2 Elements of Every Post

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“2 Elements of Every Post”

What is one of the most important elements every post should contain?

Links:

Every post you write should have a link to one of your past posts.  In some circumstances you just have to toot your own horn!  The linked post should obviously related and pertinent to the topic discussion.

It gives you the opportunity to share some hidden posts that are still of interest and current.

If you follow this hint and tip you will be well on your way to increasing your blog traffic. Not only will you link to one of your posts but if you have added links to that post you will now be looking at sharing lots of your own posts with your readers.

What is the other most important element every post should contain?

Links:

Every post should contain a link to another blog, site, article, etc.  For a couple of reasons:

1. You are sharing your awesome discoveries with your readers.  Your readers usually appreciate that.  Most people like sharing!
2. Linking to other blogs or articles may get you noticed or at least appreciated.

I have been told, linking to other blogs or sites that have a high page rank helps with your own page rank.  Dan Scocco of DailyBlogTips wrote on post earlier this month on a google page rank update .

I enjoy linking to my past posts, rereading them and digging them out of the archives.  I also like sharing great finds I discover in the blogosphere.  So fellow bkoggers, get out there and share your stuff, share your finds.

Toodles – Blog Happy!

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“Strive for excellence, not perfection…”
~ H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
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Popularity: 11% [?]

The Marriage of Blogging

“The Marriage of Blogging”

I read an interesting post the other day on Steven Sanders.com that related blogging to marriage and I wondered  how is blogging like marriage?

I was thinking of my own marriage and trying to relate it to blogging (as I do with most topics).  I can relate just about anything to blogging.  I know, it has been said before, intervention, addiction, blah, blah, blah, yeah, whatever.

Anyway, how is blogging similar to marriage? There are a few characteristics that should be the same.

• They both should be something you are passionate about.

Life is too short to be less than passionate about anything you spend your time on.  If it doesn’t make your heart do a little flip then it must be a chore.  We all have chores but do we all have passion?

I am happy to say I have passion in both my blog and my marriage.

• I look forward to seeing my husband every morning and every night.  I still have the butterflies in my belly when he comes through the door after work or when he calls me just to say hi.
• I wake up looking forward to my blog.  I get excited when I have a good traffic day.  I love to write and interact with my readers.

• They both should be filled with Love and Laughter!

Love and laughter are as essential as food and water.  I can’t imagine a marriage or a blog without them!  If you can’t or don’t love or laugh, what’s the point?

• Love certainly goes without saying although I hear it and say it several times a day.  More importantly I see it and show it every single day.
• And laughter!  I don’t know how I would get through some days without all the laughter.  My husband and I have an amazing connection with our humor.  We think we’re funny anyway, I am not so sure about what others think but that’s okay.
• I love my blog!  I look forward to working and playing on the site every day, several times a day.  I hope readers look forward to stopping by, commenting and interacting in the community of BloggerNewbie.
• I know I have gotten a few laughs from my site and I think a few readers have gotten a few laughs as well.

• They both should  be Damn Interesting!

There are some not so interesting “duties” in our day to day lives that are obligations and responsibilities. In the areas of your life that you are able to choose your joy, don’t you think they should be interesting?  Actually, damn interesting!

• Don’t you think your marriage should be “damn interesting”?  Again, I am lucky to say that there is rarely a dull moment with my husband.  As with anything worth working for, you get out what you put in.  We choose to keep our relationship interesting.
• My blog is “damn interesting” to me!  I hope it is interesting enough for my readers to keep people coming back.  I like to mix things up a bit hoping it is keeping things interesting.  Your blog is what you make it.

I am sure there are plenty of other characteristics that are similar in marriages and blogs.  What do you find similar?

Toodles – Blog Happy!

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“A good marriage is one which allows for change and growth
in the individuals and in the way they express their love…”
~ Pearl Buck
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Popularity: 34% [?]

Developing a New Community

How do you develop a new community?

I have lived in the same community all my life.  I worked in the insurance industry for about 21 years.  The first 12 years I was a partner in a local agency.  For various reasons, I decided to start my own insurance agency.  Many people told me that it was extremely difficult – next to impossible – to start an agency from scratch.  Others told me that the one thing our town did not need was yet another insurance agency.

I, of course, did not listen.  I had to see for myself, I had to try.  Maybe it will work for me.  What is the worst that could happen?    I decided the worst that could happen would be that I would fall flat on my face and I’d have to look for another job.  I could live with that.

As many of you know, I am often inspired by quotes. Quotes Motivate me and inspire me to action.  An encouraging friend offered me the following quote to think about:

“The best thing to do is the right thing,

The next best thing to do is the wrong thing,

The worst thing to do is nothing!”

~ Author Unknown

In the offline world in my little town I have a large circle of influence in which I mingle.  I have many friends in many different areas of my life.

~ Business associates and friends
~ Golf friends
~ Lodge of Elks friends
~ Motorcycle friends
~ Yes, even some John Deere friends

Well what is the point of this tour down memory lane in smalltown USA?  The reason I was successful in starting an agency from scratch in a small town inundated with insurance agencies was because I had a circle of influence from which to draw from.  My circle of friends and contacts offered not only support but were a great source of business.

I built these relationships over time.  I joined organizations, social groups, participated in community events, etc.  I became well known in my little world.  I knew people by name when they came in.  They were made to feel comfortable.  This was not some stuffy, starch white insurance agency.  Come in, sit down, tell me about yourself!

So  how do you develop a new blog community?

I have lived in the same community all my life.  I bought my first computer complete with the internet about 25 years ago.  I didn’t know anyone who had the internet or anyone who even knew what the internet was.  I was one of three people in our town who had the internet.  For various reasons, last year I decided to start a blog.  Many people told me that it was extremely difficult to make money with a blog.  Others told me that that I would be one in a million amongst other blogs.  Well thank you.  Some didn’t know what a blog was but thought it was a waste of time anyway.

I, of course, did not listen.  I had to see for myself, I had to try.  Maybe it will work for me.  What is the worst that could happen?    I decided the worst that could happen would be that I would fall flat on my face and be out the $9.95 monthly web server fee.  I could live with that.

The offline world is a different from the online world yet the same.  People are still people.  So what do we need to do to be successful?

• Build relationships over time

~ Blogging associates and friends
~ Writing friends
~ Forum friends
~ Twitter friends
~ Social network friends
~ Niche friends

• Encourage community

~ Treat people feel like they belong.  Treat your visitors as friends and they will come home again and again. Sounds too simple, too basic? Think about how you like to be treated when you go to a blog. Do you like to go to a blog when your comments aren’t even acknowledged? Feels like you are talking to yourself. Didn’t we get enough of that when we first started our blog?

~ Help your fellow bloggers and social network buddies.  Promote your friends sites.  Offer help without expecting anything in return.  Build your relationships. There is nothing more annoying than a “taker”.  You know the kind.  Always asking, asking 10 times to your 1, not in any hurry to help back.

Get to know people by name when they stop over to your blog.  If they stop at your blog don’t you think you should visit their blog? Make them feel comfortable.  This iss not some stuffy, starch white blog.  Come in, sit down, tell me about yourself!

You can’t buy a community, you have to nurture it – develop it.  Community doesn’t happen overnight.  Relationships take time.   What is the key to your success in building community?  Be sincere.  Be helpful.  Be polite.  Be business minded as well as friend minded.

Toodles -Blog Happy!

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“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community,
and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can…”
~ George Bernard Shaw
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Popularity: 42% [?]

The Feed Reader Debate

“The Feed Reader Debate”

We had a lively discussion in the comment section of a previous post – RSS Reader or Website? The previous post pondered whether you read posts in a reader or whether you go directly to the website? Do you prefer to read the post in the reader? Some bloggers make that decision for you. Some offer only the title of their post in the reader while others will give you a little sneak preview with an excerpt. Of course there is always the option of the full post being available in the reader. This choice is set up by the blogger, not by the reader.

I thought we would further the discussion in another article after a little more research.  I decided I would examine all of the blogs in my reader.  I wanted to get a consensus as to which option is more widely used.

I have 100 blogs in my reader.  I know, how do I have time to do all that reading?  Well a majority of the blogs don’t post on a daily basis.  In my Google reader, the posts are sorted by the most recent update.  As you can see from the following graphic, the name of the blog is first, the title of the post, then the date or time.

I view the title and choose the most interesting ones first.  I have a few blogs that I visit whenever they update.   I click on the title and don’t necessarily even read the excerpt or any of the post.  I like to click straight through to the site.  I like to check out everyone’s site, see what they are doing different and join in the conversation.

Often, I make decisions for my blog based on my own preferences.  I prefer to go directly to the blog to read the posts.  Therefore, I list the excerpt for my post in the reader.  I don’t trust my talent that the title will be enough and I don’t want to list the whole post as I want my readers to come to my blog. I reviewed each blog in my reader and I was very surprised with the results of my research.

Title only ~ 1% of the blogs in my reader list the title only.  No surprise there.  You would have to be overly confident with yourself to list just the title.  The title is the only part bringing your reader to your blog.  For the record, I rarely click through to that site.

Excerpt ~ 11% of the blogs in my reader list just the excerpt of their post.  For the blogs that I read on a regular basis, I click through to the site regardless of the excerpt.  In fact, I don’t bother with the excerpt, I just click through to their blog.  I like to see what, if any, changes they are doing with their design or ads.  It is also a sense of community and I like to join in the discussion if possible.

Full Text ~ 88% of the blogs in my reader list the full text of their post.  To my surprise, an overwhelming number of blogs choose this option.  I have all types of blogs in my reader from beginner to the seasoned pro.  Choosing to use the full text went across the board.  Again, this is neither a benefit nor a deterrent to my routine of reading blogs. In the discussion on the original post ~ RSS Reader or Website? Tsunami and I exchanged a few comments  on this topic.

Tsunami and I were both of the same opinion in regards to using the excerpt.  My thinking is that I hope to use a creative title to get readers to click on my post in their reader then my second hope is that the excerpt is interesting enough to get the reader to click through to my site.  I want to encourage readers to go to the site to build community and hopefully create loyal readers.

I have since changed my opinion of how my post will be listed in a reader based on my research for two reasons.

The first reason is the overwhelming number of blogs that offer the full post.  88%?  That speaks volumes.  In my reader, 21% of the blogs I subscribe to are categorized (by me) as the “A” list.  ALL of them offer the full post.  With the combination of their years of experience and their thousands of readers, I try to follow their lead.

The second reason is the choice of clicking through to my blog should be the readers choice not mine.  The majority of the reason we all write is for people to read our brilliant words, right?  So shouldn’t that be a blogger’s main objective?  If the post is compelling enough, the reader will click through to your site. Wouldn’t it be nice if the reader had control over the option?  Give that option to your reader.

One other interesting “factoid” I discovered – only 17% of the blogs in my reader have ads in their posts.  I thought that was low.

Wow, this post was interesting to research and quite an eye opener.  I am glad we had this discussion on RSS Reader or Website?

What do you think?  Has this research changed your mind?  Do you have any thoughts to add?  Any arguments for or against this debate?  Keep the discussion open!

Toodles – Blog Happy!

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“Things should be made as simple as possible, but not any simpler…”

~ Albert Einstein

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Popularity: 39% [?]

How Do You Analyze Your Blog?

“How Do You Analyze Your Blog?”

I use two different analyzers. I like to check and balance my information and not rely on just one source.  The numbers are slightly different with each tool.  Fortunately, both of these tools are available at no cost.  You can pay for an upgrade with Site Meter if you so choose but the complimentary version works for me at this time.  Maybe when I am rich and famous I will upgrade.

Site Meter

Site Meter is web based service that provides you with detailed real time tracking and counter tools. You can easily check out who is visiting your site, how they found you, where they came from, which post or posts interest them and much more. It is really useful to see by details or referrals where your traffic is coming from.  If you are trying to build traffic through a few different social networks you can see how effective they are over time.

I can see from the  recent visitors section under entry pages where my visitors are coming from.  If one of my posts is “Stumbled” and someone clicks on the link to get to my site it is listed as the entry page.  Although each social network site has it’s own usefulness, they are not all the right choice for everyone.  Each one is unique to the user.  Based on the review of my statistics in Site Meter,  StumbleUpon seems to work best for me.

The graph above (unfortunately, not from my site) shows each day the number of visitors for the previous seven days.  You can also view a graph by the month or by the year.  Site Meter is a great resource for analyzing your visitors.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is the most popular and most used service out there.  Good ole’ Google.  They are the most popular in all of their services.  Huge associations like Google make me nervous.  They do as they darn well please.  I have found, absolutely no service!  I don’t know the answer to their lack of service problem is but I’m thinking “none” is not the answer.  Sure, they have forums, but so far, I haven’t had any success in getting an answer or any help for my feedburner problem.

Since this is not a Google bashing post I will move on to their wonderful analytical software. It features, custom reports, keyword and campaign comparison, custom dashboards, adword integration, site overlay,  and more.  Google tracks the number of visitors, whether they are unique or repeat visitors and how long they stay on your blog.  You can also see which page they clicked on to get to your site, where they found your site which again helps you decide which social network is most beneficial to you. Google Analytics shows what keywords people use to search for your site.  Some people strive for more search traffic.  You can use this tool to show what words or phrases people used in the search and how they landed on your page.

I like to use both tools to compare numbers.  Site Meter is real time and Google is yesterday’s numbers.  Believe it or not, Google has actually come up with blank numbers.  I think Google is great, but I think they have a lot of problems.  Maybe growing problems.  Often, a business has to choose between growing and growing out of control.  Being the biggest isn’t necessarily the best.

What do you use for analytical tools?  What features do you look for?  What numbers are most important to you or most useful to you?

Toodles – Blog Happy!

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“Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes…”

~ Oscar Wilde

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Popularity: 40% [?]

Blogging Success According To My Favorite Guru!

How in the world did I land in the blogosphere you ask?  Well, funny you should ask.

I was searching the internet for “how to make a living online”, not the fast buck but the career type venture.  I tried one scam after another for a year or so.  Ahh, the scam artists paints a pretty picture.  After being stung a few times, I  became a little more cautious.  I scrutinized every detail of every claim!

I landed on some sales page that discussed blogging.  I survived raising three daughters who were all teenagers at the same time.  I will investigate most stories.  I understood blogging a little.  But, this character wanted to sell me some secret that would allow me to gain entry into the blogosphere.

Of course I googled his name.  Surprise, yet another scam!  I was getting very discouraged.  Why do 9 out of 10 (more like 99 out of 100) ventures all have to be scams?  Forget this internet business stuff.  I’ll think of something else.  After all, I am an entrepreneur at heart.

I researched blogging a little further…

I went to the website of Darren Rowse – ProBlogger and I was bit by the blogger bug.  I got it and I got it bad.  I never looked back.

I was so excited, I worked on my site for hours every day into the wee hours of the morning.  Yup, I was going to make some serious money.  Now you know.  I started blogging for the money.  I am not afraid of hard work so I knew I could do this.  I bought my copy of ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income.

As many of you are aware, I am at the 6 month point of my blogging “career”.  This is one of the checkpoints in my business plan.  At 6 months, I evaluated the progress of my goals to date.  Am I where I want to be, where I thought I would be?  Do I need to re-evaluate the plan and adjust?

Being that I had very little knowledge about blogging, my business plan was somewhat vague.  I know how to run a business and how to write a business plan but blogging is a little different then what I am used to.  After 6 months I do have a much better grasp on the reality of blogging.

I originally thought that all I had to do was write a few good posts, put up some ads and wala – I’m in the money.  Doesn’t quite work that way.  I am happy to report that I am not in the blogging business for the money.  It is simply a love affair.  Don’t get me wrong, I still want to make money at blogging but that is secondary.

I am in the process of revising my business plan.  I went to my favoirte Guru for some advice.  I asked Darren Rowse the following questions:

• Do you think a blogger can make a living with just AdSense type ads?

Yes – it’s possible. It really depends upon the type of blog that you start as to what type of monetization works best. Some work great with AdSense, others do better with affiliate programs, others better with direct ad sales. The key is to experiment and see what works best.

• Do you think a blogger can make a living with just one blog?

Again – it’s possible and many bloggers do it – but not all do. Some bloggers take the approach of building a few smaller blogs rather than one big one.

• What do you consider the top 5 picks of Social Media?

Depends a lot on the type of blog you start. The key is to find out where your readers (or potential readers) hang out in social media and join them there. For me that’s been Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn and Digg mainly.

• If you could only pick one avenue or company for monetizing your blog, what would it be?

Really tough question. I’ve made more with AdSense than any other ad network but it depends upon the blog. It’s a good starting point and can work well but in the long term on a successful blog direct ad sales will probably work better.

• What do you consider the one thing that contributes to your success?

Staying at it for the long haul. Posting something every day for 6 years has not been easy but it’s paid off.

I had questions from the answers too but that will have to wait another day.  The one big message I received from this interview is – patience.  You need patience and time to nurture your blog.  6 months is not a significant amount of time to invest in a blog.

You need to test your advertising plan just like any other business.  You don’t necessarily know what works until you try it.  What works for you might not work for me.  It also takes time and patience to build your social network.  Again, the same advice applies to the typical brick and mortar business.  Thank you Darren, for your wisdom and advice.

Is Darren’s advice an eye-opener for you?  Are you more motivated now knowing that success is possible?

Toodles – Blog Happy!

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“I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and
an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen…”

- Frank Lloyd Wright

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Popularity: 57% [?]

Who Reads A Blog On A Cell Phone?

“Who Reads A Blog On A Cell Phone?”

Do people actually read blogs on a cell phone?? I don’t know about you, but my cell phone is barely big enough to read text messages. I cannot imagine reading a whole post on a cell phone.  Come on – I must be missing something!  I actually don’t have internet access with my cell phone.  Well, if I do, I don’t know it.  I know, technically challenged.  Well to the blogosphere I am technically challenged but to my family and people in my little world I am an esteemed computer geek!

So what could be so important that you would read a post on your phone?  Is there really anything  that interesting or compelling?

Probably 10 years from now you will read a post on BloggerNewbie promoting – “Extra, extra, read all about it, get your next BloggerNewbie post on your cellphone today!”

Some people think if the cell phone rings they have to answer it. When I work outside clearing our property, mowing lawns, trimming around everyone of our 100 trees, I always have my cell phone.  This type of activity is my therapy.  Usually there is no one around, I have my loud equipment and large tools.  So why the cell phone in my serene environment of nature?  Well I do have some dangerous equipment I work with so the phone is for “just in case”.  I never answer it during my nature therapy.

Caller ID?  he he.  I know way too many people who can’t stand an unknown number on their phone.  Or if there is a phone number they don’t recognize, they call it.  If you can’t leave a message, then whatever you want (and yeah, most likely you want something) can’t be that important, or you will call back.

I’ve had friends or family members tell me they called, they must have shown up on my caller id, why didn’t I call them back?  Because you didn’t leave a message.  And, this is so and so, call me back, is not a message.

Are we getting just a little too connected?  Do you think access to information 24/7 is a little too much?  I feel inundated now.  I have enough stress without bringing more with me.  If posts are available on your cell phone do you or would you read them that way?

Toodles – Blog Happy!

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“If it is true that there is always more than one way of construing a text,
it is not true that all interpretations are equal…”

- Paul Ricoeur

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Popularity: 29% [?]

6 Tips On How To Write Killer Blog Comments

“How To Write Killer Blog Comments”

Comments are great.  The advent of comments to a website is revolutionary.  Enter – The Weblog or as we bloggers like to say – The Blog!  The reader gets to add his or her opinion and  the writer knows someone is finally reading their “stuff”!

Comments create community.  It is favorable all the way around for the blog to get a core group of  “the usuals” to always contribute.

You’ve just read a great post that somehow moved you and you want to leave a comment.  Early on, when you are new to the blogosphere, you are not sure what to say.  “I don’t want to sound like I don’t know what I am doing”.  I have read some of the other comments and they don’t really say anything?  Are there guidelines for the rest of us who actually want to add value?

1. Contribute to the conversation. You already know the number one rule breaker.  Don’t leave words that say “great post”; that is not a comment.  If you don’t have anything to say, don’t say anything.  If you don’t have any opinion or knowledge on the subject, again, don’t leave a comment.  If you’re not sure about the subject matter, ask a question, that is great.
2. The comment section is not the your advertising opportunity section. Don’t leave a comment just to get the link back to your blog.  And leaving links in the actual comment will probably get you moderated and/or deleted.  Unless, of course, the link adds to the post.  If the link is not relevant, your comment won’t be either.  Don’t you have too many things to do without wasting your time?
3. The comment section is not your blog. If your comment is extensive, (hint-as long or longer than the post you are commenting on) maybe you should write your own post and link back to the original post and carry on the conversation.
4. Ask a question. The whole idea behind the comment section is to offer your opinion and continue the conversation.  Even if you are the author of the post, when someone makes a great point and you can elaborate on the new point, ask a question, keep the conversation going.
5. Comment on other comments. Add to the other readers comment by extending the idea with further conversation.  Interact with other readers as well.  That is fully encouraged.  I have written posts where readers have had their own little conversation with each other – and “hello” what about me?
6. Do not be afraid! If you have a different opinion then that expressed by the blogger, by all means, please contribute your opinion.  That is the core of blogging.  The exchange of thoughts and ideas.

What do you do to encourage comments on your blog?  What do you do to contribute to the conversation?  Do you add to the post?  Do you have any other thoughts or views for or against this conversation?

Join the discussion!  What do you think?

Toodles – Blog Happy!

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“When we have the courage to speak out – to break our silence –
we inspire the rest of the “moderates” in our communities
to speak up and voice their views…”

- Sharon Schuster

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Popularity: 95% [?]

What Would You Do Different?

“What Would You Do Different?”

I started a series a couple of weeks ago called Question of the Week? Vote in our Poll! I asked you what questions you would like to see debated in this series.

Rachel from Averagegal.com asked “In hindsight, what would you have done differently when starting your first blog?” Rachel is no “average gal”. She is a forward thinking young lady as well as very ambitious. Rachel has, I believe, three blogs. She is always adding or changing something at AverageGal.com.  Keeping your blog fresh and new will keep people coming back looking for something different.

I couldn’t come up with a poll type question so I decided to just throw the question out for discussion.

What would you have done differently when starting your first blog?

My blog is only a little over six months old so I don’t have a great length of time to review.  I had my brick and mortar business for 20 years so I had an abundance of experiences to review.  I have often contemplated the “what I would have done differently” in regards to raising my children.  In retrospect, with both of these examples there is a significant amount of time to be able to discuss lessons learned.  Once you see the outcome of your actions it is always easy to have 20/20 in hindsight.  Now both of those subjects could each be a book on their own!

Looking back over the last few months I would say one mistake I made would have been joining too many social networks too soon.  If you can’t participate in the social network with good faith then you shouldn’t be there.  If you are there for business purposes only, then you should make that clear.  I don’t think you will get too far but you should be upfront about your intentions.

Another observation is in reference to monetizing the blog.  It is not very productive to have countless sources of advertising.  In hindsight, I would have taken a closer look at advertising and narrowed them down and chosen just a few.

So now over to you – “In hindsight, what would you have done differently when starting your first blog?”

Toodles – Blog Happy!

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“Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes…”

- Oscar Wilde

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Popularity: 20% [?]

So You Want To Be A Writer?

“So You Want To Be A Writer?”

Me too!  Writing is so exciting.  There is something new every day, every minute of every day.  It feels like Christmas all the time.  Tis the season.  That’s what came to mind first.

I have a list of blogs and websites in my reader that feature a different variety of writers and resources.  I always try to improve my skills and learn as much as I can.  Continually learning is one of my favorite parts of writing.  I would like to share my rare finds of enormous talent with a few links. There are countless types of writing forms to choose from.   What type of writer do you strive to become?

I like to dabble in creative writing and fiction.

I entered a contest at - Writing for your wealth recently. Unlike most contests in the blogosphere, this contest was actually based on what you write.  Most contests are the luck of the draw.  You actually had to think when you wrote this one.  Lindsay asked the contestants to write a fable in 300 words or less.  This project stimulated our creativity!  I wrote – The Wise Sheep. The biggest challenge I faced with this writing project was keeping my story under 300 words!    Some say it’s because I talk too much.  Hmmph.  How rude!

Lindsay teaches you how to write for your wealth.   I can certainly say she is a wealth of knowledge and I highly recommend any aspiring writer to subscribe to her RSS feed.  In fact, when you subscribe to her RSS feed you will receive a free 7 day writing e-course.   Always room to learn.

I want to be confident with my writing skills.

Joanna Young writes just such a blog. She is helpful and knowledgeable and without exception has all the tools I am looking for.   Joanna has, not one, but three Free e-Books on her site to help you with your writing.  If you are serious about your writing, you should download these e-Books and while you are there, subscribe to her RSS feed.

The mission statement of “Confident Writing” says it all:

• learning to improve your writing – for greater impact, and to make a stronger connection
• finding your voice – writing that is authentic, that expresses your values, that comes from the heart
• giving you confidence – in your skill as a writer, in your right to express yourself, in the power of your own words
• sharing resources that will help you to write with skill, style, and confidence
• building a community of people who support these goals – and share the belief that our words count

I want to entertain and be entertained while writing and learning.

Speaking of writing and learning and total entertainment – check out TumbleMoose Productions. This blogger is unique. He is creative, talented and knowledgeable, not to mention somewhat on the humorous side. George Angus has quite a background in writing. I consider him an authority and if George says it, it must be true. And somewhere in the midst of it all he manages to add some humor and wit.  I was honored that George wrote a Guest Post for BloggerNewbie.com and welcome him back anytime.

If you are serious about your writing and want to gain some new insight, check out these three blogs.  They are an endless supply of information as well as a source for some much needed inspiration.

What do you do to expand your awareness?  Do you have some helpful links that you refer to while you are writing?  What inspires you?

Toodles – Blog Happy!

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“I don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that.
Your mind must know it has got to get down to work…”

- Pearl S. Buck

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