I'm having a tough time with blogging lately. I'm unsure just what to say. Do I talk books? Do I promote my own stuff? Can I slip in a political view here and there? What do you want from me? Personal antidotes? Writerly advice (I cringe at this since there are so many smarter writers with smarter ideas about writing)? Stories about my dog? Advice on getting blood stains out of carpet? What?
When I read other blogs, I'm often jealous at the bloggers platform. Here's what I've got: I'm a writer. I lie on paper, and sometimes, rarely, in person. I read. Alot. But I don't want to spend my blogging time reviewing books. That's just not me. Unless a review can amount to...Great book. I watch TV, some good, some really bad. I love musicals. I love my cat. I go to writers and readers conferences, and have a great time. I love hearing other writers stories. Hell, I love hearing all peoples stories. Why can't that be my blog? You tell me a story. Tell me all about yourself. Tell me what you think. What you dream of. What music you like. What books you've read. Please? Pretty please?
I try not to give writerly advice unless someone asks me in an e-mail, since what works for some does not work for most. Typically, my advice is just 'drink more.'
ReplyDeleteAlso, promotion is great, but turn into a promotion whore and oh how the readers will turn on you. It's a delicate balance between 'ahem, just to remind you, I wrote something and it doesn't suck' and 'Buy my book hey buy my book did you buy my book yet if not why aren't you buying my book?'
Personally, I think just about anything can be a great blog topic. Variety is a beautiful thing. I'd like to think that if your readers can never guess what you're going to post about, then you're doing a good job. And this is coming from a guy who DID just blog about his dog... but prior to that, blogged about a one night stand with a zombie. Talk about anything and everything. If they're interesting enough (and I'm assuming they are) people will want to hear your opinions.
Whatever is on your mind. I like your mind. It goes to strange and interesting place.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I have the same problem with my own blog. Except for advertising my own books, because I'm not published yet. Sigh. I ask myself this: what do blogs I like talk about on their blogs? The answer, no matter how deep or how shallow, is this: things that matter to them.
So I can get just as caught up in a farmer in WV not being able to keep her chickens off the back porch as I do someone's struggle to be openly gay in a very unaccepting family. I read a good cook's vegan recipes, his wife's blog about life in general, and an author who veers into politics and photos of his cat.
If it matters to you, you'll make it interesting for us.
mb
I just wrote this massive response and my computer seriously belched and ate it. I am sort of grumpy about that now and don't think I can repeat it all. Damn it. My laptop's going out a window now.
ReplyDeleteLet's see, the gist of it was:
Be yourself. Write about what you do know, what you'd talk about in a room full of writers or over drinks with one other writer. Talk about what you do have experience with. You are plenty smart. You are witty and supportive. You have a great, fun voice. And that is what will make your blog posts good.
I would love to see a multi-part series covering what you covered in your Write Brain. What you covered at the conference. That sort of thing. You have great, helpful information to pass along. Write about the information you know, the experience you've had, the education you've gained, that you use for your books. People will be interested in your path to publication just as much as someone else's. Tell us how to query, what to write in your intro when trying to get a short story published, etc.
One of the things that has helped me the most on my blog is to sort of theme how each day will go, and if something doesn't work for me I scrap it. I was doing Feature Fridays where I tried to pass along a blog that had fewer than 50 followers, but was worth following. However, it took me SO MUCH time to track down how many followers each blog had, especially with Google Friend Connect acting up, that I had to scrap it. It just wasn't worth the exorbitant amount of time I was spending on it. But Teaser Tuesday takes me maybe a couple minutes to copy/paste and write down two sentences from whatever book I'm writing, yet brings me a good amount of my followers because then I can post a link to my blog on the meme and bring people over for that who then hang out and check out the rest of my blog sometimes. Simple and easy, yet effective. For Thursdays, I email myself a quick email when I find a link I want to pass along, so by the time Wednesday night rolls around I just have to transfer the links to a post and schedule it for the next day. That gives me four posting days per week, but only two that take any amount of time, and I'm getting better at writing up a blog post when it pops into my head and pre-scheduling it for whatever Monday is open.
And I love musicals, so bring on the musical conversation! Maybe you could write books one day, TV one day, musicals one day. Whatever works for you. Just make it fun for you and others will have fun with you.
Hopefully this helps. I still rambled, even the second time around, hahaha! I'm not a blogging expert, but since I'm working on figuring it out for myself it's on my mind. :D
I'm analytical, so I'll analyze it...
ReplyDelete1) Posts about your book. Book process in all its fun aspects. Any anecdotes from that?
2) The things you care about. Like an interview question that says, "What was the ___est thing that you encountered today?"
3) Gimme forensics, babe. You could *not* go wrong with giving me that kind of info :)
Julie,
ReplyDeleteI'm of the school of thought that says, if you really don't want to blog, don't do it. Don't force yourself to do something that isn't exciting for you. Now, your publisher might disagree, since writers are *supposed* to blog x number of times a week and they must have this account and they must blah blah. I agree with social media guru Beth Groundwater--do what self-promotion/social networking you enjoy and leave the rest.
But if you want to blog and you're just unsure of topics, I agree with the above. Write something you're passionate about. It doesn't have to be proscribed. Ever see the movie Adaptation? The way Susan Orleans, in writing The Orchid Thief, was fascinated by her subject's absolute passion for orchids? Let your passions show and people are usually interested in that.
And don't worry! Try to have fun with this online stuff. In the end, nobody knows anything.
Write bout books--YOURS! And politics--again yours! And yes, antidotes about your life would be great as well. I miss you and that would help me feel connected. For people who do't know you, well, that would give them incentive to get to know you!
ReplyDeleteBlogs... yeah, they can suck. Not the writing of, but the angsting over. The wondering why you do it, and why no one comments. But you don't seem to have that particular problem, which is good. So blog on!
All of it. I am not a firm believer in a blog having to have a tight focus. Be you, tell us what's on your mind, what you're reading/listening to. Posts can be long or short tight or messy.
ReplyDeletePost anything you want that won't get you in trouble with the law, Google, or the government. Especially Google...
ReplyDeleteThank you all for such great advice. I am so blessed to be able to put a call out for help and have such amazing and strong support. Thank you.
ReplyDelete