How to be a Better Blogger?

As I was walking to work from the bus stop, thinking about stories and writing and blogs, I happened to think about various conversations / questions I had from new bloggers. I am by no means an expert, and this post - like all posts here - is only my opinion. It may work for some people, but not for others. You can only figure out what works for you by experimenting yourself.

These suggestions are for people who want to attract audience to their blogs. Some people may not care about that, and are happy to post their thoughts regardless of who, if anyone, reads them, and that is perfectly okay too. It's your blog. It's your choice. But if you do want to increase readers, these suggestions are based on the evolution of my blogs, as well as what I - as a follower - look for in other people's blogs.


In 5 simple steps


Blog about specific topic(s) - Target an audience 


For me, this is one of the most important things. My first blog was called, "Lost Wanderer's Random Blog" - and as the name implied, it was about random topics.Variety of topics. It was fine, but it didn't attract much audience. There are many people who keep a blog where they write about anything they want. There are various kinds of people in this category.

Some of these people are celebrities, so people want to read about them. They have already established an identity, so the audience is eager. For example, those who follow Neil Gaiman's blog, are happy to read about his pets, or wedding, or kids, or writing. Because they are interested in knowing more about an author they love.

Others are regular people, who want to share their opinion of everything. Some of these blogs do become very successful, because these authors have amazingly unique voice that appeals to an audience. But majority of these blogs get a small, but loyal following of people who know/like the blogger. Friends, family, people who come to know you in other areas, and then want to know you more. I follow some of these blogs myself.

Majority of blogs I follow fall into "specific topic" category. When I go to these blogs, I know what to expect. I know that if I want to read publishing, writing related post, I will find it there. Or if I want to read about art-journaling, I will find on this other blog. If the writing blog I follow suddenly starts posting about fishing, I am lost. I might go there a few more times to check if it's back on topic, but a few more fishing posts, and I won't bother. It's a waste of my time, clicking on it, expecting to read something I am interested in, and seeing something I am totally not interested in. I could have read another post by that time.

From personal experience, people who enjoy my journaling blog are not the same people who enjoy this writing blog. It's a different audience. If I combined them both, it would more than like annoy both of those audiences. One part of that audience is interested in my experiences/trials as a writer, and the other part as a journal keeper. Offering your audience a clear understanding of what your blog is about creates reader expectation. They know what to expect, so when they want to read about that topic, they know they can come to you, and you will deliver. That doesn't mean that you are restricted. You can, and most people do, post about random things now and again, and most followers enjoy that glimpse into their personal life. The key is not to lose the focus, and more or less to stay focused on the theme of your blog.

If you do have more than one interest, have separate blogs. They are free. And it is not much more effort, posting on two blogs than on one blog. Put yourself in your readers' shoes - if you pick up a Harlequin Nocturne Book, you know you can expect sensual paranormal story. If you end up with a wuss of a heroine who doesn't do anything more than bat her eyelashes, you are going to be annoyed, because that's not what Harlequin Nocturne markets itself as. The theme and focus of your blog is what you are telling your readers they can expect. If they don't know what to expect, they might not bother wasting their time.


Blog regularly


I am actually quite guilty of breaking this rule - but that doesn't mean it's not a good rule. This doesn't mean you have to blog everyday, or even five times a week. But ideally, you should blog at least once a week, though much better would be two or three times a week. There are millions of blogs out there, so you need to make sure people don't forget about yours. It is easier now, with Facebook, Twitter, all the other social networks to remind people when you have a new post, but it is still a better practice to blog regularly.

I may get to that eventually. I have some good periods, but when I get really busy with everything else, my blogging slips.


Share something worth reading

This comes back to the theme and focus of your blog. Some blogs are specifically created to give people advice on a particular topic. In that situation, you have a professional, or some sort of expert, who shares their knowledge. For other blogs, people are sharing their personal experience about something. On this blog, I share my experiences as a writer on the path to publication, and the process as I learn it and develop it. On my journaling blog I share my journaling process, prompts, tips etc. My hope is that people would find it useful, perhaps to avoid the errors I make, or to try what I do and see if it works for them, or simply read entries for interest.


Respect your readers

Don't patronise your readers. Believe them to be capable, intelligent people. They might have different opinions than yours, but that doesn't make them inferior in any way. Respect them as people. Respect them as readers. Don't insult them by preaching, or by insisting that your way is the right one. I hate posts where people absolutely insist that another point-of-view is the wrong one. More than like it isn't. All it is, is different than yours. Always remember that what works for one person may not work for another. This is especially true in writing industry. Think about all the successful writers, the ones that you admire. Now pick two or three of them - do they follow the same process? Have their writing come from same experiences? For same reasons even? I doubt it. We are product of our experiences, as well as our DNA. We are all different, and while basic motivations and driving factors could be summed up in psychological terms, at the core, what makes us tick is different. If you want your blog to be about one particular opinion, one political side etc. fine, do it. People who follow that same issue will be your audience, but don't expect those with different opinions to think just as highly of you or your blog.

Readers are spending their valuable time reading your posts. They could be reading someone else's blog. They could be spending that time with their child. They could be watching TV. They could be reading a book. They could be doing a million other things. But they are there, on your blog. Appreciate it. You don't have to fall over in gratitude, but take some time to reply to comments. If your blog gets hundreds of comments, of course you won't have time to reply to all of them - but for each post, at least reply to a few. Make people aware that you are aware and appreciative of their contributions. Let them know that you value it.

That's it. These are the things I try to follow. For me, blogging is about enjoying this process of sharing, and not a chore. That's why I refuse to make timetables for my blog posts. But I still hope, and work at, becoming a better blogger so that my readers would find satisfaction when they read a post.

What about you? What are your views about becoming a better blogger? What turns you on or off about blogging, or about visiting blogs?

I am still here

Hello Folks,

How are you all? Sorry I haven't posted here in over a week, so I thought I would just give you a bit of an update. 

Definitely no intention of neglecting this post. In fact, I have got several drafts of posts going on various topics. Unfortunately, I have been far too busy/tired to make them a priority. Day job has gotten much busier because I've picked up some extra responsibilities, so I am much more tired as a result of that, and feel it in my evenings. 

But Editing is still on-going, and I do at least little bit every day. Progress has been slow so far, but there is definitely progress. Along with editing, I am also working on my outline for a new book. But Editing is the main priority, so I am not pushing myself on the outline, merely strolling along. 

So blog posts, and actually everything else that I need to do happens on bit-by-bit basis, and currently they come under the category of "Things Not to Stress Over" This blog is important to me, certainly. But the whole point of this blog is that it is a writer's blog, and as such, my first priority must be the actual writing/editing/finishing of my book. 

So don't run off and leave me....I will be back as and when time permits with hopefully interesting and useful posts. 

How are things going for you? 

Editing Officially Begins Today

Yesterday I finished read-through of my NaNo 2010 novel, so today Editing officially begins. This is an important event for me. Up until now, I have edited books to various level, but I have never yet finished complete edits and revisions to get a book to submission level. This book is going to be the first one to achieve that. 

So as I begin editing, I am also going to be paying attention to my process, what works for me and what doesn't. I don't expect to get it right in the first instance, but I am determined to try, and more importantly, I am determined to FINISH this book. 

So wish me luck...and let the editing begin!!!

Conundrum, Confusion, and Some More Conundrum

Okay, so I was just being a tad dramatic with the title, because all those Cs sounded very nice. But the confusion is all too real.

Remember that post about selecting a new WIP - between Urban Fantasy or Science Fiction? And the end result of that was yet another Urban Fantasy which was suddenly and unexpectedly born. So I started brainstorming, outlining that. And you know what, I love it. I've got characters. I've got main storyline - though not all the scenes. 

But you see - when it comes to new WIPs, I have this major problem. I have TOO MANY choices. And it doesn't help that I am amazing at logically arguing myself in or out of a story. It would be okay if I argued on one side - but I have good reasons for all sides, and that makes making a decision hell of a thing. Even worse, it's a nightmare after the decision is made, and I have more amazing reasons for why I should work on something different. 

So now I think....I have made a decision. And I am telling myself that I am going to stick to it. (I won't tell you what just yet - because let me wait a bit and see what I end up writing). 

But here is the question - have you got a problem of too many choices? How do you decide what to work on next? 

Books Read in January

I have decided to post a list at the end of each month, of books I read during that month. This will be a place to make brief comments about some of the books, whereas my overall annual list, simply includes names of books and authors, without any reviews or comments.

01. Arctic Drift - Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler - 05/01

Good story, excellent plot. But as is often the problem with a lot of complicated thriller novels,  writing itself leaves a lot to be desired. So even though I can appreciate a good story, and I can see what an excellent movie it might have made, but I can also see how much more I might have enjoyed if writing was more polished. 

02. Princess Diaries: Seventh Heaven - Meg Cabot - 06/01

03. Princess Diaries: After Eight - Meg Cabot - 07/01

I mistakenly thought that this was the last book in the series, so I was extremely annoyed by its ambiguous ending. I am sure there were few expletives as well. Then I calmed down enough to check on Meg Cabot's website and realised that there are actually two more books, so the world was right again. I am not a fan of vague endings at the best of times, but in series it is completely unforgivable. I don't invest hours and hours of reading time, and several books worth of money in a series, to find that conclusion could be either this or either that. 

04. Journal 1 - Dolly Garland - 08/01

I haven't read my journals cover-to-cover since I started keeping them. For the earlier journals, enough time has passed for me to look at them with objectivity, so I have decided to start reading from Journal 1. 

05. The Laurentine Spy - Emily Gee - 09/01

This was an excellent stand-alone fantasy. It does a good job of containing just enough information of setting and background to be sufficient for stand alone. It is well-written, engaging and characters are very sympathetic and well developed.

06. The Devil and Miss Prym - Paulo Coelho - 11/01

07. Club Dead - Charlaine Harris - 14/01

08. Knight of Shadows - Roger Zelazney - 14/01

09. Dead to the World - Charlaine Harris - 16/01

My absolute favourite book in the Sookie Stackhouse series (from Books 1 to 8). Before this book, I liked this series. After this book, I love this series.

10. Dead as a Doornail - Charlaine Harris - 16/01

11. Definitely Dead - Charlaine Harris - 17/01

12. All Together Dead - Charlaine Harris - 18/01

13. From Dead to Worse - Charlaine Harris - 19/01

14. Magic Strikes - Ilona Andrews - 22/01

15. Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader - Anne Fadiman - 22/01

A superb collection of essays from a book lover. Anne Fadiman's writing style is easy to read, engaging and genuine. This little book is a wealth of joy for a book lover, and the essays talk about books, as book lovers think of them - as something more than just a piece of entertainment or an object. The value of books as we perceive them is not understood by "regular" people, and reading these essays is like speaking to a friend who feels exactly the same way.

16. One for the Money * - Janet Evanovich - 24/01

I read quite a lot of Stephanie Plum books from a library few years ago. Just bought first three books in the series for re-read. 

17. Pride and Prejudice * - Jane Austen - 30/01

Jane Austen is one of my favourite authors of all time, and definitely my THE favourite classics author. Now and again, I feel the need to revisit my favourite Austen books. 

Naming Characters

A very big part of a new WIP is naming characters. The initial Urban Fantasy I was going to write was easy, because I already had main characters, but since I went off to another idea, I needed new characters. So the brainstorm started. And along with that, thoughts about names.

Names are of course very important. There are issues of certain facts and realism. You can't have a modern young woman named Edna without some sort of explanation. No offence to any Edna out there, but I only know or have heard of Ednas who belong firmly in my grandmother's generation. So if your 20 year-old is named Edna, you bet there is some reason for it. Or I think there should be. 

But other than that, we do have a lot of freedom with modern characters. In the world today, names are no longer restricted to one culture or one geographical location. Baby names range from weird to wonderful, and that could be used for characters. So realism I can manage. But for me, names are really really important. They have to resonate with me perfectly for that specific character. 

Some characters come with a full name. Other come with a first name and then I have to fumble around for a surname. Then there is the issue of bigger picture. Sometimes, I find names for hero and heroine that I love, but they end up sounding too similar or several supporting characters end up with names that begin with same letters or end in same sounds. Then I have to change some. I have been known to spend days trolling through baby names websites for inspiration if the right name doesn't strike. 

I prefer to have final names as early in the process as possible, because names are very much part of a character's identity, and I like to start thinking of them with their right name immediately. I am sometimes less fussy with really minor characters, but all main characters and important supporting characters do get a lot of attention before I name them. Though I do love the ones who tell me what their names are from the start. 

What about you? How do you name your characters? How fussy are you?

What Kind of a Reader Are You?

People treat their books differently. They love their books differently. One person's habit could be another person's nightmare. Forget about e-books for a moment, and think of all the paperbacks and hardbacks you love(d) before the E-Reader Army arrived in town. How do you treat your books?

Are you a spine breaker? Are your pages dog-eared? Do you care if the books are used or new? Do you keep them? Do you write in them? Do you leave the book open, lying face down? Does it matter what your book looks like? 


I will share my own idiosyncrasies. 

1. I almost always buy new books. I have few used ones, where I might have picked them up from a second-hand shop or charity shop. But these would have been something that caught my interest, but not necessarily something I desperately wanted. These would have been bargains that were so cheap I felt it wouldn't be a waste even if I never touched them or didn't keep them, and even if used, they would be in relatively good condition. If it's a messed up book, dog eared ages, broken spines, food splashes - I wouldn't buy it for a penny. 
2. In all of my books I write my name and a date when I got the book. If I bought it from somewhere unusual - like while I was travelling in another country - then I write down the place I bought it from. 
3. I don't really lend my books, and I don't borrow other people's. Having lent them to few people previously, I have learned my lesson. I don't trust other people to handle my books. I lend occasional book to my husband. But he doesn't read a lot and I buy plenty for him as various presents than he ever reads, so it's not a big thing. But even when I give him one of my books, I supply it with a book mark and instructions to be careful. 
4. I do have double standards. I write in my books. I can scribble across the margins, underline pages, and it's okay. It adds to the character. If anyone else as much as puts a dot in it, they wouldn't be my favourite person for a long long time. 
5. I always use bookmarks. I may leave a book open and facing down for two seconds if I am just trying to grab something and needs hands free, but no more than that. I have a handy supply of bookmarks around, so it's never a problem, and besides, as soon as I pick up a book to read, a bookmark is the first thing that goes in there. 
6. I take care of my books, but not at the cost of pleasure. I am naturally careful with them, so if I have read a book only once, it will almost always look brand new. But the books I read again and again, begin to show wear and tear. And I like that. It adds to their character, and it makes sense that my favourite books would fall into that category.
7. I keep all my books.