Posts tagged blog community management
How I discovered my blogging voice by becoming somebody else
May 23rd
By Maureen Hannan, {grow} Community Member
I found my voice as a blogger by borrowing someone else’s. Someone who doesn’t exist.
About 10 months ago, I launched Cupid’s Laboratory, a blog about the peculiar world of online dating. It’s a world I spent a couple of years navigating, and where I met a more diverse cross-section of my local single population than I could ever have anticipated. Professors and plumbers, athletes and artists, sous chefs and scout snipers. Oh, and a Fortune-500 CEO, to boot.
All of them looking online—and browsing endless profiles—for their next date, soulmate, or fling.
Since I had approached online dating with infinite curiosity and my favorite V-7 Pilot purple pen, I’d acquired an impressive pile of journaled observations. Oh, I was just itching to share my nuggets of hard-won wisdom (and, of course, a smattering of awkward-first-date tales) with my fellow 40-something online pilgrims.
The creation of a new me
I had also compiled a fair amount of compelling, split-tested “market research” on how to outshine and outwrite one’s dating-profile competition. Yes, I was both strategic and hopelessly nerdy in my optimization tactics. Moreover, I couldn’t wait to shine my contrarian spotlight on all of the smarmy, sexist advice foisted upon women by “dating experts.”
And so, I adopted a pseudonym—just picked the name Gina Kerrigan out of the pre-caffeine ether one morning. After all, I have teen-aged kids. And what teenager wants to know about Mom’s online dating blog, for goodness sake?
Though the pen name sprang from my desire for privacy, it had an unexpected side effect. I found, as I began to post one blog entry after another, that a new, distinct writing voice was emerging. One that was livelier and bolder than the restrained, self-censoring reporter/editor/teacher I had spent a lifetime becoming. Gina was too exuberant and too sassy to give a flip whether all her i’s were dotted and her t’s crossed.
Gina had already dated—and dumped—numerous would-be censors. My buttoned-up superego didn’t faze that vixen one little bit—if she even noticed her arching an eyebrow and shaking her head over in the corner.
And, eventually, that shush-ing librarian vanished altogether—probably to go haunt some aspiring novelist chewing anxiously on a pencil stub somewhere. For the first time in 35 years of writing stories, poems, essays, academic papers, and articles; I felt free to write whatever I most needed to say.
A writing transformation
Then something else unprecedented happened. I … well, actually, Gina … scored a handful of page-one Google rankings for sharing personal examples of successful dating profiles. Single gals who happened upon Cupid’s Laboratory while looking for Match or OKCupid “templates” began emailing to share their experiences. Many of their stories were deeply personal. Some made me giggle. One or two made me all verklempt. But no matter what the story, each woman who wrote seemed to trust Gina to empathize with her dating travails.
And to have the answers to her many questions.
How do I write a decent dating profile?
How do I keep the creepers away?
How should I respond when someone contacts me?
Is it possible to actually have fun with this whole weird online dating thing?
The dialogues that ensued — all centering on the big question of how to optimize the experience of dating online — led to a series of case studies in which I played a role that was half cheerleader, half writing instructor, for each brave volunteer. Those case studies taught me how to break the daunting e-dating process into manageable steps — and how to help others save time through systematic screening.
After seeing a few hundred downloads of a tutorial guide I compiled, an idea for a book series took shape (the first of which I am now feverishly writing). And I’ll be damned if it isn’t the most fun I’ve ever had as a writer. But even better than my happy evenings at the keyboard, I am getting inquiries from readers who are eager to know when Book One will be done.
I adopted a pseudonym because I wanted a private space where I could experiment with subject matter that was personal …and a little risky. I learned through my pen name how to sidestep my inner censor to focus on my readers. And as a result, I planted — with generous handfuls of reader help — the seeds of new books. Books so personal that only a made-up stranger could write them.
Writing as new person … how would that impact you and your approach to blogging?
Maureen Hannan (a.k.a., Gina Kerrigan) is the blogger behind Cupid’s Laboratory. She is also a freelance editor and writer who cheerfully applies her perfectionism to her clients’ manuscripts, blogs, and magazine assignments. Add Maureen to your LinkedIn network, or contact her at BellflowerMedia@gmail.com. If her alter ego is more your style, say hi to @GinaKerrigan on Twitter.
Illustration courtesy BigStock,.com
Yes, You Were Born to Blog.
Feb 17th
I’ve written a lot about the importance of blogging and the amazing personal and business opportunities of developing your own source of rich, original content. And yet, blogging remains enigmatic to many, a seemingly insurmountable wall.
I’ve had many requests to create a simple, human book on blogging that is similar in tone to The Tao of Twitter — something you can read in under two hours and feel uplifted, inspired, and confident about diving into new social media territory. And so that is what I have done in a new book, with the help of my friend Stanford Smith, the genius behind Pushing Social.
I regard Stanford as the best writer on the web and we share a passion (obsession?) to help people unleash their potential through blogging. Stanford and I have collaborated for several years now, and have become close friends. Through many personal discussions, we came to realize how similar our perspectives were … and how frustrated we were that some of our friends and colleagues could not make the leap and start their blog, or take their writing to the next level.
The human side of blogging
Stanford Smith
We decided to write a small, Tao-like book that focused on the human potential of blogging. There are literally hundreds of ideas jammed into this book for bloggers of any level, but at its core we have created a work that re-frames the act of creating a blog in very accessible, human terms. We believe you were born to blog. Really.
In many ways, this is a logical follow-up to Return On Influence. In that book, I focus on “the seventh weapon of influence,” the ability to create content that moves through the web. This book shows you how.
Born to Blog: Building Your Blog for Personal and Business Success One Post at a Time
When the manuscript was delivered to our publisher, McGraw-Hill, we knew we had created something special but didn’t realize how extraordinary the partnership was until the first feedback came in from the editors — there were literally NO recommended changes to the book. We hit it out of the park in one swing and we were both amazed!
Get on board
Born to Blog
There is nothing about this book that is theoretical. We’ve lived it, breathed it, and sweated it and now present it to you in a quick and fun read. I hope you’ll add this book to your collection of essential social media guides and help us spread the word that we are all Born to Blog!
Five ways to be a more confident blogger
Feb 5th
I have coached and counseled a lot of people on their blogging efforts and there are some common themes I hear …
How do I find the time?
What do I write about?
How do I attract an audience?
But when I start digging, I find that none of these are usually the root cause of blogging problems. It’s something much more subtle — confidence.
That’s right. The biggest problem of all is not time, or ideas, or even organizational support. It’s having the courage to just do it.
This is a BIG DEAL. It takes guts to put yourself out there to the world. It’s scary to think that somebody might think that you’re dumb or wrong or mis-informed. For many, blogging can be a terrifying proposition, even though the passionate desire is there.
So I’ve been thinking about this. How can you overcome this trepidation and become a more confident blogger? Here are five ideas to help!
1. Limit the time you work on a post
Repeat after me: “It’s not going to be perfect, and that’s OK.”
I have never, ever pushed the “publish” button and been 100% happy with anything I have written. If I waited around for that I still would not have published my first post. Being an effective blogger means having the courage to be imperfect. In fact, I would argue that is a STRENGTH because it shows you’re human! Hurray for that.
One way to get around this (and also be a better time manager) is to set a limit. Just tell yourself that after two hours (or whatever timeframe you choose), it is what it is. Ideal blog posts for most people are between 500 and 1,000 words. So once you get to that length, you’ve made your point and you’ve run the spell-check … why not hit the publish button?
2. Re-frame the assignment
A lot of people get spooked about the word “blogger” like it is a special designation you need to earn or something. Let’s think of it another way. Can you write one 500-word essay on a topic you are passionate about just once a month? If you can do that, you can blog.
In analog terms, 500 words is one page double-spaced. Heck, you could probably do that 10 minutes before class in your school days. See, it’s not that hard, is it?
3. Write for yourself
I am getting a little fed up with this whole idea of “personas.” For many, it is a best practice to develop detailed profiles of target customers for our content and then write carefully-crafted pieces that are supposed to appeal to that personality. Seems like a lot of pressure to me.
Let’s just get over that,shall we? Your customers want to know YOU and your ideas, not what you think they want to hear. Tell YOUR story, don’t write a script. If you’re going to stand out, you need to be orginal. The only way to be original is to be yourself. Relax, have fun and your readers will find you!
4. Take advantage of personal coaching
You can read, and read, and read about blogging but I find sometimes you still need to just talk to somebody to get that little push to get over the hump. I’m not sure of the psychology behind this, but when I TALK to people about blogging, it seems to have a bigger impact, perhaps a more personal impact, than when they are just reading a post.
You can get a ton of great advice and a boost of confidence in just one hour with a blogging coach. There are tons of people willing to help out there. Look at some of your favorite blogs and consider: “Is this the type of blog I would like to aspire to” and see if they will help you. They probably will and it could be an excellent investment of your time and a little bit of money.
5. Put fear of the negative in context
I’m working on an entire post about strategies to deal with negativity but first, let’s be realistic. It is highly unlikely that you are going to get hate mail over your blog post.
In four years of blogging, I have received more than 25,000 comments from readers. Here is how many I have deleted because they were inappropriate: SIX. That is two hundredths of a percent.
That is not to say I don’t have dissenters, or even some hot debates, but that’s part of the fun, right? The point is, overall your social media connections are going to be helpful, supportive, and kind. Don’t create embarrassments in your mind that are simply never going to materialize. Focus on the overwhelmingly positive potential ahead of you — the chance to meet new friends, learn, hone a new skill, have fun, and perhaps create new business opportunities.
Blogging has changed my life and this is a magical time when ANYBODY can grab this opportunity and publish so your voice has a place in the world. Don’t let fear stop you.
How are you finding the courage to take that big step?
Image courtesy DC Comics. And I can’t wait for the new Superman movie!
The challenge of creating a blog that sings
Jan 28th
As I write these words, it is 5:36 a.m. on a Saturday morning.
Am I crazy?
No, I’m excited. After spending a week focused on consulting, teaching, and speaking projects, I finally have time to devote to this marvelous creative outlet, this opportunity to connect with you, through my blog. When I finally have that quiet time to write, I am ready to LEAP to that keyboard and create.
This is also the enigma, and perhaps greatest challenge of blogging … at least for me, and I suspect for most of you. How do you stay fresh and allow time for a creative process when you still have bills to pay? How do you hold down a job and create a blog that sings?
I attended a fascinating lecture this week that really pinpointed this problem for me. I spent about two hours listening to a person who is on the opposite end of the creative spectrum.
Creative immersion
Jena Serbu is creative for a living. She works on dark, surreal paintings. Jena sculpts. She writes plays and movie scripts. She directs, produces and edits films. She combines all of these talents in stunning music videos. Her latest art project is mailing 365 post cards to friends and strangers she plucks from the phone book.
Jena has the rich and rare opportunity of being completely immersed in her creative journey every minute, every day. She leaps from project to project and idea to idea in this seamless frenzy of activity. I’m not sure where the money comes from to support all this, but I know that in part, wealthy patrons provide grants and residency programs that allow her to live in the journey, instead of aiming at a financial destination.
I felt jealous. Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a chance to simply create without concern … even for a few weeks?
You and I do not have the luxury of submerging ourselves in a constant creative journey. To create my “art” on this blog, I have to work from point to point, grabbing time whenever I can (even before dawn on a Saturday!) if I am to unleash my ideas on the world.
To block out the extended time necessary to write a book, I have to take a serious short-term financial hit to my business.
Creating is a luxury
Creating art is a luxury. It’s way up at the top on that Maslow Hierarchy of Needs chart you studied in school. First you have to find a way to eat, take care of your family, and pay the bills before you can dabble in a creative process.
And while blogging is important to my business (and yours!) it is, in fact, a highly creative endeavor that is not unlike composing a little song or making a video. My son is in the music business and we often compare notes on the very similar creative processes we experience.
The problem is, it’s pretty darn challenging to be creative on demand, to be limited by a “point to point” creative process. We have to squeeze our art into the edges of the frenzied demands of life … after that last customer phone call, after mowing the yard, after putting the kids to bed,
So to all you weekend bloggers out there, I want to thank you, encourage you, and give you a virtual round of applause. This is hard work, isn’t it?
But I am also realizing that even if I cannot be a continuous creative buzzsaw like Jena, I still have to find time for random inspiration, playfulness, and new conversations that lead to creative insight. Short of finding a wealthy patron for my blog, I am going to have to actually “schedule” creative exploration as a business activity! This is the entry fee for a seat at the blogging table these days, I’m afraid.
Can I pull this off, or will I be drawn back into the daily hurricane every time I try? Time will tell. But I would be really interested in hearing about how you are handling this. My fellow bloggers and artists … how do you run a business, run a life, and still find time to create your beautiful song?
Top illustration: Still frame from the music video “Whether.” Song by Julia Othmer, video directed by Jena Serbu.
Side illustration: Artwork from Ippise Jones book series by Jena Serbu.
Welcome to {grow}
You’re in marketing for one reason: Grow.
Grow your company, reputation, customers, impact, profits. Grow yourself. This is a community that will help. It will stretch your mind, connect you to fascinating people, and provide some fun along the way. I am so glad you’re here.
-Mark SchaeferFollow Mark
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