What Is It?

 

I really need to update my photo. One of these days.

 

I’ve been reading the blogs written by others for quite some time now. Every once in a while someone writes a post about blogging. How many times a month should you blog? How do you find subjects to write about? Should they be personal or impersonal? What, exactly, is a blog?

I found this in the Business Dictionary: “A website, similar to an online journal, that includes chronological entries made by individuals…. Blogs typically focus on a specific subject… and provide users with forums (or a comment area) to talk about each posting. Many people use blogs as they would a personal journal or diary.”

A diary? I never looked at it that way, and I’ve been blogging since 2010. Personally, I think it’s all in your intent. I definitely don’t consider my blogs to be a journal, but more like articles. For me, and this is just me, a blog should entertain or inform the reader. I believe it’s a place where authors can showcase their writing styles and let the reader know a little about themselves in the process. Unfortunately, if you’ve read all of my blogs, you probably know more about me than you ever wanted to know. (I actually called myself eccentric in one of my blogs.)

Going back to take a quick peek at blogs I’ve written in the past, I see that I’ve written about everything from dark and stormy nights to marketing and promoting to writing humor, and everything in between. I’ve written about authors who’ve entertained me with their books, and I’ve been entertained by guest authors who promote themselves and let you learn a little about themselves. I’ve done some blatant self-promotion, but after all, I’m trying to encourage people to read my books.

I’ve written about some of the How To’s of writing, and used silly examples to make a point, making at least a few people laugh in the process. I’ve discussed holidays, put up banners supporting our troops from time to time, and usually tried to keep it light.

So why am I blogging about blogging when I could be writing about so many other subjects? I have no idea. Maybe reading other blogs about this topic made the thought attach itself to my little pea brain.

Blogging should help an author get their name “out there.” I sometimes wonder if it works. If you went to a social event and someone introduced you to a little blonde lady named Marja McGraw, would the name sound familiar to you? Would it make you think of books? Or would you say, “Nice to meet you,” and leave to hit the snack table? I’d probably be waving my hand after you, yelling, “Hey, I’m really a nice person and I’d love to talk books. I write them, you know. Yoo hoo.” If only my mother had named me Mary Higgins Clark or Rhys Bowen or Janet Evanovich. (I’m sighing, by the way.)

After all is said and done, I blog once a week. I figure that’s all I should subject anyone to because… I’m not being honest. I’m afraid that if I blog more than once a week I’ll run out of subjects or I’ll start repeating myself. Actually, I’ve already started repeating myself. Some of my posts are updated and reposted.

My daughter tells me that will never happen. You see, I make her read each blog before I post it. She thinks her mother is prolific. I appreciate my daughter because she’s honest. She’ll either tell me it works, or she’ll tell me it stinks. After that, it’s all up to you, the readers, to decide if it’s worth coming back again for another visit. (Thankfully, if I repost an old blog, she doesn’t remember it and I hope you don’t either.)

So far, so good, and thank you so much for dropping by every week. You really have no idea how much I appreciate each of you.

Until next time, I hope you have a great week. You can probably find a blog about any subject you’re interested in, so have fun reading some posts.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website

CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

I mentioned self-promotion, so let me give you an example.

One Adventure Too Many –A Sandi Webster Mystery, is funny, mysterious and a charmer.

Taking a vacation can lead to an unexpected case for private eye Sandi Webster-Goldberg. Taking a vacation with your menopausal mother, an eccentric aunt, a pregnant friend and her husband, and a flustered husband can lead to total chaos.

Pete Goldberg and Stanley Hawks take a leisurely walk in the country, only to discover an abandoned house. When Sandi, her mother, Livvie, and her Aunt Martha decide to explore, they discover that the house isn’t quite as abandoned as previously thought.

A young woman and her baby are hiding out from unknown danger. She needs help, and the three women are more than happy to oblige her.