tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post6554364046587887768..comments2023-11-02T05:29:57.954-04:00Comments on From the Heart: When Not to Blog by guest blogger Katherine B. HydeAndy Scheer, Hartline Literaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09010440105558099014noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-65666104430194143672011-06-06T00:33:13.627-04:002011-06-06T00:33:13.627-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Rita Garciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08588011563404981558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-46315029421121092552011-06-06T00:32:52.074-04:002011-06-06T00:32:52.074-04:00Thank you for sharing this valuable information. I...Thank you for sharing this valuable information. I will be reviewing my blog and putting these guidelines into practice. Blessings!Rita Garciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08588011563404981558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-6212001045857069112011-06-04T16:31:13.276-04:002011-06-04T16:31:13.276-04:00Wow! Someone wrote many of the things I've th...Wow! Someone wrote many of the things I've thought!!! Though you did it more eloquently and organized than I would have.<br /><br />I've gone through each point, and see that I've messed up a time or two--knew in fact while I was doing it. Now that I see it in writing, you can be sure, it won't happen again.<br /><br />Thanks for an excellent post!<br /><br />Lisadandelionfleurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09857030670523739785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-50868171066393016552011-06-04T15:13:32.732-04:002011-06-04T15:13:32.732-04:00Thank you for this post. As a new blogger (well, a...Thank you for this post. As a new blogger (well, actually, it's been over a year, but it still feels new), I have struggled with the purpose of my blog. You've helped clarify and affirm what I felt was true. An author must write a quality blog. The good news is that the more I blog the better my writing and the easier it comes. <br /><br />The thrill is that my blog is reaching parts of the world where my books are not available. I feel it is my way of going into all the world... right from my fingertips. Blogging is an amazing tool I am learning to appreciate one blog at a time. <br /><br />Elaine W. Miller<br />www.SplashesofSerenity.com <br />www.ElaineWMiller.blogspot.comElaine W. Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10180843077491105642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-24586929282088549712011-06-03T08:14:06.032-04:002011-06-03T08:14:06.032-04:00Great post! Blogging helped me find my brand--and ...Great post! Blogging helped me find my brand--and that in turn helped me fine-tune what I blog about and how I do it.<br /><br />Not being boring is a huge point! And along with that, I think having some kind of take-away value for the reader is important--even if it's "just" encouragement or a point to ponder. =]Patty Wysonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01689649950598288481noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-30436559789412283012011-06-02T14:47:01.981-04:002011-06-02T14:47:01.981-04:00"Don't be boring." Best advice ever!..."Don't be boring." Best advice ever!Kathryn Elliotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16112741861843306231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-88005160010316542842011-06-02T13:53:47.181-04:002011-06-02T13:53:47.181-04:00You've all made excellent points. Sometimes bl...You've all made excellent points. Sometimes blogging for marketing purposes seems like a random hit-or-miss affair. We can all learn from each other in terms of the positive what-to-dos of blogging, but ultimately what works will depend on who we are as writers and as people.<br /><br />Pen Dancing, I hear you! It is best in general to keep posts to about 500 words. This one just wouldn't behave!Katherine Hydehttp://kbhyde.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-6095551840699923862011-06-02T13:47:45.788-04:002011-06-02T13:47:45.788-04:00A small suggestion I would make to an excellent bl...A small suggestion I would make to an excellent blog above - keep the word count short. Kathryn has a reason to have a long blog, and it was not boring. However, when I have a blog come into my email and it is long - it doesn't get read. Just the facts.<br /><br />Thanks Kathryn, your words are appreciated!Pen Dancinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00651701673996976897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-32357745320288123682011-06-02T12:42:53.342-04:002011-06-02T12:42:53.342-04:00If you have a blog you need to decide what your th...If you have a blog you need to decide what your theme is about. What the purpose of your blog is? What message are you trying to convey?<br /><br />Put this at the top of your blog. A one line on what your blog is about so readers know exactly what they're getting. Mine is right under the title of the blog. If you only post once or twice a week, let them know that somewhere on the page too.<br /><br />Which brings me to my next point. Make sure every post has a take away for the reader. What is in it for them? <br /><br />This helps you narrow your focus and make sure you're not posting boring updates about your life. Make every post have a purpose for the reader, not for you and your book. <br /><br />If you take care of your followers on your blog then they'll trust you when it comes to buying your book. :)Melissa K Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10391366406206260079noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-67205346541182787282011-06-02T11:49:46.342-04:002011-06-02T11:49:46.342-04:00I loved your thoughts on blogging. I personally am...I loved your thoughts on blogging. I personally am aiming to find better ways to blog about who I am as a writer. I want my readers to know who am I am on a personal level but I agree with you that to much information can hurt not help. So I do try to watch this when I'm blogging. I use to post things about my animals and such for the lack of having anything else to write about but I can strongly see how this would hurt you as a writer. <br /><br />I think it is also important to find your ninche in writing, because knowing what you write about will help to produce a better blog that people will want to come to everyday. <br /><br />I know this is true because I just re-did my blog and my readership has increased because of it. So it's true what you are saying and I love how well you put it. I will pass this along to my other writer friends to help encourage them as well. Thanks a bunch for posting it. <br /><br />Christine M. Miller-Ramey<br />http://www.mytraveledpaths.com.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08957247222090065702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-60465498838908884602011-06-02T10:52:39.063-04:002011-06-02T10:52:39.063-04:00Kathryn, great post. I appreciate the reminders on...Kathryn, great post. I appreciate the reminders on blogging. Sometimes with all the pressure to build our platforms we can forget those points of what NOT to do.<br /><br />Best!<br />cb<br />http://sunnebnkwrtr.blogspot.com/Carolinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08765332646987825952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-30116310867157305272011-06-02T08:11:06.574-04:002011-06-02T08:11:06.574-04:00Sometimes I think my travel blog supports my speak...Sometimes I think my travel blog supports my speaking platform more than my published works. I use many of my posted travel adventures as stories in my presentations to make them more interesting and to illustrate points. In addition to the audiences I address, I pick up more followers/readers through the common interest of travel. Travel is never boring but finding things to write about in between adventures is challenging. I fill in with helpful tips and "Books for the road" reviews. I'm not sure how all of this shakes out in terms of platform building but it does at least give me contact with a potential audience for my published works.Wandering Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01445595080265227834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443765296489868573.post-90575729218215855962011-06-02T07:36:47.680-04:002011-06-02T07:36:47.680-04:00The problem I see with blogging is that seems like...The problem I see with blogging is that seems like the answer agents give when they don't know how to answer the question "How can I build a platform?" There are a few people who have built a platform through blogging. There are some people who connect with the platform they already have. But most of us aren't going to get that out of blogging. For one thing, the readership of blogs is often different than the readership of books. There are several blogs I follow faithfully but have no intention of reading the books written by their authors. And I know that many of the people who follow my blog aren't going to read my books. A few will, and I suppose we could say we're aiming for those few if we're trying to blog for marketing, but I think we sell blogging short if that is our aim.<br /><br />We write books to communicate. We write blogs to communicate. Blogs and books are similar concepts, but the blog is shorter and more instant. Through blogging, we are providing something of value, just as we are doing when we write a book. In other words, the blog is a book that we give away.Timothy Fishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06554064732811895577noreply@blogger.com