Monday Mailbox ~ Guest Hosts and Post Rules

It's time to answer you questions...let's take a trip to Tilda the wonder mailbox. Circling my hand in a big fish bowl...aha, got one.

In the past year, I've received numerous requests for guest blogging posts. So far I've accepted none. NONE!? Yep, that's right. This blog is geared towards authors and readers. So many requests come from others which is an instant denial. The rest have a problem is with my rules which I send them when they request a spot. So I'll state them here for all to see for this blog.

kerosenegasohol

• All guest hosts and posts MUST be related to one of the following subjects: writing, publishing, marketing books, promotion for their books must come at the end,  indie authors, reader reviews, readers books that they love and why, or deal with strokes preferably writing after a stroke.
• I reserve the right on whether or not I choose to publish the piece and when. 
• I have a pretty strict schedule of posting and it has to fit. Monday is all me and you (my readers); Wednesday is all about the nuts and bolts of writing, publishing, and marketing, things you've learned along the way while writing that will help other authors; Friday is all about fun stuff- movie and book reviews, and family fun because every author needs some fun in their life. It is also for book trailers; and Sunday is all about stroke recovery. Diane, I'd love to do a piece by you on Bob's recovery as an illustrator. *hint hint*
• All blog postings and hostings MUST be a minimum of 600 words.
• My blog is heavy in pictures so author pics, book covers, and other pics concerning the the topic are welcome and encouraged. If not supplied, I will add whatever I find via the internet that relates.
• Gross profanity for profanity sake will get an instant decline.
• A preview of the post is required. I reserve the right to say "NO."

That's the basics. If you want to submit a possible blog, go ahead. Just remember da rules.

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

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.

Monday Mailbox~ Blogs

A couple weeks ago, I mentioned that there was a ghost in my machine about my posts. After performing an exorcism on my computer and heavy prayers for my blogspot blog, I hope it is corrected.

Now that the administrative stuff is out of the way, it's on to our regularly scheduled mailbox. This week I'm going to talk about blog... namely the way I set mine up here. I've used Blogger and all their editions for about ten years now. I know there are other blog type formats like Wordpress, Google+, and Reddit, but I'll stick with something I know and comfortable with.

These were comments and made here, in emails, and over in the Compuserve's Books and Writers forum so rather than list each question individually again, I'll post some of my answers here so everyone has access.

My blog replaces my website. With emails, where to find my books, chat to other writers, voice my opinions, and talk to readers and writers alike so it did everything my website did. I created this new blog to do all of that. A blog is a journal of sorts. A blog is anything you want it to be.

Things to remember if you want more readers/hits...

• Be consistent- When I first started blogging, months would go by between posts. Or maybe I'd blog every couple of weeks. Would you treat your friends that way?
• Give something useful- Whether it is information, a laugh, excerpts, reviews, ot whatever. Make someone glad they stopped by.
• A new view or take on something they might be interested in.
• Give a variety- my blog has themed weeks and different items for the days of the week, but yours doesn't.
• Your blog should be all about you. People getting to know you and your style.
• Learn what  you can do and can't do within your blog. All blogs on the web have bells and whistles. Use them to your advantage.
• Allow followers to add you to their blog roll or emails, or feeds.
• Use keywords

It sounds like a sales pitch, doesn't it? Well it is. As a writer, you have marketable talents and yes, you can put it on a resume too. From this site I sell my books, not directly, but I'm advertising them. Personally, I don't want the hassles of processing orders and shipping them except for book signing or events. With the latter, it's direct sales with no shipping. As an indie author, I choose the hats I wear for the most part. I prefer the subtle sale to hard sale tactics. I feel you cannot twist someone's arm to sell them something they do not want or folk over hard earned bucks for a "luxury" item.

Starting in 2013, I was well recovered or sort of from my stroke, I needed the practice in writing long passages to regain some of the writing skills I lost. Since June of 2012, I posted on my stroke recovery and frustrations usually only once a week. But since this blog was for writers and readers initially, I started blogging back for them on Wednesdays. Since the end of last year, I've added to the days I blog to include something for almost everyone like my mailbox, terms for indie authors, writer's, fun stuff, interviews, reviews, and my take on stroke recovery or just living after a stroke. It all helps me connect the dots in my brain.

Late 2012, I posted about the importance of using keywords because I noticed a dramatic increase in hits on my site. I'd forgotten one of the basic rules of marketing...they have to find you first. What distinguishes my blog from the fifty gazillion blogs/websites out there and how do readers find you. My blog on platform building for writers has hit over 2,000 page views as of this morning. That's a small number when compared with some other blogs out there, but the point is the number is growing. In January 2013, I had 2,016 hits for the month. By the end of February, the number of hits grew to 3, 458. See Statistical Analytics for more. I'm using more back links to other blogs I've written.

My blog has take-away value. Whether you're a stroke survivor or caregiver, a writer struggling with your manuscript or published author trying to promote your novel, or a reader, you are all reading, laughing, and being informed by my blog. How do I know this? The comments you make or the slew of emails I get every day about my posts. Even if my blog is how I am doing, I'm still getting responses.

So that's my response about blogs and the way mine works.

So why do you blog and why?

Keep writing and loving the Lord.