I received a generous and encouraging email this week from a reader asking advice on how to get his blog “out there,” and how to go about being featured on Freshly Pressed. Thank you for the question, Timur – I’ll do my best to answer. I am no expert on either of these issues, but I am happy to talk about the things I do that have helped Butterfly Mind to grow.
The Writing
Write.
1. Write. The writing comes first. Better writing leads to better reading, which leads to following and sharing and maybe even Freshly Pressing. So I write. Every day. I switch my routines around, sometimes waking and going directly to the computer to write whatever comes out, sometimes sitting by the window with my composition book, sometimes capturing voice memos while I’m dripping after the shower, then transcribing them later when I’m dry. However I can make it happen, I write every day.
2. Post Regularly. Though I write every day, I do not post every day. I would become overwhelmed by that amount of public productivity, and I think my readers would too. However, I do post regularly, at least twice a week. I hear over and over again (and it makes sense), that the more content there is on a website, the easier it is for people to come across it. Likewise, regular activity on my page gives it energy, keeps it from getting stale, and keeps Butterfly Mind closer to the top in the WordPress Reader when folks are scanning their feeds, browsing tags, or searching for specific keywords. If I have current work, readers won’t have to scroll as far down to find me.
3. Write naturally. I (attempt to) write in my voice. With 240 million registered blogs out there, more than 69 million of which are at WordPress.com, the only thing I can do to make mine unique is to be me. My most popular posts, including the two that were Freshly Pressed, came out of me as if I were sitting and having a conversation with a friend. They flowed. They were Andrea. I could have been saying them out loud. If I’m having trouble finding my voice, but I have something I know I want to write, I switch my perspective so that I’m writing to my friend. My journal has several entries that begin, “Dear Amy.”
4. Look at it as practice. Butterfly Mind is both a playground and a laboratory. I have a ten year plan of supplementing our family income through writing when the kids move away and I re-enter the workforce. With this blog I am practicing. I do not plan to monetize Butterfly Mind (unless someone wants to give me money – I’m willing to talk) or make a name for myself in the blogging world. I mention this because I am under no pressure, and I think that affects my writing in a positive way. I use this blog to experiment and play. To write and see what happens. In the process, I develop my voice, discover what resonates with readers, and build an author platform. Hopefully, eventually, ten years from now, if I ever get the confidence for it, all this practice will prepare me for the work of writing for submission.
The Blog Layout
Make life as easy as possible for your reader.
5. Match your theme to your content: From the beginning, I approached my site from the point of view of a writer instead of a blogger. I wanted the reader to get that right away – that the words are important. I selected a minimalist theme, the Oulipo theme, with a white background, no graphics, and no photos (except my headshot) because I wanted Butterfly Mind to look like a page – in a book, in a literary magazine – to enhance the reader’s experience and to inspire me towards where I ultimately want to find my work. I wanted the writing to take center stage, and the look of my blog helps keep me true to that focus.
6. Tell your reader who you are: When I read a writer I love, I want to know more about her, so the first piece I wrote for Butterfly Mind was the About page. I knew it was important that that page captured my voice and identity, so that if someone read my work and wanted to learn more about me, they’d walk away with something memorable. I sent my bio drafts to a dear friend who knows me really well (hi again, Amy :-)) to make sure I got it right. Later, I added the short author bio that I use when I’m submitting work for publication. Now my About page has both a quick blurb (less than 100 words), with my name up front, and a longer story with more personality. A NOTE: Bloggers, please, please, please include your name in your bio! I often want to respond to your work and call you by name, “I loved this piece, Rob,” but I am amazed sometimes by how challenging it is to find the person behind the blog. Anonymity, or a person who seems like she is trying to hide, is very difficult to connect with.
7. Declutter your sidebars: When I’m on a site I like, I often want to dig deeper into the writer’s world. What else has she written? Is he on Twitter? I’ve tried to provide that information on my site in case a reader is curious. To the left sidebar I added a Table of Contents (which needs updating), Links I Like (a blogroll, essentially), an explanation of the Butterfly Mind title, a Guestbook, and various other reference type pages that I would make life easier for readers who want to connect or learn more. I tried to keep the sidebars clean so that readers don’t have to dig, or scroll forever, to find what they’re looking for. (If you’ve ever looked for something on my blog and couldn’t find it, please let me know so I can make it easier).
8. Foster evolution: When I’m going through a slump in my writing, I will often work behind the scenes on my site. Right now I’m considering adding a byline to each post, or a footer that includes a bio blurb with links to my Twitter and Facebook pages. I’m also considering categories. For now, those are just ideas for a rainy day.
The Networking, aka ENGAGING
This is where the getting “out there” happens. I’ll try to hit on the ways I network but the main thing to remember is that building a blog and building a network take time. Be easy on yourself. It doesn’t happen overnight.
9. Twitter. I tweet @andreabadgley. I’ve been on Twitter about four years and could write a whole post on how I use Twitter, but the short story is that I follow a lot of writers, blogs, literary journals, and news outlets whose work I admire (see my words list for the writerly folks I follow). I read tons of content; tweet like I talk; retweet quality articles and blog posts; engage with friends, writers, locals, readers, editors; and link to new content on my blog.
10. Facebook. My Facebook page is much younger (less than a year?), and my following there reflects its youth (Please follow me on Facebook. I’m desperate.). Because it’s a different outlet, I use Facebook differently than the way I use Twitter. I post photos, funny venn diagrams, and occasional thoughts, share quality content from other sites, and when I’ve written something new on Butterfly Mind, I link to it on my Facebook page.
11. Respond to comments on your site. Comment thoughtfully on others’. I appreciate my readers, and love when someone takes the time and thought to leave a comment on one of my posts. I show my appreciation by responding to their comments. I place a lot of value on this now, and responding to comments has moved up my priority list when I sit down at my computer – I want my readers to know that I understand it takes time, thought, and energy to leave a comment, and I’m honored they made the effort on my site. I also read and comment on others’ blogs, including The Daily Post at WordPress.com and those journals, and news outlets, and writers and editors I follow on Twitter. I don’t drop links or try to get them to come to my blog. I simply share my reaction and response to what they’ve written, especially if it inspires me. And I really like to engage them by name. Hint hint. (Put your name in your bio.)
12. Tag. I tag my posts with relevant key words. Sometimes I use the Freshly Pressed page to find tags that are trending. If any of those tags (parenting, writing, culture) correspond to my content, I will include them in my post.
13. Play in your blog community. A couple of times a month, I engage in a WordPress challenge, whether it’s a photo challenge, a writing challenge, or one of the daily prompts. I link to the challenge somewhere in my piece, which results in a pingback on the original WordPress post, which helps other participants find my blog.
14. Work hard. Work consistently. This all takes patience and time, but it pays off. I worked at everything on this list, consistently, for almost a year (11 months) before I hit 500 followers. At that point, there seemed to be a snowball effect, so that now, only 4 months after reaching the 500 milestone, Butterfly Mind is at more than 1600 readers (thank you, y’all!).
The Writing
Write.
15. Write. Did I mention the writing? Yeah, that part is key. Better writing leads to better reading, which leads to following and sharing and maybe even Freshly Pressing. All the blog layout and networking in the world won’t do anything for my blog if it doesn’t have decent content. So I write. Every Day. And then I write some more.
I hope that helped, Timur. For more detailed information from the editors at WordPress.com regarding the Freshly Pressed selections, please see their article So You Want To Be Freshly Pressed. My advice, though, is do not chase the accolades – trying too hard might get in your way. It always does for me. Be easy. Be yourself. Keep writing, in your voice, and maybe one day they will come.
Great advice!
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Glad you found it helpful.
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Thank you so much for your words. This is an amazing step by step guide that I will refer to often (would love to hear more of your twitter ideas). As I said in my email, you have an absolutely beautiful blog and I have become a huge fan of your work. I look forward to what your mind has in store for us next 🙂
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Glad it was helpful, Timur. Thanks for inspiring the post.
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I just tweeted my friend @SuddenlyJamie (a brand and content marketing guru) for any links she might have regarding Twitter articles, and she recommends the following two sources:
Social Media tips for Authors (on @BookBaby), by Chris Robley: http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/07/social-media-tips-for-authors/
and
Tao of Twitter, a book by @markwschaefer: http://www.thetaooftwitter.com
Just in case I don’t ever get around to writing my own Twitter post 😉
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These were some wonderful tips that make sense. Thanks! The only one I know I won’t be doing is tweeting…lol…but that’s just me. Too much social media for me. I’m more of a facebook and pinterest gal. Thanks again.
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Tweeting is definitely not for everyone. And it was funny, as soon as I posted this, I read an article on Writer Unboxed about resisting social media and the quest to “go viral,” and focus instead on deepening connections with people who inspire you. It’s a good read, and one that might interest you: http://writerunboxed.com/2013/08/23/stop-trying-to-go-viral-your-author-platform-should-be-focused-simple-human
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Thanks that was good. Things like that make me feel better…lol. 🙂
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If you click my about page, it says my name right there.
Love,
Rob Pollak
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I know. I just wanted everyone to see your first week as a dad.
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🙂
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These are some really great tips (even better? it’s doable and realistic). Thanks for sharing!
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Oh good! I’m so glad these seem accessible to you.
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Reblogged this on kittykatblogbag.
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Great post. I love the idea of writing to a friend. I’m still learning to write. I leary of a class. What do you thinkabout classes or books.
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I think books can definitely help, especially in the beginning when you might feel shy and vulnerable. You can write quietly with a book and have no fears. Natalie Goldberg’s Long Quiet Highway awoke the writer in me. As an artist, I think you’d really appreciate that book. Her Writing Down the Bones is full of writing exercises and encouragement, and I would recommend that one to any new writer. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott is also very good, and I turn to that one when I’m feeling really down on myself and think, Who am I kidding? I’m never going to be a writer. I would recommend all three of those books to inspire you on your writing journey.
I can’t speak to classes because the last class I took was 20 years ago. Okay, maybe 18. I am planning on participating in a local writing workshop starting September, so I’ll know more about that avenue in a few weeks. If you’re leary of classes now, start with books. If the urge takes you to learn more and dig deeper, then I think you could start thinking about classes.
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Great advice – thank you for taking the time to do this – very helpful for we ‘newbies’ 🙂
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It was my pleasure Safia.
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If you get the chance, please pop over to my place and check out my latest post. It’s something I started a long time ago and probably finished it as a result of reading some of your lovely memoir-like posts!
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This is great wisdom, thank you for sharing! I would also love to read an article about twitter. I recently began playing with it for a business I was working for, and didn’t understand how to use it as a marketing tool.
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Thank you Lybsta. Just in case I don’t ever get around to writing my own Twitter post, I tweeted my friend @SuddenlyJamie (a brand and content marketing guru) for any links she might have regarding Twitter articles, and she recommends the following two sources:
Social Media tips for Authors (on @BookBaby), by Chris Robley: http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/07/social-media-tips-for-authors/
and
Tao of Twitter, a book by @markwschaefer: http://www.thetaooftwitter.com
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Thanks, Andrea!!
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I like this piece of advice:
4. Look at it as practice. Butterfly Mind is both a playground and a laboratory. (etc…)
That’s exactly how I view my blog, and it’s good to remember it as that. And mostly just some relaxing fun. Thank you for the advice!
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Oh good! I have to check in on that advice pretty regularly or else I’ll take myself too seriously. Glad it was helpful to you.
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Reblogged this on Just a thought.
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Very helpful advice. I agree that writing for the sake of getting FP is not a good idea. I also think that sometimes there is no hard and fast formula to getting FP, even if you follow everything WP staff suggests!! Given this, it’s better to write b/c you have something to say or something useful your readers can benefit from than to do it so you can get FP.
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Yes, it’s like chasing the bestseller. You always read that in writing advice columns “Don’t chase the best seller!” Just write what’s yours – it will be more authentic that way, and will resonate more with your readers because of that authenticity.
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Wow, this is a really helpful post, and I have really enjoyed reading many of your other posts as well. I look forward to reading your future posts, as well!
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Thanks JJ! Glad to have you here.
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