How often should a blogger post? Does it depend on demand or personal choice? Could it be random? Do you add pictures or videos? Why are you starting a blog and what’s the point of it all?
These are some of the questions I am asked with new writers when they start working on their brand. I usually say what works for you works for you. I like to be consistent with my writings while others write when they feel the need or the urge hits them. Even writing randomly can be a pattern that your subscribers can get use to. It’s your blog however if you have a nice following in a little way it is their blog as well since they are taking the time to read it.
And once you have this all figured out what do you write about? Do you make it strictly business or do you add a few personal bits inside of it? What do you want your subscribers to know or learn from?
There as you can see a few things to consider when you start writing on a site. Taking some time to figure it out in the beginning can save you frustration in the long wrong. Blogging is a fun thing to do with sharing your opinions, passing along information and learning from others if you cross-post. However you want it to be it is a nice outlet regardless if you have a small or a large following.
Standing outside the fire is one of my favorite songs from Garth Brooks. When I first heard the lyrics it spoke to me on a few issue that fills our country and world. Recently, well last week, I heard the song again and I had a different take on it.
Do we stand outside the fire when it comes to our writing? Do we only peak in now and then when we have a free moment or when the mood hits us? How about after the book is done, what than? Do you let it sit in front of you churning itself alone while you stand outside waiting for the next step to appear without making an effort to churn the ashes or add to the fire wood? Sitting outside is nice and quite safe and if that is all you want from your book awesome. But if you want more you have to tend to it repeatedly letting it grow in its flame growing and growing until it has a life of its own.
Promotion is not easy or very much fun and it takes a lot of time and effort from each of us. And any little thing can derail us from doing it while we logic it away. But where we end up with our book all depends on where we are standing.
Do movies follow the books they are taken from? For example I have never read any of the Bourne books, hubby has. After watching the first movie I turned to him and asked how accurate was it with the book. He said, “I am Jason Bourne.” To which he proceeded to walk to the car. Catching up I asked what he meant. He told me that was all he felt the book they took from.
Another case in point is my beloved Stephen King. I noticed when he does the screen writing it is as if the book came alive. When he isn’t the book is represented but that is about it. After seeing “The Dark Tower” and “It” I could see a stark difference. The Dark Tower is a seven book series, this movie was only 90 min long and they cramped three or four of the books into the movie. Now Mr. King didn’t write the script for either film but it showed how the movie industry works with books. At least for the movie “It” it was over two hours long and there will be a second part to it to conclude how the book actually is.
I often wondered in the past why would people read the book after seeing the movie first. I soon learned. People do it to see what Hollywood left out and in some cases a heck of a lot. I get it. They are working with time, special effects and choose the parts that work and use creative license to some degree, in other cases majority of the time. They are going for the WOW factor to draw people in. But if a book is that awesome enough they want to make a movie out of it it be nice if the book was represented well, not just in pieces.
Sharon C. Williams-Author 