Did you ever wish it was easier to navigate your responses to news and happenings on the interwebs? How should you blog when your passions get ignited, so you don’t look like an ass later? It’s a navigation issue.
OR
Did you ever wish you could teach someone how to avoid doing and saying things they might regret? (Or things you end up regretting for them.)
Now you can!
Okay, plenty of people don’t take good advice. Me included. Alanise Morrisette and I are not alone. Maybe you try to help your readers navigate, and they just don’t give a care. In hopes that they will, I made a graphic to help.
It’s like a flowchart that hopes to be considered an Infrographic, because infographics are where the coolness is.
Everything seems simpler with a visual, right?
TAH-DAH! The flowchart for navigating how we post on our blogs that you’ve been waiting for…or didn’t know you needed.
You like? Then, Take it. Use it. Spread it. Whatevs. It’s free. Enjoy.
courtesy of lisadelay.com
To get future infographics, free ebooks,
and stellar resources for Creators and Communicators, just sign up below:
Sarah Bessey writes at Emerging Mummy where she has become an accidental grassroots voice for postmodern and emerging women in the Church on issues from mothering to politics and theology to ecclesiology. Her writing has been well received in many publications including Church Leaders, Relevant Magazine, A Deeper Story, SheLoves Magazine, and Emergent Village. Sarah also works with Mercy Ministries of Canada, a non-profit residential home for women seeking freedom from life-controlling issues. She is a happy-clappy follower of Jesus and social justice wannabe. Sarah lives in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada with her husband, Brian, and their three tinies: Anne, Joseph and Evelynn
Hey, everyone! Lisa, here.
I’m happy to include a lovely person, champ blogger, and Canadian beauty– the one, the only: Sarah Bessey. I could tell you that I love Sarah and that I love reading her blog, but then you would just think, “Duh? Who doesn’t, Stupid?!”
Yesterday, she had a gracious response to the flap about under-represented female bloggers by posting her own list, which you can check out with her handy dandy button (link):
So, I’ll just use this valuable spot, after the 50 Button and before the letter from Sarah (yes, it’s beachfront property, baby) to encourage you to sign on for RSS or email updates for continued awesomeness. Lots of great writers are my splendid guest contributors ( a.k.a Series #4Bloggers ). My first ebook comes out May 1 “Soul Care for Creators and Communicators”. It’s free (until NOV 2012) if you sign up for it here. (It too is part of the awesomeness. More on that in the coming days and weeks)
And now, enjoy!
FROM SARAH
Dear Blogger:
There are so many ways to be a better blogger, to increase your traffic, to maximize your SEO, to make money.
I practice almost none of them.
After nearly 8 years of writing my life out online, I’ve made almost every mistake one can make. I’ve learned the hard way to write angry, but publish when I’ve calmed down. I’ve received my fair share of angry criticism and lavish praise. I’ve been convinced that I’m God’s gift to the blogosphere and, usually within a few moments, pretty sure that my blog is an abomination upon the earth. And I discovered that what is good for the Google analytics isn’t always good for my soul.
In the midst of the reactionary, often inflammatory, competitive, over-saturated, addictive world of online writing, I repeat to myself, “Remember who you are, Sarah.”
That simple phrase has helped me decide what to write and what to publish, what to leave to other bloggers. It’s helped me focus my content, reconcile my values with my work, make decisions about blog growth tactics, advertising opportunities, networking or relationships. It’s helped me not to crash into despair when someone emails with harsh criticism or fries me up in their own blog post as a “response” served with chips. And it’s also helped me not to get too full of myself when praised, I’m very well aware of who I am and, as every one that knows me in real life can attest, I’m disgustingly normal with flaws and frustrations.
But even beyond the world of blogging, that phrase has helped me make decisions about my priorities and values. It’s helped me to shut the computer down most days, to go outside with my tinies, to make space for spiritual disciplines like silence and secrecy, to make cookies instead of nasty comments. It’s helped me to engage in the hard work of real, skin-on community, to put my physical hands to justice and mercy, to rock my babies to sleep.
“Remember who you are” means remembering that I’m more than a blogger. I’m Brian’s wife. I’m Anne and Joseph and Evelynn’s mummy. I’m my parents’ daughter, my sister’s best friend. I’m Auntie-Mama to my little nieces. I’m someone who would rather eat popcorn for supper.
And beyond all that, it helps me remember: I walk in the ways of Jesus. I am a peace maker. I am committed to speaking Love as my first language. I am an advocate for Mercy. I am a grace-receiver, a forgiver, a woman after God’s own heart.
So my friend, remember who are. In the midst of the blogging, beyond the blogging, and through it all, remember this: you are loved, you are loved, you are loved.
I met our next contributor in seminary. If you don’t know Warwick personally, it’s hard to describe him. Just reading his work one could get the false impression that he is just mildly eccentric, even understated. Don’t be fooled.
Warwick leaks out and away from every typical category. First of all, Warwick takes great pleasure in being unusual. He’s involved and conscientious. He makes frenzied gestures when he’s excited, his laugh is thoroughly concussive, and he devours books at vertiginous speed. He’s intense, yet surprises you with his sensitivity. He’s intelligent, but that doesn’t ever seem to help him for long. He’s both a marvel and a conundrum. I like him and I’ve learned a lot from him. Probably when it was least expected, and often where blood, or tears, or sweat has something to do with it. I’ve appreciated Warwick in the same way I grew to like dark lager. (In this curious photo, an unseen doctor checks Warwick for a mutant sty that developed after reading too many spiderman comics. Or, I made that last part up.)
Smart Authors Balance Honesty and Transparency
-by Warwick Fuller
We’ve just moved for the 4th time in the past year. I just opened a box that was labeled desk stuff and found an old journal. How I approach my journal is different from my blog. My blog is mostly about my observations and the events going on in my life that are affecting me and the world around me. Because of my faith, these observations are thru a certain lens. I don’t think I’m bashful about that lens, but I am choosy about what I share in regards to that lens. I’m choosy about what I share about my family. I do know some of my readers. I don’t know all of them.
In blogging there are certain ideals, and those that post them well are the people that have a high traffic volume. Two of those ideals are honesty and transparency. In being honest, we can see the writer’s flaws, and the true humanity that is behind the words and stories. In being transparent, the writer becomes relatable. These are trust issues. A good author wants you to trust their work; wants you to understand and relate.
Being a smart author in such a personal medium is to know when to draw the line when it comes to transparency. For me there are a couple of rules that I have employed in my head to help.
Never paint your spouse/child/significant other in such a shade that they are degraded in the eyes of others. I never want others to regret what I write about them, especially my immediate family. It’s unfair; they never get to defend themselves on my page. The stories I do share about them that I question I always run by my wife first. If she feels uncomfortable then its off the table.
Never put your family in danger. Honestly, there are crazy people out there. My nana says more than there were when she was a kid. The post that draws the most attention to my blog is a picture of the Marvel Comic Family Tree (nerd alert), and I’m not sure who is being drawn in because of it. I am very careful in revealing certain details about where we are and what my kids are up to. I’m honest, just not naïve.
It’s ok to make yourself the butt of a joke, but be redeemable. Some reputations have been killed by what an author writes about himself on the interwebs. Some comedians make a life out of self-humiliation. I think that may be fine for others, but I want to be trusted by those who ask for my advice. Because of the line of work I am in, others count on my opinion and advice. I do not want that ruined by a misplaced, though true, story.
When in doubt, find a community to run your idea by first. I have a wife who is understanding and is intelligent. She also likes me, which helps when I tell her I want to put something on my blog. She’s god at asking the right questions that help me not just know what to put up but how and why. If you do not have a soundboard, then find one. Or at least, write down your post and revisit a week later, before you post it. This is just a good habit, anyway.
Be aware that the truth you find in your observations may not be what others saw. It’s the old joke about the blind men and the elephant. If you are writing about an event that took place, it’s not a bad idea to make sure you saw exactly what you saw. Ask others that were a part of it for their own observations. It makes a story round, and they can provide details you missed.
Don’t make yourself un-hirable. I have no idea what the future holds for me and my family. I do not want anything I’ve put up on my blog to put in jeopardy whatever God is leading us to next. Neither should you. A good reputation, to be trusted, is a desirable goal. I’ve heard better than silver and gold. Weigh your words and see if what you read is how you want people to see you.
So, fellow bloggers, how close an eye are you keeping on your words? What safeguards do you employ? Can you ever be too honest and open?
Bio: Warwick Fuller is a blogger at www.warwickfuller.wordpress.com. He names his pets after Anglican literary figures and wears bow ties. He is lead on his church’s Wednesday night Family Ministry, and is a USAR Chaplain. He is married with three daughters and lives in Harrisburg, PA.
Sometimes you find your niche. Sometimes a niche presents itself. And sometimes you get a bit of both and it feels like Paris in Springtime, which smells great and involves kissing (and I’ll just save that bit for some other post, or my dairy).
Finding one’s niche includes a merging of ingredients:
• Perparation
• Passion
• Education
• Opportunity
You put it all together and you make it with an “m” (for mission)
And you get patty cake instead of hokey pokey.
My niche is now helping and encouraging Creators and Communicators.
People who feel put on the planet to create things or communicate important things.
Have you found your niche yet?
Or would you like some encouragement or direction?
I’ve creating new resources for just that thing.
Tell us what you like to focus on or Leave a link so we can find your niche.
This is the 2nd consecutive month that I took a day for a prayer retreat at the same Jesuit Spiritual Retreat Center. I couldn’t recommend it more highly. This time I took a friend along. After we arrived, we went our separate ways, and met up later to talk a little about our insights, prayer time, and Scripture reading.
I’ll share one of them with you. I was struggling with some frustration and impatience. It’s mostly the ordinary stuff that involve being a mom, a wife, a writer, and the parent of a special needs boy. It’s the kind of thing that becomes distracting, and hinders my reactions, thoughts, and feelings toward my family. They might get the the spillover when I can’t handle the chaos of the day.
So, this was nagging at me to talk to God about, and I did just that. It didn’t hurt that I was sitting in the sun, and the pink trees was blossoming fully. I was ready to listen. And just as soon as I get it out I heard in my spirit, “It’s okay. You don’t have to be patient.” I didn’t saying or do anything, because it sounded absurd. Thankfully there was some followup, “You can draw from my patience. I have enough for you. You don’t need yours. You can use mine. Then, you won’t be so tired.”
I had to admit it sounded nice. It felt like freedom.
