Wednesday 1 January 2014





JUST A LITTLE BIT SCHIZOPHRENIC!



Feeling a bit schizophrenic tonight. On one hand I’m a bit glum. It started with me thinking of ways I might alter my blog page to link to my new book when it is released in April. I read through a dozen examples of other blogs to get ideas. Some weren’t as well written or witty as mine (please note, I employed only level-headed, unbiased observation here!); many used lots of interesting photos, illustrations and layouts (a strategy I should develop, ASAP). But the biggest difference I noted was in the number of readers and comments. I have only two followers and they never comment.
            From time to time I forward post onto my Face Book timeline and occasionally someone 'likes' it. Many others register as having ‘seen’ it, but comments, negative or positive, are rare. Why is this? Are the posts boring? (surely not!) Are they too controversial? (but wouldn't that mean I'd get incensed replies?) Are they not ‘spiritual’ enough for the faith-based groups I mostly relate to? Is the content too religious for everyone else? Am I trying to be all things to all men? Should I specialise, and for whom?

        
           On the other hand, I’m feeling a little glow of creative pleasure. During the Christmas to New Year down-time I’ve been experimenting with designing a brochure and a poster to use as advertising material for both my new book and the creative writing workshops I have been running since the middle of 2013. Learning the techniques is frustrating (it involves computer technology, of course it’s frustrating!), but it is also curiously satisfying. I could play for hours with colours and varieties of fonts, and then there’s all those illustrations to find and insert!  And because I had to make do with a male in the cartoon above, I’m now dreaming of picking up the sketch pad I haven’t used in years and drawing my own. 

            Oh my goodness! It’s only New Year’s Day! I have enough projects to keep me busy until Easter!!

3 comments:

  1. I follow, and I even comment (sometimes)! You might find that it's in part the nature of your audience - some of those people may not be familiar with blogs or their interactive nature. Some of your readers may be time poor and only check in occasionally (like me). But I think you will find that many bloggers struggle with a similar problem - and the blogs you see with loads of hits and comments often belong to networks and blog directories, and they devote time each week to promoting their blogs in very specific ways. Happy to catch up with you and chat about this sometime if you'd like. :-)

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  2. So there you are! I miss seeing you at the groups at TTGL. Thanks for putting things into perspective re blogs. I wasn't as depressed as it sounded!! Petulant, maybe. Yes would love to catch up. I'm temp-ing until end of next week, so some time after that would be good.

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