To blog or not to blog

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  • #32697
    Jane Maree
    @jane-maree
      • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
      • Total Posts: 909

      @GracieGirl @Daeus I guess it could just be my personal experience with some of the WordPress blogs I follow that could be spurring my dislike, because I definitely agree that they can work well. If you know what you’re doing and you use everything properly. I think the main thing is that I’ve found the comments difficult to reply to, and sometimes the strange formatting for comments and replies that makes it hard to have a conversation-like discussion. I think?
      My sister used to have a wordpress blog, and she did like it. So it honestly could just be personal opinion.

      Writing Heroes ♦ Writing Hope // janemareeauthor.com.au

      Gracie
      @graciegirl
        • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
        • Total Posts: 889

        @Jane-Maree Ahh! Yes. I understand what you mean now. WordPress comments would be like @Ethryndal’s or K. M. Weiland’s correct? I have noticed the replying to comments gets formatted in a weird-ish way. You mean with how long and narrow they get I assume?

        *is probably geeking out about something*

        #32701
        Jane Maree
        @jane-maree
          • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
          • Total Posts: 909

          @GracieGirl Yes, that’s what I had in mind.

          Writing Heroes ♦ Writing Hope // janemareeauthor.com.au

          Anon
          @theliterarycrusader
            • Rank: Wise Jester
            • Total Posts: 64

            @graciegirl If you’d like another example of Weebly’s capabilities, it’s what I used to build my editor website: http://www.theliterarycrusader.com/

            I like it for the same reasons as @feedingmygoldfish, and she was actually the person who introduced me to Weebly. 😉 The interface is intuitive and the templates are conveniently all drag and drop, but the HTML is also modifiable if you have the skill and/or desire to tweak it. I subscribe to the paid version, and when I compared pricing, Weebly’s plans were cheaper overall than WordPress, with a comparable amount of features. I will say that WordPress has a few more advanced blogpost functions than Weebly though. It really depends upon what you’re looking for. 🙂

            #32724
            FeedingMyGoldfish
            @feedingmygoldfish
              • Rank: Charismatic Rebel
              • Total Posts: 47

              @graciegirl Thank you!!! I’m glad you liked the blog. Instagram really is awesome for short pieces like my poetry, but it does present some logistical issues with longer things. :/ For me, I just figure that if a poem doesn’t fit well in an image for IG, then it’ll be a book-exclusive when I get around to publishing. Haha!


              @theliterarycrusader
              That’s cool that Weebly is also cheaper. I’ve never never had a reason to pay for extra features so far, so I haven’t looked at prices. 😛 I’m hoping to need some of the extra features that go along with the store, though, so maybe soon. 😉

              #32740
              Shaina
              @jenali
                • Rank: Loyal Sidekick
                • Total Posts: 142

                @graciegirl Annnd, I’m late. Oh well. 😛
                I have had a blog for a loooooong time. I agree with Brandon Miller, blogging is hard. It is hard to figure out what to write, it is hard to stick to a schedule! It is even hard to get people to follow your blog and comment on it.

                Like I said earlier, I have had a blog for a long time, I don’t have too many followers, and I only get the occasional comment. Yet, I still write. Mostly, because I am too stubborn to quit but also because yes, it does help with writing consistently because though they are few, I have people who are waiting for each blog post. People who read and think about my writing. That is why I write on my blog, and isn’t that why we write at all?

                Wow, that got really serious, really fast. To end on a cheery note, if you get a blog, have fun with it! Write about whatever comes to mind, rant about writerly things, and just generally write. I can’t wait to see your blog on the interwebs!

                • This reply was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by Shaina.

                The Scattered Writer

                #32768
                Audrey Caylin
                @audrey-caylin
                  • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
                  • Total Posts: 323

                  @Graciegirl Well, I’m terribly late, but here are my answers to your questions:

                  1. Yes. Blogging is definitely a way to write more consistently. Even if you don’t have a ton of followers, the fact that this blog is public on the Internet makes you feel more guilty for not writing on it 😉 I would suggest a schedule of posting once a week. Consistent posting also makes people more eager to follow you as well. I’ve had my blog for over six months now, and from two weeks in I’ve posted every Saturday (minus vacations and stuff).

                  2. (I totally get you with the outlining. I just finished mine. It was pretty brief because I’ve already written the novel a few times :P). Anyway, I would say yes to this question as well. A blog is a great way to branch out. I sometimes feel myself leaning toward using too much personification and all because of my creative writing, and blogging allows me to write differently, which is good. I don’t necessarily make my posts like school papers, but I do have to change my writing style. So you’d definitely be able to expand with writing on a blog.

                  3. Like @Jane-Maree, I am a hardcore Blogger fan 😀 I’ve actually started up several WordPress blogs before, and got pretty frustrated with the layouts. If you’re just starting a simple blog, I would highly suggest Blogger. WordPress is more of a website/blog platform. It may look more professional at times, but that’s mainly because it has a nice theme on it and the person who designed it probably knew what they were doing. Not to say that Blogger doesn’t involve a little coding either, but I think it’s a better way to start. You can always switch your platform later if you really want to get professional (K.M. Weiland did this). But, as Jane also said, Blogger can look very professional.

                  Finally, I think starting a blog is a great idea for any writer! It gets your platform up and going, which is important for both traditional and independent publishing. It’s also a way to write more consistently, get in touch with your audience, and meet some other amazing writers. I’ve really come to love blogging, especially how I can reach people in a special way. Here’s my link, if you’d like to check it out: http://audreycaylin.blogspot.com/

                  Just one last bit of advice: keep it fun! This is your blog. Write about what you want to write about and don’t stress over it.

                  Sorry for the length of that XP I hope it all helps!

                  #32774
                  Gracie
                  @graciegirl
                    • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
                    • Total Posts: 889

                    @theliterarycrusader @jenali @audrey-caylin Thank you guys so much for your input! This thread has really given me a lot to think about.

                    It sounds as if choosing a service (WordPress, Blogger, etc.) really comes down to how serious I am about the whole enterprise. So I need to take some time to figure that out. Thanks again!

                    *is probably geeking out about something*

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