I run two blogs. I try to update this one two or three times a week, and I reply to all comments. My other blog, Kittens and Books, is updated five days a week. Blogging also involves reading and liking and commenting on other blogs, which I'm absolutely terrible at doing. Running my book blog takes more time than this one because it takes time to read books, and also because I post there more often and am more strict about my schedule.
I am also a writer. I am a writer who aspires to be published, so I try to write daily. Especially because I'm just getting back into it, I cannot skip a day of writing. It throws me off, big time. Along with writing, at least online, comes reading and commenting on others work. This includes finding the work I want to read as well.
I also have pets and family and, in my free time, I like beading and drawing.
If you've read all that (did anyone find all that worth reading?) and wonder why I'm sharing, it's because I also like to waste time. I don't have enough time in the day for everything I actually want to do, but I still play games on my phone. I am a silent reader on twitter. I have a Tumblr account that I am on far too often.
And, in case the above paragraphs didn't speak for themselves, I don't have time to waste time!
Having acknowledged all this, my goal is to quit procrastinating. This next week, I'm going to be a productive person - if only to see how it feels and return to my old ways. If only because I'm so behind in everything that needs to be done.
I'll let you guys know how this goes for me. In the meantime, let me know what your favorite way to waste time is! How many things do you need to get done a day, and how often does all of it actually happen?
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Friday, October 3, 2014
Writing Is Social (For Me)
I know I've spoken a bit about my lack of writing in previous posts, but I'm not sure if I explained just how awful my 'writer's block' was. Beginning in March of this year, I was lucky to have two projects finished in a month.
This may sound like a good thing, but I'm a poet. I also write short stories. None of these 'projects' were novels. Most of them were under 500 words.
I'm not used to this. I am used to writing like crazy. Once I get into a story, it's easy for me to lose track of time and write thousands of words a day.
I did not write in August. Maybe I'm being a little hard on myself - I did write blog posts. But blogging and writing aren't the same to me. Writing holds an extremely special place in my life and fiction, especially, seems to be the only thing that 'counts' when it comes to the benefits I get through writing.
I knew this entire time I wanted to write again. I just didn't know how.
Recently, I decided to share my work online again. If you keep up with my posts, you know that I posted a couple of poems here on the blog. But I also created a new Wattpad account. And I joined Writer's Cafe as well.
On both sites, I posted an old post of mine called Weightless. It's a short story that I wrote in April, and it's a piece I am pretty proud of. At first, these writing sites consisted of distractions and my hopes that, slowly, I could get back into writing.
I wrote around 1,500 words today. My 'September 2014' folder, created yesterday, has four completed works in it. It took some pushing through, but it no longer seemed impossible. I am excited to write.
My point is, writing has to be social for me. I have to share my work. I cannot sit down and write a novel and think, after this has been written and edited ten times, I may be able to publish and share it with the world. Of course I would love to be published. Of course I want to write a novel. But I need side projects and discussions with other writers. I need critiques and sweet comments. I need that interaction in order to write.
I guess the reason is that I've always had that interaction. When I was very small, I would show my parents or grandparents. When my writing began to feel more personal, I stopped writing and my next 'big idea' was to draw and become an artist. And then I found writing sites online and began to write again, this time sharing with strangers.
This habit could be good or bad, but I'm not really speculating on that right now. I'm more happy that I found out what blocks me. I am thrilled that I have found my way back to these words.
This may sound like a good thing, but I'm a poet. I also write short stories. None of these 'projects' were novels. Most of them were under 500 words.
I'm not used to this. I am used to writing like crazy. Once I get into a story, it's easy for me to lose track of time and write thousands of words a day.
I did not write in August. Maybe I'm being a little hard on myself - I did write blog posts. But blogging and writing aren't the same to me. Writing holds an extremely special place in my life and fiction, especially, seems to be the only thing that 'counts' when it comes to the benefits I get through writing.
I knew this entire time I wanted to write again. I just didn't know how.
Recently, I decided to share my work online again. If you keep up with my posts, you know that I posted a couple of poems here on the blog. But I also created a new Wattpad account. And I joined Writer's Cafe as well.
On both sites, I posted an old post of mine called Weightless. It's a short story that I wrote in April, and it's a piece I am pretty proud of. At first, these writing sites consisted of distractions and my hopes that, slowly, I could get back into writing.
I wrote around 1,500 words today. My 'September 2014' folder, created yesterday, has four completed works in it. It took some pushing through, but it no longer seemed impossible. I am excited to write.
My point is, writing has to be social for me. I have to share my work. I cannot sit down and write a novel and think, after this has been written and edited ten times, I may be able to publish and share it with the world. Of course I would love to be published. Of course I want to write a novel. But I need side projects and discussions with other writers. I need critiques and sweet comments. I need that interaction in order to write.
I guess the reason is that I've always had that interaction. When I was very small, I would show my parents or grandparents. When my writing began to feel more personal, I stopped writing and my next 'big idea' was to draw and become an artist. And then I found writing sites online and began to write again, this time sharing with strangers.
This habit could be good or bad, but I'm not really speculating on that right now. I'm more happy that I found out what blocks me. I am thrilled that I have found my way back to these words.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Simple Blogging Tips
In these last few months as a blogger, I have noticed a few, very simple, things that some bloggers don't do. I can only guess that they either don't know about these things, or that they don't see the importance and how much easier things could be made for their readers.
I decided to share a couple quick tips in hopes of reaching those who might be new to blogging or maybe just aren't doing something I list. Hopefully it'll help at least one person!
If you don't know about Bloglovin', I really do think you're missing out. I have seen so many blogs that I would like to follow, but don't, and it all comes down to this site. Since it's my only way of following, I simply won't follow any blogs that don't have an easy to find Bloglovin' button.
Basically, Bloglovin' is a way of following blogs from several blogging sites, such as Wordpress and Blogger. It's a way to bring them together so you can easily see all the posts without using multiple sites to follow. I would recommend it for bloggers not only so people can follow you, but because it makes keeping up with others' posts so much easier.
It's pretty simple to follow once you sign up, but the link for the buttons are under your profile picture. The third link down says Bloglovin' button, and this is where you want to go and follow the instructions. Make sure you add this to your sidebar so people know where to find it!
This is is SO simple, but it's also very easy to overlook. I wouldn't be shocked if a bunch of the links on my blogs were missing this, as I don't test them all.
Basically, it's a check box. When you are creating the link, at the very bottom there are two check boxes. The first one says open this link in a new window, and will open a new tab when the link is clicked. This way readers can stay on your site and come back to it when they're done looking at your links.
I decided to share a couple quick tips in hopes of reaching those who might be new to blogging or maybe just aren't doing something I list. Hopefully it'll help at least one person!
1. Bloglovin' Buttons
If you don't know about Bloglovin', I really do think you're missing out. I have seen so many blogs that I would like to follow, but don't, and it all comes down to this site. Since it's my only way of following, I simply won't follow any blogs that don't have an easy to find Bloglovin' button.
Basically, Bloglovin' is a way of following blogs from several blogging sites, such as Wordpress and Blogger. It's a way to bring them together so you can easily see all the posts without using multiple sites to follow. I would recommend it for bloggers not only so people can follow you, but because it makes keeping up with others' posts so much easier.
It's pretty simple to follow once you sign up, but the link for the buttons are under your profile picture. The third link down says Bloglovin' button, and this is where you want to go and follow the instructions. Make sure you add this to your sidebar so people know where to find it!
2. Opening Links in New Tabs
This is is SO simple, but it's also very easy to overlook. I wouldn't be shocked if a bunch of the links on my blogs were missing this, as I don't test them all.
Basically, it's a check box. When you are creating the link, at the very bottom there are two check boxes. The first one says open this link in a new window, and will open a new tab when the link is clicked. This way readers can stay on your site and come back to it when they're done looking at your links.
What tips do you have for bloggers? Is there anything that bothers you, or that you wish more bloggers knew about?
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