Give a Dry Blog New Life–The Power of Themes

Welcome to WANA Wednesday, based off my best-selling book We Are Not Alone—The Writer’s Guide to Social Media. In case you are curious, there are more sacred cows in need of tipping, but we’ll likely pick that up next week. Today we are going to get creative with the author blog, and I want to open up your minds when it comes to blogging. The first social media sacred cow we tipped was The Writing Blog. Writers are so funny. We have the imagination to create entirely new worlds, but the second we start a blog, we all get the same bright idea.

We all blog about writing.

Why? Because when we don’t have any boundaries, human nature makes us pull inward to our comfort zones. We draw in to the one place we feel safest…talking about writing. Blogging about writing is great, but if not handled properly, it can severely limit our platform and set us up for burnout. More about that here.

So we tipped over that social media sacred cow—MOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Many writers felt liberated. YAY! They burned their bras and then realized that had nothing to do with blogging. So they burned their notebooks and a handful of dried out pens. They suddenly realized that they DID actually have other things that interested them aside from writing. Ah, but this is where tunnel-vision can creep in yet again if we aren’t careful.  Just because I opened the door to blog about gardening, doesn’t mean it is time to start a Gardening Blog. If you want to blog about wine, do not start a Wine Blog.

Why?

Because then you are almost right back where you started with a Writing Blog. Fiction authors don’t need to become experts on topics…they need to connect. How we connect is we always have engaging topics that generate discussion and eventually all that discussion forges a community. We start an US blog.

I.e. Kristen Lamb’s Blog

Last week, I recommended that if you wanted to talk about different topics, that was just fine so long as they had different days. More about that here. For instance, I blog about craft on Monday, Twitter on Tuesday, Social Media on Wednesday and anything goes on Friday. Readers know that if they want to read about craft, then Friday ain’t the day to find nifty lessons about character arc. I blog on different subjects and yet others live to tell the tale. We don’t have to have entirely separate sites to keep readers from getting confused. Readers are sharp. That is also the reason everything must be under the banner of our brand, which is out name. Read more about author branding here.

Our brand is us as writers and as human beings with interests other than writing and publishing. But don’t feel constrained by subjects. I saw a lot of writers run out and launch a Music Monday or a Finance Friday. Okay, but actually if you will loosen up even more and let your muse breathe, she will give you ways to blog on every topic under the sun…yet still offer a predictable schedule of content.

How can we do this?

We apply a theme. Themes are the playground for our imaginations to run wild. Disneyland for the brain. 

Actual picture of a writer’s brain having fun.

Themes help bundle all kinds of topics and offer the reader a sense of what to expect, yet at the same time afford the author tremendous flexibility. A good example is Shellie Sakai. Shellie was a student of my blogging class and her blog is Shellie Sakai’s Blog—Something Wicked This Way Comes. Shellie is a paranormal romance author, but her theme is all things wicked. She blogs on all kinds of subjects, but they are all tethered to “wicked”—wicked shoes, wicked movies, wicked dark chocolate brownies. Now Shellie has amazing freedom with her blog, BUT readers won’t feel like they are trying to keep up with a caffeinated chipmunk with severe ADD. They will expect her to talk about all things wicked and actually might check in every week to be surprised since the content isn’t entirely predictable.

Another of my favorite blogging-students Tiffany White, launched Tiffany White’s Ooo Factor—Things that Make You Say Ooo. Tiffany actually mixes themes with subjects. She has Tele-Tuesday where she talks about all her favorite shows and even offers reviews for the upcoming seasons of shows. Tiffany has a passion for writing, yes. She is working on her novel. BUT she is also a TV addict and she is using that other passion to connect others and build a platform of fans (writers and non-writers). Ah, but then Tiff has Fabooolous Friday and that is just the day that Tiff highlights some book, author, recipe, movie or anything else that she considers Fabooolous.

Tiff got creative.

Themes help keep your content consistent yet fresh. Recently I noticed an author who got daring and stepped out of the Writing Blog to try something new. She started a Music Mondays but two weeks in was already feeling a tad cornered by her own content. I recommended Magical Mondays, because songs do create a kind of magic in our hearts. If she had a Magical Monday, she could blog on music, but wasn’t pigeon-holed by it. I recommended she dedicate that day to anything that has sparked some magic in her life, whether that is a song, a movie, or even a childhood toy. Then, use that magic to connect with the readers and get them to share.

The trick to blogging for the long-haul is we need content that is refined, yet interesting. We need to make sure that we aren’t cornering ourselves when it comes to topics. That is a formula to get burned out and hate our blogs. It is also very easy to forget we have an Author Blog and devolve into a Knitting Blog or a Movie Blog.

Remember, authors, for the very first time in history, have the ability to connect with others via mutual interests. In effect, we have the ability to become personalities. If we approach all kinds of subjects in creative, fun or interesting ways, then people will want to come to our blogs to read what we have to say. But hasn’t that always been the goal of being a great writer? The goal has always been to take in the world and the limitless possibilities and package it in a way that informs, entertains or inspires.

Why should our blogs be any different?

So maybe a Whimsical Wednesday or a Freaky Friday would breathe some new creative life into your blog. I recommend that with each topic, you brainstorm at least a hundred possible topics. If you can’t hit a hundred, then try another topic. It is very important to write these topics down. You might not have anything to say about them yet, but your subconscious will be working on it in the meantime.

For instance, Magical Mondays. What are some magical topics that might connect with readers?

Summer nights

Drive-In Movies. Remember when?

Vacation

Beaches

First Date

Birthdays

Children

Imaginary Friends

The beauty about being writers is once we get the creativity flowing, it tends to bubble over. The trick is to get it started. With blogging, we tend to believe we need to have this “professional, serious face” in case an agent looks us up. But here is the deal, being professional doesn’t mean being BORING. What will excite an agent is a blog that is connecting to readers and gaining a large, loyal following. A serious, professional blog that we hate and dread writing and tend to neglect won’t do us any good, BUT a creative fun interesting blog that has a growing readership? THAT is a formula for success.

Let your imagination play on your blog as well as your book. Your imagination is your best friend in ALL aspects of your writing career :).

One of the things I do is I run writers through a couple of exercises to get a sense of their unique creative style. I then help them create a log-line. This helps set the tone of the blog. For instance, some of my favorites are:

Christine Ashworth’s Blog–Wicked with a Side of Saucy (Christine writes paranormal romance. She blogs on writing, cooking, wines, romance and life)

Sonia Medieros’ Blog–Not All Who Wander Are Lost (Sonia is a fantasy writer who blogs on movies, myths, and writing. Sonia has a whimsical voice so the log-line gives a clear impression of the blog’s tone.)

Jenny Hansen’s Blog–More Cowbell (Jenny blogs about her garden, business, technology and writing…but they all must have more cowbell ;). Jenny has a fun, snarky blog and that is pretty clear from the log-line.)

Amy Shojai’s Blog–Bling, Bitches, and Blood (Amy is a renowned pet expert, but she also writes thrillers. She has a very fun, sassy voice and that is clear just from her log-line. Finally a place she can bring her fiction and non-fiction personalities together where we can get to know Amy Shojai Author.)

Piper Bayard’s Blog–On Life, Belly Dancing and Apocalyptic Annihilation (Piper is a former attorney and she is funny as all get-out. Her books are post-apocalyptic so she has that as a common theme. There are a lot of ways to define apocalypse–from a bad perm to nukes, Piper pokes fun at it all)

Notice that all of these log-lines could also work if the author wanted to blog about writing. The author would just have to employ some creativity, but that’s what we are good at anyway, right?

After we create the log-line, I then help writers mine their passions and interests for content, then help them shape and plan their author blogs. This is, of course, something you can do on your own, but if you need some help, I am about to be teaching a workshop that will help you harness your imagination to create a blog you love and that will connect with readers and build your author brand. For $40 you have me at your disposal for a MONTH working with you to create a blog as special and unique as YOU are. You can sign up here.  If you are going to blog, why not stand apart form the thousands of other writers? I can show you how. Harness that wonderful creativity you use for your fiction and channel it into blogging. It’ll be FUN :D.

What are your thoughts? Any possible themes floating around in the gray matter now? What are some cool blog topics you have seen? Does this post make you feel liberated? Lost? Tell us your thoughts.

I love hearing from you! And to prove it and show my love, for the month of June, everyone who leaves a comment I will put your name in a hat. If you comment and link back to my blog on your blog, you get your name in the hat twice. If you leave a comment, and link back to my blog, and mention my book We Are Not Alone in your blog…you get your name in the hat THREE times. What do you win? The unvarnished truth from yours truly.

I will pick a winner every week for a critique of your first five pages. At the end of June I will pick a winner for the grand prize. A free critique from me on the first 15 pages of your novel. Good luck!

Note: I am keeping all the names for a final GRAND, GRAND PRIZE of 30 Pages (To be announced) OR a blog diagnostic. I look at your blog and give feedback to improve it. For now, I will draw weekly for 5 page edit, monthly for 15 page edit.

Important Announcements

A BIG HUGE MEGA THANKS to all of you who attended the Devil Colony Launch Party. I had a ton of fun and it wouldn’t have happened without all the wonderful support. Thank you to all of those who wrote blogs, spread the word, posted pictures and handed out digital cupcakes and beer. YOU ROCK!

 Make sure you join our LOVE REVOLUTION over on Twitter by following and participating in the #MyWANA Twibe. Read this post to understand how this #MyWANA will totally transform your life and your author platform.

In the meantime, I hope you pick up copies of my best-selling books We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media and Are You There, Blog? It’s Me, Writer . Both books are recommended by the hottest agents and biggest authors in th biz. My methods teach you how to make building your author platform FUN. Build a platform and still have time left over to write more great books! I am here to change your approach, not your personality.

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  1. Awesome post and very thought provoking for me. I’m a random writer meaning that I don’t harness each day with a particular subject, instead I have “farm terms” which I use to show what I’m writing about. Do you think I need a little more consistency – assigning my subjects to specific days of the week?

  2. I personally would find it boring to write about the same ol’ subject, day in and day, week after week, ad infinitum. I LOVE mixing it up in my blog, and I add topics as necessary. Indeed, I just took a look at my blog entry categories and it’s quite a nice, eclectic list already at thirteen topics:

    Author
    Aviation Safety
    Books
    eReaders
    Giveaways
    Movies
    Photography
    Social Networking
    Technology/New Stuff
    Travel
    Uncategorized
    Wine & Food
    Writing

    Hopefully, there’s something there for practically anyone. The only thing I really try to avoid is politics, which invariably starts limiting your traffic.

  3. “Cowbell, you need more of it” is awesome in an I-don’t-know-what-that-really-means kind of way. It would make me keep reading, though 🙂

    I do know what I want my blog to be about – samples of my writing (either snippets, short stories, flash fiction, etc) plus posts about kink/sex in real life. I mentioned this on twitter already, but I have honestly wanted to make my tagline, “Sex on a stick…. because everything’s better on a stick.” It actually makes no sense, or rather, it’s better if you don’t think too hard about it…

    1. LOL, Amber…I think “Sex” anywhere in the title makes most people keep reading.

      That More Cowbell blog is me and comes from the Will Farrell/Christopher Walken SNL skit (google it…it’s hilarious).

      The masthead is a take-off on lines from the skit. My faves are:
      “I’ve got a fever. And the only prescription is MORE Cowbell.”

      “Really explore your studio space this time, Gene.”

      Plus the line that’s up right now, which comes from, “I could really use a little more Cowbell.”

      1. I swear, I miss too many references not watching SNL!

  4. Thanks for the shout-out! Y’all, take Kristen’s class, it is AWESOME and besides getting great hand-holding help and insight you’ll connect with others just like you and help build your network that way as well. I’m lovin’ the connectivity…now, not all my “friends” have four feet and fur. *s*

  5. I still have one sealed and bloodshot eye from the crazy Devil Colony party. I don’t know what Terrell put in that punch but it wasn’t unicorn tears.

    As for blog themes. Themeing? (Like I say, spelling is challenging today). Yes, do it. Experiment. I’ve tried some themes that went thud. Others are consistent winners. Alliteration isn’t always necessary either. Just have fun with it.

    1. Clay,

      I think it was the “James Rollins Jell-o Shots” (also from Terrell) that sent everyone over the edge.

      Great time partying with y’all last night! Did everyone get one of Piper’s deviled eggs? The batch with the pitchfork was a doozy….

    2. What do you mean alliteration is not necessary?! *mindblown*

    3. Chuck Wendig must have slipped in some of those Unicorn Nipple Cookies. LOL

  6. One day I will figure out how to make my blog work for me. 🙂 I’ve only been whining…um, thinking about this for over a year. Yeah. Most people tell me to blog about whatever, but I refused to agree. Now, just to keep me blogging, I’ve devised theme days, but they aren’t thematic in an overall kind of way, like the examples you mentioned, Kristen.

    Some are Mani-Pedi Monday and Food Friday, simply because these are two things I love. I also blog about television and topics about fat acceptance and the way the media destroys women. 🙂 They’re all pieces of me but don’t really connect–or maybe they could but I don’t see how yet. I write fun mysteries, with paranormal and romantic elements, in a chick lit tone. If I can come up with the moolah, I’ll sign up for your workshop.

    Great post. Thanks!

  7. Hey Kristen, thanks for the promo! I agree with Amy – if you HAVEN’T taken Kristen’s blogging class, do! Or at least pick up her book, ARE YOU THERE, BLOG? IT’S ME, WRITER. You won’t regret it!

  8. Oh, wow! Kristen this is an AWESOME blog post. I was sitting here thinking “OMG! I have NO idea what to do for a tagline…” And then I thought, “Holy cow! Yes I do!”

    One of my favorite little phrases is to randomly comment “everything’s better with…” You know “Everything’s better with penguins” or “Everything’s better with Zombies”. So my new blog title is: “Shéa MacLeod, Author – Everything’s Better With Dragons”.

    Because I’m an author of urban fantasy post-apocalyptic scifi paranormal romances with a twist of steampunk. Often with dragons. 😉

    And now I have Weird Wednesdays. lol

    1. Shea,

      I LOVE “Everything is better with dragons” (because that is soooo true)!!

      1. Isn’t it just! 😉

  9. Are you also teaching the Becoming a Brand class? I’m debating whether to take this or the Blogging class. I’m already taking Bob’s Warrior Writer class in July and I’d like to take one of yours.

  10. Hi Kristen! I am still struggling to get my blog nailed down and to draw readers. This really helps me, and the blogs you’ve listed sound like they have great themes. I’d love to do something like that. Really interested in your online class you’ve mentioned above. What are the times for July? Is that listed somewhere?

  11. Another great post, Kristen. After your suggestion a few weeks ago, I changed from three rather restrictive blog categories to a very inclusive “Remembrances.” I can put a lot of different things there. Thanks.

  12. I have decided on 2-3 themes to blog about for the days of the week. The question is: do you post the themes on the About page of your blog? Include a sentence at the beginning of the blog like you do (ex. Twitter Tuesday and WANA Wednesday)? Or both?
    Great post!

  13. Thanks for the inspiring blog, Kristen. I’ve just started blogging for my business and your info was spot on for me. But my first novel is with my agent and being submitted right now so I know I need to start blogging for my writing. I’ve already got my tagline and now I have tons of ideas and how to implement them – thanks to you! I’m posting this blog on my FB page (where I have lots of writer friends) and doing a RT. Hope that widens your audience some more!
    Thanks again for all the informative and fun blogs!

  14. I haven’t named my themes, but I do have a different theme for each day that I blog.

    Mondays I blog about writing stuff, because, well…..I couldn’t cut it completely out and wanted to continue serving the audience I already have.

    Wednesdays, I blog about faith. Anything I’m learning as I grow in my relationship with Jesus. I thought this was relevant for me since I write faith-based fiction.

    On Fridays, I was just going to blog about romance, but I took your advice and tried to brainstorm a bunch of topics, only couldn’t. So I broadened it to romance, relationships, love and life. Which pretty much covers the whole spectrum of experience.

    I’m really enjoying this new schedule. I feel more energized about blogging. Haven’t been able to tell yet if my numbers have gone up, since this is my second week. 🙂 I’ve learned so much from your blog and your books, Kristen!

  15. Wonderful advice. There are so many of us blogging about writing, and it all becomes same old/same old. These are great suggestions.

  16. I agree with Amy and company that you must take Kristen’s class if you can. Not only will you make great friends, we have a Yahoo group ready for her class Alumni to join.

    I have so much fun with my blog BECAUSE of Kristen and that class. She managed to find a way for disorganized me to have a fun, cohesive blog. (Deepest thanks to The Lambo!!!)

    Also, many thanks for the shout out in today’s post. 🙂

  17. Actually, I think I’m figuring it out. Thank you for the examples. They are sooo helpful. 🙂

  18. Exactly the same as Sheri’s comment, I feel totally liberated and now have a back log of things I want to blog about but they are not related to each other. I honestly don’t think it matters, with all the blogs people have to read I’m surprised if they have time to remember if it’s a special day of the week, they either like the sound of your post or not. I’d love to sign up for your month blog analysis, that’s wicked awesome of you, thanks Kristen!

    1. Thanks for the thought, Catherine. That is kind of what I was thinking too. 🙂

  19. It’s becoming more clear now. I had limited my writing about writing to once a week and added 3xweek posts about navigating mid-life, but I’m feeling it may be preachy or not of enough interest to draw more readers. I had always had a ‘bad girl’ persona when I was younger, still feel it inside, but am having trouble letting it out in a fun way. Maybe I need a broader theme that health and wellness in mid-life? Maybe I need something more fun? The wicked theme sounds like fun and I could likely pull it off but don’t want to steal from someone else. Also I write historical fiction set mostly in the 20th century…my favorite part of history. Should I do something retro to fit that writing niche? HELP!

    1. Take the workshop, LOL :D.

  20. Enjoyed meeting some of the other bloggers you listed. I could lose hours visiting blogs and it is always fun to find new voices and new content.

    • malindalou on June 22, 2011 at 7:51 pm
    • Reply

    I totally agree that a blog needs to have an overriding theme independent of writing (If you have a blog, you already ARE a writer, no need to go on and on about writing). Mine is “Intelligent Scribblings Of An INTJ” and I get all sorts of hits that have nothing to do with the fact that I’m a writer. People search for “OCD INTJ” and “Teenager INTJ” and find me not because I’m a good writer but because they are interested in what an INTJ has to say.

    INTJ is the rarest of the Myers-Briggs personality types. That uniqueness has made a good handle for my blog (which also has a little bit about what I do thrown in under links in my header for those who are interested in the writing stuff.) It has served me well. 🙂

    I am all for sacred cow tipping! Mooooo….

  21. I can’t keep up with you, Kristen! lol Okay now serious. This is yet another wonderfully useful post. I have been thinking a lot about themse because everyone around me seem to be doing, and even though I hate to follow in anybody’s footsteps, I do recognize the value of themes. I currently have Friday Features (guest-posts) and Sunday Somethings on my blog. I also recently came up with my log-line THANK GOD, I was lost a while there.

    Now that you mention themes, though… I want to brainstorm some more. I realize that upkeeping a blog -the right way- requires a lot of brainpower and themes do make it easier. Currently I have: Saturday Science or Thursday Theories (I’m a psychology graduate :P). And I’m leaning toward Movie Mondays because I’m doing this whole movie thing by years, and I’m guessing it’ll take me a lot of time to go through all those years of movies.

    Anyway, thanks! I still don’t know how you do it. You must never sleep. 😛

    • Tamara LeBlanc on June 22, 2011 at 9:12 pm
    • Reply

    Love the idea of themes, love the links you added, and I love WANA Wednesday!!
    Thanks Kristen:)
    Have a great evening,
    Tamara

  22. Thank you for another great piece. Its funny but it coincided with my trying to assert a bit more structure and consistency to my own blog – so yes, designating themes for different days. I love the examples you used and am off to check out ‘something wicked this way comes’ which is an awesome blog title! I confess that writing only blogs bore me to bits. I much prefer blogs that talk about everything else under the sun. I always appreciate your advice and look forward to learning lots more.

  23. What a fine list of blogs you have there. 😉 (*squeeeeeeee* I’m on the list! :D)

    Having a blog-line and a theme have made all the difference. When I first started blogging, I thought I’d blog about writing. That worked to some degree, but I wanted more room to play and I started reading your blog lessons. It took me some thinking time and your class to finally get it all together. Your suggested blog-line really put the skeleton in the skin (hmmm…okay…maybe that was a little gross…sorry). The 3 themed posting days I figured out have helped me come up with topics with so much more ease.

    A big *thumbs up* to having a blog theme!

    And yay for offering your services. Now, I’m totally going to be spreading that around as much as I can. That’s a bargain!

  24. Hi Kristen, thank you as always for a wonderfully entertaining and informative post! I’m interested in your blog writing class. Can you tell me, is this an online class or do we find you in the real world? I’m in Australia so I might find the commute a bit too much if the latter is the case. Many thanks, Naomi

    1. It’s on-line so geography is not an issue. Here is the link to sign up. I recommend the $40 class because that is the one where I walk each person through individualized content and help you create a log-line.

      http://whodareswinspublishing.com/WIF_Workshops.html

  25. Kristen:
    I am admitting to a meltdown day. I love all your good advice and I know it works to help people connect. I’ve reaped the benefits of some of these cyber-connections. (Thank you Clay Morgan, Elllie Soderstrom, Chase McFadden and Leanne Shirtliffe.) I am having a hard time keeping up with your recommended diet.

    It is summer. Child is home. Usually with friends. And they all want snacks all the time. Hubby doesn’t value my writing as it isn’t making money – you know because my paycheck from teaching is really fat. I need to know that it is okay to not post 3x per week for a while. To be honest, I feel inundated by posts from some people and end up deleting a lot of (probably) great writing because I simply can’t keep up right now. This juggler is floundering.

    Is this class you are offering “an act-fast, one time” thing? Or will there be another chance to catch it this summer?

    1. Stop. Calm down and breathe. You can post 3 X a week. Not all of them have to be long. You can repost one of our blogs, do a quick mash-up or even post a funny video with some questions that generate discussion. All a blog is is a way for use to get to connect with you, share, and create community. I recommend you take the class if you can. Don’t know when the next one will be. It’s an on-line class so you do it your own pace and speed. But you do get the benefit of my virtually undivided attention and help.

    2. Don’t feel bad about slowing down. Lately I’ve been lucky to post once a week. While I do intend to be more attentive, deep down I think people are so deluged with media that it’s better to be write in the slow lane.

  26. As always, love your post! AND, more importantly, thank you so much for the blog love! My themes would be flying around in La-La land if it weren’t for your guidance. If I could scream from the mountain tops that everyone interested in blogging take your class, I would! For now, I’ll just settle for my Twitter-verse.

  27. I really appreciate the practical approach to complex platform building you offer. Thanks for making so much of your mojo available. I’m pleased to find I’ve started in the right direction but implementing simple changes based on many of your suggestions has really improved my ideas already. Thanks!

  28. Great thoughts as always, Kristen! I post on my blog once a week and have a couple open-ended topics, like Top 5 Lists…sometimes they’re writing related, sometimes they’re goofy things about motherhood, etc. But a couple of my topics are more limiting, and I’m already feeling the burnout simmering. This advice is just what I need to burn that second bra. 🙂

  29. I LOVE this post. Yet I have to admit, I haven’t named theme days, though all my posts typically revolve around finding happiness and persevering through the awkward or difficult moments of life. Your post helps clarify how to establish theme days without being too constricting.

    Question regarding your class, will this build upon the LIRW author brand course? I’m interested in learning more if you believe it’s the next step from that course. Keep me posted! And thank you for offering courses, and TIME, like you do!

    1. Yes, I would take you to the next couple levels with this class. I don’t think you have a log-line yet, do you?

      1. At this point, all I have is “How One Week Affects Your Words”

        It sounds like this class will get more specific through the whole initial process. I’m going to sign up. I SO wish I’d read your blog before I started up mine. If there was one thing I’d do differently it’d be picking a better URL name. ‘jesswords10’ is just so dumb to me now, but I’m frightened to switch to my own domain. Could I lose my basic wordpress editing ability? Technology scares and impairs me.

        1. Just ignore the URL. I keep warriorwriters to keep me humble. When I start thinking I know everything, I just look up and go…yeah. :D.

  30. Hi, Kristen!

    Long time reader, but this is my first time commenting. 🙂 Just wanted to let you know how much I love reading your blog. I recently finished “Are You There, Blog? It’s Me, Writer” after basically flying through “We Are Not Alone.” And this was such a great post to read as I’m starting to put together my own blog (figuring out content, organization, etc.!!) I’m a musical theatre writer, but your lessons absolutely still apply – we’re all storytellers! And we all need a platform!

    Keep up the great work!

  31. Hey Kristen!

    This post totally blew me away. I’ve had a blog for a few years and have struggled in much the same way you describe. I even let it go dark for a while. Recently I started back at it and am blogging twice a week. That was fine for me because I couldn’t think of anything I could say for more days than that. Thanks to you I’ve just had a brain storm. I’m going to add another day and play with it! You’re right, it should be fun. If I’m not enjoying it then neither are my readers! I’ll let you know how it goes. Another #MyWana

  32. Kirsten, I just signed up for your class — I think? The confirmation email says only if I ordered a hard copy book it’ll come in the mail and if it’s an ebook it will be emailed in 24 hours. Did I buy a class or a book?

  33. I’m very sorry — Kristen, not Kirsten!

  34. This post is exactly what I’ve needed to hear. I have one of those everything blogs which has been my intention all along, but often I wonder if I should branch off into various other blogs . . . PS: If I’m lucky enough to win your critique, I don’t have a manuscript (although I have started several and will keep at it). I’m hoping you could instead critique my blog. Thank you! I always enjoy your posts.

  35. I have to admit, I’m not one for set themes. I tend to be random. Is that bad for a blog?

  36. Yes! You are so right about this. It’s all about the connections with people. I had a post about this just last week (What Makes You Decide to Buy a Book) with the point:

    Q: What should I blog about?

    A: Whatever will allow you to create relationships with others. 🙂

    Great post, Kristen!

  37. Is the class called, “Blogging to Build Your Brand and Your Fan Base?”

    1. Yes, that’s the one. I hope to see you there :D.

  38. Thanks Kristen — Still mulling the ideas on how to expand my writer’s blog and your examples have helped save me at least an hour or two browsing other authors’ blogs and content! My interests are so wide and typically quite unrelated with the other, so I really have to buckle down and figure out what theme seems to have the most potential for written material while trying to make it as unrelated to my personal life as possible. I have another blog for personal griping, and it doesn’t need to merge anytime soon!

  39. Hey Kristen,

    Thanks again for the tip. After reading this post I have implemented Fridays R 4 Fun, beginning today! I gave you the credit, of course, for directing me to this breakthrough into the world of not taking myself too seriously. Thanks millions!

  40. Such good advice, Kristen! But it’s a challenge to figure out what one’s niche is. I personally love writing my Wednesday Words posts (all about the fun of language). But I hope to connect with potential readers far beyond that. Thanks for the continued encouragement.

    1. A lot of it is trial and error. That is one of the benefits to the blog being your NAME. Not only are you building your brand, but it frees you up to try new things and test fresh content. You are no longer a hostage to your topics :D.

  41. Hi K,risten,

    I’ve left two comments about changing my blog and both times I forgot to leave you a link to the blog, so here it is. http:// http://www.writing-ya.blogspot.com Thanks again for the tip. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun!

  42. Kristen, thanks for the tip. Just started to branch out myself but never thought of a theme. Now, I just need to connect my self-improvement Mondays, kitchen experiment Wednesdays, and anything goes Fridays. This would help me with blog improvement.

  43. Nice content, I agree that giving new look to blog will bring a new life to Blog… Thanks for sharing … knowledge based content..

  44. Good grief and gravy, now I have the entire Grease soundtrack playing in my head thanks to the mentioning of summer nights and drive-in movies…

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