To Blog or Not to Blog

Is it really worthwhile? Many of us have asked ourselves this question. And depending on the person, answers will vary. Some feel it involves too much time and effort that could be better spend on their next story. Others feel a blog keeps them connected with their readers, authors, and others out there in cyberspace.

I've often wondered--of what benefit to me is it to have fellow authors read my blog. The answer is simple. Authors are readers too. They have readers on their blogs that may drop by yours on occasion. Also, those writer friends may ask you to guest on their site and vise versa which may bring you new readers.

When I started my blog, Linda LaRoque's Musings, it was difficult deciding what to blog about. Interestingly enough, I get more hits on recipes, vacations, posts about my dog (this week I told about her run-in with a copperhead snake), and short stories I've written. Readers also like to hear about new releases and promotional events. An occasional post with writing tips can also be a big hit.

Blogging doesn't have to be hard. Your posts don't have to be long or on a schedule. Write about what interests you which in turn proves to your readers you're an interesting individual. Respond to your reader's comments. They may never check back, but then again, they might.

Offer an incentive for them to keep coming back. I give away an ebook every month.

I've just started putting out a monthly newletter. Will it take the place of my blog? I don't think so. Though the newsletter will have some of what I've blogged about, it serves a different purpose. Many would rather read something once a month that comes directly to their mailbox rather than go to your site each time you blog.

Remember, each time you blog, each time you comment on a blog, google makes note and that's a hit for you. Google your name and see how many times your name comes up? Is it 10, 100, 1000, 10,000? The higher the number, the better you're doing on getting your name out there.

What are your thoughts about blogging?

Happy Reading and Writing folks!

Linda
http://www.lindalaroque.com/

Our dog Molly and a Copperhead

Our little dog Molly thinks she's Queen of the block. Anything or anyone who ventures close to our fence line, the hackles rise on her back and the intruder is blasted with her ferocious bark. I doubt she'd hurt anyone though, as the man that reads the electric meter comes right in and she lopes along beside him as he comes and goes.

My husband has a wood shop in the back yard. Molly loves to hunt and has been known to go under the shed after a mouse. And has caught one or two. Ugh! On August 5th our son came over and cut down alot of vines that clung to the fence. We usually let them stay on the ground as it's muddy back there and Molly tracks it in the house. We hoped the cuttings would form a carpet over the mud. On the 6th my husband heard Molly yelp and saw her run from behind the shop and lay down on the grass. He didn't think anything of it.

An hour later I called her in. She wasn't her usual chipper self, and her face looked like a chipmonks. I thought she had her mouth full of something. When I realized she was swollen, we loaded her in the car and drove to the Vet. She showed us where the fang marks were on her nose and believed it was a copperhead as a rattler wouldn't have made Molly much sicker. Several dogs have died this summer due to rattler bites. She gave Molly two shots and kept her all afternoon to make sure she didn't get worse. We came home with two bottles of pills.

There is a rattlesnack anti-venom your animal can be given, something we may consider even though we don't live in a brushy area. We live on a corner in a small housing development but there is a big field across the road. I think we will have to clean that brush out and make sure the copperheads don't have a place to hide.

Here are a few pictures of Molly taken at the Vet's Office.

Leave me a comment with your pet stories.

Happy Reading and Writing!

Linda

http://www.lindalaroque.com/

Ebook Winner for July

Linda Kage is the winner of an ebook of her choice for July. Let me know which one you want, Linda and I'll send it right over.

Thanks for all who left a comment last month. This contest repeats every month.

Happy Reading and Writing!

Linda
http://www.lindalaroque.com/