Why Subscribe To A Blog?

by | Jul 13, 2020 | Articles | 0 comments

If you’ve been following me for awhile, you probably know I post something new on my blog most Mondays.

Or maybe you don’t know that at all.

I’ll admit, I’m not exactly the greatest promoter of my own blog. When it comes to social media platforms like Twitter, I’m more a broadcaster than a back-and-forth chat guy.

Somehow, though, the blog is different—at least to my way of thinking.

 

The Purpose of a Blog

Not all blogs have the same purpose, and I’ll be the first to state that mine is not strictly sales-y.

While some blogs are 100% promotional, this blog is more likely to serve as a place to share personal experience… whether it’s a rant on Florida drivers or a post about the challenges my wife and I face as we contend with the coronavirus pandemic.

Because it’s not a sales-oriented blog with advertisers in the sidebar, I don’t always think to ask people to subscribe. But that’s about to change.

 

Hey, It’s Free!

There are a few ways we authors gain interest in our books: online promotions, monthly newsletters, and blogs are just a few.

For me, this blog is essential for a few reasons. Sure, sometimes I use it to share news about my books. But I also host guest authors, link out to other resources, and yes, post rants about stuff that bugs me.

Like my quarterly newsletter, there’s no cost to subscribe to this blog. And you might find some great reading here—from other authors as well as myself.

Check it out and subscribe today. And please feel free to comment below!

music

“Music Hath Charms to Soothe a Savage Breast”

So wrote William Congreve in 1697, and it’s still true today. Of course, not everyone today understands that “hath” meant “has,” or that a “savage breast” was another way of saying “wild heart.” And these days, more music is made to stimulate than to calm.My own...
late

Running Late Again?! Alas, It Was Merely a Dream

You may say I'm a dreamer / But I'm not the only one. — Lennon/Ono  I'm not one for torturing people with long-winded recounting of what I dreamed last night. However, I'm also keenly aware that hardly anyone reads this blog, and that the few who do probably get a...
Whizzers

Authors’ Pandemic Sales and The Dubious Metric of “Necessities” Vs. “Luxuries”

​Considering everything going in the world, the past week was a pretty good one for me. Almost a year after its initial publication, my novel Whizzers—which had flatlined in the Kindle store—suddenly spiked to #179,500. When one of your babies jumps that much, it gets...
copyright

When Do You Need To Copyright Your Work?

​Over the past few weeks, I’ve written a couple of well-received blog posts on the publishing process, one of which is about the importance of having a Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) and the other of which is called What’s the Risk to Not Having A...
characters

It All Starts With Character

“Sahno offers a compelling vision of a community whose need for companionship and support in the face of life's struggles is stirring.” “The characters are deep, well thought out…” “I read this novel in a few short days, drawn in by a believable plot and characters...
service

What’s It All About, Anyway?

As far as service goes, it can take the form of a million things. To do service, you don't have to be a doctor working in the slums for free, or become a social worker. Your position in life and what you do doesn't matter as much as how you do what you do. —Elisabeth...
cringe

Top Ten Words or Phrases That Make You Cringe

So I've been looking at some topics for blogs, and I find all kinds of great ideas.  One of the more amusing ones is posting about personal stuff or pet peeves, so your readers get to know you better. This idea can work, but it can also be a disaster. I've seen...
20/20

2020 Vs. 20/20: What We Saw Then, What We See Now

Grinding through the first few months of 2021, I presume nearly everyone wants to shut the door on 2020. After all, the tragic COVID-19 pandemic and—at least in the United States—chaotic election drama left millions exhausted, overwhelmed, and just plain traumatized....
arts

A Life In The Arts

When I was a senior in high school, my classmates nominated me for two of what they then called "superlatives." Rather than singling me out for something truly spectacular like Best-Looking or Most Likely to Succeed, they chose me as one of four candidates for Class...

Misandry, Hypocrisy, And Understanding Toxic Feminism’s Failure

"Feminism doesn't bother me—for the simple fact that I know it’s going to fail." —Bill Burr   If you asked me ten or twenty years ago whether I believed in feminism, I would have said yes. Today, I would have to say absolutely not. So what's changed? I didn't....
hiatus

Another Hiatus

This blog has been around a while: it's been over ten years since I first embarked on the journey of keeping a blog running in addition to all my other writing projects and responsibilities. I went on a "blog hiatus" a few years ago as the result of a combination of...
Memorial

Why You Shouldn’t Say “Happy Memorial Day”

I don't have a vested interest in Memorial Day. Although I have had many veterans in my family—father, both grandfathers, an uncle—none of them died in combat. However, in recent years, I've become aware of a troubling trend: that of treating every holiday with a...
boost mood

Simple Steps to Boost Your Mood on Tough Mental Health Days

Every once in a while, I get an offer from a fellow writer who would like me to share a guest post. Today turns out to be a great day for that, so without further introduction, here’s Davis Jameson on how to boost your mood on tough mental health days:   Busy...
punch

More On Misandry and The Dangers of Toxic Feminism

"All men should start off in jail and prove their way out." —The dizziest broad on the internet   I didn't think I would ever write a follow up article to last year's post, Misandry, Hypocrisy, and Understanding Toxic Feminism's Failure. After all, the title of...
syzygy

From The Shadow Side to the Syzygy

Anima rising, Queen of queens Wash my guilt of Eden Wash and balance me - Joni Mitchell, Don’t Interrupt the Sorrow   I’ve always enjoyed learning new words—or, as is more likely at my age, relearning words I’ve forgotten—so I was pleased to put syzygy in the...

Finding a Good Designer Is Like Finding Gold

Are you feeling grumpy today? Well, sure, it's Monday, so why not? So I'm posting some grumpy cats that I hope will give you a smile. These aren't just any grumpy cat cartoons. These are one of many features in the logo and branding portfolio of Mr. Ari Ombesi. Ari...

Book Launch Time: The Biggest Day In A Writer’s Life

Over the past few weeks, I've been posting a few hints about my upcoming book launch: Hot Scenes, available for preorder before its May 7 publication. Anyone familiar with my work most likely knows I have some humor in most of my books. However, this launch marks the...
drum

“I Want to Bang on the Drum All Day”

Ever have an old song pop into your head and then it’s just there all day?  For those of you reading this who are old enough to get the reference, today’s blog post title comes from a Todd Rundgren song from the early 80s, “Bang the Drum All Day.” Todd Rundgren was...
passive income

How Freelancers Can Build Passive Income Streams for Steady Growth

In recent months, I’ve opened up the blog to guest posts from fellow writer Davis Jameson. This month’s post is about how to add passive incomes to a freelance business, always a timely topic. Without further ado, here’s Davis: Freelancers who rely on client work,...
money

Do What You Love, and the Money Will Follow…Right?

Recently, I was reading a post from an online trainer who coaches authors and other professionals. This trainer discusses the contrast between writing for money and writing for passion. In other words, the age-old conundrum: if you do what you love, will the money...