Blogging – Page 8 – Catholic Writers Guild

Tips from Experts

May 25, 2011/0 Comments/in Blogging/by Sarah Reinhard

I’m tight on time for this week’s column, so I thought I’d share some links to other people’s wisdom.

On Becoming Better:
Matthew Paul Turner, of Jesus Needs New PR, shares 9 Ways to Become a Better Blogger. I’m a big fan of #3: “Be funny, sensational, opinionated, over-the-top, interesting, deep, provocative–just be SOMETHING that sets you apart from others.”

And #4: “Stop complicating blogging. People over-think blogging all the time. It’s just a blog! Simplify your process.”

Oh, and…well, pretty much all of them. Go read it and see what you think.

On Mistakes You Make:
Michael Hyatt asks “Do You Make These 10 Mistakes When You Blog?” I do. Which is why I have this post bookmarked to revisit from time to time.

For Novelists (and the rest of us, too!):
I’m an avid reader of fiction, but not a writer of it. Even so, I found this listing of 25 blogs every aspiring novelist should read to be interesting and, well, addictive. 🙂

Because She ROCKS:
I make no secret of the fact that I’m a BIG fan of Jen Fulwiler, the blogger behind Conversion Diary. She’s quite a writer, and her posts about running two blogs in the midst of a busy life (she has four kids under 7 and is pregnant with #5) and her series on building traffic to your blog (part 1 and part 2) are great.

Share any great links you have in the comments!

—
Sarah Reinhard, author of Welcome Baby Jesus: Advent & Christmas Reflections for Families, is a Catholic wife, mom, blogger, reader, and farm girl who can be found online at SnoringScholar.com.

When real life gets "in the way"

May 18, 2011/9 Comments/in Blogging/by Sarah Reinhard

I find myself in a particularly busy season of life. This is due, in large part, to an abundance of blessings. Three of those blessings are ages six, three, and five months. The other blessings are writing (for pay!) deadlines and a new home.

This week is crazy. We are going to be closing on that new home this week (I hope! I pray!), and not only have I never done this before, but I don’t deal well with “winging it.” Home closings, apparently, involve a lot of eleventh-hour facilitating, and I’m finding myself stretched in a far different way than I ever have been before.

I’m relying on other people–people I love, people who love me, but still, other people–to get a lot of the must-do things done.

In my perfect world, I’m self-sufficient. I’m able to battle life with my glowing sword and still get a full night’s sleep.

Real life, however, looks a little different than my perfect world, and I’m starting to realize that maybe what GOD has in mind is better than what SARAH has in mind.

I’m not the first–or the last–blogger to find myself suddenly needing a break (or a really quick solution!) to deal with my real life. In fact, this isn’t the first time this has happened to me.

So here’s how I deal with it:

1. I pray. A lot. No joke. It’s taken me a number of years to realize that this has to be my first response to chaos and stress. And even though blogging might seem like, well, nothing all that serious, but maybe that makes it even more important for me to turn to God.

2. Dip into my archives. I’ve been blogging a while, and sometimes, craziness just means I rerun something from my archives. An alternative to this is to post something easy, like a quote or a guest post (if there’s one waiting for me).

3. I work ahead. I do this a lot anyway, but I am even more conscientious of scheduling posts with plenty of time ahead when I know my offline life is going to be extra demanding.

4. Take a break. This always seems unthinkable at first, but–whaddaya know?–the internet doesn’t even notice when I’m gone for a few days or weeks! Who knew? (Lesson in humility anyone?)

How about you? How do YOU deal with real life getting “in the way” of your blogging or writing?

—
Sarah Reinhard, author of Welcome Baby Jesus: Advent & Christmas Reflections for Families, is a Catholic wife, mom, blogger, reader, and farm girl who can be found online at SnoringScholar.com.

Blogger’s Block

May 11, 2011/3 Comments/in Blogging/by Sarah Reinhard

I’ve been mulling over Karina‘s excellent discussions about the lie of writer’s block and busting it when I realized that I have a secret weapon.

Blogging.

Admittedly, I’m a little crazy. (I blame the baby. You should, too.) Even so, for me, blogging lets me stretch my writing muscles before I get down to the “real work” of writing for other venues.

(If that explains to you why my blog makes no sense, well, then, there you go.)

If you’ve been blogging past the bloggymoon phase, you’ll know about the creeping fear that comes upon you in the middle of the night, when you find yourself with no scrap of paper and no way of guaranteeing you’ll remember the brilliant idea you just had. (Getting up will only make it flit away, and turning on the light is sure to make it scatter.)

So here’s my shot at ideas for your possible “blogger’s block,” should you find yourself tempted to hit the “delete blog” button instead of tackling your brain for something to write:

Quotes. A good quote goes a long way. You don’t even have to write about it, though sometimes I do use a quote as a jumping off point for something else, especially when I’m using scripture.

Lists. This might just be because I’m the addicted-to-lists sort, but making a list of what’s in my purse or at the bottom of my three-year-old’s bed is sometimes great blog material. And it can also be interesting (or scary).

Recent Reading. Most of the writers and bloggers I know are readers, so it’s natural to share your recent reading and a short excerpt or your impressions. If you’re not a reader but you have some other similar hobby–watching movies or listening to podcasts–that could also be a source of material.

Pick Your Exercise. We’ve all used those writing exercises, haven’t we? If not, find some and use them as blog fodder.

Ask the Masses. Got a burning question, something you’ve always wondered? Ask. And answer.

Meme (or Copy). There seem to be less memes going around than there were years ago, but you can still find plenty of those “tag, you’re it” type of posts if you look. Or you can just list random things about yourself.

How about you? What do you use when you find yourself facing blogger’s block? Share your ideas and suggestions in the comments!

—
Sarah Reinhard, author of Welcome Baby Jesus: Advent & Christmas Reflections for Families, is a Catholic wife, mom, and certifiably addicted blogger who can be found online at SnoringScholar.com.

"Enjoy em while they’re little"

April 27, 2011/0 Comments/in Blogging/by Sarah Reinhard

When my oldest was a rambunctious toddler, I always groaned inwardly when a well-meaning matron would advise me, “Enjoy her while she’s little!”

Easy for HER to say, I’d fume, she’s probably forgotten the intricacies of enjoyment.

Now, a few years and a couple of kids later, I have a glimpse of just what those well-meaning matrons meant.

Enjoying is a choice, and it’s not always an easy one. In the face of spilled milk, spit-up green beans, and a gallon of water you-don’t-wanna-know-where, you can laugh or you can scream. You can see the opportunity for grace in action or you can berate the circumstances that aligned to ruin your moment.

I’ve found the same to be true of blogging. At first, your blog’s a new baby, perfect in every way. Ten fingers, ten toes. Look how it smiles and shimmers!

And then come the sleepless nights: you don’t wanna keep writing, you can’t think of anything clever, and it’s starting to feel suspiciously like work.

I often wonder if people know how I long for older children. Being told to enjoy my kids while they’re little is like advising a cat lover to curl up with a Jack Russell.

Even so, there are fleeting moments and things I find myself forgetting. There are treasures waiting to be stored and shared thanks to the little people in my life.

Don’t forget, when the shine starts to wear off of your blog, that you should still be enjoying it and that enjoying it is a choice you can make. Do you need to rework your topics? Do you need to spruce things up, invite some folks to guest post, take a little breather?

Don’t give up on your blog. Enjoy it, whether it’s little or not.
—
Sarah Reinhard, author of Welcome Baby Jesus: Advent & Christmas Reflections for Families, is a Catholic wife, mom, and certifiably addicted blogger who can be found online at SnoringScholar.com.

Coming Up with Blogging Content

April 13, 2011/0 Comments/in Blogging/by Sarah Reinhard

“How do you write so much?”

Usually, answering this by saying that I either (a) have to keep the voices in my head quiet or (b) that I have a lot to say doesn’t satisfy the people asking.

So here you go. Here’s the secret to how I come up with content: People, Life, and Books.

People:
I have three kids. They are a great source for blogging material, especially the resident preschooler.

That said, other people in my life often inspire me, though I will often be careful of identifying characteristics. Paying attention to the people in my life has been the lifeblood of much of my writing, but then, I’m a people person.

Who’s in your life to inspire you, to make you think, to serve as a writing prompt?

Life:
I live in the country, so nature is at my fingertips. My old farmhouse seems to be an ideal stopping place for lots of little flying insects, including wasps. My pets and livestock seem to have almost as endless a supply of antics as my preschooler.

And then there are the sunsets, the odd moments of driving or parking or just being, the duties of my vocation.

What’s your life? Where do you live? What’s your work? How can you turn something that’s ordinary into something that’s altogether different?

Books:
I’m happiest when my nose is in a book, so it’s natural that I blog about books–reviews, thoughts, excerpts, contests, lists. Books also give me ideas for my own writing, inspire me to deeper thought and contemplation on topics that I might never have approached on my own, and serve as a gateway to the world.

Do you have a hobby or a passion? How can you include it in your blogging?

YOUR TURN: Think of three things that can serve as a content base for your blogging efforts. I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

Sarah Reinhard, author of Welcome Baby Jesus: Advent & Christmas Reflections for Families, is a Catholic wife, mom, and certifiably addicted blogger who can be found online at SnoringScholar.com.

To Blog or Not To Blog

April 6, 2011/0 Comments/in Blogging/by Sarah Reinhard

At the Catholic Writers Conference Online, I led a chat called “Beyond the Blog.” It was great fun, and the discussion turned to how someone would know if they should or should not blog.

It seems that all writers think they must blog. After quite a few years as a blogger, I disagree. Loudly. Often. With a list in hand.

Blogging can take a lot of time. It can be tiresome. It can drag you down.

These are all reasons why I advise people (including writers) to discern carefully–and often, if you are blogging already–about whether it’s worth the investment.

In that chat a few weeks ago, someone asked me how they would know if they should blog or not. I started listing some of the indicators that would signal, to me, that blogging was a no-go. I’ll share them here, and invite you to add to them in the com-box.

1. You will get so obsessed you lose sight of your primary vocation.

2. You will not have ANY TIME for your regular writing.

3. You have NO INTEREST in it.

4. You will embarrass your family, yourself, or people you love (perhaps by sharing stories that you shouldn’t).

5. You feel like you can only do one thing well, and blogging ain’t it.

6. You don’t write well without an editor or editing help. (Maybe a group blog would be a better choice for you, or one where there is someone to guide your writing a bit.)

7. You will not be able to keep other commitments.

8. You can’t juggle things, such as the interactions that are part of the blogging realm.

9. You can’t keep up your own commitment to the blog

10. You will end up quitting

What would you add to this list of reasons not to blog?

Changing Roles

March 30, 2011/0 Comments/in Blogging, Catholic Writers Conference Online/by Sarah Reinhard

Last week was one of my favorite weeks of the year: the Catholic Writers Conference Online.

I’m in a season of life where traveling isn’t feasible very often, which makes this chance to network and share with other Catholic writers even more meaningful for me.

You see, I’m an extrovert trapped in an introvert’s calling.

How many writers do you know who love socializing, thrill for get-togethers, long to get out?

Yeah, that’s what I thought: not many.

Back when this online conference got started (has it been four years already?), I was a writer-in-secret. This year, I came to the conference with a more seasoned attitude, a passel of my own experience, and in a new role.

This year, I was a presenter.

It strikes me as hilarious. My prayer, over the last four years as I’ve discerned first, whether I should write and then what and how I should write, has been to be an instrument.

Who knew God listens?!?

In that new role this year (with a baby on my lap for much of the time, and heavily depending on my saintly mother-in-law to help me with my little kids), I discovered something that I knew back in my undergraduate days: I love teaching.

Apparently God knows what He’s doing.

Why am I surprised, again and again, when my life experience reinforces this truth?

Next week, I’ll share some of my blogging advice in my column here. If you weren’t able to participate in the CWCO, what would you like to know?

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Tips from Experts

When real life gets "in the way"

Blogger’s Block

"Enjoy em while they’re little"

More Readers for Your Blog

Coming Up with Blogging Content

To Blog or Not To Blog

Changing Roles

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