1.30.2007

Why do you blog?

I'd love to hear from site visitors as to why they blog. I gave a talk last year at our regional SCBWI conference and will be giving it again in April. I titled the talk, "Websites, Blogs, and Platform Building."

When it comes to writers, I do feel that every published and yet-to-be-published writer should have a website and/or a blog. They are a means to an end: building your platform. It's your platform that editors and agents look for once they fall in love with your writing...and even before! The workshop i give covers what you need to know in order to launch your own website and/or blog in a cost-effective manner. It covers the terminology, software, costs, philosophy, design components, etiquette, and maintenance of good sites that inspire visitors to bookmark them and come back to them time and again. Sometime in the future I may put this info in an eBook. I'll let you know when I do.

Now the above is for writers...but who else blogs? and why? I'd love to hear from you! Tell me why you blog. Do you have more than one blog? What topics are you blogging on? Fun stuff, huh?

12 comments:

  1. Anonymous1/30/2007

    Hello,

    Your question about blogging was forwarded to me and I wanted to chime in for your article.

    I promote my writing-related books through my blog, but I also love just sharing and communicating. I am a writer, after all. Isn't that what we do? I use my blog to inform, educate, inspire and entertain my readers in the area of writing/publishing. But I also create articles from some of my blog entries and offer them to writing/publishing-related magazines, newsletters and websites. I notify followers of my upcoming speaking engagements and seminars. And I share personal stories, dilemmas and challenges. My blog is a lifeline to my readers and a method of being noticed by search engines. I add to my blog about once a week.

    For someone who just can't not write and who loves to communicate, the blog is a dream come true. But it is also a great promotional tool.

    Patricia Fry
    ===============================
    Patricia Fry is the president of SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) www.spawn.org. She is also a full-time writer and the author of 25 books, including "The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book."

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  2. As a public relations freelancer, writing has always been the favorite part of my job. (Press releases, newsletter articles, bios, etc.)

    When I became pregnant, I wanted a way for family and friends across this country to be able to follow my adventures so I started a blog. Being pregnant also helped with my creativity.

    I blog to encourage others, share the realities of being a first time mom and to keep in touch with family and friends.

    I believe that as we get older, it's vital to remain creative. Writing for my blog allows me use a different part of my brain.

    I love writing for my blog. I post once a week but am constantly writing and thinking of blog ideas.

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  3. P.S. Here's my blog (commenter Lori from above)
    babybittenbender.blogspot.com

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  4. Olgy-- I just started blogging, too, for exactly the reasons you say a writer should blog! I went with LiveJournal mostly because my daughter has a site and could help me with the mechanics. I am very impressed with the photos on your blog. karen (from PPWC)

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  5. Dear Patricia, Lori, and Karen, thanks for your comments! I'm incorporating them in the talk I'm giving this weekend at the Rocky Mountain Chapter of SCBWI. I'll share your respective sites with them. Thanks again for your comments!

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  6. Hi Olgy,
    Thanks so much for your comments on my blog. It is all because of you that I have started building my platform and I am forever thankful. Blog On!!

    Jessica

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  7. My primary interest in the online community is to make people aware of the books that I have in print. Currently, I have two books in print, Church Website Design and Searching for Mom. The title of the first is self-explanitory and the second is a novel about a young girl who decides to go find a mother, since her own mother died before she knew her. I also have a short story available for free. The books are good books and so is the short story, but no one will read them if they do not know about them. It would be much better for people to read my work and hate it than for people to not know about it.

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  8. Blogging is fun. It's been a great confidence booster for me. And you've been tagged to write 7 Random Things about yourself at www.laurireflections.blogspot.com in the hopes you'll update your blog :)

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  9. Anonymous7/09/2007

    I have yet to blog, but I'm eager to learn about it. I was looking forward to listening to your session from the EPA convention in May. I heard it was great. But I can't find it on the list of recordings. Where would I find it?
    --Becky

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  10. Hello Becky, I don't think the talk was captured. We were half way through it when the moderator got up and turned the recording mike on. LOL. I will be teaching the session online this fall. If you subscribe to the CCF Bulletin you'll know when the class is scheduled. I'll announce it through the bulletin.

    I received tremendous written feedback from those who attended my session at the EPA Conference, Websites, Blogs, and Platform Building for Writers. It was even more encouraging to hear from participants after the event and discover what they'd done as a result of attending my session. :-)

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  11. Hi there

    Firtly thanks for the wonderful words of encouragement on my blog, I am seldom lost for things to say, so just thank you!

    I love your blog. I am also very nterested in education and HS my children. I have 6, 5 of whom are at home and 3 of whom are still in the primary stages of their development.

    Through circumstances, personal and in S Africa I decided to opt for this route. It has led to greater understanding of everything on my side and an even bigger love for education so I started my website at www.staidenshomeschool.com and i am passionate about it. To help with webhosting I have started selling my eBooks through Lulu, not that I have made my first million (or even $50 lol)

    I blog because it is where I observe and absorb. How else can I understand what is happening elsewhere in the world without this social activity. And I read a blog ike yours and I also visited your website - it's awesome - and I think, hey, we can do great things together!!! I wold love to feature some of your articles in my newsletters and possibly also place a few links on my website...

    Again,thanks so much or the words of inspiration, I hope we can keep in touch

    Blessings
    Donnette

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  12. Hi Donnette,
    I recently added an RSS feed to both the http://www.ChildrenComeFirst.com and the http://olgygary.blogspot.com sites. You may use either of those to bring our articles to your site. :-)
    Olgy

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