Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Guest Blogging, ROW80 and my Dorothy Gale Moment


Yup.  That’s me up there.  I am feeling rather sheepish in regards to my last over-the-top-drama-queen blog from Monday. I mean, here I am blathering on and on about statistics-- meaningless droves of faceless numbers, and here you all are, commenting, supporting my silly needs, being the funny, eloquent writerly individuals you are day in day out and putting up with my greedy whiney need to be popular.

Sigh.  Thank you.  From the bottom of my wannabe prom-queen heart:  Thank you.

So, I promised beguiling tales of my foray into guest blogging.  At the behest of another blogger’s good intentions, I checked out two links for guest blogging with a somewhat moderate return on my investment of time. In retrospect, I guess I was drawn into the whole idea of guest blogging with the intention of “growing my ego”—I mean “blog readership”. I set some goals for ROW80 and thought I'd follow through.  I’m not sure if it was the right avenue for exploration, but sometimes, getting lost is exactly what one needs to find out where the real destination is. (Watch "The Wizard of Oz" for further clarification.)

The first site is BloggerLinkUp. This site is free and hosted by Cathy Stuck, a.k.a. "The Idea Lady".  This site offers opportunities for writing guest blogs for  other sites or hosting a guest blogger of your own.  There are listings for contests, informational articles and the chance to network in the greater blogosphere at large. A rather dry site visually, but to its credit, it does have an easily accessible list of blogging gigs.  I liked that the list of opportunities is readily available for easy perusal by topic.  If one wanted to “get out there” and write an article for publication, or publish an already written piece, this might be one way to begin. 

The next site is MyBlogGuest. This site is huge, with thousands of members clamoring for guest bloggers and writers jostling for gigs.  The daily emails allow me to check out relevant posts from like-minded individuals seeking guest-bloggers and bloggers looking for places to post.  While the site is free, the premium membership, which allows you to peddle specific articles does have a fee. 

Frankly, I’ve had a hard time navigating this mega-maze of a site and that’s AFTER a five day tutorial.  It’s also a bit of a sensory Sahara and a little overwhelming when in comes to choices.  It is also rife with a lot of (gasp) non-writer-types, so typos, bad grammar and dead-end links abound.  However, I did follow up on one lead which has proved to be all right so far.  I am writing an article (for free) for a new online magazine about mothering and will be submitting it this week.  (Guess what: I'll keep you posted.)


So, after all the time and energy that has gone into this, will I be read by scads of people?  Will they care about what I write more than you, my loyal visitors and friends? Will people flock to my site in droves?  Um… what was I looking for anyway?  The feel-good-fuzzies I have received from YOU have been both heart-warming and thought provoking.  It has made me realize more of who I am and what I’m even seeking though this whole blogging thing.  I keep thinking of that scene in “Wizard of Oz”.  You know the one.  Where Glinda asks Dorothy what she’s learned, and Dorothy says,
“I know that if I ever to looking for my heart’s desire, I’ll never go any further than my own back-yard.”
 
I truly have learned to value this community we’re creating together.  I love hearing your colorful thoughts and opinions, and reading your interesting, funny and informative blogs.  It’s the realest (yes that's a word) thing I’ve got going.  Maybe I should’ve started with you first.  So, if you will allow me:  If you want a guest blogger for your site, you know who to call.  And conversely, if anyone is interested in doing an interview about your so-called writerly life, I'd be honored if you would be my guest.

There’s no place like home.
~Just Jill

A huge P.S.
Apparently, my blog address has been hacked by a Bible study site?!  What?  THAT'S not in the Bible.  The bible site only pops up sometimes and usually at the worst of times, like when I signed up my linky for ROW80 and now everyone thinks I’m a spammer, or worse.  Has anyone else experienced this?    I feel like changing my blog URL would unleash a backlash of unforeseen internet crap!  Any advice my People?

The karmic internet Gods are laughing at me!  LAUGHING! 
"Trying to increase blog traffic, eh?  Take that!"


 

 

27 comments:

  1. Antidisestablishmentarianism. Now THAT's a word for you! I am not sure where you might wish to use it. It may serve to scare away the Bible Study blog, though I doubt they're Anglican.

    Well, you're welcome to post on my blog at any time. I was thinking of posting interviews and inviting people to participate.

    The thing is - for me, at least - one must make certain not to over-extend and over-commit. I remember April with A to Z (made it!) finalizing one book, editing another, and a plethora of other things. I'm still reeling from the pressure.

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    1. Gah! I keep forgetting my signature!
      Diana at About Myself By Myself

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    2. Thanks Diana. Your a peach. Good advice and I might just listen.
      ~Just Jill

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  2. You've been hacked by a bible study group? What is the world coming too?

    You are very brave with the guest posting - it is one of the things that I mean to do at some rose tinted point in the future when I actually like how my blog looks and, oh yes, I've finished my MS.

    I do agree with Diana though, it can be really easy to over-commit to things like that.

    Best of luck.

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    1. Thanks Debbie. Now about that WIP, MS and assorted BS...
      ~J

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  3. Hugs on the hacking LOL! Luckily I haven't had a link issue coming here. How did the chicken soup article editing go?

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    1. It's finished. Just have to submit. I got side-tracked with a few other articles that needed to go first. Thanks for remembering!
      ~Just Jill

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  4. More hugs for the hellacious hacking! (Yes, Bible groups can be hellacious.)

    I completely agree with Diane - don't over-extend! I did a blog whirl one month, and didn't my life blow up and make blogging difficult, nay, impossible? Lesson learned, commit to what you can, period.

    That's enough lecturing from me - and do come on my blog any time you like!

    PS - Other readers, I appeared on Jill's blog, and it was beyond fun. I highly recommend her as a wonderful host.

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    1. I'm about to swoon from the LOVE! Thanks so much for all the shout-outs you do for my blog Alison. It's really beyond the call of duty. Next cuppas on the house.
      ~J

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  5. Ugh, not funny to have the blog hacked... but kinda (little) funny that a bible group did it :D Kinda... just a little... :D

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    1. Yes, it could be viewed as funny... just a little.
      Just Jill
      (Just a very, very little.)

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  6. I love this community, too. I have guest blogged, and sometimes it leads to new readers, though it seems like it most OFTEN leads to new readers if I guest for somebody I'm friends with who can give me a stellar intro (Alex is GREAT for that and hosts if you are having an event or book release--always get bajillions of hits when I do something with him). When I guest in random places, the payback tends to be low in terms of BLOG stuff. (now does it sell books? That it may--I think it DOES--there are some big book bloggers and if you can get in there when you have a book release THAT is totally worth it)

    But I do believe in this nice organic process...

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    1. You are a model of the nice organic press, my dear. It has been wonderful following you on your own path to publication.
      ~JJ

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  7. My blog is open to any of my blogger buddies! You have only to ask. And me to find room in the calendar somewhere...
    The second one sounds confusing, so I might check out the first one.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Cap'n, and the offer rocks.
      ~JJ

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  8. Once I did click on your blog and, lo and behold, there was a Bible study thingie. I thought, "What the Hell is gong on?" But then I re-clicked and there was the nut tree. Hmmm...I thought it was a SIGN as in the singing of angels and harps playing.

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  9. Thanks for the, um, positive spin...
    ~JJ

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  10. Jill, I think you should visit that group as a guest blogger and blog about the morality of hacking to get new membership. :-)

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  11. Yet another positive spin! Turn it into a writing gig!
    That's why I love this group so much!
    Thanks for stopping by E.V!
    ~Just Jill

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  12. Well, golly Just Jill, if ya had to be hacked, at least it was done by a decent God-fearing Bible-thumping group of people. It could've been much much worse. Oh, wait! It's not those wackos who protest at funerals, is it...?

    Good luck with your guest blogging aspirations. You're a lot more ambitious than I. As it is, the amount of time I spend on Blogger already seriously hampers my "real" writing time, and much to my bemusement, quite a few people have been urging me to write another book like RAT NOW. Who'd a thunk it? So I have to at least pretend to be working on a book, instead of trying to find a new excuse to spend more time loitering in the blogosphere.

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  13. My motives are purely mercenary I'm afraid. I get read! Immediately! You guys never start your comments with "Thank you for writing, however..." which is all I ever get back from my novel. I guess I'm just having fun blogging and it makes me feel good. My fifth edit on "Dreamwalker"? Not so good.
    I'll get there eventually.
    ~Just Jill

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  14. Hacked by a Bible Study Group! There's got to be a plot there!

    I didn't know about those blog guest sites, so thanks for the links.

    But I'm with you and your Dorothy Gale moment. There's no place like home. Invite people to guest for you and network that way for a while. Many of those sites looking for free content are a total waste of time. One spot--or even a mention--on better known blog--especially one in your genre--will get you much more exposure than giving away hundreds of articles for fly-by-night blogs who want to use you for free content. The way to get on better known blogs is to comment often and become part of the community.

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  15. Here, Here! Give the lady with the flowers the microphone please...
    ~Just Jill

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  16. Hmm, well, I have no advice for you at all. I've done a few guest posts on other blogs, but it's not something I ever did with the intent to grow my blog. More like I was asked and I said yes.

    I did have a post of mine "lifted" and put on a Native American Wikipedia site. That was kind of cool. That post gets lots of traffic now. But I still think if increasing your readership is your goal then you just need to build more relationships within the online community. Follow people, leave comments, and sign up for blogfests. They do say we should begin this online "platform" building thing three years before publication to have time to build up a community of readers around us. I'd say that's about right.

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  17. Sounds like you've been learning lots of good stuff, so that's great! Sometimes, even when it's not the lesson you were looking for, you can still get plenty of good stuff out of an experience.

    Sorry to hear about the URL weirdness. Hope it gets straightened out soon.

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  18. She's right, there's no place like home, it's where you can be your true self and where you attract an honest following, warts, burnt sausages and all.

    Happy to have followed the yellow brick road here. :)

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  19. Hate hacking, but love the story of being hacked by a Bible site. Sorry. That's just flat funny.

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Please use your words and comment freely! We really should meet!