Does this post make my blog look bigger? My fling with Google Analytics.

 

(This is the first of a two-part installment about growing my blog-readership platform.  I have been informed by those in the know that I will lose readers if my blogs are too long.  So now you have to come back again on Wednesday.  My apologies in advance.)

I have a confession. 

I’ve been trying to (ahem) expand my blog readership.

Before you say anything, let me explain!  It’s not you—it’s me!  You do everything right.  I’m the awful one here.  Every week I blather on about some nonsense or the other, and you show up and you read it fer chrissakes.  And you (sob) even comment.  You all make me feel so special.  It should be enough.

But then I started getting these emails about building my social media platform.  I know. I know.  I shouldn’t have fallen for it.  But I’m weak!  Weak--I tell you!  I was swept away by the promise of more followers, and more readers!  Reading!  All the writerly websites say building your social media platform is essential on the path to becoming a writer.  So I started up Facebook, again.  I Tweet my posts like the best of birds.  I visit, read and comment on others blogs, and they always DO come back to return the favor.  But I’ve always wondered, how do Bloggers manage when they have a huge following?  Do they still visit their visitor's sites in reciprocation?  How do they get anything else done?

And then along came Google Analytics.  I’ve always felt my Google Blogger Stats to be unreliable, and being the curious type, I experimented a little on the side. (But I didn’t inhale.) Google Analytics is supposed to tell me how many readers really DO visit my website, aside from my faithful dozen who consistently comment.  Google Analytics show my readers demographics and behavior, something horrible called a “drop-off rate” and a bunch of other crazy statistics about the actions of these blog-readers I have never met.  It lured me in with promises of success.  It told me what I wanted to hear.  I became somewhat of an addict.  One day, after reading I had 87 visits to my blog over the course of a day, I noticed a button called “Engagement”, and when I clicked on it, I found the average duration of over HALF of the visits was… under ten seconds!  Seriously? 

What was that sound? 

Oh—nothing.  Just my gynormous ego hitting the floor and shattering into a thousand bits and pieces.

Surely I’m not pouring my life’s blood into this realtionship for a mere ten seconds! I considered stopping this blogging nonsense altogether.  But I ain’t Irish for nothing.   Someone tells me “No” and I do my Grandma Josephine O’Donovan proud and come out fighting!

 

I decided to delve even further into building my blog platform, broadening my horizons and checking out some guest blogging opportunities.  I thought it would be a sort of experiment, nothing too far-fetched, you know.  And conveniently, one of the bloggers I follow had posted on several of these guest blogging opportunities.  I decided to take the plunge!  My findings?

 

You will have to wait until Wednesday to find out. I’m hope the suspense won’t kill you.  After all—you are my faithful twelve disciples.  Besides, if I go long you won’t be able to read this blog in three minutes, which is the average rate of visits for most of my readership. 

But in the meantime, do tell:   Are you concerned about building your blog-readership or do you just say “To hell with it!” How do you approach gaining readership?  Is it just time in the trenches, hosting contests, commenting, and building relationships?  I would love to hear how you all have done it, and as always, thanks for reading.

~Just Jill

ROW80 Check in:

I have followed through and submitted an article to an online magazine, and have my “Chicken Soup for the Mother’s Soul” article in the final edit.  My plan of enter “Dreamwalker” in a contest to light a fire under my editing butt has fallen flat since I did not make it into the contest.  I did however get an honorable mention.  (Always a bridesmaid…) I shall continue editing without the lure of readership for now.

As Helen (one of my fabulous CPs) says, “Onward and upward into the fog!”

 

 

A Few Good Hops and a Question of Place

Oh—the never-ending search for a fabulous blog-topic!  What is a gal to do when one is knee-deep in JaNoWriMO, embarking on a second date with a new CP, researching Victorian Glastonbury and can barely come up for air except to read fabulously hilarious and scintillating blogs by other writers who have obviously rationed their precious time better than I.  (Yes, that was one sentence.)

As a newbie to the blogosphere, I have been so encouraged and welcomed by many of you who have reached out and somehow found me in the myriad blogs that exist.  You have taken valuable time and read my words, left comments and shared in the communal blogging-bowl. Thanks so much.  Not only have your witty words and candid thoughts inspired me, but your sense of community has made me aspire to that level of kinship, and so today, I wanted to share some of that bountiful harvest with others.

I must herald the call to all those bloggers interested in a challenge of the alphabetical sort.  Our secret ninja guide and mentor, Alex J. Cavanaugh, whose blog is the veritable mecca to those of us thirsting for manna in the chaotic sea of choices has information regarding the A-Z Blogfest which sounds like good fun and should hold yet unearthed gems for upcoming blogs.  If you need to know anything about the writerly world, (or pit toilets) go ask Alec.  There you will also find the “Insecure Writers Support Group”, (badge is in my sidebar) a wonderful blog-hop with a blog-flavor for everyone.  Try a double-dip! Alex’s blog is veritable treasure trove of inspiration and support.  Get thee hence and become a member of the Ninja Army. 

Proof that I am truly a secret member of his minions is this talisman, which the Ninja Gods left for me to find recently.

 

M. Pax is also offering a fun blog-hop called "Back from the Future"  starting March 1^st.  Since I find myself dealing with the theme of time-travel (of sorts) in my current MG novel, how could I refuse?  The prompt will draw you in and get that writer's brain working...so prepare to be involved!

  Hart Johnson’s always titillating  “Confessions of a Watery Tart" provided not only laughs during a harried week, but thoughtful introspection as well, first on her high-larious piece about memory—or lack of it.  (I would tell more, but I have quite forgotten it.) 

 

Her clever poll about “What kind of writer are you?” got me to thinking, and I so enjoyed reading all of the comments.

 

Also, Misha Gericke is hosting a very community-oriented contest at her blog, "My First Book", where people can nominate/vote for favorite blogs in categories such as , “Most encouraging blogger”, “Best reviewer”,”Best writing/inspirational post” and “Beginner with most potential”.  Fun stuff.

Have a great week everyone, and in closing, and to keep those lovely, inspirational comments coming (to someone deep into researching a place) I would like to pose a question:  How do you research/prepare to write about place and setting?  Do you draw maps, or stalk Google-Earth like some strange cyber-tourist?  Do your characters follow real streets or just hang with “lane” and “road”.  Do you use your Aunt’s old house or create a new one?  How much is too much?  If you are writing fantasy, do you first create the place you are writing about, or does it create itself along the way?

Looking forward to hearing your tricks of the trade!

~Just Jill

 

A Defining Resolution

All right.  I give up.  I shall write a blog about resolutions.  I am plum out of  ideas anyway, and the notion of bettering oneself and catching the wave of collective resolve is undeniably in the air, and on the internet. I have read several blogs about what the past year has brought others, and since I have really no exciting news to share about agents, publishing, reviews, accolades or any other glad tidings of merit hailing from my little empire, I shall skip that part and get on with it.   

 “Resolutions” are a familiar enough notion, however, upon closer examination, Webster’s description held more than I anticipated.  The definition of “resolution” to which I will be adhering is “the act of analyzing a complex notion into simpler ones.”  Though the whole bit about “the subsidence of a pathological state (as inflammation)” sounded intriguing.

 Perhaps many of you can relate:  As a writer, embarking upon my second novel, still trying to market the first, developing community, creating a strong online presence, tweeting, blogging, pinteresting, palavering, querying, researching and commenting, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed at all that must be done to arrive at my desired future of publication, with the distinct possibility that, even with my best efforts, it all might go unheeded, and unheralded by others.  It is, as my father used to say, “Like swallowing a rope”.  Gulp.

 

So, what’s a girl to do?  Turn complex into simple. 

 

“What can I do today?” 

 

“What am I moved to do right now?”

 

And remember, “The process precedes the destination.”

 

We write because there is a story to tell.  We read because it brings joy.  We commune because it is our nature. We resolve to aim, to strive, and to better ourselves to provide purpose to our lives. 

So go ahead!  Capitalize on this season of resolution, and make a few of your own. What would you choose to determine over the next year?  What seeds will you broadcast, and what harvest do you hope it will bring?

 

A "Happy New Year to Everyone". 
May your harvest be plentiful.

A Call to Writers...

To my fellow writers and most gracious readers:

If you are reading this, "Thank you!" first of all, since trying to get read seems to be my number one goal these days.  (Ahhh.  The pathetic fate of the writer.)

My goal with this blog is to connect with other writers seeking that same slush-pile redemption, that golden-ticket we all want/need/crave to make this time-consuming hobby/obsession legitimate.  We want to be read—Dammit.  Read, hopefully published and in my most immediate case, develop one of those super-cozy-karate-kid type relationships with a fabulous agent who gives me ice-cream, actually reads my manuscript and tells me I’m brilliant.   (Or at the very least says, “Well—I dunno ‘bout this one, but I’ll give ‘er a try.")

If so inclined, please sign on as a follower to my blog, and I shall return the favor.  Perhaps together we can create a community of like-mindedness, and not feel so desperately alone in our struggles for recognition and publication. (That's smacks a bit desperate don'cha think?) If you do sign on as reader, please do comment.  Nothing spreads the warm-fuzzies around like a well-placed thoughtful interjection by others. I shall do likewise—with aplomb.

A few things you should know about me:

*Typos are a fact of life with me.  I’m thinking of making it my signature.  (Like Hemingway and the period.) Forgive me in advance.  I’m writing with a screaming toddler on one leg and a hormonal pre-teen on the other.

*In the last “American Girl” quiz my daughter gave me, I turned out to be “a corn dog”.  Go figure.

*I am a total techno-weanie-gearhead about English history, (especially the Renaissance) and I am prone to long-winded treatises which may end up sounding like a high-school sophomore’s term-paper.

*I am dreadfully old.  Forty-six at last count.

* My book is YA historical fiction/non-fiction

*If you still want to be my friend, I’ll be loyal till the end. (And I’ll read you!)

 I’m tired of watching the cool kids at lunch have all the fun.  I'm a "can-do" kinda gal and so I figure, let’s form our own club—and get busy! (Judy and Mickey would!) Who knows what might happen? 
At the very least, online comraderie, sunshine and perhaps a picnic with friends.