How to Avoid Being a Blog Snob

When I first began blogging nearly nine years ago, I was as green as they came. So I invested time in educating myself, gleaning from "how-to" articles, reading others' blogs, observing standard practices from successful bloggers, heeding veteran writing friends' advice, etc. My skills improved, as did my grasp on blog etiquette. I gained followers, generated and made comments and voila, I was a bona fide blogger! Or so I thought. I still had much to learn...

I learned that posting consistently is important. Readers need to know your schedule, appreciate return comments and visits to their blogs, and so on. As I strove to uphold this blogging code, I noticed at times where others did not always use this code I so diligently followed. I puzzled over why they did not follow suit. To be fair, most of those who I regularly interacted with were kind and consistent. But I did begin to form a bit of a prejudice against those who were not. That's right, for a short time, I became a blog snob. It wasn't that I was offended at their lack of attention or reciprocation, I just had an attitude of, "Hey, if I can keep up with this, why can't you?" Yeah well, I told you I was green. And quite the silly girl.

Thankfully, this state of snobbery did not last long. I got a healthy dose of reality when accosted by a busier schedule, book contract, and other assorted and necessary commitments. There simply weren't enough hours in the day to remain on top of things all the time. No doubt about it, I discovered that schedules and expectations had to be adjusted. The reality of all this offered the swift kick I needed; I was ashamed of the bit of smugness that crept in. Suddenly I had eyes to see what the reality of it was. These lovely bloggers were busy too, couldn't always reciprocate, didn't embrace the same things I did, and/or just had to let some things fall by the wayside. Blogging is a wonderful thing, but unless we have superpowers or a team of virtual assistants, it can become taxing to even the heartiest soul.

Now I'm sure that none of you have ever been tempted to be a blog snob. But if you happen to know anyone who might fall into that trap, here are four things I learned that lent perspective:

1) Extend Grace

We've often no idea what's going on in another person's life. So if they don't live up to our expectations, blogging or otherwise, we need to allow them the grace and space to be who and where they are. Yeah, there are times and instances to challenge others in a loving and diplomatic manner, but this probably isn't one of them.

2) Not Everyone Fits or Follows

As bloggers, we're a diverse group. We're good about crossing genres and topics when it comes to interacting, but sometimes it doesn't end up being fruitful or a good fit. We've all got 24 hours in the day to use wisely, and must prioritize accordingly. Which can mean we don't follow every blog all the time. And no one should hassle another about following, or not.

3) Your Cup of Tea

Lest we get tempted to be offended by others' actions, remember that our blogs, beliefs and principles, styles, etc. will not be everyone's cup of tea. And that's okay.


4) Lend a Hand

If you know someone's going through challenging times, extend a hand. Most bloggers would welcome a guest post to take the heat off during a tough or busy stretch. Or stop and comment, share their post on social media, or simply send an email letting them know you're thinking of or praying for them.


I'd probably be remiss if I didn't include some tips I've learned since the blog snob days. These six items have helped me maintain blogging balance.


1) Short Posts Can Be Your Friend

Short posts, though not always as meaty as long ones, can offer great info, feedback, and connection potential. Share a quote, ask a question, highlight a topic - you can still engage readers in this manner. High word count doesn't guarantee quality content.

2) Schedule Posts

When possible, it's always great to schedule posts in advance. It can be a lifesaver for the busy blogger. 

3) Regular Features

Posts of this type provide good content, can be scheduled in advance, and can be the backbone to consistency. My Meet the Blogger and Miscellaneous Monday features have been successful staples.

4) Less is More

There are those who can post every day or several times a week, but if that's not your thing, that's okay. Post once a week, twice a month or whatever suits you best. It's got to be manageable, otherwise it'll be too much. Choose sanity over frustration.

5) Manage Your Time Wisely

This is tricky, and an ongoing challenge if we want to be healthy and productive. Family, work, social media, and necessary commitments - we need to find and maintain our right balance. Give yourself some grace, be flexible, set good boundaries.

6) Breaks are Good

Time to regroup, recharge, and catch up on other things is crucial. And therapeutic. The blogging world will carry on in our absence. We'll be missed, most likely, but it'll all be there when we return.


Have you ever been a blog or other kind of snob? Did I miss anything here? What helps you stay afloat with blogging and other commitments? What are you working on this month?

I'll be taking a break and will return on January 15, 2018. I hope you enjoy a lovely holiday season with your loved ones! Thanks so much for being so wonderful, kind, and faithful. :)

Happy writing, 
Karen 



Photo image: Pexels

6 Ways to Manage the Demands of Blogging

As you know, blogging is a wonderful way to meet people, sharpen writing skills, make connections, and market services and books. There's no getting around it, though, blogs require attention and care. Writing content, posting, general site upkeep, responding to comments, visiting others' blogs, etc., it can get overwhelming at times. How can we keep stress to a minimum? Here are 6 tips that have helped and inspired me.

1) Keep posts short.

Long posts are great, but short ones can offer good info and interaction too. It doesn't hurt to take the pressure off sometimes, sharing brief thoughts, a quote, or simply asking your readers one question. A high word count doesn't guarantee quality content or reader engagement.

2) Schedule posts in advance.

This is probably the best thing since the invention of the blog. Whether you're going away, looking ahead to a super busy month, or have an idea for a July post strike you in February, scheduling ahead can be a lifesaver.

3) Offer regular features.

Author Susan J. Reinhardt's Friday blog posts share interesting links and info. Ask the Expert, a staple at veteran freelance writer Jennifer Brown Banks' site, offers great interviews. Regular features here include Meet the Blogger and Miscellaneous Monday. These types of posts provide good content and can be scheduled in advance.

4) Post less often.

There are no blogging laws dictating post frequency. Sure, you want to be consistent so that readers know when to expect good content, but that doesn't mean you must post every day. When I began blogging, I posted twice a week. I'm down to once a week now with an occasional extra post as necessary. This better suits my schedule, as I suspect you prefer a sane Karen over an overworked, scattered one. 

5) Find a good time management balance.

This is an ongoing challenge, with family, work, social media, and other demands. But we need to find and maintain our right balance. It's tricky, but it can and must be done to be healthy and productive. Allow yourself space and grace, too, when things don't go as planned. In ten years, it won't matter if you miss a post or forget to tweet. 

6) Take a break.

A little time to regroup, refresh, and catch up on other things is therapeutic. Plus it gives you time to stock up on chocolate or other necessities. I hate to say it, but the blogging world will manage in our absence. And that's okay. They'll miss us, of course, but they'll soldier on until we get back.


Basic tips? Yes. But ones worth revisiting when feeling uninspired or overwhelmed. At least for me, anyway. :)

How do you manage blogging's demands?

Happy writing, 

Karen 

 Photo credit: F. Turco

Four Essential Blogging Questions

Veteran freelance writer Jennifer Brown Banks of Pen and Prosper joins us today in the final post for the Good Friends Old and New Blogoversary series. Jennifer is one smart lady, and I count it a blessing each time she shares her wisdom with us.

Before You Hit "Publish" - Four Questions Every Writer Should Ask

by Jennifer Brown Banks     
                                                        

“Knowledge is power.”---

Blogging blindly can be counterproductive and a waste of time for you and your potential audience.

And I should know. As someone who does a good deal of online surfing, daily, weekly, yearly, I encounter quite a few spots where I am convinced that some owners have no clear direction where they’re going or where they want to take their readers. And though I do enjoy the occasional “joy ride,” I don’t typically like it in my reading travels.

Unfortunately, when this happens, it sometimes comes across as if these individuals are more perfunctory than passionate in their blogging efforts. Or for some, perhaps it’s just the inability to objectively assess how posts are being received. Don’t make the same mistake.

Quality blogging is what we owe readers in exchange for their time, loyalty, and interaction. With a mind-boggling number of sites from which to choose, it really is a compliment when they spend time with us and our thoughts.

Blogging is not just about being “heard”; it’s about building connections. It’s about constructing a sense of community and facilitating lively discussion and debate.

With this in mind here are the four most important questions you must ask yourself before sharing your words with the world.

1. Who is the target audience? Some Bloggers make the mistake of trying to be all things to all people. Their topics are very broadly based with no real focus or consistency. Readers never know what to expect from week to week. There’s no real connection. Approaching blogging in this manner is akin to traveling far, unknown distances without a road map. Though you may ultimately stumble upon where you want to be, it will take much longer, and provide a lot of unnecessary detours on the road to success.

Are your intended readers baby boomers? Writers? Stay at home moms? Your out of town relatives? Your target audience determines your tone, language and level of intimacy. Identify it and embrace it!

2. What's your blog's image? How do you wish for your blog to be viewed? Is it serious? Playful? Spiritual? Persuasive? Professional or recreational? Your colors, design, theme, voice and presentation should reflect this.

3. What's your purpose? What is your contribution to the blogosphere? How would you like to be “received.” Is your purpose to entertain? To gain support for an important cause? To share your writing knowledge? To make money? To make a difference? Of course, on various days it could be some or all of these goals. But, the less confused you are overall about your intentions, the clearer your readers will be.

4. What's the take away value? At the conclusion of your post, what will readers take away as a “parting gift“? Will you leave them with deep thoughts to ponder? Resources to pursue? An answer to a plaguing problem? A smile to brighten their day? Make sure that their blog experience is complete by considering and addressing these key questions.

You’ll find that these four questions are applicable regardless as to your niche or theme. Keep them in mind and follow them as the ultimate blueprint for building a successful blog!

Jennifer Brown Banks is a veteran freelance writer, pro blogger, relationship columnist, and word nerd. She teaches classes at the Coffeehouse for Writers and blogs at Pen and Prosper. Her blog was recently chosen as a finalist for Write to Done’s Top 10 Writing Blogs in 2011.

Thank you, Jennifer! :)

What grabs your attention when you visit a blog? What's your most valuable tip for great blog posts?

Final call for the Blogoversary Giveaway! Deadline to enter is Friday, March 30 at midnight. Click here for details.

Happy weekend,

Karen

Photo credit: Stock Exchange