Thank You, Dear Readers

Yesterday morning when I posted the blog, I was very close to another milestone, which quietly arrived without notice or fanfare from me as I worked.

For bloggers that are famous and bloggers that attract huge traffic to their sites, this milestone may not seem like much.

But for me, who started with nothing except an idea and a desire to build, it's enormous.

I'm talking about total reader views. 

Yesterday, I hit 300,000 total views since I began this blog on Aug. 1, 2010.

Yes, it's taken a long time to reach it.

Back in 2010, when my daughter Sarah Stegall offered to help collect recipes for the BryonySeries cookbook, she became so entranced with the project, she created the Bryony Facebook page as a Mother's Day gift (I had no idea how to start a page and probably still would need help today) and the next month, she offered to build a website (She had no idea how to build one. But she had the time, at the time, to figure it out and she did).

Then she created a Twitter account and a Flickr account (we've never used the latter). I'd read authors should have something called a blog. She researched that and set up this blog. then she researched SEO, keywords, and hashtags. For the first year, I wrote the blog (based on Sarah's ideas because I had no idea what to write) and she tagged them because tagging was a concept I could not grasp.

We cheered the first few views, the first double digit views, the first 50, the first 100.

With blogging nearly every day, it took almost six years to the day to reach that first 100,000 in total views. And we cheered that, too.

The next 100,000 took just fifteen months. That number got a bit of a boost late last year when I began blogging twice a day to attract a wider audience. Since the start of the blog, I'd posted links to all my feature stories on Friday, a story round-up. But the bulk of my work since I became an employee in 2014 doesn't have a byline and yet contains valuable information for the Joliet area community: local events and the great projects people are doing. 

So I began adding links to those in a second blog, posted in the evening, as a way of letting readers know those stories are available, too. The analytics show some people are reading them.

And we attained the third 100,000 in slightly less than nine months.

Since that time, my youngest daughter Rebekah Baran has become my partner in all things BryonySeries.

Every now and again someone mentions to me he or she reads my blog. Every now and then someone posts a comment on Facebook. Overall, I really have no idea who you area. Comments on the blog are even more sparse than the ones on Facebook.

But the analytics also show all those views aren't (albeit some probably are). I hardly ever have huge jumps in traffic that would alert me to bots.

Most of the traffic comes from Facebook, followed by Twitter, and then Google. 

Whoever you area, I'm thankful. Thankful, thankful, thankful, thankful.

And so I'm sharing this with you today. Because it's your milestone, too, probably more than mine.

Without you, dear readers, there would be no milestone to celebrate.

Thank You, Thank You

In 2010 I reluctantly started a blog because I'd read authors should have blogs.

My daughter Sarah Stegall, who was teaching herself the technical side of BryonySeries things (web design, social media, SEO, keywords, all the while collecting recipes for the BryonySeries cookbook) researched blogs, narrowed it down to WordPress and Blogger, and decided on the latter, for many reason, none of which are important here.

But I had a bigger problem. I had no idea what to write. Features, fiction: fine; ideas abound. But, blogging? Is't that like "Dear Diary," but online?

Sarah had ideas. Write about anything and everything connected to me writing: my work writing, my fiction writing, the setting, the plot, the characters, the themes (Victorian, 1970s, food, Irish, leprechauns, blood, roses, piano, white cats, fishing and fishing villages, gothic architecture, gothic literature, and so on), self-publishing, my struggles, my victories, and some of me personally.

People would want to read that? Sarah assured me they would. And she was afraid.

Still, I was afraid of being spammy, a fear that persists to this today and helps keep me on track. For instance, here's a piece I'd bookmarked four years ago: http://annerallen.com/2013/10/social-media-secrets-for-authors-par/

We decided to launch the blog Aug. 1, several months in advance of a November release date, never guessing my June surgery would be postponed until August and that the small I press that was readying Bryony for publication would push the release date out a year (and eventually go out of business).

Still afraid of running out of material, I prewrote the first month's worth of posts. Except for some exceptions in 2013 when we were losing our home, I've blogged every day. I haven't run out of ideas and have some new (and will be resurrecting some old) ideas for 2018.

Sarah and I together cheered the first couple of post views, then cheered again when views hit double digits (Ten people read it??? Really???) We cheered when we hit 50 views and when we hit 100. We celebrated 100,000 all-time views in mid-2016 and watched the numbers continue to climb.

Before the holidays, the blog averaged 13,000 views a month. And we almost closed out the year at 200,000 all-time views. I can't tell you how humbling that is.

And yes, even when one doesn't count the Throwback Thursdays (another of Sarah's ideas), some of those older posts still get views. Amazing

I'm convinced the experience Sarah received from learning this stuff helped her land the job (and manager's role) she has today in her company; I'm convinced I work as a features editor today because of the skills I acquired while writing, editing and marketing novels.

Although Sarah is now too busy to play "web administrator" to the BryonySeries anymore (her exact current title is "web administrator emeritus"), my other daughter Rebekah Baran has stepped up into that role.

Rebekah designed the current website at www.bryonyseries.com. She does most of my book formatting and cover creation. She formats and uploads the eBooks. And she's gradually teaching me how to do these things, only calling on Sarah when she runs into a snag.

I never could/can do this without my girls. Their help, expertise, willingness to learn, and ease of navigating technology is invaluable and appreciated beyond measure.

Why am I sharing all this?

Because if you're a writer, hang in there. Be persistent; be consistent. Take the long view of building a writing/editing business. While overnight successes are rare, this industry has a way of rewarding those who keep learning and improving, possibly because the competition quits too soon.

While I'm far, far, far from being a household name, I spend most of my hours (weekdays and weekends) writing and editing something, which is the career I've wanted ever since I was a little girl. The career grows a bit more each year.

If these are your goals, too, I want to help you get there. Because it's possible, you know.

If you'd like to self-publish a book this year for little cost, and you live in the Joliet area, check out this event on Jan. 11: https://goo.gl/aRY4uC

If you're a WriteOn Joliet writer, I want to hear your writing, editing, and marketing goals so we can help each other in 2018. We have local memberships (for those who can attend meetings) and remote memberships (those who live far away and cannot). So the group is open to all adults writers age 18 and up. For more information, visit www.writeonjoliet.com.

If you're a reader, I'm humbled with gratitude.

Thank you for finding something worthwhile to read here.

Thank you for checking back each day.

Both add up to encouragement to me. Page views help let me know what readers are enjoying; they help shape the future of this blog. They fuel my inspiration for yet another post on another day.

Ultimately this blog is meant to entertain you, provide you with information, share great stories from the greater Joliet community, and help connect us with each other.

So readers, if there's something you'd like to see on this blog, message me at bryonyseries@gmail.com. I'd love to hear your feedback and ideas.

For me, 2017 was a hard, challenging year for my adult children and me in terms of work. In fact, as soon as I post this blog, I'm working the rest of this day. Praise God it's work I enjoy!

But.

I'm leaving 2017 with sharper skills than I began it and so are my kids. I hope 2017 brought, for you, many blessings, even if they came disguised.

I look forward to journeying the new year with you. Here's to 2018! (virtually cliinking my coffee mug against yours).

Do You Blog (Should You Blog?) Some Thoughts

It seems as if everyone has (or had) a blog these days.

If you're one of them, you may wonder if you should start (continue or revive) a blog.

First of all, what is a blog? Merriam-Webster defines it thus: 

1: computers :a website that contains online personal reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks, videos, and photographs provided by the writer; also :the contents of such a site

2: a regular feature appearing as part of an online publication that typically relates to a particular topic and consists of articles and personal commentary by one or more authors a technology blog.

So a blog is basically a regular online feature that centers around a topic, the blogger, or both. If you'd like to write about particular subjects (including your perspectives and experiences) and then share them with the world, then maybe a blog is "write" for you.

When I was studying book marketing during the time my first book Bryony was in the editing stages, waaay back in 2010, I read authors should have blogs to help establish "platform" and "branding." I didn't know anything about blogging past that.

I handed off the task of researching this mysterious thing called blogging to my daughter Sarah Stegall, who was also building my website and learning about other mysterious concepts, such as SEO, keywords, etc.

Sarah, in turn, reached out to people she knew, who recommended either WordPress or Blogger, unfamiliar terms to me. Although WordPress is more popular today, we, being online amateurs, found it clunky to use and went with Blogger.

Sarah created the account, tagged all the posts that first year, and monitored the analytics. I was to provide the content. I came up dry. 

It was Sarah, again, who suggested I write about the various topics in the Bryony, the process of creating the story and the inspirations behind some of its elements, my life as a writer (and woman, mother, grandmother), my "other" writings (in short, my day and nights jobs), etc.

"People won't want to read that stuff," I protested.

I was't even certain I wanted to write about them, either.

"Yes, they will," Sarah insisted.

She was right.

Side note: And I laugh now at how difficult it was at the time to add videos and photos.

During the time I've blogged, I've watched friends and acquaintances start (and end) blogs., Many people start out enthusiastically and fade away. I've blogged nearly every day since I started this blog on Aug. 1, 2010, and here's what I've learned.

1) Formulate a purpose for your blog.

Why, and for whom, are you writing this blog? Give it some thought.

My blog is for anyone who likes the BryonySeries, likes any of its basic themes, for other writers, and for readers of my feature stories (who may be curious as to what I do off the clock).

2) Decide how often you will post.

I post something every day, but as a writer, I write every day, so that seemed the best for me, at least in terms of keeping me on task. 

Daily posting may not be ideal (or even necessary for you), but do create a schedule and adhere to it. You can always vary that schedule once the blog is established, but a blogging routine helps you stay focused and committed, and gives your growing community of readers something to anticipate.

3) Write an introductory blog.

Announce you and your blog to the universe and give readers a taste of what's to come.

4) Write some posts in advance before you begin. Then you will always have something to post.

I wrote a month's worth before we launched. I did this for three reasons. 

One, I had surgery scheduled at the end of the month and knew I would not write for a few days. 

Two, I didn't want to wade through writer's block early in the blog's launch. 

Three, it's nice to have a few sitting in the wings (for tired days, sick, days, blah days, etc). 

This way, you take advantage of inspiration when it comes, instead of trying to force words when the muse is sleeping.

5) If you do blog everyday, consider "themeing" your days. 

This gives your postings and muse focus and, again, creates anticipation in the reader.

For the BryonySeries blog, those have shape-shifted through the years, but the current lineup is: a Sue's Diner recipe (Sunday), miscellaneous (Monday), writing (Tuesday) video (Wednesday), Throwback Thursday (recycling of former blogs, Thursday), story roundup (my features writings for the week, Friday), and all things Irish (including Ed Calkins, Saturday).

I do deviate from these from time to time for special occasions, but not often.

Recently I added a second posting Monday through Saturday for all the non-bylined community briefs I edit for The Herald-News. I put a lot of work into those briefs and feel strongly about the sharing people's accomplishments with others.

Although I do send these briefs out on Twitter, assembling them into one post on Facebook seems less "spammy" then posting them one after another all day, and it gives readers another way to find them.

6) SEO, keywords, quality content

Don't get too hung up on these. Algorithms are constantly changing. There's no magic formula for building a readership. SEO and keywords help readers find your blog, but there's no guarantee people will hang about once they find it.

Don't write content that sounds like an artificial you. Don't write content for the sake of SEO and keywords. Write what you want to write. If you're passionate about a topic, chances are, someone else is, too. Those people will find you, trust me, although it won't happen overnight.

That said, don't be sloppy. Brush up on grammar. Use spell check. If you don't invest time into writing a polished post, readers won't want to invest their time in reading it.

6) Keep expectations realistic and give the blog a chance.

Many people begin blogs with false expectations. Making money, going viral, attracting thousands of followers, etc. When these don't happen (and they don't for most of us, repeat: they don't for most of us), bloggers become discouraged and quit.

What's realistic? Readers, in any amount. If you have a tribe of loyal readers (no matter how small), you are doing something "write."

7) Celebrate successes, no matter how small or trivial they appear to be.

We did. 

The first view.

The first two-digit view.

When views consistently hit the twenties and thirties.

The first fifty views for the day. (Because now I had a backlog of content for new readers to check out).

The first one hundred views.

The first one thousand views (yes, it has happened a few times).

When we hit 100,000 total views (in 2016, after nearly six years of blogging).

8) Be transparent but professional

No one appreciates haphazard rants, but thought-provoking posts on ideas near to your heart may touch chords within readers. 

9) If you're an author or business owner, don't sound like a spammy advertisement for your books or services.

Meaning, don't inflate you or your products' popularity. Don't write like you're a rock star and imply readers sit up half the night waiting feverishly waiting for your next installment. Readers can see through it.

In terms of this post, I'm not running a "must flock to" blog. I'm not Stephen King or JK. I don't get a millions views a day. I do, however, average 150 to 400 per post, 300 to 500 views a day (due to back posts) and 13,000 for the month.

Nothing stellar in terms of the thousands of blogs out there. A crazy amount of work (Remember, I've blogged nearly every day since Aug. 1, 2010). No guarantees readers will drop off. And no clever scheming as to why certain posts resonate more than others.

But a certain amount of consistent readership is gratifying. And that's why I'm writing this particular blog today. To encourage you on your own blogging journey.

Which leads to...

10) Stop if you no longer enjoy it, no matter how popular (or unpopular) your blog becomes.

And I'm not talking about the sporadic feeling we all get from time to time that we want to quit something. I'm not talking about fleeting moments of tedium. 

If you really, really don't want to blog or continue blogging, then stop. There's no shame in discovering a certain activity is no longer enjoyable or serves a useful purpose. The world is full of worthwhile projects. Some last a lifetime, some are for a season.

But if you DO decide to blog, enjoy the season, whether it's long, short, or somewhere in-between.

And feel free to reach out at bryonyseries@gmail.com if you have any questions.