9 Things My Dog Taught Me About Blogging

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Most of you know I’m an animal lover. We had one cat, Emily Dickinson, and our son's dog, Cosmo. I don’t know what I’d do without my four-legged friends cheering me on as I work every day.

But they’re more than just great companions, they’ve got a lot to teach me. I’ve shared lessons from Emily before in a devotion on Being Still. So today I’d like to pass along some of the wisdom I’ve gleaned from my dogs.

5 Tips for Reusing Old Blog Posts

By Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2

 

If you’ve been blogging for years like I have, you probably have a cache of posts on your site. While some may have gone viral or remained popular, most probably appeared in your subscriber’s inbox and on your blog for a week or so, then got buried under other content. Since only a portion of your subscribers actually opened your email (sorry folks, this is the sad reality), you may wonder, is it okay to repost old blog posts?

Get Your Blog & Website Ready for the new Year

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

2021 is barreling toward us. With a difficult year behind us, and changes still to come, I find myself in a period of introspection. Actually, it’s a good thing. It gives me a chance to look back over the past year and decide what worked and what didn’t. It also gives me a push toward trying something different.

7 Tips for Crafting Fantastic Blog Posts

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28

Don’t panic. This may sound daunting—make each blog post as good as a book. What I mean is, does it have a main idea that gives the whole post value? Does it have an intriguing beginning and a powerful ending? Do the paragraphs stay on track and share just enough detail to make your point? Is the takeaway presented in such a way that it will affect the mind and heart of the reader? Is it as good as a book?

5 Things I Love Most About Blogging

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

First, I want to thank you all for being such a loyal community. Back in early December, I asked for a special Christmas present. And boy oh boy did you all respond!

Tips to Find the Perfect Topics to Blog About

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

Recently, I found myself in a dilemma. I failed to find a blog post topic that interested me. The worrying got me nowhere until I remembered the post shouldn’t be about me, but my readers. A sprinkling of creativity took over, and the result was a goldmine of topics—straight from my readers. Within a few days, I had 52 unique blog post topics. Now I’m set for the next year!

7 Ways to Encourage Conversation on Your Blog

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Blogging is a great way to build relationships with your audience. 

But a lot of people forget that, just like building relationship in person, we have to work at building bridges. It’s never a good idea to talk so much that others don’t have a chance to share their thoughts, and that holds true in blogging. 

There are things we can do to make sure our posts encourage conversation. And there are things we can do that discourage interaction.

Big Social Media Numbers Aren’t Always Best

by Molly Jo Realy on @MollyJoRealy

It’s nice to be noticed, isn’t it? It’s fun when you get that little “ding” on your phone that tells you someone shared your post, or tagged you on Twitter. The best is when someone subscribes to your blog or email . . . Or is it? 

Reduce Blogging Stress with These 12 Tips

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Blogging is a valuable tool for writers wanting to grow and connect with an audience. It provides us with the opportunity to go deeper than a quick social media post. It also gives our readers a place to hangout with us in cyber-space. 

But anyone who has done much blogging knows that it can also be stressful. These are my tips for reducing that stress.