My first blog was posted in 20?? Well, I couldn’t exactly find it. The earliest date was in April of 2013 which is the year VERMONT ESCAPE released. I’m pretty certain I’d been blogging before that post, which was about winning a reward from a fellow blogger. To win the award, I’d have had to be posting before that date. I remember as a pre-published author, being encouraged to not only have a web site, but to have my own blog and post regularly.
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/3JXxZK
In searching for those early posts, I found where I had typed responses to other people’s blogs. In those early years, that’s how I learned. I read others’ posts and responded to them. Sometimes they responded, and a whole dialogue would ensue. But because I was so unsure of myself, I’d type the response in word and then copy and paste it into the post. LOL
One of the books I read about having your own blog said before you begin you should have 10-15 posts ready to go. (I had several about walking in the mall.) 😊 That way, if you sat down to write and nothing came to mind, you already had something ready to go. Or say, life got in the way, and you couldn’t get to it, you wouldn’t miss your date. The regularity of posting was stressed in every book or every presentation I heard on the subject.
Because I’m a rule follower, I started blogging. I found that I loved doing it. I like hearing back from folks and having a dialogue. And honestly, I’ve almost never blanked on what to post. On those days, I’ve share some of these beautiful Mandellas by Donna Bearden scattered throughout this post.
When I took over my monthly newsletter, I cut out one of my monthly Thursday blog posts. There just wasn’t time to do a newsletter and a blog in the same week. I mean, I’m supposed to be writing books. LOL
“So now, I’m thinking about cutting my posts back to two a month. I already write a post for our WORD BY WORD Blog usually on the last Friday of the month. So on those week’s I’m writing two posts one day after the other. Those are tough weeks. I’ll still be blogging three times a month, but one of those will be on the WORD BY WORD Blog and not mine. Though there is apparently a way to re-blog a post. I don’t know how to do that. Guess I can learn.
I wish I could pin the Newsletter down to a specific week of the month, but it varies depending on what’s going on with other PR stuff. But as it stands now, the last week of the month I’ll only be on our WBW blog. I hope y’all will stop by there. Other members of the group post on most other Friday’s and hope you’ll stop by for them, too. They write good stuff. Here’s the link to our last post by one of our authors. Storytelling-It’s Brain Chemistry – Word by Word
You know I’m working on my 11th book—5456 words written so far. So I have a long way to go, but I’ve begun. Yea! But I’m way, way behind. I needed to begin in December 2022, and I didn’t begin until the end of January. I want to release this book in December of this year. Traditionally, it takes me a year from start to publication. I don’t even have a tag line yet. I need to make changes so I can make up the difference. I’m hoping this helps.
If this isn’t enough, I’ll cut back on the blog more. I seem to get tons more responses to my newsletter than my blog which actually surprised me. The lack of response to a newsletter is why I’ve hung with the blog so long. I like the give and take, but now I’m getting lots of responses to the newsletter, so it makes it easier to cut back on the blog.
I probably should take time to edit this post and make it shorter, but I’ve got to leave soon to pick up my granddaughter. We’ll be out selling Girl Scout cookies Wednesday afternoon. That will be fun.
Sarah has already sold all of these!
I hope your weather has moderated. Ours has. Temps are in the 50s and we’re getting tons of rain which we really need because the lake is still very low.
Do you have big plans for Valentines? I’m thinking we will celebrate before the date. Restaurants are so crazy on the 14th. Despite being a romance writer, I tend to want to skip over the holiday. I seem to remember writing a post about that. If you happen to be alone, find a friend and grab a bite to eat or have a drink. You don’t need a significant other to be important and loved. Buy yourself some flowers. You’re worth it. Love to hear from you.
VULNERABLE Here’s the Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/b5qk5w
Marsha R. West, Author 
I enjoy following your blog and newsletter, Marsha, but I think you’re right to cut back and concentrate on your writing. There are only so many hours in the day. Like you, I love keeping my blog and newsletter, and I really enjoy the comments and replies I get – despite the fact I only post erratically!
That’s great news about your next novel. Wishing you all the best for your writing in 2023!
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Hey, Helena. Thanks for your perpective. And you’re one of the sweethearts who frequently stops by and comments. I also think about people who comment. Even commenting takes a lot of time. (at least it does if you’re wordy like me. ) LOL Thanks so much for your support and friendship all these years. 🙂
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When I first started learning about this whole being an author thing, I kept seeing “you need a web presence long before the first book is done”. The typical recommendations were newsletter, blog, FB, and Twitter. Now add Insta and some people are saying Tiktok, too (which I am hesitant to get into for a few reasons). With all that social media time, then admin and editorial stuff I haven’t even begun to look at yet, how is someone supposed to have time to write the books? LOL I can’t blame you for evaluating this and spending the time and energy where it makes the most sense for you and your followers.
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Hey, Tricia. Yeah, it’s a big balancing act and for some folks all the social media stuff is easy. For some of us, not so much? I have all the various links, but do nothing on Linkedin. I bit on Instagram and Twitter and mostly do FB. Yes, the advise to have a website before publising is true and there are farily easy ways to set one up. We’ll talk. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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Hey, Tricia. You can’t do it all. At least I can’t. I focus on my Newsletter and Blog and do a bit of Facebook, and only occassionally Instagram. Right now church work and grands are interferring the most, but hey, hard to complain about that. 🙂 Stop by stopping by. We spent the weekend watching Sarah’s dance competiton, which is why I’m just now responding. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by.
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I started my website to attract a publisher for The Ginseng Conspiracy. I believe that was in 2012. I had the website for about 7 years. I blogged monthly. I might have started every two weeks. I posted about scenarios involving my characters. Had guest bloggers as long as their blogs pertained to my mysteries. I had fun with it. Nothing about writing, just plain fun and I think readers enjoyed it. Had lots of comments.
Best wishes for your writing.
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Hey, Susan. I always enjoyed your blog. I think what I’ve heard is do what you enjoy and skip the rest of it. My twitter stuff is limited to book twets and RTs. We must’ve started blogging about the same time. Gosh that was a long time ago. I remember struggling to just keep up with all the emails from MIU. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by. 🙂
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Hi Marsha, though I may not always comment, I enjoy reading your blogs and newsletters! I used to write a blog and I’m thinking of doing it again, but writing my WIP is my first priority.
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Hey, Reggi. Thanks for those kind words. We’re all busy. I get it. And you’re right the WIP needs to take precedence. Thanks so much for stopping by. 🙂
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