Posted 5/29/08
Blogging For Life
Number one rule - never go to sleep until you have listed your blog on one new directory and/or left a comment on someone else's blog. This will quickly build an audience which helps motivate you to write when you're busy.
Make a list (mental or otherwise) of your favorite blogs. This will come in handy on a day when you need an idea or are too busy to write. Takes about 10 minutes to put together a list of links for your readers to enjoy.
Interview your readers. Make a list (mental or otherwise) of questions for a mock interview. Every so often, ask a frequent commenter or another blogger for an "interview." Send questions, sit back, do other stuff, post answers when they arrive. Your readers will feel more involved with your site and it gives you a break.
When you find yourself staring out the window, watching the Godfather for the 19th time or chatting on the phone with nothing to say, remind yourself (out loud is fine) that your fan base awaits. Put down the phone, toss the remote out the daydream window and get to work. We'll all feel better.
Make a list (mental or otherwise) of interesting topics that cross your path. For us sports bloggers, this list is golden in the offseason.
When you read a blog and think "that's what I'm talking about," send the site administrator a note. Let them know you appreciate their work and suggest a link exchange. I have the world's ugliest blogroll (cannot be alphabetized) and am continually surprised how many people are willing to be listed.
When you're feeling productive, write a couple of pieces. Only post one. Save the rest for a busy day.
Guest bloggers - your friends and family will be thrilled and flattered to have a byline on your site.
If there are social networks specific to your blog's overall topic, join every one and engage with the community.
Saying to a friend who wants to go to a movie that you need to write a game recap for your blog and seeing that "you have got to be kidding me" and involuntary eye roll can be intimidating. This happens to me a lot. Any time you make a change in your life, people will resist it. They want your relationship to stay the same. Two thoughts on this.
1) Reconcile yourself to seeing less of this particular person
2) Explain to them what blogging means to you and you may be surprised that the next time you ask them to go to the movies, they will decline because they need to post something.
The assumption behind this question is the notion of sacrifice in order to blog. How do I put aside the rest of my life to make time for blogging? My experience has been exactly the opposite. Blogging is the fountain at the center of my life, enriching all areas. I have met people all over the world and right here in Cleveland, including my own neighbors. Friends use the blog to stay connected in their busy times.
It is possible to sustain a real life and an interesting, current blog. In fact, it's the only way.
Did you know you can sell links on your site with Text-Link-Ads?
great stuff, and the blogging world gets smaller. I have been communicating with Carolyn for various things and yes she has some great work out there.
I would like to add I make time for blogging by ignoring everything I don't want to do or should be doing.
Haha Cuzzy...I actually took the last 3 nights to ignore blogging and now I'm backlogged like a mofo.
Golf, Jamie Lidell, more golf and beer took over.
Back now though!
Carolyn is by far one of my favorite internet persons ever. Just a great lady and that continues to put out amazing work every day.
Great points - I follow most of these myself. Once you get into a schedule, it's easy to keep...so you wanna do a guest spot on my blog?
Uh oh Carolyn, hope you've got the guest posting Air Jordans on this weekend.
Great post. I would also add if you involve the other people in your life with your blogging in some way you can eliminate that "you have got to be kidding me" and involuntary eye roll entirely.
For example my girlfriend is my blog proofer and design/color consultant.
Agree with you there Dannie...my chick is pissed at me because I've been neglecting Le Basketbawl and she likes reading the new basketball biz at work.
I better get back on it or no lovin'!
Hey - you're Women Like Sports. I admire you. Do you have a topic in mind or do you want to be surprised (and possibly wildly disappointed)?
Cuzoo! Everywhere I go, there you are.
Yeah - Hi Carolyn! How about hooking me up with some of your hoops wisdom? Or you can surprise me! Shoot me an email and lemme know. You rock!
Great article even if I have to say that sometimes it is frustrating that for all one does to this blog it is still not getting the "looks" that others do.
AEM
A.E.M. - Would you be willing to do an interview with me for And One?
Agree with you A.E.M, and you usually end up getting the 'looks' for some random article that you spent like 15 minutes on. (i.e. the 15k hits I got from Mustard today for some random NFL-All Food team I wrote 3 weeks ago)
Great post Carolyn :) I make time blogging for having a boyfriend who is a homebody and no social life. My friends can talk to me through a text message.
Sure Carolyn, would love to.
Would you like my email?
AEM
The last part is my issue right now. It seriously seems that I have to stay up at all hours of the night to have any time to myself right now.
Hopefully things work out as well for me as they did for you though haha. Things must be great when you get to the point that you're able to make comments like this:
"2) Explain to them what blogging means to you and you may be surprised that the next time you ask them to go to the movies, they will decline because they need to post something."
Ha ha funny because my girl friend checks the blog every day and gets on me when there is no new posts.
FYI do not call Carolyn " Mrs. Hastings" . She hates that. :-)
Great article. Carolyn is one talented hard working writer/blogger. I totally agree with Kellex. Carolyn is also one of the nicest people on the interweb.
Charles - Nice blog. Way more ambitious than And One.
Ethanator1088 - Thinking of legally changing my name to And One.
No, change it to "The Q"
How about "Q Town Mayor" ?
Carolyn sounds personable. You own Carolyn. When I hear of Carolyn, I think of someone who is super nice and has an almost unhealthy obsession with the Cavs. :-)
Both are good things.
"Q Town Mayor" does not invoke the same response for me.
I think it goes with your great article. You have branded "Carolyn" in the sports blogging world.
Good stuff Carolyn.
Sometimes I feel completely depleted because of my blogging. For example, last night I was up until 3:30 or so and back up at 5:30 so I could finish up some college baseball regional previews before leaving for work. Today, my body is devastated, I can't write anything cause I keep falling asleep, and the Braves game is tied so I can't take a good nap.
Oh to live the high life. :)
Shotgun: That is one beautiful Web site. Adding Blue Workhorse to my favorites. I've had nights like you are describing. I also have a full time job and and a small editing business.
Can anyone help you out? I'd be happy to edit (no charge) pieces for you when you have this kind of crunch - might save you some time. Remember, your readers love you. They don't want you to burn/blog out.
I firmly believe my readers would rather skip a game recap than visit me in the hospital.
Please be careful out there. The NY Times ran an article in April about bloggers working themselves to death:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/technology/06sweat.html?_r=1&scp=5&sq=blogger+death&st=nyt&oref=slogin
"They work long hours, often to exhaustion. Many are paid by the piece — not garments, but blog posts. This is the digital-era sweatshop. You may know it by a different name: home."
All best.
Carolyn