Reflections on blogging

We are deep into fall now and headed toward winter. My natural instinct at this time of year is one of reflection. Since the hacking a few days ago, and my scramble to recover my website, I decided NOW would be a good time to talk about what’s gone before on Kimsmithauthor.com and what’s to come. You can check out my VERY FIRST POST here. You will see that from the very beginning of this site, it has been my desire to be fun and offer helpful stuff.

Call it my reflection about my website/blog for the last few years, but this post is about what I think I have learned along the way.

You gotta love it.

My efforts to educate on writing, publishing, and so on have given rise to a podcast and vlogging lifestyle. I love it. I love talking about writing, promoting, and publishing so much. I constantly look for ways to uplift and educate all stages of writers. There is very little reward for this type of blog, so I am committed to just being the horn blowing. I enjoy learning the subject that I am sharing, and I keep going regardless. And this is NOT my first blog/website. I knew what I was getting into. I want to do this for you, for me. I have made no bones about being into self-publishing through the years.

Understand your audience and give them what they ask for.

Most of my blog followers are into the same stuff I am into. I think people who stumble over my blog through old links or whatever usually don’t hang around. Those who do, they are true writers who want to know what I have to share. I want you all to know that I am not going to stop providing info for you. I will however, begin to be a bit more secure with it. Hackers are real. And I am ready to create a real writer’s site, and devote this space to my own books.

It’s okay to develop your career as a writer AS you teach others.

I don’t profess to know ALL there is to know about writing, publishing and so on. I only know a little piece of the pie. My little piece of the pie. But what I know, I share. And I am learning along the way. In the spirit of full disclosure, I likely could learn a lot from YOU. Don’t be shy, share. I did a lot of talking about my first YA novel. You can toot your own horn, too. I won’t mind.

Blogs are still a viable way to be in touch with your audience.

You are here, right? You are not alone. I read blogs, and I am a blogger. Nuff said.

Own your own content, but make backups.

If I had had a good backup, this last little incident wouldn’t have been a big deal. Reminder to all: DO BACKUPS. And if you don’t own your own content, ie. you have your site on a free place like Wix or Weebly, remember if they go out of business, you will lose all your content because you don’t own it. They do. And they can take it down or lose it for you in the blink of an eye. I know my situation was dire as well, but it was MY fault, not my hosting co’s.

If I can find the time, you can too

If there is one thing people ask me repeatedly it is “where do you find time” to blog, write books, social media interaction, and work and have a family. I wrote a blog post about this, but it is also in the book, Ten Tips for Getting that Book Written. But in short, YOU WILL DO IT if you want it badly enough.

I started blogging as a way to find readers. But this blog and this site has become SO much more to me. I love blogging and vlogging and podcasting. I love chatting with authors and writers and poets and creatives of all kinds.

So, I am going to let you in on a little secret…I am going to keep going. I am not going to quit. YOU MATTER to me.

My promise to you is:

To provide helpful, workable details every 2-3 days on writing, publishing, promoting, and profiting through blog posts, podcasts, written interviews, and video.

To answer questions, comments, and requests through all social media outlets as efficiently as possible.

To be upfront and real with my own writing efforts in order to save you energy and time with your own.

Thank you so much for being my fan and follower, and for coming back again and again to this site. I hope you will stay with me and be a part of the great changes coming in 2016!

You can sign up for my email list, or fan me and follow me at these sites:
https://www.facebook.com/kimsmithauthor
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