I Think I Took Enough Time Off

Don’t you?

It is amazing the things you miss online after being gone a few weeks. 3 weeks in cyber world is like 3 months in real life. I missed the whole Wordpress 2.1.1 hacking scare. Good thing I was only running 2.0.5.

But I would rather miss a few weeks of being online than miss a few weeks of my new-born’s life.

I haven’t been too far away though. Still been blogging as much as I can at my parenting site. I have been promoting my online business and just yesterday the Black Bear Blog, our most active blog got mentioned by CBS News. So it has been fairly exciting for us as our Network is growing.

I have jumped into a routine I feel will work and I hope to continue writing here.

Enjoying My Week Off!

Since we had our new baby I have been taking some much needed time off. We also got nailed with a huge snow storm that caused the schools to shut down for 2 days. We played (and shoveled ick!) in the snow, sledded, went ice skating, sipped hot chocolate with marshmallows, and watched movies together as a family.

So I wanted to share with you a picture of all 5 of my kids I took a few days ago…

If You Can’t Get to the News First

An important aspect to being a successful blogger is getting to that news first. If you can beat the blogosphere and be the first to announce breaking news you can build some good trusted readers. But you can’t always be the first onto a top story. So what can you do?

I think there are many things you can do with a story even if you aren’t the first to post it. So don’t be afraid if you get to it 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc. I guess when it has been 3 days and there are 212 pages of results for all the blogs that posted about it… well maybe you should give it up.

But, heck we can’t always be the first to post about something, and in fact it is rare. So what do we do?

Be the first to post a decent commentary about it. Though we may be looking for facts, we also want to hear what others have to say about something. It is our nature. So quit beating yourself up over trying to get to that story first. I know it can be a great way to get some hits but I think what’s most important… and a lasting impression is what you do with that information.

Post your opinion and tell your readers about it. Personally I can’t stand reading politics blogs when all of the Democrats have the same opinion and all the Republicans have the same differing opinions. I mean come on folks. Are we that simple of human beings where we are either Democrat or Republican? If there is a top story on Barrack Obama, you can almost bet that if you land on any or all Democratic blogs you will read pretty much the same thing. Same goes with Republicans.

So my point? Umm…. Be yourself and discuss the issue. Being able to have a strong voice that isn’t the same as all those other bloggers is important.

So how do you stand out in your commentary? You can agree with everybody in your camp or you can have a real opinion. But maybe you do agree with everybody? But my point is that don’t simply write what everybody else is writing just to get the news posted on your blog. Actually take the time and come up with something decent to write. In the end it is all about what you say…

Obama… Osama…

Meghan Alexis Born On Super Bowl Sunday

Well my 5th child was born at 7am on February 4th, 2007.

I have been spending some much needed time with the family. Read more and see pics.

Update: Here is a photo of Meghan at 1 week old…

Ways I Get Around Blogger’s Block!!

I pick up a book and read.
When I write I picture it as output. I take what is currently in stock in my brain and put it together and then write about it. But what happens when you run out of inventory? It is time to reorder your stock. I find that reading a book helps me restock up on ideas. But what is really happening is you are working your brain in a different way. It is tough to work the same muscle over and over and over again without working some other muscle. You will become lopsided. Reading and writing are both necessary to be healthy and fit for producing good blog posts. So, spend time reading!!

I browse other blogs and leave comments.
Reading what others have to say and participating in other people’s ideas can really stimulate your creative side. You don’t have to comment on blogs in your niche. Just comment on blogs that interest you and participate. It is tough to produce material on the same topic over and over again. You should engage in other forms of writing. Which leads me to…..

Free write
Write something else in a word document or for some other purpose. It is tough to be a well rounded writer when all you do is write about the same topic. Write about what it means to be a dad or mom. Or write a piece on how you lost weight. Or write about your new truck. Write about how to think of ideas on what to write. Write about your family vacation.

Go for an hour walk.
It is proven that exercise stimulates creativity. It releases endorphins and will help you with ideas on what to write and probably other things. I know that I have to be overly careful when I am on my walks because I get a sudden rush of ideas that some may seem realistic at the time but later find out that my goals I set on my walk were far out of reach. So it is best to exercise and then write down your ideas for later assessment.

Make a list.
I will make a list at the beginning of the week of things I want to blog about. Keep a notebook and take notes of your thoughts. I know I come up with great ideas but 2 hours later I can’t remember that idea. Writing stuff down helps me remember. Those ideas you get when you exercise should be logged in to your notebook. This will make your life so much easier when it comes to blogging.

Take a short unannounced holiday.
Don’t announce it, don’t ever apologize to your readers, just don’t post for 2 days and then come back strong. Nobody really cares that you are going through a rut. Everybody does it. If you can’t think of anything to write don’t force it. Go back to the drawing board. After trying many things and that doesn’t do the trick, then take a mini 2 day holiday. Don’t feel guilty, just do other things like clean the house, go mow the lawn, do some yard work, take a family trip and take pictures, etc. Then when you come back, come back strong.

These are some of the things I do. What do you do to avoid blogger’s block?

Conduct a Weekly Blog Blitz

I have experienced many times in the past a direct boost in traffic from commenting on other blogs. It doesn’t have to be a huge increase in traffic but sometimes I go out on blitzes. We all get busy and when we get extra time we focus on content and promotion but sometimes I just plan a blog blitz. I spend a couple hours exploring and visiting blogs I just feel I hadn’t had the time to participate in.

Do you have a list of blogs you wish to be part of but you just can’t because you are busy? Well when you do a blog blitz make sure you hit that list. Keep the list in your favorites and add to the list when you come across good blogs. Then when it’s time for blitzing you hit all of them.

What do I do during a blog blitz? I mainly read through the latest blog entries and make note to comment on at least one of them. Sometimes I find myself commenting on a couple or sometimes I just can’t bring myself to comment at all. Just move on quickly.

I think it is important to be sincere and not just comment for the sake of commenting so if you can’t think of something to say within 20 or 30 seconds then don’t force something. It wouldn’t be sincere if you did. Just move on and spend time getting an idea what others are writing about for the week. Comment on stuff and follow links given to you by trusted and resourceful blogs. Explore new blogs and comment on them.

I have found each time I do this my traffic spikes a bit and I may get a couple new loyal readers.

So make time to blog blitz once per week on average.

Get Out There and Do Interviews

Whether its text or in the form of a podcast one of the best ways to gain legitimacy and interest is through online interviews. You see them quite frequently on the web but are you seeking out potential candidates to appear on your blog?

I remember back when we were trying to get the Black Bear Blog up to speed. I actually was approached by Field & Stream’s online Editor about placing our link on their 3 new blogs. I was excited about it and then it dawned on me that I should take the opportunity to get an interview. And so I did.

But don’t be afraid to reach out and email people. You have to ask the right questions. In the email don’t be long winded and drawn out. More than likely they will pass over it and say they don’t have time. Write short emails and get straight to the point. They will more than likely respond with something.

Give it a try and let me know what happens.

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