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Writing Words - writing it is the only way of getting it written
I first started writing online when websites where still static. I had my own website and had to change the HTML for the site every time I posted a new entry. Back then, I called it my online column. So I've been around for a while, even if my performance here in the last two year and four months was rather on and off. I'm qualified to give blogging advice, even if I say so myself.*
So here's the best blogging advice I have (in no particular order):
It doesn't matter if you are a non-fiction or a fiction writer. If you want to make money with your writing, start a blog. It may take a while for your blog to gain traction and attract many responses, yet a blog is an easy and inexpensive way to get your words out there. Be careful when it comes to posting material that you want to publish with a traditional publisher, though, as online publication might count against you.
Choose a theme for your blog and keep your blog post relevant to that. The occasional off-topic post is okay, but if you post too many random things people will find it hard to figure out what your focus is. This doesn't mean that you have to write the same blog post over and over again - there are many creative ways to link current events to your blog theme.
Be passionate about your chosen blog theme. If you don't care about it, your readers won't care about what you have to say about it. To turn your blog into a success, you need to be committed to it. Commitment is easier when it's fun, so blog about something that excites you.
Post regularly. Ideally set up a posting schedule and stick to it. You don't have to churn out a new blog post every day if that's too much for you. Twice a week is fine, be sure to post on the same weekdays, though. If you're up for a monthly daily blogging challenge, check out NaBloPoMo.
Do your research before you write. Check for mistakes and clumsy wording after you've written. Reread your post when it's published on your blog to make sure you got rid off every typo. Be professional even if it seems nobody reads your blog.
Don't be discouraged if you don't get any comments in the beginning. They say the first six months are going to be though. I say you can speed up the process by leaving comments on other blogs you like and which have a similar theme to your blog. Take part in discussions elsewhere to raise your profile as a knowledgeable blogger. Never put your blog URL in the comments themselves, though. Use the URL field instead.
Know your SEO but don't sacrifice the quality of your writing. Remember that even though search engine optimised copy is likely to increase your traffic, you want your readers to enjoy reading your posts. You want to engage your readers, not scare them away with a post full of keywords but devoid of meaning. If people like what they read on your blog, they are likely to bookmark it, come back to read new posts and even recommend it to their friends.
What is your best blogging advice?
*I'm pleased to report that Writing Words was recently listed as one of the 30 finest creative writing blogs of 2009. So somebody else seems to think I know a thing or two about blogging (and writing about writing).
I'm not here for the money. If I were, I'd long since left. Still I wish the daily ads revenue were closer to the estimates here.
I blog because I like blogging. It's probably the best reason. If you have the time, the writing skills and the niche knowledge to turn your passion for blogging into a profitable job, that's a massive bonus. Money should never be the motivation, though.
I am thinking about the future of Writing Words. I've spend the last three years and almost four months blogging here on and off, and every time I put some effort into the blog, it's paid off. Traffic picks up quickly and I get a few comments now and then, and the majority of them are positive. Getting feedback from readers is a huge reward, I wouldn't want to miss it.
I intend to spend an hour or two over the weekend to find out how to customize my blog. I hope there's a way to control which other Orble blogs are displayed in the right sidebar. I'm particularly frustrated by the "Orble Writing Blogs" section. Freelance Tips is the only writing-related blog there which isn't inactive, while other, active writing blogs are missing - I'm thinking about Fictional Worlds and Writers' Notes in particular.
I blog because writing is second nature to me, it's how I make sense of life and the world. It's all about the words for me and I bookmark blogs on the strength of the writing rather than on how they look. I'm not sure this is how most people choose the blogs they read, though. So I am worried about the first impression people have who came here through a Google search. If any of you read this far, I'd appreciate your comments.
As with all the best things this month, the following list is highly subjective. I think these are the best online writing challenges but I'm curious to see what your favourites are.
NaNoWriMo - Write a 50k novel in the month of November. (I didn't really have to explain this, did I?) This was the writing challenge that took me to the next level as a newish writer, it will always be my favourite because of that.
NaBloPoMo - Write a blog post every day for a month. NaBloPoMo started out as the blogging equivalent to NaNoWriMo, but they've gone year-round a while ago, so now you can challenge yourself to blogging every day all year.
April Fools - Goal:wWhatever you want to accomplish in the month of April - you have to state your goal on the forums so it can be determined if you've reached it. I completed or edited novel drafts during April two or three times and made my goal every time. I prefer April Fools to NaNoEdMo when it comes to editing my NaNoWriMo beasts.
It's going to be a busy week. I've managed to post something every day so far this month - good thing since I'm taking part in NaBloPoMo again - and I hope I will keep the routine up.
But, busy week ahead, a deadline on Thursday and a novel that needs my attention for at least an hour a day. If I get squeezed for time, I might have to make a sacrifice or two. As I usually blog about writing, I won't have any material for a blog post if I don't write. But after a packed day, will I have any words left for a blog post? I suppose I'll find out in the course of the week.
1. Blogging means you expose your writing to the world. Exposure is good.
2. You will get some feedback. You don't have to post your fiction - I even suggest you don't post it - to receive feedback on your posts that will help you grow as a writer
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New rules over at NaBloPoMo: There will be a BloPoMo, or Blog Posting Month, every month from March on. That means you will have the chance to post /- 30 blog entries during the month that suits you best. November will remain the "official" NaBloPoMo, though.
They have also introduced a different theme for every month, but writing themed posts is optional. In March, the theme is going to be Lists. As I love making lists, I will definitely give it a go - broadband availability permitting, that is
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