Bloggin’ Bonanza

Have we touched upon actually starting a blog?  Methinks maybe not.  So-o, let’s give it some thought.

Why have your own blog?

• Coz it’s a great way to share thoughts, ideas, reviews—the sky’s the limit!  It puts you out there: you can shine like a star.
• Coz it can prove a bonanza (not the show, but the jackpot).  It can serve as a fabulous way of generating income (personally, I’m still figuring that out on this end, but it’s a definite objective down the blogging road).

For those not yet blogging, but giving it serious consideration, you may want to start with some basic background/information gathering.  But that said, why not simply jump in and learn as you go?  I more or less did.  The only thing I did before setting up A Writer’s Grab-Bag was to determine which blog-publishing service / platform to use.  A lot of people had great things to say about WordPress, so WordPress it was; you choose the one that feels right for you.

Happy news for those counting nickels (like I seem to perpetually be)—a blog can be set up and designed for free.  It depends on who you go with and what options and type of reach you’re contemplating . . . and what you’re willing to do without.

Remember, though:  free = limitations.

Decide whether you want a self–hosted blog or hosted one.  The former resides on your own server.  Most people generally, however, go for the latter and pay a third-party to host their blog.  This allows for a lot of benefits: a more professional appearance, additional bandwidth and memory, and control over your blog in terms of layout and SEO, among other things.  If you go with a hosted blog, yes, you will have to put out a few of those nickels.  The good thing, though, is you get to focus on your posting and not worry about configuring and all that annoying technical sh-uh-stuff.

Figure out your domain name; think of something catchy, easy to recall, and indicative of your blog.

Part of the fun is designing the blog.  The scheme and layout options are endless!  Feeling daunted, unsure?  Check out blogs that cater to the audience you want to attract.   Scrutinize successful ones.  Research ideas.  Then go for it.  Design one that reflects you and your blog content.  Add those bells and whistles!  You can do it.

Enough food for thought?  Methinks likely not.  But perhaps sufficient enough for you to take the plunge into the blogging foray.  Just bear in mind: there’s a ton (!) of resources out there for beginner/novice bloggers (which I still am), including support groups and communities.  You don’t have to go it alone . . . but you should definitely go for it!

Author: tylerus

I'm primarily a writer of fiction and blog posts, and a sometimes editor and proofreader of books, manuals, and film/television scripts. Fact-checking and researching, organizing and coordinating are skills and joys (I enjoy playing detective and developing structure). My fiction audience: lovers of female-sleuth mysteries. My genres of preference: mysteries (needless to say), women’s fiction, informative and helpful “affirmative” non-fiction. So-o, here I am, staring up a new blog for aspiring and established e-Book writers. The plan: to share the (long) journey of getting to this stage, and share "learnings" and "teachings". There's a lot I hope to accomplish with this blog, but it may be a while before that happens as there's a lot on the ol' plate - taking care of Mom, working full-time, and attempting to get another book in the Triple Threat Investigation Agency series written (never mind blog postings and other writing projects). It's very challenging and it's all good. As I like to say: teeny focused baby steps are just as effective as long forceful strides. It may take a little longer, but we will get there. View all posts by tylerus