Showing posts with label blogger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogger. Show all posts

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Blog Spotlight #2 - Lifestyle and Literature

Hello, everyone, and happy Thursday once again! Today, I have another awesome Indie-friendly blog to highlight. Ready? Grab your cup of Jo and let's get going!

Blog Spotlight
Lifestyle and Literature

Hi, I’m Sophia. I’m originally from the United Kingdom, but currently living in sunny Spain. I’m a (new) author, blogger, and newspaper columnist. Most of my time is spent writing, and reading. When I do manage to take time out, (which isn’t often) I like a nice glass of wine to shows such as: Sons Of Anarchy, Dexter, Gossip Girl and Sex And The City.

I started my book blog, Lifestyle & Literature, three years ago. I was eager to help authors, both traditional and self-published, in all genre’s. My blog contains: author interviews, guest posts, book reviews, fashion/lifestyle and my personal journal, including my journey to becoming a published author.

On my blog you can expect to find authors such as Lindsey Kelk, Victoria Fox, Alice Raine, Jessica Brody, Kendall Ryan, Alessandra Torre, Vina Jackson and more!

I enjoy blogging and writing more than anything, so it’s great to connect with people that have the same interests. I’m excited to be starting my author journey, my erotic romance novel, HIS CONFESSION, book 1 of The Black Door Trilogy is released on the 16th February. I look forward to meeting more bloggers, readers, and authors.



P.S. I’m seeking blog tour hosts, if you fancy joining me in helping authors promote their novels. The sign-up form is here.

Visit on social media!
Wordpress Blog
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest
Goodreads

I do hope you all take a moment and check out Sophia's links.

Let me know what you think.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Blog Spotlight #1 - BookSmacked

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I have my first Indie-friendly book blog of 2016 to share with you. Read on and ENJOY!

BLOG SPOTLIGHT:

BookSmacked

BookSmacked

Hi, I'm Melissa, but most people call me Mel. I am from Canada and with my husband whom I married a year ago but have been with for 8 years. A huge hockey and football fan, I have tons of useless sports statistics stored in my brain. I'm a speed reader, often reading a full book in a matter of hours. If I really enjoy a book I will read it 4, 5, or a dozen times.

 

So my story of how BookSmacked became a reality. Pretty simple really. I love books, and when I read a book that I absolutely love, I wanted someone to talk to about it and share my excitement with. So, I joined an online book club. Through that book club I met some wonderful people, who I now call my friends, and some of those friends were bloggers. I discovered this online world of authors, readers, bloggers, and book pimpers and said I want to be a part of it.

 

So, I joined a street team to help promote indie authors, and from there I took it one step further and started BookSmacked. A blog that can be used for Readers, Authors, Bloggers, Pimpers to share their love of books.

Booksmacked Blog

I hope you come for a visit, interact and share your love of books with me.

Connect (1)

I hope you all gave her blog a follow and checked out her links!

What do you think of this feature? Let me know in the comments.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Friday, October 23, 2015

Asking for a Like

Happy Friday, everyone! Today, I'm asking you all for a HUGE favor :)

Would you please go here and like the comment with my page listed. Don't comment, please; just click like. :)

And, this isn't necessary, but would be appreciated by all the bloggers taking part, would you head on over and give a few likes to the participating blogs' facebook pages as well? As authors, we all need book bloggers in our lives. Can't hurt to connect with them, right? Here are the links:

1. A One-Click Addict's Book Blog
http://on.fb.me/1OV8baz

2. Ab Fab Book Blog
http://on.fb.me/1PJVeRF

3. Amazeballs Book Addicts
http://on.fb.me/1kxrxYh

4. Artsy Book Lovin Sisters
http://on.fb.me/1PJVsZ6

5. Bad Boy Book Addicts
http://on.fb.me/1PJVy2V

6. bloggin with m.brennan
http://on.fb.me/1jX9gmz

7. Book Crazy Friends
http://on.fb.me/1Xng2AP

8. Book Fancy
http://on.fb.me/1hYpXwB

9. Book Lovers Hangout
http://bit.ly/1NWSnFO

10. book review virginia lee
http://on.fb.me/1MW3367

11. Bookhooked
http://on.fb.me/1Gl1q0L

12. Books and Bindings
http://on.fb.me/1GXJGTF

13. Books and Warpaint
http://on.fb.me/1Lqx3Vn

14. BookSkater
http://on.fb.me/1Lqx6k2

15. Cupcakes and Vodka Book Blog
http://on.fb.me/1RZS8YW

16. Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog
http://on.fb.me/1PJWe8o

17. Harlie's Books
http://on.fb.me/1Ksa1tl

18. Hellmouth's Bookblog & Reviews
http://on.fb.me/1QYMGVx

19. Here is what I read
http://on.fb.me/1hYr6o0

20. Jazzy Book Reviews
http://on.fb.me/1hYra7h

21. Jazzy World of E's Bookshelf
http://on.fb.me/1LJb35V

22. Love Danielle's Escape
http://on.fb.me/1OV8HVY

23. Loves 2 Read Romance
http://on.fb.me/1NWSTU9

24. Marebare's Book Shelf
http://on.fb.me/1PEosSX

25. My Book Filled Life
http://on.fb.me/1LQ6WIM

26. My Book Obsession
http://on.fb.me/1QYNj1m

27. My Girlfriends Couch
http://on.fb.me/1GtTs53

28. Obsessive Compulsive Divalicious Books Pimps and Promos Blog
http://on.fb.me/1W7rQoa

29. Sassy Book Lovers
http://on.fb.me/1kxu84j

30. She's a Lip Biter
http://on.fb.me/1MHiWsH

31. Sinfully Hot Book Promotions
http://on.fb.me/1jxqeYm

32. Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'
http://on.fb.me/1GXKDLS

33. Sweet N Sassy Book A Holics
http://on.fb.me/1KsaP16

34. The Book Disciple
http://on.fb.me/1NWTaX5

35. The Book Fairy Reviews
http://on.fb.me/1LQ7s9K

36. This Mom Loves Alphas
http://on.fb.me/1kxuJ65

37. Twisted Sister's Book Reviews
http://on.fb.me/1XnhwLq

38. Under The Cover Book Lovers
http://on.fb.me/1GtTMkb


Not a lot. Just needing a favor :)



Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Monday, July 13, 2015

Publishing Your Blog to Kindle

Good morning, and happy Monday, everyone! Yeah, it's the beginning of a whole new week, but that means more opportunities to do all the things writerly. Today, my post is for bloggers. You're gonna find out all kinds of neat stuff about Kindle you may not have known. So grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Welcome to Kindle Publishing for Blogs! Did any of you even know this feature existed? Well, you're about to get a crash course. Screenshots will accompany. If you want to see one live, here's my blog's page on Amazon.

Start by going here to the Kindle Publishing for Blogs homepage. Click on Create a New Account and follow the prompts to do so:

I'm gonna click sign in, and walk you through adding a blog. Click the button:

You'll be on a screen now that looks like this:

We're gonna set up your RSS feed. Go here if you're using Blogger and copy the second string. This one:

Replace the words blogname with your blog's name, and copy it again. Paste it into the form on Kindle Publishing for Blogs here:

Validate, please.

Now, fill out the next four boxes:

You need a screenshot of your blog, and you can get it by using the snipping tool. Be sure it's under 1MB in size (there is no dimension restriction). Save it as a JPEG or GIF. Upload it.

If you don't have your blog's banner, you can use the snipping tool in Windows to capture it, too. Be sure it's only 50px high by 430px wide and no more than 1MB in size. Save it as a JPEG or GIF. Upload it.

Next, enter your blog's web address, select a language, pick the categories you fit into, fill out your keywords, and select your posting frequency:

You're all done and ready to publish your blog to Kindle! Click zee button! You should be live within 48 hours. Be sure and fill out your account information so you can get paid when people subscribe.

Did you know this option was out there? Will you use it?

Come on back tomorrow for more on the Amazon Author Central page and what you can do there.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Your Entertainment Until 6/15

Happy Thursday, everyone! Today, I'm gonna tell you all about the entertainment you'll be enjoying on the blog over the next two weeks. I'll be out of town for a few days, but I'm putting you in the capable hands of some fellow authors for the duration. Not tomorrow! Tomorrow is all about tips and tricks for utopYA con (my official post for the month). This is basically the schedule from now until I leave for the conference. Ready? Grab that coffee and let's get going!


6/5 (tomorrow) - UtopYA Con 2015 survival tips and tricks and pre-order awesomeness - What to bring, pack, and avoid, and what I really want from those pre-order lists (and where you can find them).
6/8 - Sheena Hutchinson takes over
6/9 - Tricia Zoeller is your hostess
6/10 - Elizabeth Kirke wows you
6/11 - Stormy Smith brings the rain
6/12 - Shawn McGuire will be guest posting
6/15 - An author interview with myself - no, I asked other folks for the questions (some of them).
6/16 - Time Traveling to utopYA 2014 - A look at last year
6/17 - My Travel to the con! Yes, I'll be putting up a blog post the day I arrive in Nashville.
6/18-6/21 - Be ready for utopYA stuff! Blog posts, maybe a video or two with interviews!

So, get yourselves ready! It's coming SOON!

Are you coming to the con? Looking forward to my takeovers?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Types of Blog Posts for Authors and Book Bloggers

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Today, I'm gonna talk about alllll those different kinds of blog posts authors and book bloggers create. If you missed the fun yesterday, be sure and check it out here. That's a Cover Reveal post; one of the post types I'll be talking about here in a second. Please, keep in mind these are general posts and not every single one on the planet. Ready? Grab that pen and notebook and let's get going!

Blog Post Types for Authors:
  • Excerpt - A little snippet of your current work
  • Coming Soon - Title teasers that can contain snippets or other fun things (like the general idea behind the new work)
  • Opinion - Something you feel bloggy/passionate about
  • How-to - All about the sharing of techniques used to write a novel
  • Cover Reveal - Exactly what it says
  • Tour/Info Post - Sharing information about a title (yours or another author's) either in a blog tour or not
  • Giveaway - Yeah, you know this one, too
  • Interview - You talking with another author and them talking back
  • Research - Stuff you looked up and found interesting
  • Resources - Places readers can look stuff up
  • Release Day Post - Yet another one that needs no introduction
Now, that's not all the post types for authors, but it's enough to help you understand some of the options out there. Let's get into the next topic!

Blog Post Types for Book Bloggers (reviewers):
  • Excerpt - A snippet of an author's work
  • TBR - A reviewer's list of books to be reviewed
  • Book Review - Yeah, I don't think this one needs explanation, either
  • How-to - Sharing where you got your books and where others can find them or how to write a review
  • Tour/Info Post - Either part of a blog tour or not, putting out information about a title
  • Stacking the Shelves/Book Haul - What books you added to your shelf over a week
  • Giveaway - Again, you can glean the meaning here from the title
  • Cover Reveal - Revealing the cover of an author's book
  • Roundup - Some bloggers you love and recommend your readers follow
  • Interview - An interview with an author or other book blogger
  • Vlog - A video of your book review
  • Photo - A picture of your books or shelves
Again, these aren't all the post options. I'm just giving you something to brainstorm over. *grin*

If you ever find yourself stuck without an idea (you're making a schedule, right?), I hope this kicks your brain into overdrive.

Any questions?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Friday, May 22, 2015

Blogging for Creatives

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm gonna talk with all you bloggers about a book I think you need to have on your shelves, and give you some of the highlights. I do love non-fiction how-to books, and I've recommended a number of them here on the blog. However, I like this book on blogging above any other I've come across.

So, I figured I'd talk about it. I originally picked the title up from the library, but have gone on to purchase my own copy since. I also grabbed one to give away during the panel I'm moderating at utopYA called "So, You Wanna be a Book Blogger/Tuber?" I have a great post on panels coming up for you next week, so I'm not delving into all that too deeply.

The title of the book is Blogging for Creatives: How designers, artists, crafters, and writers can blog to make contacts, win business, and build success, and it's by Robin Houghton. You can get a copy from Amazon here for about $16.

Moving on!

Now that you know the title of the book, have seen the cover, and where you can snag a copy, let's get to yammering!

Here are a few of the section titles and what you can hope to find:
1. Get Started - this covers many things like group blogging, what a blog is, and how to find a niche.
2. Blogging Tools and Technology - She discusses how to choose a host, and recommends some widgets.
3. Step-by-Step Setup
4. Creating an Eye-Catching Blog - Color, typography, and other fun stuff.
5. Creating Great Content

Anyway, you can see where I'm going with this. Plus, Ms. Houghton gives you awesome inspiration screenshots throughout.

If you're a seasoned blogger, you may not get a lot out of this book; but there were some tips and tricks in there I didn't know, and it helped me pull a new level of creativity out of my hat.

You know my utopYA author interview series? Yeah, the idea for that came from this book.

Looking to make money with your blog? This book will guide you through the process of setting everything up.

It's awesome. Period. As a bonus, you can check it out from the library for FREE!

You're still here? What are you waiting for? Get to it!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Thursday, April 23, 2015

What's Above the Fold?

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! I know you're all excited that tomorrow's Friday, but I'm still bringing you a little tip today that may or may not explain a few things and/or make your life a hair easier. I hope you brought your coffee, pen, and paper! Let's goooooo!

So, today is all about that little thing in bloggerland known as a fold. What the heck? Nothing on the web folds, Jo!

Yeah, I know things don't literally fold, but let's think of a blog like a newspaper for a moment, shall we?

Everything a reader sees before they have to scroll down is considered above the fold. Now that we have the terminology down, let's get to what should be there and why it matters.

Examine my blog. You're looking at it right now, and you may still be where you haven't scrolled yet, so take a moment and really look. If you've moved down, scroll all the way back up.

What's the first thing you see? My name, right? Then a description of what you'll find on this blog.

After you see that, you notice I'm involved with utopYA con and INDIE Books Gone Wild. Now it's time for pages on my blog I think everyone who visits should become familiar with.

Awesome. Now you know where you are, why you are, and what kinds of things you can expect to find, right? Stopping here for a moment to talk about why those things matter and do a short comparison.

Remember when I talked about your blog as a newspaper? If you have one handy, grab it. Leave it folded in the middle, please. If you don't have one, use your imagination (or the picture below) to recall what they look like.

Now, you see a description (All the News That's Fit to Print), a title, a date, a price, and a headline, yes? Move on down and see the author's names and the good stuff.

Basically, everything above the fold on a newspaper is to tell you who, why, and what. It's the same with a blog. People need to know what they're getting into at a glance. Period.

But bloggers have extra stuff that should be above the fold:
  • Date of most recent post
  • Headline of most recent post
  • Some way to share the post (or the blog)
  • A way to subscribe to updates
I'm a thorough believer in less is more. Load time matters as much as aesthetics. More than fifteen seconds and folks leave. But the four items above are essential. Why?

Date: So people can see at a glance you're active now
Headline: So folks can be attracted to your writing
Sharing: Do I have to explain this one? Mine's buffer, but you can use anything.
Subscription Method: So people don't lose your awesome blog

Folks might look around for a way to subscribe or share if it's not in their faces, but don't bet on it. Make it easy to keep up.

I'm not going into other things you need to have. Everyone chooses differently. I used to have my bio, all kinds of widgets and banners and things, but my blog took forever to load. I cleaned house. Confusion does not encourage repeat visits.

Do you love it here? Why? Why not?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Your Blog's Big Event

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Since Thursday is writing tips day, I thought I'd give a little to the bloggers out there about planning and hosting an event. So, get your pens and notebooks ready, grab your coffee, and let's get rolling!

As you may know, every year I do a little thing here on the blog called the 12 Days of Review Requests. This event not only gets me great books to read and review over the next year, it also helps me expand my network, meet new (awesome) people, and connect with other book bloggers and reviewers.

I spend all year thinking about what I'll do next and planning my marketing for December. I have to choose days, invite awesome bloggers, and gather donations from other authors. 2014 was the biggest year yet, and I intend to make it even more epic in 2015.

Over on My Book Addiction, Toni Lesatz has her zOctober event that focuses solely on zombie novels and the authors who write in that genre. She sent me information three months out about my guest post, what was expected of me, and what I needed to do to take part. That told me she spends a ton of time setting her event up, too.

So, if you went through my how to become a book blogger series, you'll know there's a lot more to running a blog than just choosing a name and typing stuff up once in a while. You need a plan and a big event of some kind that'll take your blog to a new level. After all, what good is a blog if no one reads it, right?

But, before you get all crazy, you have to first decide what kind of event you're going to hold and what you're gonna call it. Here's a quick list of things to consider:
  • Why should people attend?
  • What's in it for them?
  • What's in it for you?
  • How will it be run?
  • Where can you market your event?
  • What if (what can go wrong)?
  • Will you accept donations? If yes, what kind?
  • How long do you have to plan?
  • How long will your event run?
  • Is there another blog with a huge event running in the same time frame?
  • Could you partner to make both events a little bigger?
  • How will you handle donations? Will you deliver the goods or will the donator?
After you answer all those questions, you're ready to start planning. Take these steps:
  1. Form a marketing plan for the event based on the type (I'll get to that in a moment).
  2. Plan for snafus.
  3. Ask for donations (if you plan to take them).
  4. Set up your Rafflecopter forms.
  5. Design stuff for your theme.
  6. Pre-write your posts or gather guest posts and get them formatted.
  7. Prepare your invites.
  8. Take a deep breath and dive in!
Here are some types of events:
  • Blog challenges: Many bloggers join and plan to post each day--and visit posts by others--for a set period of time (do a search for the A-Z challenge, and the Author Blog Challenge).
  • Author/theme spotlights: Guest authors appear and highlight their books. Can be in one genre or many (zOctober).
  • Book Celebrations: Readers gather together to talk books, and/or authors can join in and pitch books (12 Days Review Requests).
I'm sure there are more, but those are the ones that roll off the top of my head. Your imagination is your only limit here.

You can also join up with a couple of memes. I know there's a few out there like Waiting on Wednesday (books you're looking forward to reading), Stacking the Shelves (books you've bought over the last week), and many, many more. That'll drive some traffic to your blog and help you discover other bloggers to network with.

Above all else, make your blog something people will want to stick around to look at again and again.

So, talk to me! What big events are you planning? Have you ever considered running something like this?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Newly Updated Blog Schedule

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Today, I'm dazzling you all with a new blog schedule. This is more so you know what to expect from the blog in the upcoming months. Which days you may want to mark to pay my little corner of the blogosphere a visit will be easier to determine. What? You love all the posts? Well, you rock! But for those others, who come here for something specific, I'm giving you a new map to help you navigate. I'm also planning a huge re-org of the information here so you don't have to wade through things you don't need to find what you're looking for. Grab a cup of coffee, get comfy, and let's get going!

First, let's hit that new schedule!

Monday - Every other Monday, you'll get an author interview. For those off weeks in between, I'm gonna start listing the highlighted author's books. So, that's something to look forward to!

Tuesday - Digital stuff. Whether this is news, a new app to make your life easier, or something cool I found while perusing the web, I'll share that on Tuesdays.

Wednesday - Book Review Wednesday! Every Wednesday, I'll post a new book review.

Thursday - This will be a day for a writing tip. Whether a grammar lesson, editing tip, writing tip, or a nifty book you should check out about writing, you can plan to get awesome information on Thursdays.

Friday - Viva la weekend! Seriously, the first Friday of the month will have an official utopYA Con post. For the remaining Fridays, I'll be giving you a snippet and link to the other official bloggers' posts. This will be re-worked after the 2015 con.

Now, on to the re-org of information.

I'm sure you're all familiar with my categorized link list. Well, because of the volume of tips and tricks posts I do, it's becoming an unwieldy beast. No one wants to hunt through tons of endless links (even if they are defined) to find what tip they're looking for. So, I'm endeavoring to split that page into a couple more, sorting the posts so they're easier for you to find. Those informational hubs will be updated as I write posts instead of twice a year (like it's done now). You'll also find a new book reviews page so you can see those with the click of a mouse.

Keep your eyes open for those changes. I'll announce them when they happen. All this goes hand-in-hand with my plans for the blog over the coming year. You'll see things streamlined, simplified, and clutter (I hate clutter) removed. I'm trying for something more like the photo above, with everything in a neat little box. *grin*

As I change things around, let me know how you like the new layout. I hope it works better for you, and makes this beast of a blog easier to navigate.

Here's to a new year and simplification!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Becoming a Book Blogger - Design Considerations

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Today, we're going into design considerations for your blog. Step four in becoming a book blogger. I do hope you're getting excited as you follow along and create your blog. By now, you've chosen a name, have a URL, and have picked a publishing platform. More than that, you have your review policies (what you will and won't review and how to submit)! You should also be a little bit familiar with your hosting service. This post is going into your blog design (layout) and content. So, grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

First, a recap of the past posts and what's coming:

Now, take a close look at my blog. You'll see there's a background that encompasses my logo and color/design scheme. On the sidebar, I don't have a ton of clutter for folks to wade through. One thing I have going on right now is my UtopYA con author interview posts. Because of that, I have two additional images on the right hand side. But, as you can see, my subscribe box is above the fold (this is referencing the part of your blog that's visible before the scroll).

Moving on down, you'll see another couple of ways to follow me and my posts (you do want your blog to be read, right?), then it goes right into my archive. Not having an archive where people can browse your past posts isn't a good idea. You want them to stay and look around a while.

Let's go back to the top!

You see my banner telling you what my blog is about, then a set of links I think are pertinent for everyone on social media to make as easy to find as possible. Note they're above the fold.

Because I'm OCD, and my blog is my haven for all the information I impart to my fellow Indie authors, I have a categorized link list. This is a whole separate page on my blog I use to sort posts into categories (with a little snap of what the post is about) so people don't have to wade through my archive to find specific information.

But my blog loads fast on a browser. Six seconds. Ideally, you want five or less, but I'm okay with six. I've visited blogs that took over a minute to load because there was all this extra "stuff" all over them. I waited, but only to take a look at the mess, click away, and never return.

You have about fifteen seconds to catch someone's attention. They won't wait much longer than that (if they wait at all). So, keep the clutter down and increase your load times.

Black text on a white background in an easy to read font is the next thing you need to consider for your design. If you make it hard to read your posts, people will be turned off and not come back.

You want them to come back. That's why you're blogging.

Make sure all your stuff is harmonious. Not that everything has to be identical, but when someone clicks on the link to your Twitter page, make sure it at least resembles your blog, website (if you choose to have one), and Facebook page. Don't let them doubt they've found the person they're looking for.

The Chicken Coop can have one chicken image on their blog, a different one on Facebook and Twitter, and still another on their website, and (as long as the look and feel is the same) they'll connect the dots.

Remember your name! If you've chosen The Chicken Coop for your blog, be @TheChickenCoop on Twitter as well. Be facebook.com/TheChickenCoop or facebook.com/ChickenCoop. Sign up for TheChickenCoop [at] gmail!

Be consistent and keep it simple.

If you want a couple more tips and tricks on making your public appearance gel, grab my free PDF on branding here. Feel free to download, study, read, print, and redistribute at your leisure. As long as you don't charge for it, I'm good.

What do you think? Have you built up your blog yet? Got any subscribers?

Go on and get those signup boxes going! I'll be back later in the week with advice on structuring your rating system.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Monday, September 29, 2014

Becoming a Book Blogger - Picking a Posting Platform

Happy Monday, everyone! We're continuing on our journey to you becoming a book blogger. If you've been following along and working with me, you'll have a review blog name, policies, and an idea of your branding imagery. Today, I'm gonna talk about choosing a platform. No, I'm not gonna choose a platform for you, this is just gonna be an introduction to the various ones out there. Once you find a blogging platform you like and it's easy for you to use, then you go get a book on how to use the darn thing and go from there (there's a great one at the library - title to come at the end of the post). Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

As always, a little recap of the series and links to previous days:
Now we can get into the various platforms available for you to choose from. These links will take you to the main page for each service. There are no affiliate links on the Jo Michaels blog, so you can click freely here. I get paid when I see you being successful.

FREE Blogging Platforms
PAID Blogging Platforms

How to choose? Well, go check each one out! Play with them or take a peek around their control decks. See which one is the most user friendly and customizable for your needs.

Maybe you'll want to have more than one. I have two: Blogger and Tumblr. Each has a very different audience, but readers nonetheless. Like choosing anything, go with the one that makes you the most comfortable and won't have you tearing your hair out after a few hours of setup time. Still not sure what you're doing? Call someone who does or check out these books from your local library:

Blogging for Creatives: How Designers, Artists, Crafters and Writers can blog to make contacts, win business and build success. by Robin Houghton
and
Blogging all in One: For Dummies by Susan Gunelius

Speaking of libraries! You can find books in the how-to section on almost everything having to do with blogs.

Moving on!

Now that you've chosen your platform, go register your new blog name (get your URL - something like TheChickenCoop.blogspot.com) and get your pages set up. At this point, you should have at least two pages: Home (where your blog posts are) and Review Policies. Get those two up and going, and we'll go into design choices you'll make for your blog tomorrow.

Baby steps!

What's your preferred blogging platform? Why?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Friday, September 26, 2014

Becoming a Book Blogger - Branding Yourself with Imagery

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Continuing on with my Becoming a Book Blogger series, today I'm gonna talk about choosing the imagery to go with your name. If you've been with me so far, you have a great name picked out, a tagline, and a review policy. As I stated yesterday, I'll be using The Chicken Coop as the name for the example review blog. Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Recap!
  • Choosing a Name and Review Policy
  • Branding Yourself With Imagery (you're there now)
  • Picking a Platform for Publishing
  • Design Considerations
  • Structuring Your Rating System
  • Building an Audience - Social Media Crazy
  • Writing Reviews
  • Money, You Say?

When considering branding yourself with imagery, keep this post in mind. While you want to be different and exciting, be sure you aren't cluttering your blog up with stuff that'll keep it from loading quickly. Remember, you have three to five seconds to make an impression. Use it wisely.

Here's a quicky for The Chicken Coop Book Reviews:


Now, this doesn't take into account any kind of color scheme you may have going on, and you may want a smart looking chicken, standing up, reading a book behind the banner, but you get the idea. This will matter when we get to structuring your rating system, too. Themes are fun!

Monday, we'll go into picking a platform to host your amazeblog.

What do you think? Are you coming up with some great ideas? Want to share?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Becoming a Book Blogger - Naming and Policies

Happy Thursday, everyone! Today, we're continuing the series on how to become a book blogger. Why am I doing this series? Because I've had so many people come up to me and tell me they're readers that consume at least three to four books a week, and don't write reviews for those books. What a loss for all those Indie authors out there! I know I'd give my book to someone who wanted to read and review it, and there are plenty of us out there who need those reviews. So, for those of you who love to read and have ever considered starting to write reviews, this series is for you. Grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

First, a recap of the series:
  • Choosing a Name and Review Policy (you're there now)
  • Branding Yourself With Imagery
  • Picking a Platform for Publishing
  • Design Considerations
  • Structuring Your Rating System
  • Building an Audience - Social Media Crazy
  • Writing Reviews
  • Money, You Say?

I'm starting with choosing a name because that's something that'll probably take you the longest, define your brand, and what everything else will follow. It's the single most important thing you have to consider. If you aren't creative like that, here are a couple of cool names not yet in use:

The Chicken Coop
Flower Power
The Book Gardener
Razing the Page

All of those can have awesome taglines that tell potential readers you're a book blog and here's why. Of course, The Chicken Coop would probably center on Hen-Lit. *grin* I'll use this name for the duration of the series for example purposes.

So, make a list of potential names and do a Google search to find out if the ones you like are already in use. When you find a suitable one, come up with your tag line (something like The Chicken Coop - Scratching Around for Great Books) and write it all down.

A WORD OF WARNING: Book bloggers are very protective of their babies. Don't steal a name from someone else or create a name that's too similar to one that exists. You'll be in for a war. Consider the information imparted.

Once you have your new, exciting name chosen, start on writing out your review policy.

This is for authors who find your blog or website, like your review/rating system, and want you to review their book. They need to know how to submit to you, how long it may take you to review the book, and your policy on rating books you can't finish (do you leave them alone or review and say you couldn't finish and why). How do you choose among the hundreds of submissions you get?

Also write a disclaimer about what you do when you're unable to finish or review a book. Will you contact the author privately, or will the title just fall away into the ether? No one really likes to coast along without knowing if they'll be reviewed or not, so be sure you're clear.

I think I've given you enough to think about for one day, so get busy and get that name chosen!

Anything you book bloggers might want to add about naming or policies?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

How To: Start a Book Review Blog - Series on Becoming a Book Blogger Introduction

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm giving you some information about a new post series that'll walk you through the steps of creating your very own book review blog. So, if you haven't subscribed yet, and you're interested in reading great, free books (and making money doing it) get on it. You may subscribe on the right ------------>

For this first of many posts to come on this topic, I'm giving you all a topic list that'll be updated as we go through the process. Why? Well, it's so I can show one link (to this page) and folks can find the information they're looking for. I love simplicity and organization (yeah, have you seen my link list?). Haha! In order, here are the post topics I'll be covering:
When you see the following image, you'll know you're on one of the building a blog pages:


I can't wait to get started. May the odds be ever in your favor!

What do you think? Interested?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

A Milestone on the Blog

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Wow. I looked at the number of posts I've written here on the blog today and noticed I breezed past six hundred last week. Today, I'll share with you some of the stats for the Jo Michaels blog. This'll be fun; so, strap in and let's get going!


As you all may know, I also have a blog over on Tumblr. It has the same content this one does, but I have different followers over there. Those folks like their information presented differently, so they choose to go that route. I'll share numbers from that blog, too!

This blog has:
  • 136 followers
  • 70 e-mail subscribers (of which 50 are verified and regularly click through to the posts)
  • 606 posts
  • Approximately 334,000 words (606 x 550)
  • 155,887 page views all time
  • An average of 213 page views per day (last 30 days was 6,394) and that number goes bananas around Christmas (and fluctuates down during the summer)
  • A categorized link list with 180 helpful, how-to posts on writing (and the business of self-publishing)
My most popular post? Human Nature: Situation Reaction with 2,036 views

My Tumblr blog has:
  • 178 followers
  • 500 posts
  • and no way to get stats on anything else
My most popular post? He Said, She Said, Who Said What? It's been shared so many times I've lost track.

I've been blogging since 2012, and I hope I've build a reputation as a go-to for writers and readers of great fiction.

But, you know what? It's not me who makes this blog worthwhile; it's all you readers of my ramblings who pop by here and say hello or just take in what I have to say that make the difference.

Thanks for being awesome and joining me on my crazy journey through Bloggerland. And, if you've taken a chance on my books, thank you, too. Readers are an author's lifeblood, and I have some of the most amazing fans on the planet.

YOU GUYS ROCK!

I'm blown away by the support.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Friday, February 14, 2014

Blogs You Need to Read

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today I'm bringing you a list of blogs you might want to check out. Some are writing blogs, some are review blogs, and others are all about book design or marketing. So get your clicking fingers ready and let's get going!


First up, I'll give you the writing blogs:
The Hungry Freelancer - A place to go to find tips and tricks on freelancing, author interviews, and book reviews. Great site!
Grammar Girl - If you haven't heard about this blog, I have to ask where you've had your head stuck the last few years. Answers to many writing questions can be found here.
Depression Cookies - This is a writer who self publishes and is one of the editors for IBGW.
Ice Cream for Zombies - All about writing. Gives a plethora of tips on how to, what to, and when to.

Next, we'll go to the review blogs:
Heather's Book Chatter - At least two reviews per week on this awesome little blog (many times you get four!)
b00k r3vi3ws - It's exactly what the name implies. You get tons of book reviews from this site.
Mom in Love With Fiction - Lots of great book reviews here (and the rating is in the title of the post!).
Books by L. K. Evans - Reviews galore and personal stuff on writing, too.
The Kindle Book Review - Bet you've heard of this one, too.
ShhMoms Reading - A review and book tour blog.

Now, on to the marketing and design blogs and sites:
The Book Designer - It's also exactly what the name implies it is. All things book design, all the time.
Ask David - This site promotes books and is awesome at it.
Kindle Publishing for Blogs - Think your blog is awesome? Will folks want to get it delivered to their Kindle? Go here and sign up!


A few other sites you may want to check out:
Share a Rafflecopter giveaway - This page is a form you can fill out to have Rafflecopter share your giveaway!
50 Websites Every Author Should Bookmark - Lots of great stuff here!

So? How about that? Did you all find something new today?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Blogger Interaction - Why it Matters

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! OMG they've cancelled school again! What kind of perverse version of the South am I living in? Hello? Is this thing on? For anyone who's listening out there, bring back Spring! I've had quite enough of this cold crap to last me a lifetime. I live in the South for a reason. If it doesn't get warm soon, I'm moving to Tahiti. That is all. Enough about that. Today, I want to talk about blogger interaction and why it matters. Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

If you write a blog, chances are people are going to come by and read it. If your post moves them, helps them, or creates a reaction, they may deign to leave you a comment and tell you what they thought.

Oftentimes, I pop over to a new blog and leave a comment on something I read that I found interesting. I like to ask questions in my comments sometimes, too; or help the author out with a handy recommendation. If I stop back by the blog (if I asked a question I always come back in a couple of days) I'll check to see if my question was answered or my tip proved useful.

Imagine my horror when I discover my comment wasn't acknowledged at all. I was ignored like I didn't exist. I'd become invisible, and my tip/question/comment had fallen into the realm of "it doesn't matter because I'm a blogging god and you're a peon who will worship me."

Really?

When that happens, I look like the lady on the left here and stop visiting that person's blog. Why? Because, chances are, I didn't subscribe on my first visit (it takes building of trust and stuff) and I was made to feel unimportant.

For shame.

Now, I do have blogs I comment on where I don't expect replies. Those people are kept up with on other forms of social media and I comment to let them know I was there. I neither expect replies nor acknowledgement on their blogs. Most of the time, any replies come back when that person comments on my blog. Yes, it's strange to communicate that way for many of you; but, it works for us. We're happy with it. A number of blogs I used to comment on religiously have fallen off my good grace radar. Those folks neither returned the favor nor acknowledged I was there to begin with.

But new readers you don't have that unspoken pact with won't understand. They'll feel rejected by you.

Guess why?

Because, in a way, you are rejecting them. Your readers who bother to leave a comment expect to be noticed by you. Even a simple "Thank you for the comment!" goes a long long way.


Remember, it takes a new blog at least a year before it starts getting serious traffic. Help your readers want to come back. Take the two minutes to write that reply, say those words of thanks, or give a head nod in their direction. It's like clicking the "like" button on Facebook; if you do that, you'll see more of their stuff. Maybe they'll even tell their friends what an awesome blog you have!

I wish I could figure out how to say thanks on Tumblr...

Think about it. A blog is a form of social media. Are you making it social?

How about it, bloggers? Do you respond to every comment? If not, what do you do to encourage your readers to return?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Rafflecopter has Flash Sale for Annual Subscriptions

Happy Hump-Day, blogospherians! Everyone relax and take a deep breath. If you make it through today, there's just two days left until the weekend arrives. Yup, I heard that cheer. Way to stay positive! Today, I'm talking about yet another e-mail I got. This one involves Rafflecopter again, that awesome little widget we all love and couldn't live without. Let's get going!

If you're a blogger, author, reader, or you just love to host giveaways and use Rafflecopter to manage them, this announcement will make you smile, squee, and jump up and down. I'm sure everyone using the site with the free subscription has seen this:

At that price, bloggers pay $95.88 a year for access to the awesome features listed. One of the most notable is adding an image to your giveaway. People like images, folks! There's a reason Pinterest does so well.

Moving on...

Until 11:59pm MST on Thursday, September 19, 2013, you can have an annual subscription to all the awesome extras for bloggers for just $59.

PLUS! I know, I know, the plus is always awesome! You'll get a Rafflecopter t-shirt and handful of stickers shipped to your door (worldwide) FREE when you subscribe. How cool is that?

You want the link yet?

Are you frothing at the mouth?

Okay, okay. Here ya go:
This link will take you to the Annual Subscription page. It should look something like this:
Follow the prompts and you're golden. Make sure you visit this page so you aren't confused when your e-mail saying you've subscribed for the $7.99 a year plan arrives in your inbox (I straight freaked out, I gotta tell ya). FAQ: Linky for you!

May all your giveaways shine forevermore! As always, I get no kickbacks from anything you see here on my blog. I share information and choose what it's going to say. Jo Michaels Blog is ad free and will remain that way forever.

While you're here, don't forget to visit the interview with my featured UtopYA Con 2014 author, M.R. Polish!

Were you aware of this sale? What features will keep you up at night thinking about the possibilities?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Friday, August 30, 2013

Changes on the Blog

Happy Friday, everyone! If you take a gander around the blog, you'll notice some major changes. I've moved the link list everyone knows and loves to the top of the page, under my banner. You'll find all the links you need to get to your favorite goodies right there. No need to bounce all over the blog.

Yes, I'm OCD. No, you can't have any of my cookies.

I do hope you all have followed me in some way. Come on, don't be sore about the cookies! I'd like to take a moment to share some stats with you.
  • I've been blogging for 19 months.
  • I've written almost 400 posts (this one makes 384).
  • My blog didn't find direction for almost 12 months.
  • I didn't start blogging every weekday for almost 1 year.
  • I have 2 blogs with identical content.
  • One has 13 subscribers via e-mail.
  • One has 60 followers.
  • One has 101 followers.
  • I average 5-10 RTs a day.
  • I only update via my social networks 3 times a day.
  • Links that I send out only drive folks to the blog with 60 followers.
  • I average 6500 views a month between the two blogs (For those of you counting, that's more than 100 page views for each blog per day. While that's a drop in the bucket, consider most of those views didn't start until I'd been blogging for almost a year. If I use those stats, I average 355 per day per blog or, 10k+ views per month).
  • One of my posts has 142 likes and 52 shares.
  • I've enjoyed over 600 comments.
  • I read and respond to every single one (not right away, but every week) so I've left at least 600 comments as well.

I bet you're all wondering why in the hell I'm going into all this, huh?

Well, it's because it just wouldn't be possible without all of you. I wanted you to see what you've helped me achieve and send a great big:


out into the void.

I changed up this blog so it's easier to find the follow buttons, the meaty part has more real-estate, and it doesn't take so dang long to load. Here's hoping you all like the new layout and that it gives you a more enjoyable reading experience. I do what I can to make visiting my blog and finding the content you want as easy as possible.

So, thank you, dearest fans and followers. Without you, this would all be an exercise in futility!

What's your favorite post on this blog?

Monday, we're back to our regularly scheduled program!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo