Confession: This isn’t my first blog.
For a year or so I kept a food blog (which my darling husband made me keep completely anonymous in case of recrimination from some angry restaurant owner). I really enjoyed it, but it was just for me. Honestly, I didn’t care if people read it or not. My reviews and musings read more like a love letter to food than a blog. It wasn’t written to anyone except the food, and as we all know, food can’t respond.
Now that I’ve written several novels slated to be published (!) in 2012, I realize that much of what I write from now on might be of interest to other people. Not everyone will be interested in my writing, of course, but someone’s got to care about my life/work/family ramblings, right? And now that I’m writing for others, instead of just for myself, I realize that I have no idea how to go about doing this. My novels – small-town romances set in New England – at first, were just for me, too. But now that they’re going out into the world where (hopefully) lots of people will read them, they’re for others.
Writing confessional-type blogs isn’t my thing. Nor is oversharing or ranting. And I don’t want to write about writing. In a way, that seems too meta, and it’s not something I really think about all the time. When I’m not writing, I’m teaching or spending time with my family or baking or doing something other than thinking about craft. So I thought why not figure out what and how other bloggers are writing about and why.
In order to do this, I’m going to join up with Rachael Harrie’s Writers’ Platform-Building Campaign. I’ve never tried anything like this before, but I hope to accomplish a few things:
(1) Get connected with people in the writing community
(2) Figure out what kind of tone I want to set for my own, personal blog
The Campaign only runs from August 22 through October 31st, so I figure it’s a good chunk of time in which I can get a good feel for what’s out there. If this sounds interesting to you, I encourage you to join up as well. It sounds like a fascinating way to meet similarly-minded folks.
Good luck with your new blog. I look forward to watching you find the direction you want to take with it. Also, BIG congratulations on your novels set to come out next year!
-Michael
Thanks! Happy to have you here!
Aw….a writer after my own heart! You’re doing the same thing I have been working on…defining and setting the tone for what your blog will be about. 🙂
I’m with Michael…Congratulations on the upcoming release of your novels! I look forward to hearing more about them. 🙂
Thanks Christy! I look forward to working things out. I’ll be following your approach, too!
Greetings from another Campaigner. I’m glad to have landed here. Your thoughts as you approach blogging sound very similar to those I entertained when I started “Stories and Opinions” in Sept 09. I subconsciously articulated a mission statement, and I recommend that for any blogger. This is mine: to share my voice through personal essays that have a potentially broad appeal, are often humorous, and never surrender my privacy.
Congratulations on your upcoming publications! The s at the end of the P-word is particularly impressive. Good for you!!!
Good tip, and I like your mission statement! Thanks for stopping by!
Hello,
I’m making my rounds through my Campaigner groups. Nice to meet you 🙂
Figuring my blog’s tone is one of my goals for the campaign as well. Congrats on the novels!
Nice to meet you too! I look forward to seeing how your blog unfolds, as well.
I’m hopping around trying to meet some of the writers in my group. nice to meet you! Congrats on getting novels published! I’d like to offer you a tip on blogging…try making a list of words that describe you and your writing-go for 100 words. When you look at your list you’ll see things that pop out and those things should direct you to the tone or topic of your blog. Then decide what you want your readers to take away from your posts and what emotion you want it to evoke.- inspiration, intrigue, humor, motivation, etc. That should help you find your voice. Good luck and see you around!
Thanks, and pleased to meet you, too! Good tips for me – very helpful!
Hi there from a fellow campaigner, congrats on your upcoming books. Seeing where your blog takes you is part of the journey and the fun
Thanks! Glad to meet you!
Hello ebarrettwrites! I’m a fellow romance campaigner, first time. So nice to meet you!
I’m excited about this campaign, too. Thanks for stopping by!
I’m in your Romance Campaign group, just wanted to stop by and say Hi.
Your blog is beautiful 🙂
I am a campaigner in your adult fiction (4) group. Just dropping in to say ‘hi’
Hi,
I am a first time campaigner (that sounds foolisly confessional) and stopped by to check out your blof. Congrats on your soon to be published books. That’s so great.
sounds good!
nice to meet you thru the campaign =)
Starting out with a new blog (or trying to reinvent one you’ve had going) is tough. Everyone says make a platform, but for fiction writers ‘platform’ sees to be fairly nebulous. Good luck in your own journey, This is my first writer’s campaign too!
Hi there. I’m in the romance (2) fiction group. Love your post, and this is such a good way to get started in blogging. It’s also my first real bash in the blogging community.