I'll be getting back to more from the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop on Monday but in the meantime I want to tell you about one tip I'm going to try on my own blog.
In a session on 'building your brand', the speaker advised us to be consistance - always keep the same voice within our blogs and across whatever social media we may use. She also said the voice had to be consistant with the purpose of the blog. Well, that pulled me up short. To be really honest, I started a blog to build an online presence because I hope to get a novel published someday and it's generally accepted that an author needs an online presence. So far so good. I rather enjoy blogging and I like to mix posts about writing with personal topics, general information, and lots of humor. But I write mystery/suspence, and not the lighthearted kind.
Uh oh.
So if someone is interested in my suspense novel and they check out my blog and hit a post I've written just for laughs, am I
screwed in trouble?
I asked a couple of the workshop faculty and got some mixed responses. The concensus was I
might have a problem. So I'm going to try something of a workaround. Starting next week - well, actually I started this week - I'm going to follow a new post schedule. Mondays will be Mystery, Murder, and Manuscripts, where we'll talk about mystery (suspense, crime drama, etc.) or about writing or maybe about writing mysteries. This will be my serious author day. On Wednesday, I'm keeping Happy Hump Day. Just because it's fun. Friday will be For Everything Else. Might be serious, might not.
Okay, that's the plan. What do you think? Seriously. I'd appreciate your feedback on this.
I also promised you a new blog. Nope, not mine, but one I think pretty much everyone can benefit from.
Maria Zannini is lauching a blog titled
Back to Basics which is tied to her excellent book series and Facebook page
The Frugal Way. As Maria describes it, Back to Basics is "more than frugal living or how to make a few extra bucks. It's about creating the Have-More life without donating a spleen."
Well, who can't use that?
The official launch of Back to Basics is next Tuesday, although there are a couple warm up posts already in place. While you're waiting, check out
The Frugal Way which is loaded with links to great free stuff. You need to Like this page. And I hope you'll give Maria a great launch day on Tuesday - visit, follow, share, tweet, enjoy. Make her day.
One final note - I'm going to be away from my computer most of Friday so if you leave a comment - and please do - forgive me for not answering right away. I'll also be late visiting everyone else's blogs, but I will get there.
Groaner of the Day: (keeping it short, it's Friday)
This girl said she recognized me from the vegetarian club, but I'd never met herbivore
