With the year winding down, I’ve been assessing the success of my efforts at
promotion. I established my own blog and post about my travels, my books and my family. Not exactly a focused effort but people seem to like it. My followers are on the upswing. I try to post twice a week- a New Year’s resolution that went the way of all resolutions. Sigh.
I blog bimonthly at The Roses of Prose http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com and once a month at The Black Rose http://twrpblackrose.blogspot.com/ I’ve guested at a number of blogs this year and wondered if the effort is worthwhile.
It’s hard to keep a regular schedule and find time for my novel writing.
So I asked a few friends if they have more than one blog. The answers were all over the place. And absolutely no help in making a decision. Everyone gave me permission to quote them.
Jerri Hines started a new blog and features romantic releases.
http://romanticpicks.wordpress.com/
She recently had me as a guest
http://romanticpicks.wordpress.com/2012/11/25/works-of-barbara-edwards/
Maggie Toussaint wrote:
I decided against being in a group blog. I try to blog at my place http://mudpiesandmagnolias.blogspot.com/ once a week, but I miss the occasional week. Blogging is about revealing more about my stories or me, and I like to have most of those posts concentrated at a venue I control. I do blog tours when I have a release, but I’m a blog-lite kind of gal, maybe one to two guests blogs for about 3 weeks and I call it good for new book PR. Even I’m sick of my characters and hype by then, LOL.
But I have taken a reverse approach to blogging as I try to comment on multiple people’s blog-posts each week. And, most of the time I remember to leave a link back to my blog. So I’m trying to do some stealth blog-networking. Does it work? I don’t know, but its my plan and I’m sticking to it.
I was awed by Morgan’s reply. I would love to have the energy to do this and also write wonderful books like she does.
These are the Group Blogs Owned by Morgan Mandel:
Make Mine Mystery – http://makeminemystery.blogspot.com – My days are 2nd & 4th Mondays – As name suggests, It’s a mystery blog, with members posting almost daily
Acme Authors Link – http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com – My days are each Wednesday. Members post almost everyday here – This is more of a personal life of writers blog, about our books and our writing and personal lives
Books Gone Viral – http://booksgoneviral.blogspot.com – The rules in this blog are there are no set rules on when to post. Our many members post whenever they feel the urge or have an event to tell readers about.
I also participate in a group blog owned by Dani Greer, called The Blood-Red Pencil, http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com, where I’m on the first Tuesday of the month and then later at an assigned date later in the month. This blog consists of mainly editors, but I was admitted because they like my hints for authors.
GUEST BLOGS: I own two guest blogs that are specific in requirements:
Sweet Not Spicy – http://sweetnotspicy.blogspot.com – Guests promote their sweet fiction and romances – Once a week a post appears on Tuesday and stays up until the next Tuesday’s guest.
Spunky Senior Authors and Talents – http://spunkyseniors.blogspot.com – Guests who are 50 years of age and older share their lives, and if they’re authors, they also share their books. – Once a week a post appears on Thursday and stays up until the next Thursday’s guest.
I HAVE TWO PERSONAL BLOGS:
Double M’s Take on Books, Blogs, Dogs, Networking & Life – I share what the title says, and at times host guests. This blog has no set schedule, whenever I have time or a special occasion to a post about.
Morgan’s Book Links – http://morgansbooklinks.blogspot.com – This blog is similar to a website, in that the content rarely changes. It highlights each of my books, plus offers buy links, and excerpts.
Morgan Mandel – http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
Stephanie Burkhart wrote:
I try to post twice a week on my personal blog Romance Under the Moonlight. I blog once a month on 99 cent book, 4RV publishing and Once Upon A Word. I belong two other group blogs but I’ve neglected as of late because my writing commitments were overwhelming. I’m getting out from under the writing commitments this Nov.,_._,___
Celia Yeary added:
I post on my personal blog roughly twice a week. I co-own a group
blog called Sweethearts of the West, and each of us–15–have a certain
day, even days of the months, which gives each of us a two-day exposure.
These two are my focus and sometimes takes more time to do than others.
Two others I can post on anytime, as long as I get on the calendar. I can rarely
manage more than two blogs at a time, although I do have good intentions.
http://celiayeary.blogspot.com/
http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com/
The use of blogs seems to be as individual as each of us. I can’t draw any conclusions from what I learned, but maybe you will. I hope you take the time to visit each of these blogs and read what they have to share. If you like it, you can ask to be a guest.
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