Still Learning, Too by Susan Barclay

I'm with Lynn Simpson; I'm also still learning about the business side of writing. I've had modest publishing success to date and have a ways to go in developing my skills as a marketer, etc. One thing I do know is it's important to build a readership if you want to get anywhere.

I blogged about this last year, but this is the perfect time to bring it up again - the A-Z Blogging challenge, which is set every April. The brain child of Arlee Bird at Tossing it Out, the challenge is in its seventh year, with well over 1,600 participants. 

During the month you write 26 posts, each beginning with a different letter of the alphabet. April 1 is A, April 2 is B, etc. No posts on Sundays. You can write to a theme or about whatever comes to mind. You can plan your posts ahead of time or fly by the seat of your pants. The idea is to get your creative juices flowing, to visit other bloggers who are participating, and for new readers to come your way.

For fun, I googled "A-Z Blogging Challenge" along with "Business of Writing," and discovered that at least two authors have used A-Z to address the subject. Start here for the first of Helena Halme's series of posts, and here for the beginning of Carrie Butler's.

And if you'd like to sign up for this year's challenge, it's not too late. Type your details into the Linky you'll find here. 

Godspeed, fellow bloggers! 
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Susan's website can be found @ www.susanbarclay.wordpress.com 

April is for A-Z by Susan Barclay

If you haven't heard of the A-Z Blogging Challenge, it's high time you did! The brain child of Arlee Bird at Tossing it Out, the challenge is in its sixth year, with well over 1300 participants. 

Basically, the ideas is this: during the month of April, write 26 posts, each beginning with a different letter of the alphabet. April 1 is A, April 2 is B, etc. No posts on Sundays. You can write to a theme or you can write about whatever comes to mind. You can plan your posts ahead of time or fly by the seat of your pants. The idea is to get your creative juices flowing, to visit other bloggers who are participating, and for new readers to come your way.

This is my fourth year of A-Z'ing and the first where I actually had the work complete by April 1. That freed me up (in theory) to visit more blogs than I had before and to enjoy and reply to the comments left by readers of my blog, Notes from Innisfree. This year my theme was 'living with less', aka de-cluttering/simple living.

I find the challenge a great way to keep my writing fresh and to give myself a break from my routines. In February, I talked about methods I use to stimulate ideas and creativity. A-Z fits by acting as a writing prompt and allowing me to read blog posts from different viewpoints or on topics I know little about. Another great thing about it is the opportunity to add new followers and meet new friends. At the end of the month I never regret writing my way through the alphabet. 

Next year I hope you'll join me. Let's A-Z together!
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For more of my writing visit my personal blog (click above link) and my website, www.susan-barclay.ca

Writing Wishes by Susan Barclay

My family has used up our Internet usage for the month, so I am writing this at the library, just a few hours before the post would be overdue and less than an hour before the facility closes. This should be blessedly short.

The question posed this month has to do with what we want to accomplish through our writing. This is my hope:

First, that I connect with my readers. That I create characters they can relate to and write stories that are relevant to their lives.

I hope also to make them think. I want them to finish the book, story, or poem, not just to move on to the next piece of reading, but to reflect on what they have read, to consider its message more deeply and to think about what might happen if the story didn't end there.  

I want readers to feel something. Pleasure is good, but discomfort can be good too. It depends on the purpose of the particular story. Some writing is mere escapism, to relieve stress and provide delight in its stead. Other writing is meant to evoke a change in perspective or encourage action.

I hope readers are left wanting more. Whether more of those particular characters, that particular story, or other work I've created... If my work is good, they'll want to read it again and again and share it with their friends. I do want my work to build a readership. 

Mostly, though, I want my work to please an audience of One; the One who predisposed me to write. If I succeed in doing that, I'll be satisfied.

And on that brief note, I must go. But I'd love it if you stopped by my regular blog and checked out the writerly wisdom I shared during April's A-Z Blogging Challenge. 26 tips  from a variety of published authors. You can't go wrong!

 

 

On Blogging - Susan Barclay

Recently, a member of my church's Creative Writing Team said to me, "Some days I wondered if anyone actually uses [our Family Faith Book], but I have since realized that it doesn’t matter because I learned and grew from writing the [installments]." That's exactly how I feel about blogging.

I've had a blog for almost five years now, and until this year the highest number of posts I wrote was 46, back in 2009. Last summer I heard about the Writers' Platform-Building Campaign and decided to participate in order to increase my web presence and network with other writers. Although I didn't participate as fully as some of the writers did - really, I don't know how people keep up with all the reading, commenting, following! - but I did what I could, and I learned and grew from the experience. I gained a larger readership (though I still don't get many comments) and some new online friends.

This year I've decided to stretch even further. I try to write five blog posts a week (weekdays only) according to a rotation of themes (i.e. Mondays are all about happiness, Tuesdays about health and fitness, Wednesdays about writing, Thursdays about faith; and Fridays I put up a quotation, with or without commentary). I'm an official 12x12x12 participant (with a goal to write 12 picture book drafts over the next 12 months), signed on to ROW80 (though I flopped at it - better luck next time?) and the A-Z Blogging Challenge (there's still time to sign on, though the list closes Monday night April 2nd), and I plan to do the platform-building campaign again later this fall. Even if no one really pays attention to these efforts, I am honing my craft through the process, learning more about publication, and finding a sense of community.

I still participate in two face-to-face writing groups, so my 'real' writing - my works in progress - don't get completely neglected. Still, it's all a huge balancing game, and at the end of the day what matters is how I used my words, how I spent my time, and, most importantly, whether or not I connected with the Lord. Yes, I can talk to him in snatches through my day, but I find everything works better when I make that effort to truly connect in the mornings. How about you?

[For more of my writing, check out my website and blog]