, NaNoFinishThatDraftMo.

All that is to say, I’m taking a break from blogging this month.

Here’s the thing, though. Stagnant blogs make me nervous. So, for the next few weeks, you’ll see a tiny post here or a re-press of a post there. Something to keep your mind on reading and writing just the same.

Well then, here we go. Clickety clack and tally ho, and we’ll catch up in December!

MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

Posted on

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?

Posted on

3 Clicks to Better Blogging & Social Media

IMG_0432I’m teaching a workshop on Blogging and Social Media for Writers at Red Oak Writing this Saturday. The powerpoint slides are ready, I have notes in hand, and the computer is all juiced up.

Even though I’ve gone through my stack of articles gathered over the last several months, I’m still coming across new ones of note. This is a hot topic: balancing writing with author platform, figuring out if we should or when we could or how to begin.

There are still seats available for the workshop. Email me through my contact page if you’d like to join us to talk pros and cons of blogging, strategies and etiquette of social media, and which digital outlets might serve writers best.

If you can’t make it Saturday, because you live states away or you’ve recently moved to the Caribbean (I’m thinking of you, Julie, basking in that tropical sun), here are three links to articles that hit on some of what we’ll discuss.

1. How to Write a Great Author Blog AND Avoid Huge Ships

Blogging is THE most resilient form of social media and one of the best tools to build an author platform. Why? Readers read blogs. Perfect snare for readers. 

Kristen Lamb talks right brain, left brain, and how you can use your muse for blogging as you do for your fiction.

2. Finding a Balance Between Writing and Marketing

The one thing no one ever told me before my first book got published was how much time I’d spend on non-writing related work. Even if you’re a traditionally published author, you have to engage your audience, which often means using social media.

Joshua Graham says even bestselling authors have to engage in social media while writing their next book, and he gives six tips for balancing between “your creative and business life.”

3. 50 Simple Ways to Build Your Platform in 5 Minutes a Day

Writing rules. Self-promotion drools. Isn’t this how most writers think?

Christina Katz reminds writers that we can’t just stick to pen and paper in the 21st century and assume our art–alone–will lead to success. We’ve got to take ourselves online, and she gives us 50 quick tips for taking it one step at a time.

See you Saturday or see you online!