blogs Archives - Jessica Ferguson

I’m determined to keep up the once-a-week blogging. It’s tricky getting back into it when one has been away so long. I don’t feel I’m saying much that’s beneficial to anyone. Maybe today:

Just out of curiosity, who reads blogs these days, and why? For inspiration? For research? I’d really like to know so I have questions for you at the end of this post.

My favorite blogs are writing related but when it comes to being a faithful reader, I’m not. I’ll scan to see if they’re writing about something that interests me. I ALWAYS read a post that has to do with markets and submissions. And plotting or outlining. (Crazy, isn’t it? I should really understand plotting and outlining by now.)

Hands down, my favorite blogger is bestselling author Tina Radcliffe

Her latest post Deadline Dementia speaks to me, and I’m sure it will make an impression on you too. Don’t we all work better, faster and more seriously if we have a deadline?

If you visit Tina’s site, please click on her For Writers Series and feast on all the informative articles she writes for us. I never hesitate to learn something I can actually apply.

The only downside I’ve found to Tina’s blog is that there’s no subscribe feature (if you find one, let me know). When I forget to pop in, my reading piles up or I miss valuable info.

Also, you might want to subscribe to her writing newsletter Inside Edition, that features links to articles, markets, contests and much more. If you don’t benefit from Inside Edition you can always unsubscribe. Give it a try. It’s the only newsletter I actually get impatient for!

Questions for you:

Just out of curiosity, do any of you follow blogs that are not writing related? What and why?

Do you know if there are any non-writers who read your blog?

Do you produce a newsletter? Why? Promoting your books only, or do you have personal tidbits?

How many newsletters do you subscribe to? Do you open them and actually read them?

Go Write!

To sum it up, I’m targeting Love Inspired with my latest manuscript. I’ve read (more than once!) and studied Tina Radcliffe’s Desconstructing a Romance Novel and several of my favorite LI writers. So far, I have 88 pages. Fingers crossed and many prayers that I can get through the middle!

And you? What are you working on this week?

Oh, the down-down days of summer. Too hot for much of anything. And to top off the oppressive heat, I fell leaving the church a week ago Sunday and twisted my right ankle. When my daughter was born, I was in labor for three hours so the pain definitely didn’t last this long! I hate pain. I also hate being unable to focus. X-rays proved nothing was broken but the constant ache/throb has me shifting/twitching/wiggling, searching for comfort. I’m not even able to enjoy my web surfing. Ah, well … this too, shall pass. Hurry, hurry, pass already!

A few weeks ago, I popped onto twitter and found one of my writer heros about to give an interview on the radio. Ya’ll probably know her: Jane Friedman. She has a terrific blog, however, she’s turned it over to Porter Anderson while she concentrates on a new project. Now Jane is web editor for the Virginia Quarterly Review.

Anyway, I tuned in to Jane on the radio. Yep, I took notes!

Jane said if we’re using emedia as entrepreneurs we need to know our audience, the people who will buy our books or our products. We need to know what social media sites we’re comfortable using. She said: There’s a triangle at work here: Reader & their tools, Self & what you prefer, the work itself & what compliments that work. Think about all points of that triangle, and satisfy each point. Where is the sweet spot? This entails market research on the part of the author. If you don’t enjoy it, you won’t continue to do it. Consistency is necessary — every day— because things tend to snowball. Small actions every day add up. Consistency translates into a growing audience.

Jane also said if there’s one quality we need to instill in ourselves, it’s patience because success takes time. Small actions every day during a long period of time is what will get us where we want to be.

She also gave a few tips on blogging among other things and after the interview, I tweeted ‘well done’ and told her I needed to take a hard look at my blog. Here’s what she said:

10 Jul

Jane Friedman‏@JaneFriedman

@jessyferguson Thanks for listening! As far as your blog, perhaps it just needs to be strengthened & taken to the next level. 😉

So my question is: how do I strengthen and take it to the next level? Any suggestions?