Bestselling Author Shares 3 Tips for Building Your Blog Audience
After moving from New York City to Chicago and getting married, Rachel Bertsche realized that her new life was missing one crucially important thing: a local best friend. So she decided to go on one friend date every week for a year, and she documented her quest on a WordPress.com blog at MWFseekingBFF.com.
But before Rachel even started the blog, the 27-year-old writer put together a book proposal based on her search for a local BFF, and successfully pitched it to agents, and then editors. She says, “After I sold the proposal, I decided to start a blog so that I could have a place to document my journey and some of the research I was finding. I also wanted to start building a community and to engage with readers.”
It’s now been over two years since Rachel first launched MWFseekingBFF.com. So did she accomplish her blogging goals? “Absolutely!” Rachel says, “When my book, MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend, came out, I had a whole audience for the memoir that wouldn’t have existed without my blog. And I made new friends through blogging — I’ve met some of my readers, and other bloggers, in real life. My book ended up becoming a National Bestseller and hitting the NY Times Extended Bestseller List. I continue to update the blog because I enjoy it, and also I have a lot of loyal and wonderful readers who seem to enjoy it.”
Rachel says that the discussions generated by her blog posts were a great aid to the book writing process. “Blogging also helped me uncover what issues surrounding friendship were most interesting to my readers, and brought me new ideas. Readers said things in the comments that would switch on a light bulb for me, or they often alerted me to new research on friendship. While my book is very different than my blog (it’s not a compilation of blog posts by any means), writing my posts made me feel like I had a platform to bounce book ideas off of.”
We asked Rachel to share her advice on how to grow your blog audience. Here’s what she had to say:
The first thing I did was to read and comment on other blogs that I thought had a similar audience to mine. Leaving thoughtful comments with a link back to your blog is a great strategy. But you need to actually engage, and respond to the post. Readers are smart. Comments that are clearly only self-promotion will be obvious. Don’t write, “Great post! I think you and your readers might also be interested in my blog [link here].” Instead, get into the discussion. Respond to the issue at hand.
When you go to leave a reply, don’t post your blog link in the comment. Readers understand that they can click on your name and I think leaving the link in the post reeks a bit of self-promotion. (To change the link, go Users → Personal Settings in your dashboard and find the Website field under Account Details.) If you regularly comment on someone’s blog, that person will likely eventually stop by and read your blog, too. I’ve found the blogging community to be one of the most inclusive and generous out there.
Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help. When I started out, I emailed some of the bloggers I most admired. I told them I loved their blog and asked their advice on how to find success. They were people who had clearly cracked the nut and each had their own tips for what worked for them. Then you can pick and choose.
Finally, give credit where credit is due. When I read a blog post that I love or that spurs an idea for my own blog, I always reference the post and link back. Blogging is about community and sharing, and this sets the tone. Just recently, I wrote a blog post inspired by a post on 1000AwesomeThings.com. I linked back, and hopefully turned a bunch of new readers onto the site. Because there was a decent amount of traffic sent to his blog, or maybe because he received a pingback, Neil Pasricha then came and commented on my blog! This is the author of two #1 International Bestselling books! I was so thrilled. I emailed Neil to thank him, and that began a back and forth, where I was able to ask him his blogging tips.
The bottom of line of all these lessons is to engage. Blogging is about community. It’s most successful not as a solitary endeavor but when you enlist the help of others, and in turn help them, too.
Learn more about Rachel and her book at MWFseekingBFF.com.
- March 15, 2012
- Better Blogging, Community
Great tips and I agree with you 100% about blogging being a community effort. I have only been blogging for a couple of months and first started out to get exposure for my new books. Little did I know that I would find dozens of new friends, authors, editors and publishers, who not only share my interest but who also help each other out with mentions, referrals, writing reviews, etc… I am also finding loads of writing tips that are helping me to become a better writer. You had a great idea and I congratulate you on your success. After all that, did you ever find a new BFF?
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thank you for this post i am very new in this and thats helps a lot with advice in building a stronger audience 🙂
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Thank you for your advice ! I just began a blog and that is very useful, thanks again !
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Thanks for the tips
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I think you just taught me how to blog. Sure, I’ve posted random nonsense, but this community, the sharing, that what it’s really about. Thanks 🙂
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Hi Rachel,
Great blog theme and kudos to you for your success in getting published as a bona fide author! I’ve been an aspiring writer for many years with intermittent blogging activity since Y2K (before anyone really knew what a “blog” was). My current project is entitled The Daily Log 2012, something of an opus in reflection of recent life events as I chart the next leg of my journey.
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I just started a new blog having had one before more to document my wife’s voyage through the big “C”. It developed a life of it’s own and became a stage for several short stories.
I agree wholeheartedly in that the “blogging community” is akin to “self help,” you certainly do not get more out of it than you are prepared to put in.
It is naive to expect to be able to post a blog and expect your “audience” to flock to it as though you have sign written it in the sky.
“Networking” is the oldest form of Marketing and, in this, not much has changed. I am learning the hard way and am trying to discipline myself to never turn down an opportunity to network be it though a blog, a website, e-mail and word of mouth. Is it hard? Yep. Is it quick? Nope. Is it fun? Yep.
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Rachel Bertsche thank you so much for all of these fantastic tips, they will definitely help me to gather information and to write an even better blog so that I can continue to build wonderful ideas on what I want to put in my book. It is going to be about all the chatter in cyberspace.
Have a wonderful day!!!
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i enjoyed reading this.
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Thank you! I found it helpful to hear some of your tips for building an audience. I have to admit that as a new blogger this process is harder than I expected. I guess the hardest part for me is patience. The one awesome thing that is coming from all this is that I get to read lots of awesome blogs that I may not have found if I had not started my own blog. I guess I will just need to stay focused and keep learning as I go.
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ohhhh, super helpful! thanks for sharing! I am currently in the process of switching over from my flash-based website to a full blog AS my website — this is great. Can’t wait to check out your book — sounds like it would be fun for my book club!!
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Thank you for your suggestions. After months of saying “I’ve got to start my blog” I finally did it and your advice has stirred me on!! Congratulations on your book!
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Thanks for tips.
As I stared blogging recently , it will helps me.
Regards
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I loved this post. Thanks for the tips. As a new blogger, I wasn’t sure how other bloggers felt about pingbacks or leaving links because, like you said, it looks like self-promotion. Now, it’s clear to me that we all are learning from each other.
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Thanks for the tips. I started blogging six weeks ago. I’m still a neophyte. I have been commenting on blogs in the way you recommend and have been surprised by interesting dialogue that takes places. As a writer, I just want to write. Technology is a distraction :-). The writer friend who encouraged me to create a blog did the set up and took me to school. Where would I be without Emily? Six weeks later, managing the site is second-nature, but I need to pay more attention to things like the account settings. Again, thanks for the tips. I NEED them.
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Just reading your blog about the important tips of sharing and building relationships on bloging. gave me clarity and a better understanding of what blogging is about. Thanks for the info, and best wishes to your success.
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New to blogging so the tips are extremely helpful. Haven’t read your book but I understand from friends who have that it’s a great book. So I’m going to buy it! Hope you’re liking Chicago!
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Reblogged this on simonsimplese16 and commented:
As someone who is still new to blogging and been dipping in and out of it and thinking of giving it a go again, this is inspirational
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Reblogged this on HandmadebyClaireBear and commented:
Must remember these tips
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Good tips. It’s worth being reminded that blogging shouldn’t be a solitary activity but about building dialogue and relationships. Trouble is, I could spend all day reading other people’s blogs. There are so many great ones out there…
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What a fab idea, and a great way to get out and about to meet new peeps in a new city! Thanks for the tips too :O)
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Great advice! I’m just starting out (blindly) and can use all the imput that I can find and this is exactly what I needed to hear. I see other great tips included in the comments too thanks guys!
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thank you for sharing your tips.
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I REALLY needed this blog! Thanks for being willing to share. As a new blogger, one of my biggest challenge is trying to figure out how to get people to check out the site (besides my family who all “have” to go there to check it out…..haha). Much appreciated! Keep up the great work!
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Hey, that was am amazing article. Great story and awesome tips. I just joined the social media blogging world a couple months ago and its hard to get viewers. What i have found out it that blogging and tagging sure get me seen on the organic search from google. I run a plumbing and drain cleaning business. Even though you may not live in the twin cities, MN, plumbing is something everyone can learn about. Plumbing from here to there is mostly all the same besides personal city codes. I have enjoyed very much blogging about different plumbing ideas. From easy definitions to why have a drippy faucet fixed to the coolest looking bathroom styles and more. Your article helped me in a sense that i can explore and start helping others and hopefully they will respond to me as well. Everyone has what i like to write about but i think plumbing also everyone can relate to. Cause ask youself this, Can you really not care about a leaking pipe and a flood on your floor? I agree that blogging is a great community if you let it be. Thanks again for the great article. Your very inspirational. Keep up all the good work.
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Hi Rachel. Reading this really helped. Impressive idea of finding friends n very helpful tips too. Amazing thing about writing is you never how ideas may just show up. 🙂
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Thanks for sharing the tips. I just recently started and have absolutely no clue on how to get more viewers besides just few of the friends that I could count with my fingers. This definitely gave me an idea now on how to start at least. Cheers 🙂
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My husband and I were just talking last night about what I could do to increase readership on my blog. Basically, I am doing what you recommend, but I do have a few things I can tweak. Great timing on this for me. The idea of creating shared experiences and relationships seems to be so key in so many areas that it makes sense that it would also apply to the blogging world.
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Great tips
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Thank you for an informative post. I agree about posting a blog address in comments and being self-promoting as just plain tacky. I have e-mailed those that have and have asked for more information, with no response from the bloggers. Again, thank you for the post. Jay
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Blogging is really where the internet comes into its own. It’s a great place to discover people out there to inspire and encourage me in what I am doing. And you can do it when it suits you, so it’s a great surprise when you get a response.
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When you are starting out as a blogger, it can be frustrating and demoralizing as you pour your heart and soul into writing, and then traffic to your blog is non-existent or builds up at a snail’s pace. It’s like watching grass grow! Patience is indeed a virtue in this regard. I really like when someone who is successful takes the time to share their experience, and then gives brief, to the point, practical advice that is easy to understand and to implement. Thanks so much!
Enrique Fiallo
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Just starting out in the blogging community, I really liked this post! It is very informative and helpful! I also am intrigued to read your book!
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Hi
Thank you. It is a very nicely written article and the tips are really useful. Being a new blogger, its nice for me to know that the blogging community is a helpful one. I have my list of admirable bloggers who always advise me to write from the heart and such advice has really helped me.
Thanks again.
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The aspects I like the most about blogging (or discussion forums for that matter) is about sharing and about community. Rachel addressed it well in her tips and I think that, as in real life, what you send out comes back to you – if you are friendly, open, generous, and genuinely interested in engaging with your readers or with other bloggers, the experience will be enriching and you will build a rich community of like-minded folks. Bravo Rachel, you are a true inspiration!
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Erica and Rachel, you are both an inspiration. This new (for me) world of blogging is, it turns out, just like every other part of life. You need talent for writing, but that isn’t even close to enough. Rachel, from your story I think it’s your persistence and your high level of emotional intelligence that were the other critical ingredients that gave your writing talent a chance to shine. You gave away, and you got richer, while I have been approaching blogging from the rather dunderheaded perspective of “gotta be sure nobody steals my brilliant ideas.” You have just shown (reminded?) me that I am about as off track as I could possibly be. Hey, I’m from the “older generation”, so I guess I need a bit of time to adapt. 🙂 Anyways, thanks for sharing your very simple, but oh-so-profound perspective on how to be a blogger and an author in today’s world. And Erica, I gotta say that your blog is amazing! I just realised as I was writing this that your blog announcements in my email are something I really look forward to. Even though you’re sort of selling WordPress, you only write when you have something worth reading. My favorite was your blog about writing a novel in November. Anyways, I’m being extremely long winded here so I’ll stop. You’re both awesome and I’m going to start following Rachel’s blog. Keep on bloggin’!
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Great advice! I find it is easy to get focused on my own little blog space–watching the hits grow obsessively (the country map feature is pretty cool), and tweaking my wording again–to the extent I forget I’m just one little blog in a great wonderful world of bloggers. When I took your advice and went out to look and see who else is out there, and what they are writing, it really opened my eyes. Some great stuff out there that provided great perspectives on what works and what doesn’t. I’m now going to start working on reaching out to those who are writing in related areas–and I might think about how to define ‘related’ as creatively as possible!
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Thank you so much for these tips! I am very new to blogging & have no idea what I’m doing so this was a great help!!! I’m looking forward to reading your book.
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Full of great information! Thanks for the blogging tips. I’ve only been blogging for a few months and I found this post very helpful!
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Rachel, this is a wonderful post! Thank you so much for sharing! As a new blogger and author, who is trying to find her audience and build meaningful readership, I am very interested in every tip and suggestion that comes my way. And this helps a lot!
Thanks so much and Cheers!
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Wow, this is really inspirational! I will reblog this on my own blog (so I’m working out how this reblogging thingy works also), although my blog is in Dutch. And I will check your blog as well Rachel. Looking forward to implement your tips.
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Hi there! I’m new in this Blog world and I’m really looking forward to learn about it and share my thoughts! Congratulations for all the succes and I keep an eye on your tips!
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Thank you for this! I love how she envisioned the end (a successful book deal) before she started her blog! I am relatively new to blogging and appreciate the success story, all the comments, and the advice!
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Great advice. Shows you have integrity. Thanks for sharing.
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I agree with your advice to engage with a blogger’s post when commenting. Your insight into our sport of blogging is one of the many reasons you are successful. Keep on sending me advice, I love it.
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Just getting started in the world of blogging, so these tips are terrific. Thanks for taking the time to share.
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Greatly enjoyed reading your guidance. Thank you for sharing this, and the wonderful experience that you had developing new friendships 🙂
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Great tips.
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Gosh….I just had a “why didn’t I think of that moment” after reading your blog and book idea! I moved back to my hometown area after being away for 26 years and have never felt so alone! I so miss my friends that I have Been through the ” trenches” (husbands, babies, mother-in-laws… Just to name a few!) Lol with and blogging has helped me find my voice but my search for a BFF is still on. I have gleaned a bit of comfort while sharing on my blog and reading your words give me hope! Thanks for that…
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Reblogged this on Preacherswifeintheknow.
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What a great blog concept! Great tips on how to build an audience. I’m wondering if there are any tips to share on how to pitch a proposal to an agent (or simply finding the right agent)?
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What a great idea for a blog – people always like to read a ‘human’ story which resonates with theirs, don’t you think. (Found your blog via WordPress Tweet today)
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Thank you for the good tips for building blog audience. We have been blogging for just over a year, and I feel like in some ways we are just beginning to find our voice and get some traction. Keep writing!
Jan
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This is excitingly interesting stuff. I’ll try to use it as I embark on two different projects.
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Thanks for leaving these helpful tips, Rachel. Community-building ideas in the blog context are helpful to me, as I’m just learning to get around here, and am not the most saavy at this point. I appreciate the time you took to share these ideas with us!
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Well, I am a new blogger and I loved this article that explained most reasonably what is most important for a newcomer when blogging: engagement and interaction. Thanks a lot!
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Reblogged this on Nikki Owen – writing great fiction, hopefully… and commented:
Brilliant advice from a lady who’s been there, done that. Hat’s off.
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Just so spot on. Thanks so much for the advice.
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Thanks for your insightful advice. It’s always good to learn from someone who’s done something you’d like to do or are doing…
Best of luck, with your book and your career…
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I have had my blog for about a year with enough hits to satisfy me. But as a writer, my need to broaden my audience is starting to build up so I was trying to find ways to make this a social experience, not just a solitary one. This really helped my mind get on track. Thanks for the advice!
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What a fantastic and original idea, well done, Thanks for all the information you have shared here, some great advice, I am relatively new here and I am grateful for people like you sharing what they know……baaa
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good tips… gonna use em
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Hey,
I did the same thing, I asked for help a blogger who I like to read. He gave me useful advices, however there is still a lot of work to be done.
Blogging is about the community it is about sharing. Here I agree with you, but beside this general rule my second rule is: Write about thing that you like, that you are interested in.
happy blogging
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Thank you for your tips, Erica. I’m fairly new to blogging and appreciate all of the help I can get. One of the things I really like is that in reading posts to blogs, I also find some really great blogs to follow. There are a lot of creative people in this world and I find out about products, blogs, books, etc., that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise. Have a blessed day.
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Congratulations on building your platform and publishing your book! Thanks so much for your helpful tips! As a first-time blogger, I find it very insightful. Cheers!
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Thanks for the tips …. am new in blogging … waiting for more tips
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This is a great post on a very hot topic. I visit several blogs weekly, some of which are international as far away as Australia and the topic of why we blog and what our blogs can do for our writing goals is always on tap. There are a great many discussions on blogging to connect with your audience and create a built in fan base before your work is published as well as blogging to attract agents and publishers.
I think the most important reason to blog is for yourself and to be authentic in your posting. If you enjoy what you are writing about, your blog will have its own unique energy, which will be all the draw you need.
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I thought this information was so encouraging. It’s so inspiring to hear about other people who have a strong passion for writing and connecting to those around them. It’s always great to hear about the success story, especially because so many of us dream of this very scenario. It gives us hope!
Curiousity struck and I had to visit the blog. It was an easy, fun read. I highly recommend you take a moment and check it out.
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Awesome tips! I’ll be sure to link my Web Page design students to this article!
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This was EXTREMELY helpful, thank you!
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Think that this is awesome and will be applying it when reading blogs from now on.
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Such great advice. As a college student, not too many of my friends blog. I have gotten many of my friends to become regular readers of my posts on health and fitness, but am looking to expand my audience. Your tips are definitely appreciated!
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Just thinking how far removed your advice and generous spirit is from our schooldays of old, when we used to cover our work with our arm/ body/ pencil case out of a fear that others would steal our priceless intellectual property…. Clearly the benefits of a shared wisdom and experience is a better way to go! As a newbie to blogging – thank you.
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I started blogging just a few days back..5 to be precise. I saw your post on my feed, got interested and Blimey! now I know how to build my audience! 🙂
Nice piece of writing, thank you!
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Loved the idea of your book….in my incubation of authorship I have a similar issue recently life change from full time 40+ hr week ad consultant to free lance, mix media artist, author, photographer, traveler and cooking creatively or whatever the whim may be at the time…..In other words searching, even though my desire has always been to author a book …so thank you for your blog
sharin’
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Great tips! Although, I am convinced there is always going to be much more to learn. I recently read another blog with a similar topic about “starting out”.
For years I have been trying to figure out where would be a good place to start letting out all of this stuff in my head. Let me just say, the past few days have been a bit crazy.
I hope to blog all of you around!
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Inspiring, we all need a little help, thank you for the ideas and tips…
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This post confirms my thoughts on blogging. I only started blogging this year. I thought it would be a good exercise in getting more writing practice. In the beginning, I did not expect anyone to read my blog. I was overjoyed when I received my first “LIKE”. 🙂 After 2.5 months, I might not have a large following but those, who do follow, inspire me to continue blogging. There are some people, who keep liking my posts until I start to follow their blog and then they disappear. But I am glad to say, that it does not occur too often. In general, the blogging community I have gotten to know is pleasant and supportive. We are one big happy family! 🙂
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Neat Blog. I am so happy for you that you actually found friends through blogging. That you actually made a place for yourself in the publishing world is fantastic The computer has an amazing reach. I have friends that I have never met but talk to every week for 10 years from chat rooms and blogs. We have helped each other through critical losses. Thank you for your hints.
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Congratulations on the success of both your blog and your book! And your CV is pretty impressive too! I have been writing for over a year now and am very disciplined about posting regularly. I do it because I love it. I decided that I will not obsess about the amount of traffic my site receives. I run a business, am a mother, wife and run my household so unfortunately interacting with fellow bloggers don’t always enjoy priority. I will definitely use your tips to try and improve. 🙂
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Well, one can hardly read this post without leaving a thoughtful comment, right? Thanks for your tips and thank you for NOT saying to blog frequently – it’s good advice but more worn-out than my favorite running shoes.
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Thanks for sharing! Genuinely, thoughful, inspiring, encouraging and helpful.
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Very insightful.Thanks!
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Great advice!
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Thank you for the info. One of the things I noticed is my readership jumped when I setup the link to Facebook. Naturally, the more one posts the more traffic as well.
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Great post, so helpful. Thanks for sharing, congratulations on your book.
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Wonderful post, I have been trying to get my blog going, and set-up my Website for my book, that will hopefully be out this year. At least this is my goal, to get it out this year. Thanks for the information. I do want to connect with other writers and bloggers who can help me along the way. Thanks again.
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thanks for the great tips. found them very helpful.
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I’m fascinated that you seem to so easily have pitched and received an offer to publish! I’d like to see that proposal!
Nicely done!
Thanks for the valuable info.
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…. Oh, and Thanks, Erica, for telling Rachel’s story! It’s very inspiring! Cheers!
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Reblogged this on gosbentertainment and commented:
Thanks for this information and congrats on your new book.
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Thank you Erica for reminding me of the importance of engaging others while I write. It’s true ya know…the inspiration through the interaction with others is amazing when it hits…just like a “light bulb” and it caught me off guard at first. I write quite a bit of poetry and I’ve found myself responding to posts that way.
Thanks again…Peace to you,
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This is a fantastic blog with sage advice. Not easy to do always but it is a community and that is easily forgotten. Thank you
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Enlightening. Blog on!
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Thank you very much for sharing Tips. I didn’t like to promote myself every time I was commenting a blog, now I know I was right… 🙂
When I first started configuring my blog I asked for help and the blogger answered me very very soon indeed and was very kind and helpful.
I agree with your tips now. ¡¡GREAT JOB!!
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Thank you for the inspiration. I am into my 4-5th month of blogging with hopes of publishing in a year. This was very helpful and I hope to take it further through this blog.
Sincerely,
Michael Redford
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Thanks for the blogging tips for a beginner like me. 🙂
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Brilliantly inspiring about the blog and book and very useful content! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
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Thank you very much for the tips and I completely agree that its important to be truly engaged with the discussion as you will likely attract similar readers anyhow, naturally, but the very same topics you choose to read about, and write about. 😀
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This is solid advice. One of the things I learned early on is that you can’t expect close friends and family to rush right over to read your blog. You may have a thousand facebook friends, but that doesn’t guarantee a thousand blog followers. There are folks who read and comment on blogs, and yes, they happen to be other bloggers. These are people who understand your effort and who know how good it feels to find a comment waiting.
I’ve been lucky to collect a handful of online friends who have no interest in starting their own blog, but they’re perfectly happy reading mine and submitting an occasional guest post. My first year blogging I would have been horrified at the idea of turning my blog space over to someone else, but now it’s a become a treat for both me and my regular readers. Obviously this isn’t something that would work for every blog, but it’s something to consider once you’re established.
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