Share Your Blog 2019 | For the Love of Books
I am sharing this blog from my friend because it looks like a FUN way to be encouraged as a blogger and to encourage others who are bloggers.
Take a moment to read, and then share your blog information in my comments. Maybe you (and I) will get new followers, which would certainly help me stay focused on the need to post more often!
via Share Your Blog 2019 | For the Love of Books
Share Your Blog 2019
This post is inspired by the brainchild of a popular blogger, Paul, at https://captain’sspeech.wordpress.com Check out his post, Share Your Blog 2019, I could never express this idea the way he can.
I would share his post here for you but he received way too many comments in response to his challenge/request. If you do visit his site, you may end up joining his thousands of followers, which would be a good thing.
Basically, his idea is this – as a blogging community we need a shot in the arm. He claims most of us have been moving along sluggishly, if at all, in 2018. He’s right, we’ve all seen it. Interest seemed to drop off dramatically and it’s been getting harder to find something interesting to read on a regular basis.
Paul’s idea also appeals to every blogger’s need for better stats; more views and more followers. Today’s challenge is something proactive to increase our numbers.
Apparently there was a time when WordPress promoted community by encouraging the idea Paul is suggesting, and it worked. Now, we need to take the initiative to promote community this way.
Paul invited his followers, and anyone else who happened to stumble upon his blog, to introduce themselves and promote their blogs in the comment section of his.
I’ve gone back several times to see what the response has been like. It has been amazing. Many of us have never commented on his site before but many did this time. You could see that the introductions were getting lots of attention too, and conversations were sparked when like minded bloggers discovered each other.
Paul always encourages comments and interacts with people when they do, which is entertaining in itself.
Comments have never taken off on my site, probably because of my tendency to hide where it’s safe. Also, I’m an introvert and struggle with stilted small talk. Honest reactions though, I can handle. I’m looking to change it up a bit in 2019 and encourage conversations. If I manage to inspire you in someway, hopefully there would be a little bit of conversation to be had with some honest feeling in it.
So, here’s today’s challenge: introduce yourself in the comment section. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your blog. What is it about and how/why did you get started?
I don’t know if Paul’s stats improved any in this exercise but I know mine did (Welcome! to the new followers) by speaking up on his site. I know yours will too, if you comment here.
So don’t be shy, speak up, you never know who you will get to meet and, your stats will get a shot in the arm. What have you got to lose?
I would value the opportunity to learn more about my followers, so I’m personally looking forward to seeing your comments on here too.
Go for it!
Janette (I’m coming out of hiding in 2019)
P.S. I’m grateful for those of you following me on this blog, you keep me posting.
The artist chooses a simple brown to add shading to the open book, whose pages were fluttering as though a breeze from the bird’s wing had lifted them.
Across the book, she places a quill pen. The nib has a small cross design that holds the ink and is tipped in blood red. This tip is connected to the quill, tied to the peacock feather by purple wrapping. At the end of the wrap where the feather fronds begin, hangs a white cross with a red bead in the center.
The artist creates the feather with multiple jewel tones, paying special attention to shading and emphasizing the “eye of God,” the circular design on a peacock feather. Delicate beads are attached to the feather stem the length of the colourful fronds.
Opposite the feather but reaching to equal height in the design, the bird stretches his wings in flight. He is not brightly coloured like the peacock feather but is shaded to show delicate feathers. Wispy swirls are placed throughout the picture, connecting the elements and giving life to the moving air that lifts the pages of the book.
The artist stands back to examine her work. The placement, the colours, the shading, the individual elements, and the complete effect. The canvas was not smooth and perfect. It had been creased and was discoloured in places. However, the design cut through those scars, so the eye was no longer drawn to them. She touched up a place or two and added one more wisp of wind.
The book; her life, her journey, her story. She is a writer. She knew all the difficult stories in that book. Childhood sexual abuse. Confusion, loneliness, tears. Breast cancer treatments and mastectomies. Her husband’s near-fatal cancer. SAD, depression, deep pits of darkness – mental health struggles developed from her childhood, years of exposure to traumatic events through her work, and now life-changing surgery. Yet over, throughout, and around the pages was comfort, protection, and hope.