Monday Mailbox~While I was away...

While I was off doing other things, somewhat emptying my back seat is now proverbial molehill instead of mountains, my mailbox filled each days with emails...not mention spams which were deleted. A total of 2,613 emails in two weeks between my two email addresses. For a change only 51 were spams. My you all were busy.

Today I'm going to focus this blog on  a couple critiques done on my blog. And while you read this and think I'm angry be aware that I'm not. I value all opinions made. The major results were this...

1. Too busy and as such, slow loading.
2. Not personal enough.
3. Nowhere does it say I write fiction.

In answer I will respond in kind.

#1 I am on the verge of simplifying my blog with another major format change. Yes, it will be more simplified. I'm planning to redo my sidebars and what's in them. I was in the planning stages of revamping my blog before I asked for the critique to know just how and where I needed help.

I took some hits on my backdrop of book covers. I happen to like my backdrop but may organized the image a bit different. I use the same backdrop for my twitter page.

My choice of font size. I chose a 14 to 16-point font size because it is easier for these old eyes to read what is written. I visit many of you all where the font size is 10 points and I'm having to really zoom up the screen just to read what is written. I know it is not the same for all of you with younger eyes. Yes, I do have bifocals or one reading contact and one distance contact but the distance from my face to my monitor is in between the two. I may make everything a 12-point font to make it easier for you with aps.

#2 My blog isn't personal enough? It's all about me and the trials I go through as a writer. I use me as an example. Depending on the day I touch on a variety of subjects and tell how I work through them. Now if by personal you mean talking about my kids and my animals, I do that on occasion too, but this is a writer's blog. It deals with stuff writer's face as my pastor's blog deals with faith issues.

You want personal? I've got three children out of four heading for divorce court. Two out of four children unemployed plus their spouses, for right now, with me also unemployable and NOT disabled enough for disability payments. I'm paralyzed and need a caregiver part-time because I can no longer do for myself. I've got family dying around me every time I catch my breath from the last one.  How's that for personal?

My point is everybody has rough times. I like to keep things upbeat. I try to have fixes and how-tos to focus on because real life in the face of adversity totally sucks. Nobody really wants to read that, do you? Not everything is rosy or total crap. There is a middle ground and I try to stay there.

What my readers read here is my vision, my values, my value content, my mission, my branding for the stuff behind my books. If others learn from my knowledge fantastic. If not, oh well. This is my way of doing a blog.

#3 Nowhere does it say I'm a fiction writer. True because I write both multi-genre fiction and nonfiction. I am a writer first and a published author second. I'm not going to separate the two because it's all writing and my writing. Sure readers of this blog get the skinny of my being a stroke survivor and caregiver for my terminally ill hubby, they get insight into events that happened in my life that prove to be the impetus or kernels for my fiction works and nonfiction works, and they find out about me along the way. It's not sugar coated because I'm not that kind of person.

Humans are complex individuals. For as many people that agree with what I say, there are just as many who disagree. That's the beauty of what makes us human.

For me as a writer the good and the bad. I remember to..

Embrace all things,
Relish all things,
Cherish the differences,
And
Write all things.

Keep writing and loving the Lord.