by Bunny Miner
Well, I've been a guest blogger here for a couple of months now. I'm sure you've all noticed that I'm a newbie at it and haven't really even had very insightful blog posts but with my time here running down (I think this is a 6 month gig...) and my publication date getting closer, I have to decide if I'm going to blog on my own website when the time comes.
I know, we're all encouraged to blog about ourselves and our books and our writing lives but honestly, who cares about what I do? Wouldn't my time be better spent just writing and working on my craft? I usually don't have a problem tooting my own horn because I think I'm pretty awesome (just ask my kids, they'll tell you that I often remind them that they have a great mother) but I just keep coming back to the fact that I can't see why people would care about what I'm doing.
My target audience is 3-6, 8 if I'm going to stretch it. I think it's pretty safe to say they don't care about me. Their parents will be buying my book (I hope!) but the thought never occurred to me as a sleep deprived mother of babies and toddlers to sit down at the computer for my 2 free minutes and research the author of a book I read to my kids.
That being said, I'm sure there's a good reason to blog. So, what are your reasons to blog if you're a writer? Is it to get more people to read and buy your books? If so, what do you blog about? WIP's? How you came to write your first book? What? And how do you keep that topic going? Eventually you have to branch out to other topics. So, how do you pick your topics? Do you just come up with random tidbits each day? Is it always about writing or do you sprinkle everyday life in there as well? Then, how often do you post? How do you find time to do that AND your writing?
In case you didn't notice, I'm digging here. I know I have to start blogging on my own website (which still isn't done, btw!) but I'm trying to figure out how to be organized about it. Organization is NOT my strong suit but with 4 kids, one about to get married, one about to go on a mission, one in competitive gymnastics (which really takes over most of my free time) and one in a play on the other side of a town 2 towns over from mine, I have to get organized! I also work full-time, take care of my disabled father (who is fine, btw, his surgery from a few posts ago was just cataract surgery) and have a husband who likes attention too! Phew, I made myself tired just thinking about all that. When I add all the writing responsebilites on top of that, I get overwhelmed! So, I'm asking for help and I hope you'll all be forthcoming in how you handle things because I'm sure your lives are just as busy and crazy as mine! Help a sister out, friends. Let me know how you blog and keep everything in your life running on schedule.
The time is now yours! Comment, comment, comment!
Thanks in advance!
(Notice I actually got this post up on time this week! And I'm not even home. I'm on vacation...maybe that's the answer, more vacations! Actually, the wonderful Marsha Ward sent out reminders, GREAT IDEA!)
You bring up a great point. It is overwhelming to try to balance all of the roles we play: mother, sister, wife, daughter, friend, aunt, grandma, mentor, writer...not to mention all the menial tasks we perform. It seems to me that if I spend what little time I have to write managing social media, I won't have any time left to write. I'm interested in hearing how other writers are finding ways to balance their careers. Thank you for the great post.
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ReplyDeleteI know busy. I'm a mother of 6. I have three coughgrandchildrencough and a husband who occasionally likes to eat. I work as a unit commissioner for the Boy Scouts. I am a freelance artist. I am a Relief Society President. I am in two choirs and a stake play. My children are in orchestras and sports. Busy.
ReplyDeleteI write because I have things to say and learn and explore that have nothing or little to do with my books.
And I write to tout my books.
And I write for therapy of my soul.
And because I'm too lazy to write in a journal (that's changing now).
And because I review my friends' books and do the occasional blog hop.
Mostly I write a blog because I have things to say. It's cathartic and keeps me thinking about the written word in such a way that I don't have to worry about writer's block. Choose your own poison, but write.
I actually blog so I can get other people's comments. That makes me day. I love seeing the world from other perspectives.
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