Armchair BEA ~ Blogger Development
The second part of the topic discussion for today is a personal exploration of blogging styles, tips learned over time, what has worked and what hasn’t, and anything else to do with the general topic of “blogging.” One hope is that through sharing and connecting all of us who are partaking in Armchair BEA will advance in our goals.
For me, blogging – as opposed to simply having a static website with the information needed to enlighten about my novels and provide sales links – really took off due to two important pivotal points.
The first was in July of 2008 when then-fellow Sourcebooks author Marie Force invited me to join the Casablanca Authors Blog. Fellow romance authors Cheryl Brooks, Loucinda McGary, Linda Wisdom, Kendra Leigh Castle, Michele Ann Young, Malena Lott, Mary Margret Daughtridge, Terry Spear, Amelia Grey, and Marie made me welcome, taught me the joy of blogging and group marketing, and, more than anything, became my friends. If not for Casablanca, I never would have been brave enough to create my group blog Austen Authors in 2010.
Second was when I launched the release of my first novel, Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One, and embarked on my first virtual book tour. It was the beginning of connecting with book bloggers all over the place.
Connection is what it is all about. Through connection and meeting bloggers of all types, I have learned tremendously. Oddly, one of the biggest lessons is that nothing I have learned is fool-proof 100% of the time! LOL! There are so many varied ways to fashion a blog, write blog posts, network together, decide where to guest and how often, and on and on… and the choices are ever changing… and the results are never consistent. It is definitely NOT an exact science!
So I keep my ears open and am happy to hear new ideas. Got any?
Connection really seems to be the common thread. So many of us longing for a connection to people who love reading and books the way we do. So glad ABEA helps with that.
it’s absolutely not an exact science! What works for one might not work for others. Still, it is good to see everyone else’s methods!