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Writer's Notes - July 2008

Passionate Blogger is Back!

July 29th 2008 19:30


Wild Bill Rides Again!

After a 10-month hiatus, Passionate Blogger Wild Bill is back online--and that's good news! If you've read his blog before, you know how dedicated Wild Bill is to helping bloggers reach their full potential--and earn money doing it. And you've likely been as disappointed as I to see this great source of blogging inspiration and knowledge fall dormant for so long. If you haven't read this blog before, you're in for a treat, and you're destined to become a diehard fan!

One thing you'll notice right away when you visit Passionate Blogger and begin to read is that this is one inspirational blog! Another is that it's written by a man who really cares about his readers--a man totally dedicated to imparting the wisdom he's gained through his own experience to you, his reader and fellow blogger, with totally generous abandon. Visit this blog and I can almost guarantee that you'll be hooked in no time!


Wild Bill Shares About Himself and His Blog

Here's what Wild Bill has to say about Passionate Blogger:

Passionate Blogger is a blog about using your passion to blog better and make more money blogging. With easy to understand weekly articles Passionate Blogger unlocks the secrets of professional bloggers that will grow your blog faster than ever before. Making a living online is very possible and Passionate Blogger is here to help make your dream blog a reality.

And here's what he has to say about the man behind the blog (aka, himself):

I'm an internet entrepreneur and full time blogger making a living from blogs like Passionate America. I started my first blog in 2004, have blogged on 10 blogs, and have been featured on the front page of The Wall Street Journal.

You'll find more info about Wild Bill on the Passionate Blogger About Page.


Get Ready for Some Fantastic Content!

Wild Bill has written some great content since reviving his blog on July 16th. Appropriately enough, his first post gives timely advice on How to Resurrect a Dead or Dying Blog--and, after all, he should know, since he's in the middle of doing it, as we "speak."

Another post Wild Bill has added since his return to the blogging scene is Making New Friends, 10 Passionate Ways to Connect With Friends Online--a must-read for any blogger who wants some sage advice on how to best forge those all-important relationships that make blogging so uniquely rewarding.


Don't Overlook Wild Bill's Earlier Posts!

When you visit Passionate Blogger, be sure to check out Wild Bill's older posts, as well. You'll definitely find some gems in his archives, including his three-part Give and Receive Series and the following individual posts: Does Your Blog Get a Failing Grade? How to Get an A+, Do You Have a Blogging Addiction? and Stop Cramming for a Post!--a very practical piece that can help you limit the time and effort you spend on prep work for your posts.


More Great Passionate Blogger Content to Come!

The above posts should more than whet your appetite for the wonderful content yet to come on the newly resurrected Passionate Blogger site! So, be sure to visit often. And while you're at it, why not leave a comment to let Wild Bill know you're reading and are glad he's back. (You might even want to sign up for his RSS feed to keep on top of new posts.)


Link to Passionate Blogger in Writer's Notes' Sidebar

You'll find a link to Passionate Blogger in my Sites for Writers list at the bottom of my left sidebar. That way, you'll be able to drop by and visit Wild Bill with a single click, whenever you're reading Writer's Notes and have a sudden urge for some passionate blogging advice!


Happy--and passionate--blogging!
Jeanne


Did you enjoy this post? Have any thoughts to share about passionate blogging? I'd just love to hear them!



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Another Unexpected Google Page Rank Increase!

July 27th 2008 23:15


Google PR Surprise

Just noticed that Google has increased Writer's Notes' Page Rank from PR 2 to PR 3! That's good news! Ever since I first achieved PR 3 at the end of October, 2007 (see Google Page Rank--at Last!), only to lose it again about a month later, I've been waiting (rather impatiently) to gain it back.


Initial PR Loss

At the time, (i.e., during the notorious 2007 Google PR fiasco, er, update, during which the Big G stripped an unprecedented number of blogs of Page Rank and lowered the PR of many others), Writer's Notes' PR dropped to 0--a major disappointment! I didn't blog about my lost PR at the time; I guess it was too painful to talk about. Instead, I quietly removed my PR widget from my sidebar and left it at that. I had, however written a post related to this topic shortly before losing my own PR. Do Paid Posts Equal Link-Selling? The Latest PR Dilemma for Bloggers was my response to the PR other bloggers were losing. When my own hard-won PR unceremoniously dove to 0, I all but discounted Google as a viable blog ranking source, though I had little choice but to accept its proclamation. And there things sat, until early May.


My First PR Surprise

I suddenly noticed, one fine day in May, that I had Google PR once again--PR 2, in fact. Since many of you already know this story, I'll spare you the details and refer anyone who doesn't to my post, Has Your Google PR Changed Since the Last Update? Find Out! (You'll also be able to check your own PR by using the PR-checker tool found in this post--that is, if you don't already have a widget which automatically updates your PR whenever it changes.) The most interesting thing to me about this unexpected PR increase was that it occurred between Google updates--which, at the time, I wasn't aware could happen.*


Repeat Performance

Well, it's happened again: my PR has increased between Google updates.* I've finally regained the PR 3 I lost eight months ago (which had taken me nine months to achieve in the first place)--and interestingly enough, it's happened less than three months after the first increase (to PR 2). Now that I can live with! And hopefully the only way I can go from here is up!


What's Your Google PR?

If you haven't checked your blog's PR lately, now might be a good time to check it. The handy tool I've mentioned above will make that very easy to do. I've also placed a link to the Google Page Rank Checker Tool in my (left) sidebar under Spotlight Posts. That way, you'll be able to access it anytime you'd like to check your blog's PR.

Why not check it, now? Maybe you, too, will be in for a pleasant surprise!


To ever-increasing Page Rank!
Jeanne



*I now realize that I'm likely wrong about this, since, at least this time around I know that a number of other bloggers also received PR increases. That would seem to indicate that these were actually Google updates that I just didn't realize were happening--which makes a lot more sense than the idea that my blog's PR increased without an official update occurring.



Did you enjoy this post? Learn anything? Have anything to teach or share with us about Google PR? We'd love to hear from you!



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Motivation to Write: Is There a Magic Formula?

July 17th 2008 17:53


This post is a reprint of a piece I originally wrote as a guest post for Michele Tune at Writing the Cyber Highway. Some of you may remember that it first appeared there on June 2, 2008. Hope you'll enjoy it--and hope it will give you some helpful tools you can use to find--or generate--the motivation to write.



Motivation to Write: Is There a Magic Formula?


When You Don’t Feel Like Writing

How do you motivate yourself to write when you don’t feel like writing? How do you convince yourself to get down to business when you’d rather do anything but?

Have you ever had those days when you just can’t seem to face the prospect of writing that article that’s coming due, that query letter you know you should write, or that blog post that will remind your readers that you haven’t fallen off the face of the earth…that you’re not only still around but that you’re actually still interested in sharing your wit and wisdom with them? (I thought so!) You want to write, but you just can’t seem to make yourself do it.


Lack of Motivation: A Common Problem

Every writer struggles with these feelings from time to time—many of us quite often. And for bloggers and other online writers who work from home, life can be particularly distracting, as we’re continually bombarded not only with the household responsibilities that continually beckon, but also with the many available—and attractive—alternatives to working.

Such tempting activities as commenting on other blogs, visiting social media sites, checking our site stats, looking for nifty high-tech tools for our web pages, reading unrelated but interesting content during our online research, and any number of other enjoyable and otherwise productive activities often only serve to intensify our motivation problem and derail us from our efforts to fulfill our writing responsibilities.


What’s a Writer to Do?

The most important thing is to realize that motivation is a state of mind. It can come from many sources. Some of them follow.


The Writer’s Most Common Motivation Sources

Enthusiasm

When we’re feeling really enthusiastic about a project, don’t we find it so much easier to throw ourselves into completing it—even when the project itself is difficult or involved? If you can work up the enthusiasm to actually relish the prospect of writing about your topic, you will have won a great victory.

To do that, try taking your focus off the negative aspects of the project and focusing, instead, on something positive about the piece—something you can actually enjoy about it. If the subject matter itself doesn’t interest you, try focusing on a specific writing technique that you’ve mastered which you’re particularly proud of and which you plan to use for the piece.

If need be, you can even focus on a favorite writing tool, some physical part of the writing process that you enjoy, or the satisfaction you receive from your excellent spelling ability, extensive vocabulary, fantastic research skills, or even the way your well-formatted work looks on the page. A little enthusiasm will go a long way toward helping you thrive on the journey ahead, making it so much easier to reach your destination.

Interest

When we’re interested in our topic, writing about it grips our attention, draws us into our content, and keeps us going. It causes time to fly by, making us wonder where it could have gone. Interest can fuel the energy that helps us build momentum, spurring us on toward the realization of our writing goals.

If you’re able to pick and choose your projects so you’re only required to write about topics that interest you, great! You’ll have a much easier time motivating yourself to complete your writing assignments. But, if not, try finding something about the project that captures your interest—even if it takes a stretch of the imagination to discover it. It will be well worth the effort!

If the project itself doesn’t hold any fascination for you, try asking yourself a few questions. Will publishing this piece open your work up to a wider audience, giving you greater exposure? Will it place you before a new demographic or offer you a coveted spot in a brand new niche? Will it add to your credibility as a writer and/or as an expert in your current niche or genre? Will it allow you to showcase your work to prospective new clients? Will it open new doors of opportunity for you in other areas either related or unrelated to writing? These are all great reasons for feeling motivated about your writing project!

Inspiration

Inspiration sweeps us high above the mediocrity of our surroundings, activating our imaginations and infusing us with a power that makes expressing our thoughts via the written word practically effortless. Don’t we just adore the times when we’re fortunate enough to function under the tutelage of this most welcome influence? When it strikes, we see everything in a brand new light, and that helps us rise to bold new heights of creativity. Yet, when inspiration tarries, we often become discouraged.

At times like these, we need to generate a little inspiration of our own. One way we can do this is through the vehicle of high and noble thoughts. Focusing on our ideals and on the meaningful messages we hope to convey to our readers through our writing can jump-start the inspiration process. We can also inspire ourselves through the purposeful recall of vividly meaningful memories, of people we’ve known and loved or joys we’ve experienced. Or we can generate inspiration through the intentional act of surrounding ourselves with beauty. Stirring music, beautiful art, a lovely garden, a distinctively decorated writing nook—all these can help us create an atmosphere that’s conducive to inspiration. And all these can help us motivate ourselves to write.

Reward

The expectation of reward can be another excellent motivator. The reward might be a tangible one like money or an intangible one like recognition. It can even be something as simple—yet sensational—as the sense of satisfaction or feeling of fulfillment we derive from our writing. Just knowing that our work will help someone or that someone will enjoy it can bring its own reward, strengthening our motivation to complete a project.

And though money can often be a great motivator, we sometimes feel we aren’t receiving sufficient compensation for our work—particularly in the web-writing arena, where the going rates tend to be lower—and this can have a demotivating effect on us. That’s why it’s so important not to overlook the intangible rewards—to allow them to provide the impetus to keep us moving forward.


The Role of Attitude in Motivation

We need to realize that we are responsible for our own attitudes. We choose our own thoughts, as well as the lens through which we view the world. We can choose to see our project as a problem—a burden that’s been thrust upon us and one that we must grit our teeth and struggle through, hating every minute of it. Or we can decide to think differently about it—to remain positive and proactively seek ways to make it more than just another piece of writing.

Sometimes it takes sheer willpower to motivate ourselves to write, but I’m convinced that we can make a conscious decision to throw ourselves into our project. (In fact, I know we can, because I’ve proven it to myself again and again in my own writing.) We can make our writing a real extension of who we are, infusing it with that spark of personality, talent, expertise, imagination, and careful craftsmanship that only we can provide, making it a piece we can be proud to write—even if it’s a project that wouldn’t otherwise move us.


The Writer’s Last Resort

When all else fails, we may need to put a popular anti-procrastination technique to work and just do it, trusting that the motivation will follow as we gradually enter into our project. At times like these, it helps to remember that the ability to write when we don’t feel like it—when the intrinsic motivation, interest, enthusiasm, and inspiration escape us—is what separates the professional from the amateur.

And that knowledge alone can serve as our last-ditch motivator—because it’s a truth that carries its own reward.


Happy writing!
Jeanne


Note: I will resume my Guide to Polished Writing shortly.



Did you enjoy this post? Have anything to add? Any motivational techniques of your own you'd like to share with us? We'd love to hear them!



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Writer's Notes' Recognition for June '08 Comments

July 7th 2008 22:46


June '08 Comment Recognition

Once again it's time to recognize my valued readers who have left comments at Writer's Notes during the month of June, 2008. (My apologies that this edition of my monthly comment recognition post is so late. Life has been especially hectic again this month!)


Thanks So Much!

I appreciate all your thoughtful comments! Thanks so much for taking the time to read and share your thoughts, opinions, ideas, experiences, and support at Writer's Notes! I truly enjoy reading your insights, experiences, and viewpoints! Thanks for making June another special month through your input! It's been fun!


June '08 Commenters

The following is a list (in no particular order) of all the fantastic folks who have left comments at Writer's Notes during June, 2008:


AmyHuang, at Travel String

Brad Shorr, at Word Sell, Inc.

Lillie Ammann, at A Writer's Words, An Editor's Eye

Raven, at Alaska Chronicle

Krissy Knox, at Sometimes I Think

Cindy Nichols, at Kaleidoscope

Renae Brumbaugh, at Morning Coffee

Dan (dcr), at dcrBlogs

Michele Tune, at Writing the Cyber Highway

Cheryl Wright, at Cheryl Wright Writes

Mike Goad, at Exit 78

Bobby Revell, at Revellian Dot Com

Morgan, at Red Raven Circling

Amy Derby, at Write From Home

TravelinOma, at TravelinOma's Library

Dianna G., at I Wish This Was 42


I Really Appreciate Your Comments!

Thanks, again for making the Writer's Notes conversation so much richer this month by visiting and sharing your thoughts, insights, techniques, advice, and personal experiences with us!


Many thanks,
Jeanne


* Haven't managed to write my last several comment appreciation posts on the first of the month, as I like to do. In fact, this month, I'm even later than I was last month--which was already later than usual! But, though I'm again late posting my thanks, please know that I appreciate your comments--and you--every bit as much as I do when I post my appreciation on time!

P.S. If you've commented at Writer's Notes during June, and I've somehow managed to overlook you, please let me know. I appreciate every commenter, and I want each of you to get the recognition you deserve!



Did you enjoy this post? Have anything to add...any insights to share? I'd love to hear your thoughts! After all, your comments are what this post is all about!



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