Questions for the Bloggers

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mary Brazeau on March 28, 2010 at 3:30pm

When I first started I was very particularly looking for an outlet to think through a few things. One of my first posts was list of things I wanted from my blog and a to-do list for my life. It kept me on track. I did try to control the time: we homeschool and stop everything in the morning at 8:30 for prayer.
One very important thing before you start is to discuss what parts of your family life will not be posted. I know some bloggers who almost seem single because their husbands do not want to be mentioned and they respect that decision. Others give their children nick names and do not refer to them by their real names for the same reason.
This may mean times when you are not blogging. That has to be OK. Right now the things I most want to write about I can't. Turns out writing was serving as therapy.

Now, for a really funny list of how to's in blogging try cake wrecks! She became an author in one year because she became so popular. She also listened to her husband and stopped blogging on Saturdays. She is so popular that she has help. One SIL and her husband regularly do a guest post.

One great tool on blogspot allows you to schedule when a post will publish. This is great for a novena-- preplan when each post goes out.

And good blogging! I seriously loved my first 3 years even though I've backed off since.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Angèle on April 7, 2010 at 4:01pm

Blogging can be so rewarding :). It's a great creative outlet!

The way to answer your first question kind of depends upon what your purpose for blogging is. If you are blogging for yourself (to write each day or week, to keep a family journal, to vent, to have a writing outlet, or whatever) and don't care who/if anyone reads, then blogging on the fly is probably the way to go. If you want to establish a readership, get published, or blog for potential income, then you'd want to set up a regular blog schedule and remain faithful to it -- readers like predictability.
I don't have a specific time for blogging each day, but I do try to blog every weekday, even when I have no ideas. It's a discipline for me (albeit a fun one!). And my husband knows I've made it a discipline so he checks every night to see, "What's on the blog today?" If I haven't done it, he encourages me with topics or ideas.

2. I write directly into Blogger, though sometimes I'll "Save As a Draft" to finish working on it later. Some of my friends write into a word processing program so they don't accidentally publish the post before it's ready (and it's also a protection against others navigating away from the blogging page if you step away from the computer and losing your brilliant thoughts!). A third option could always be to handwrite it :). If you don't have a laptop, it's kind of easy to hand-jot down interesting notes throughout the day and put them together come posting time.

3. I don't have a Mac (sadly).

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Carol on April 7, 2010 at 4:08pm

Thanks Angele!

I think my purpose at the moment is just for me...to vent, to log life for my family etc. I just started on Blogger yesterday and hope to be blogging several times a week. Here is my blog if you want to give me advice. I haven't spent much time on layout yet. That will come. I just have to get writing regularly. I welcome any more advice!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Silvia Aldredge on October 4, 2010 at 11:44am

Hi Carol,
I like your blog so far very much. I write a recipe journal www.yumfoodblog.blogspot.com which is similar to yours in that it is so personal.
The biggest two things I would recommend are try to write consistently, whatever time of day you do it. Even if its a two paragraph post, maintaining the habit for me has been really important.
Write for a while and a graphic identity will probably suggest itself to you.
Best of luck

• ▶ Reply