We’re going to have some fun today.
So, I’ve been doing this blogging thing for about three
months. I started my Twitter account the
same day I launched my blog. I did these
things because I wanted a way I could connect with readers and build an
audience for my book. But I’ve ended up
being surprised at how the blog has really become a creature of in its own
right.
I’ve been kind of bummed lately, however, because my numbers
on both my blog and my Twitter account seemed to have leveled off. Last night I realized why. Because
Troy Comets isn’t a real person and I write pseudonymously, I don’t bring a
natural audience and network to my blog and social media. I don’t have friends and family and
colleagues signing up, right out of the gate, to read my stuff or to share it. What I’ve built on my blog and through
Twitter was built in a vacuum. Those of
you who read my blog are people who found me on your own. I think that means something. My family would be….well, they would be
shocked to read the stuff I share with you….but they would be obligated to read and share my
stuff. You guys aren’t. But yet you do. That means
something to me.
As part of learning to do this blogging thing, I follow some
different experts on social media. One
of those experts is Yann Girard (@girard_yann).
I won’t get into all of the reasons why I follow Yann, but recently I
read an article he wrote on “Why
No One Reads Your Stuff.” In the
article, Yann lists some do’s and don’ts…and some of the do’s are actually don’ts. With absolutely no offense intended to Yann,
who makes many valid points in his
writing and shares numerous inspirational thoughts, I thought I would have some
fun with some of his points. So based
off of the ideas Yann lists that work for him….
Idea Number One: Post Pictures of Naked Women
Just to be clear, Yann
states he’s never tried it but encourages readers to try it if they want. The idea is that so many people include
graphics, pics, etc., that you need something to stand out. I hope Yann doesn’t mind that I subbed a guy
for a woman, though.
Idea Number
Two: Screw Everybody Else
The idea here is that
it takes a lot of time and effort to read other people’s blogs. Yann’s suggestion is to stop reading other
people’s stuff and focus on making your own writing better, devoting that now “freed
up time” to your own projects. So, as
soon as I’m done writing this post, I’ll be unfollowing Yann. That will free up A LOT of time. The guy’s writing is profuse!
Idea Number
Three: Insult People
You jerks!
Just kidding. What Yann means here, I think, is to not be
afraid to write things that show your knowledge and opinions. Don’t worry about offending people. Well, I think I got that down with my posts
about Easter
and my posts about lazy,
ignorant Christians.
Idea Number Four: Don’t Add People
I think this is
reverse psychology. Yann clearly says “don’t
do it” and then explains that he does do
it for the obvious reason of creating an audience. I’m not comfortable doing that. I follow people who inspire me or have something
to share with me to improve my life. I
don’t want to use people to generate an audience or balloon any artificial
indicators of success. I blogged a bit
about that here.
Idea Number
Five: Screw Analytics
I feel like I already
talked about this with idea number four.
Success for me isn’t knowing how many people are reading or even
finishing the things I post. Success for
me is planting a seed and being okay with the fact that I’ll probably never
know if that seed germinates and grows.
I write not to become
famous. I blog not to stroke my
ego. I do these things because they’re
in me and I will explode from the pressure of my thoughts and stories if I don’t
get them out. It’s therapy. It’s catharsis. I’m just…either really selfish or really
brilliant for dragging you along for the ride.
Idea Number
Six: Not More than Two Lines
Supposedly I need to
learn to hook readers right away, in those first two lines. I kind of see that. But I also know that the best part of a good
song doesn’t show up in the first ten seconds.
Hell, the best part of some larger, classical orchestrations doesn’t
even show up in the first two movements.
So, this is what I propose: I’ll
write and share what I write. You skim
it/read it and if you find it helpful, hooray!
If you find it useless, stop reading it and move on. Deal?
Idea Number
Seven: List Posts to Die For
Yann suggests here to
arrange post listings, which are title to draw interest, in such a way that
people can’t help but to keep clicking.
That’s why I titled this post
what I did. It got your attention, didn’t
it?
Idea Number
Eight: Don’t Read
Since I’m supposed to
be working on becoming a better writer
I should be writing and not reading. I’m
not so sure about that. Realize that I’m
an academic with a buttload of graduate work under my belt. I feel like if I’m going to write I want to
be informed and I want to inform. I’m
not wasting my time or yours by just….writing.
Don’t get me wrong; I’ll share my opinions. God knows I have enough of them. But the world has enough people shooting off
their ignorant nonsense without me adding to the choir of the ignorati.
Idea Number
Nine: Reinvention
I’ll be honest. I’m struggling with this one right now. The idea here is that if you write every day
you’ll eventually run out of things to say.
I’m not short on things to say but I’m afraid my blog is going to become
too narrow in its focus and content. It’s
kind of why I’m doing this post today.
What do you think I should
blog about? Leave a comment. I’m serious.
I want to know.
Idea Number
Ten: Write Bad Stuff
Hrm….
Post for March 28,
2016. CHECK!
Well, that was easy.
Idea Number
Eleven: Writing Rules
First rule of writing
club? There are no rules for writing
club. And I think this is Yann’s point
throughout his article and something I try to talk about on a regular
basis. I can tell you what works for me,
today, in my writing, in my life, in whatever.
But I’m not going to make these hard and fast rules for anyone including
myself. Life has taught me in rather
harsh ways that I need to be more pragmatic.
So, if there’s one piece of advice….okay, well, two pieces of advice I
could offer you it’s this:
1. Go
with it. Learn from what comes to
you. Make the best decision you possibly
can with the information available to you and live into that decision knowing
it was the best you could have done and that life will give you chances to
change directions when you need to.
Thanks, Yann, for (hopefully) being okay with me doing
this. But, then again, if you’re
following your own suggestions, like number two, you’re not going to read this
anyway so I should be golden.
And thank you, dear reader, for letting me be goofy on this
Easter Monday morning.
Share it forward!
Follow me on Twitter
@TroyComets
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