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Apple's iPhone 7 Launch Is Here
Apple’s iPhone 7 Launch Is Here
Finally! The iPhone 7 Launch Is Here (and What You Should Know)! Today marks the actual iPhone 7 launch. Never mind the presale, that sold existing stock out in minutes, today, Friday, September 16 is the REAL release. That’s because, with limited supply, you can get your new iPhone from stores, as well as delivery. [easyazon_link identifier=”B01LS29SFG” locale=”US” tag=”www10bestsmar-20″]Apple…
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How do I get more writing done in lesser time?
Answer by David Throop:
6 Simple Ways To Write More In Less Time
There always seems to be more tasks and demands than we have time for. So how do you get every thing you need done?
Understand that there are 24 hours in a day. How you prioritize how you use those hours can dictate your productivity and output.
Specifically to writing, there are a few tips that will help you become more efficient, getting more writing and in less time.
Here Are 6 Simple Tips To Writing More, Faster:
Set a deadline: Nobody likes deadlines, but the make us get to work. Setting a deadline is critical to actually getting your work done.
Outline: Having an idea and the flow of how you plan to explain your ideas is critical. It will help keep you on track that will help avoid any unnecessary paths. Know who you're writing for and why they should care. What is their benefit from your writing?
Know your subject. Easier to write about things we already know well.
Write In The Flow: Think stream of consciousness here. The trick is using your outline to guide your writing more efficiently while letting your writing flow.
Edit: This is actually the most time demanding of all. But good writing is based on great editing.
Set a timer: Work in highly intense periods with smaller limited breaks (otherwise known as the Pomodoro Method).
How do I get more writing done in lesser time?
How Looking Backward Is The Best Metric To Your Success
How can I get more serious about creative writing?
Answer by David Throop:
How To Overcome Any Obstacle In Your Writing
There are many reasons to get serious about creative writing.
But first ask yourself, what is it about writing that you enjoy?
Do you get lost in the moment?
Is it something that like David Foster Wallace wrote in his metaphor about two fish swimming by each other, one fish asks, "How's the water" and the other fish replies "what's water?"
In other words, is it something that you can just do, or do you have a self-limiting belief holding you back?
You may be putting too much emphasis on the outcome rather than the necessary steps to get there.
Writing is not simple, and every writer - which due to schooling, the Internet and email, we are all writers - has to find a way to overcome the obstacles of momentum, motivation and inertia.
Think Of The Process Like Sailing
You pull out of your slip, cruise through the harbor and set out on the water.
If you constantly stare at the port, it's going to seem like you're never getting anywhere.
But, if you look forward, focus on all the little things like wind, setting the jib and steering; enjoy the scenery in front and next to you, once you look back, you'll be amazed how far you've travelled.
3 Authors That Will Help You Overcome Your Adversity To Writing
1) In his book on writing, The Lie That Tells a Truth, John Dufresne opines that when we focus on the end product, it's difficult to see it through. He encourages us in his preface that;
"Remember when you were a child, and you were stuck in the house on a rainy day, and Mom sat you at the kitchen table, gave you a pencil, a sharpener, a box of crayons, and a ream of paper, and you went at it? You drew all day long and never got blocked..."
2) Similarly Austin Kleon writes in his books, Steal Like An Artist and Show Your Work, that it's the process that people don't see when they think about creative work. People enjoy the finished product, but as creatives we should focus on enjoying the process.
He suggests getting out in the world, carrying a notebook and making notes of the sights, sounds, smells, that you experience. You can use them at a later date.
I wrote a post about this process of stealing and borrowing for ideas on a blog post that you can read here: My Kindle Publishing Lesson: Beg, Borrow and Steal Your Way To Becoming A Better Writer
3) Finally author Johnny B. Truant of The Smarter Artist Podcast (as well as the Self-Publishing Podcast and Write, Publish, Repeat) claims in his episode titled "Talking About Writing Is Not Writing" - he mentions the work that a carpenter does. A carpenter doesn't spend their time talking about carpentry, they're actively working on the craft.
What I find in all three examples is the need to focus on the process, the daily act of sitting down and writing.
Not one of them is saying it's going to be easy, or fun all the time, or that you'll write well on a regular basis.
But, the act of getting down in the trenches, of digging into the words and what you're trying to say, is one you need to be willing to do.
Be preoccupied with the act of doing, get lost in the moment, knowing that you'll get there some day and some how.
Don't worry about the outcome. That's a burden that's too great to carry. If you focus on the necessary steps, and diligently get lost in the process (an oxymoron for sure!), you can start, produce and overcome any hurdles.
I wrote about how to overcome challenges in 2 simple ways back in September 2015 and I believe they're timeless little hacks that you can check out here: 2 Simple Ways To Overcome Your Greatest Challenges In Minutes A Day
How can I get more serious about creative writing?
What is the most powerful tip you've gained from reading a self-help book?
Answer by David Throop:
The Most Powerful Tip I've Discovered From Self-Help Books
In a recent blog post, I discussed this point specifically. You can read the entire post here: The ONE Thing You Can Do To Improve Your Productivity - an article that is both a book review and a personal discussion of application.
In summary, the most powerful tip I've discovered is to focus on just ONE thing. In their book "The ONE Thing" by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan, they discuss the power of focus and motivation through simplification.
Who are Gary Keller and Jay Papasan? Gary Keller is founder of Keller Williams Realty, the number one Real Estate company in the world. He built the company in his lifetime using many of the tactics and techniques he discloses. Jay Papasan is the Vice President of Keller Williams on the PR side, focusing on speaking engagements and writing.
Some of the reader comments talk about how the book is a resource to help you maximize your productivity by developing simple, straight forward tactics.
"Keller believes in focus, utter dedication to your one thing, and driving to breakthrough barriers to get to your one big purpose"
and
"Simple, yet effective way to see beyond the tyranny of the urgent and focus your efforts on the important."
The authors also discuss the big myths associated in contemporary society such as:
1. Everything Matters Equally
2. Multitasking is Good
3. Success Requires a Disciplined Life
4. Willpower is Always on Will-Call
5. A Balanced Life is Required
6. Big is Bad
In essence, the key to achievement is focusing on a single goal and being driven to see it through to completion. The tactics help teach was to overcome potential hurdles by the simplification of their strategy.
You can get a copy of The ONE Thing on Amazon for Kindle or Print copy through this affiliate link HERE: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results: Gary Keller, Jay Papasan: 9781885167774: Amazon.com: Books
What is the most powerful tip you've gained from reading a self-help book?
How can I improve my writing skills?
Answer by David Throop:
How To Improve Your Writing Skills With 3 Secret Hacks
Think about writing as sharing an intimate thought with a reader in a way that the reader doesn't realize that you've entered into their brains. Famed horror writer Stephen King wrote about the power and influence of writing as being like telepathy with the reader.
Good writing works to share your thoughts with the reader without being able to speak with them directly. It can work to inform, entertain, motivate, even agitate.
There are some basic rules to good writing such as understanding rules of grammar, syntax, punctuation and spelling that you need to study. It takes a lifetime to master but don't worry; you can get started without having spent a lifetime with volumes of linguistic and grammatical tomes.
The most important thing you need to consider when writing is, who do you intend to read it? Most writers claim that you need to find a real, or imaginary, ideal reader that you are writing for. Is it someone you love? A teacher or coach you want to impress? Someone you've never met but can imagine a long conversation about whatever subject that's on your mind?
Kurt Vonnegut claimed that he wrote his novels with either his wife or daughter in mind. This technique makes the style personal, reads well, and sounds natural as Prabhu Balasubramanian wrote in his answer to this question.
But to improve your writing skills, there are 3 secret hacks you can use. I've written on these hacks a little more in-depth on my blog, and you can see the full post here: My Kindle Publishing Lesson: Beg, Borrow and Steal Your Way To Becoming A Better Writer
1) Beg An Expert - Find someone who is better than you and ask for help with your prose. It could be a friend, professor or another writer.
2) Borrow From A Master - Who is your favorite writer? Borrow from their stories both in technique and style.
3) Steal From The Greats - Is there a passage, theme or idea that moves you every time you read it? Take what the greats have done before, rework it to your own voice and rewrite it again. Don't just copy it word-for-word, that's called plagiarism and is bad, and often illegal.
Using basic rules of grammar, write with a specific person in mind and beg, borrow and steal, and you'll greatly improve your writing in short time.
How can I improve my writing skills?
What is the worthier lifelong goal: to be happy or to be successful?
Answer by David Throop:
To answer the question, what is the worthier lifelong goal: to be happy or to be successful, first we must examine the concepts of happiness and success.
As a mental state, happiness is an emotional or psychological sense of wellbeing. It's amorphous and elastic depending on the circumstance and the situations surrounding the feeling. You could feel a sense of happiness from eating a box of chocolates, or from buying a new tablet you've had your eye on for a time period. It could also stem from meeting someone new, or holding someone you love.
In essence, there are many different definitions to "what is happiness" and numerous factors that may catalyze that feeling and mental state.
Success is just as arbitrary to define and just as difficult to specify. Some define success as the accumulation of things; of items, money and objects. Others may define success in extrinsic ways, such as winning a game, or earning a role in the upcoming drama. Still others may define what is success by intrinsic ways, like giving your best effort regardless of outcomes. I've addressed this concept of intrinsic success and what to do when you feel overwhelmed by others standards and definitions in a blog post titled: What To Do When Your Best Isn't Good Enough
Now that we've examined what is the concept of happiness and success, the answer to the question of what is the better lifelong goal can be summed up as - it's subjective and both are aspects of the same amorphous mental state.
Ultimately you are the only one capable of determining the correct answer. Your definition of success, your desire for happiness can be and should only be defined by your own standards.
If you can come to the terms that you, and only you, can determine your own happiness and success, you won't get into the schism of having these concepts be in constant conflict with each other.
What is the worthier lifelong goal: to be happy or to be successful?
How do I write the best quality and compelling content? In my blog/ website.
Answer by David Throop:
How To Get The Best Quality Content For Your Blog - And Make It Compelling To Boot!
On my blog I wrote about ways to become a better writer by using the techniques I discuss in this answer and you can find the complete article on my website: Writer Life or you can see the exact post here: My Kindle Publishing Lesson: Beg, Borrow and Steal Your Way To Becoming A Better Writer
Every writer and any blogger worth their weight in salt are looking to have an audience that they can communicate with, educate and entertain them as well.
But how does a writer make something that is both qualitative and compelling? It turns out to be more technique than lucky inspiration.
Indeed, nobody can identify what is going to become popular and viral on the Internet. But there is a system you can use to give your thoughts and words a chance.
Full disclosure: I’m a freelance copywriter and creative writer learning what it takes. I haven’t perfected the medium and don’t believe anyone ever truly can master the craft of writing. I think like Icarus if we fly too close to the Sun our waxed wings come undone.
But we can damn well try.
1. **Identify Your Reader:** Who are you writing to and what do you want them to take away from your content? How old are they? What is their gender? Education level, sex life, work/life balance, vacation plans, and purchasing trends? Do they like chocolate, sour candy or disdain sweets altogether? Are they a night owl, or an early bird?
Knowing the intimate details of this real, or imaginary person, will help you have a conversation with them. It will help you craft your content and tone of your writing to address them on an intimate level. As Stephen King said in his book “On Writing,” writing is E.S.P. with the reader, it’s telepathy between the writer and the audience.
2. **Find An Expert - Beg To Learn From Them:** In medieval times, apprenticeship was a class in society all its own. Young boys (and girls to some degree) would join a guild that specialized in a particular trade or craft. They would be placed in the care of a master craftsman and learn the trade from the ground floor upward. Sometimes sweeping a barn, or stoking the coals for a blacksmith. Whatever task needed to be done that was considered beneath the master was the apprentice’s job. It was the Karate Kid - Mr. Miaggi approach, wax on - wax off before karate lessons.
After a period of no less than ten years, the apprentice was now allowed to begin applying what they knew as a tradesman. They could go out, build leather sheaves for a blacksmith, or horseshoes for the king. After two or three years of tradecraft, they could apply to the guild for mastership. If their work were worthy, they would be accepted into the guild as a master craftsman and take on an apprentice of their own. The cycle repeated.
Obviously, we’re not talking about spending ten years in the tutelage of a master, but ask someone that you admire how they started. Ask them what lessons they’ve learned that they would tell themselves if they could go back in time. You can comment on their blog, or in a Facebook group, Twitter is an excellent tool for reaching the unreachable, for example, until you establish a line of communication with them.
3. **Borrow The Concept, Steal An Idea:** Pablo Picasso famously said, “Good artists borrow, great artists steal." No, I’m not advocating plagiarism, but I am saying that EVERY artist worth a damn has taken from someone else. From Andy Warhol to Jimi Hendrix to Steve Jobs, borrowing the concept from someone else within the legal framework is normal. Some even take passages from a movie or book, and rework it so that it’s a completely new scene, is proven to help you learn to become a master at your craft faster.
Again, what I’m saying is to find an expert that you admire, borrow what works for them and steal the process of creating compelling content from them. Make sure that the content is in your voice and has your own language to help avoid the threat of plagiarism.
Take from them what seems to be working for their audience. Is there something you can apply to your content to make it more attractive, and hence, more compelling for your audience? There are a lot of great people that have mastered the craft. People like Jon Morrow, who talks about how to generate traffic on his blog Boost Blog Traffic; another is Quicksprout’s Neil Patel who discusses how to craft compelling content that will excite your audience, or Mary Jaksche, who blogs about all things related to writing at Write To Done, are all excellent examples.
(If you’d like to see more of what these pro’s offer on their blogs, just click the specific name of each and they will link you back to their author’s blogs).
By understanding who your reader is and using the techniques I discussed herein, you should be able to find the voice you need to write high-quality content that is engaging, informative and compelling for your audience.
How do I write the best quality and compelling content? In my blog/ website.
How do I write the best quality and compelling content? In my blog/ website.
How do I write the best quality and compelling content? In my blog/ website.
Answer by David Throop:
How To Get The Best Quality Content For Your Blog - And Make It Compelling To Boot!
On my blog I wrote about ways to become a better writer by using the techniques I discuss in this answer and you can find the complete article on my website: Writer Life or you can see the exact post here: My Kindle Publishing Lesson: Beg, Borrow and Steal Your Way To Becoming A Better Writer
Every writer and any blogger worth their weight in salt are looking to have an audience that they can communicate with, educate and entertain them as well.
But how does a writer make something that is both qualitative and compelling? It turns out to be more technique than lucky inspiration.
Indeed, nobody can identify what is going to become popular and viral on the Internet. But there is a system you can use to give your thoughts and words a chance.
Full disclosure: I'm a freelance copywriter and creative writer learning what it takes. I haven't perfected the medium and don't believe anyone ever truly can master the craft of writing. I think like Icarus if we fly too close to the Sun our waxed wings come undone.
But we can damn well try.
1. **Identify Your Reader:** Who are you writing to and what do you want them to take away from your content? How old are they? What is their gender? Education level, sex life, work/life balance, vacation plans, and purchasing trends? Do they like chocolate, sour candy or disdain sweets altogether? Are they a night owl, or an early bird?
Knowing the intimate details of this real, or imaginary person, will help you have a conversation with them. It will help you craft your content and tone of your writing to address them on an intimate level. As Stephen King said in his book "On Writing," writing is E.S.P. with the reader, it's telepathy between the writer and the audience.
2. **Find An Expert - Beg To Learn From Them:** In medieval times, apprenticeship was a class in society all its own. Young boys (and girls to some degree) would join a guild that specialized in a particular trade or craft. They would be placed in the care of a master craftsman and learn the trade from the ground floor upward. Sometimes sweeping a barn, or stoking the coals for a blacksmith. Whatever task needed to be done that was considered beneath the master was the apprentice's job. It was the Karate Kid - Mr. Miaggi approach, wax on - wax off before karate lessons.
After a period of no less than ten years, the apprentice was now allowed to begin applying what they knew as a tradesman. They could go out, build leather sheaves for a blacksmith, or horseshoes for the king. After two or three years of tradecraft, they could apply to the guild for mastership. If their work were worthy, they would be accepted into the guild as a master craftsman and take on an apprentice of their own. The cycle repeated.
Obviously, we're not talking about spending ten years in the tutelage of a master, but ask someone that you admire how they started. Ask them what lessons they've learned that they would tell themselves if they could go back in time. You can comment on their blog, or in a Facebook group, Twitter is an excellent tool for reaching the unreachable, for example, until you establish a line of communication with them.
3. **Borrow The Concept, Steal An Idea:** Pablo Picasso famously said, "Good artists borrow, great artists steal." No, I'm not advocating plagiarism, but I am saying that EVERY artist worth a damn has taken from someone else. From Andy Warhol to Jimi Hendrix to Steve Jobs, borrowing the concept from someone else within the legal framework is normal. Some even take passages from a movie or book, and rework it so that it's a completely new scene, is proven to help you learn to become a master at your craft faster.
Again, what I'm saying is to find an expert that you admire, borrow what works for them and steal the process of creating compelling content from them. Make sure that the content is in your voice and has your own language to help avoid the threat of plagiarism.
Take from them what seems to be working for their audience. Is there something you can apply to your content to make it more attractive, and hence, more compelling for your audience? There are a lot of great people that have mastered the craft. People like Jon Morrow, who talks about how to generate traffic on his blog Boost Blog Traffic; another is Quicksprout's Neil Patel who discusses how to craft compelling content that will excite your audience, or Mary Jaksche, who blogs about all things related to writing at Write To Done, are all excellent examples.
(If you'd like to see more of what these pro's offer on their blogs, just click the specific name of each and they will link you back to their author's blogs).
By understanding who your reader is and using the techniques I discussed herein, you should be able to find the voice you need to write high-quality content that is engaging, informative and compelling for your audience.
How do I write the best quality and compelling content? In my blog/ website.
Will Apple Continue To Have The Best Smartphone In 2016?
With the close of the 2016 CES in Las Vegas, one thing is certain – there are some great devices, tools and toys on the horizon! We look toward the future jealously, and look for the best smartphone to be from Apple in 2016! There were some great devices and things such as the boom stick, a device that boosts the power of your EarPods and headphones. Wireless earphones that recharge in a…
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What is the best way to make your blog more popular?
Answer by David Throop:
How To You Make Your Blog More Popular
Before we come on the answer of how to make your blog more popular, it's important to consider what are the expectations for increasing popularity.
Are you trying to get, and retain, more readers? Or are you trying to gain more traction within a certain community? Build a brand or voice of authority? Perhaps you want to convert that popularity and traffic into consumers?
By deciding on the outcome first, it makes it easier to know which channels that could be considered to grow an audience and increase popularity.
The single most important thing is to build a blog that has an ideal reader in mind. I write a blog and publish a blog that focuses on writing using habit formation to help improve a writer's skill - you can see it at Writer Life
For example, American Satirist Kurt Vonnegut always said he wrote for his wife or daughter in mind.
Who is your ideal reader?
What do they look like? Age, weight, height, how do they wear their clothes and hair?
What is their personal life like? Think about their thoughts on family, work, vacations, memories they may have.
Imagine what they have planned to do in 6 months. Are they looking to move, buy a new car, go on a trip?
What are you trying to provide them with an answer to a problem, or relating to them in one way or another?
Content For Your Blog: Know Your Audience And Solve Their Thirst
Defining your reader is first, next is discovering what makes them tick. Think about what would keep them up at night, or what would be their favorite thing to do. The ideal reader is thirsty for the solution. Give it to them and you'll have a "drinking" buddy for life!
So now that you know your reader, crafting a post that will become popular is technique driven.
Top professionals like Jon Morrow and Neil Patel are great at discussing what goes into awesome blog posts.
Post Continuously: Set a calendar of when you're going to post content on your blog. Stick to it, just like paying your rent or mortgage, this calendar is absolute! Nothing becomes stale for an audience like old content or waiting around for something new to read. Eventually they'll lose interest and motivation to follow your blog posts.
Headlines Matter! The most likable headlines are ones that include a number of key points. They're snappy, have a decided benefit, they include a specific number of things you can do in a short amount of time and they grab attention! Jon Morrow runs an excellent blog that details all the relevant points about headlines. You can check out Jon Morrow's blog - especially a post about writing headlines by clicking this sentence.
Use Images: Neil Patel who runs the amazingly detailed blog QuickSprout among other things, claims that for every 350 words, include a picture. You can read more of Neil Patel by clicking this sentence.
Edit or Die! Writing is about expressing an intimate thought with your reader. You wouldn't expect to audition for a play with out first memorizing and testing out the lines over and over again. Not everything you write is going to be good enough for consumption, and that's ok. Good writing requires that you write, edit for grammar and sentence flow mistakes, eliminate the unnecessary fluff, rewrite and then edit/rewrite some more. Shakespeare never wrote a play and walked away, it was a continuous edit of years for some of his masterpieces.
By knowing these specific details about your ideal reader, you'll have a better idea of what to write about for them. And by knowing what to write, you'll have the content you need to be able to promote it.
Pay For Traffic - using Google adwords, Yahoo/Bing ads or other forms is a direct way to increase traffic to your blog. But only if you know how to write copy - that is, the type of writing that motivates someone to take a desired action, in this case, click on your ad to visit your blog.
Aggregate Social Media - Use Social Media to help drive the popularity of your blog. You can link a post to any number of social media platforms, from Google Plus, Facebook and Instagram to Twitter and more. You can use apps like Buffer or Hootsuite to help you get your content delivered to your social media channels. What these apps do is allow you to upload a link of your posts, schedule a release date and time, and free you up to do other promotional aspects.
Stumbleupon - A web 2.0 property that will help drive new people to your blog. If you have compelling content with great visuals you can add your blog post to Stumbleupon that will randomly include your post to new readers.
Video and Podcasts: Create a Youtube channel that delves into topics that are relevant to your blog and link back to your site. Podcasting is another way to increase popularity for your blog, a great example of this is Pat Flynn's SmartPassiveIncome or the guys at SelfPublishingPodcast - Sean Platt, David Wright and Johnny B. Truant.
Post Comments and Questions: Find relevant other blogs and forums (such as Quora or Reddit) that have an audience with the same interests. Their ideal reader may have similarities as yours and they can also help you discover new topics to write about for your own blog.
Guest Posting: Find a blog that has similar interests as yours and reach out to the webmaster/publisher about guest posting. Pitch them an idea that will benefit their readers, not your own. You can include a link back to your blog in either the article or author page, depending on the publisher's desires. This should be your best content, something that will wow the audience and make them interested in finding out more about the blog you publish.
In the end, there are a number of ways to make your blog more popular, these are but a few suggestions. The key is to know who you're writing and posting for, set a continuous publishing calendar, adhere to it, and make it compelling.
If you need help with your writing (or habit development) visit my blog at Writer Life to see how I handle the ups and downs of a writer's life.
What is the best way to make your blog more popular?
How does one begin writing a book?
Answer by David Throop:
Just Get Started The first question to ask, I believe, isn't how does one being to write but how you're going to outline your thoughts. The mistake it sounds that you're making is that you get caught up in what I call the "dream" phase, the imagination, the plot, the characters and spend your time hotting those down. The Muse and Passion Myth Passion is a great thing to have in this phase. But passion alone won't get your writing done. I wrote about this on my blog about getting, and staying, motivated here Kindle Publishing Journey - Are You A Chicken Or A Pig? How To Increase Productivity By Making Bacon You also need to be disciplined What you need to do is just get started. Let me say that again - Just Get Started. Use your notes and ideas from a day or so before and just start writing about them. If you spend 20 minutes to start your writing, the imagery, the motivation will begin to rekindle itself. Once you remind yourself of how the imagination - "dream" - phase felt like, you'll be more motivated to progress your story, book and ideas forward. I recommend writing in short bursts of time with intermittent breaks. This is known as the Pomodoro Technique and is something applied to productivity. It states that productivity increases are due to short, intense bursts with intervals of time off. They recommend setting a timer for 25 minutes, which you would use to write. At the end of the timer, you then take a 5 minute break - no exceptions!!! In short, you need to sit down, get started writing and take a short break. Try it for a day or two then add a second session to your writing. Once you feel like you've stretched out your writing skills (think of it as a muscle), then add one additional session a week. Good luck!
How does one begin writing a book?
Which of these mobile phone platforms is the best: Android, Blackberry OS or Apple iOS?
Answer by David Throop:
I really enjoy the iOS from Apple. For clarity, I am an Apple fanboy so it's easy for me to defend them, but for my money, they're the best.
Beautiful design and easy use
Simple, seamless synching between devices
Productivity apps included, like Pages, Numbers and Keynote
Finger touch security and passcode
The best camera software of all major platforms
Which of these mobile phone platforms is the best: Android, Blackberry OS or Apple iOS?
What are you struggling with as a blog writer?
Answer by Salil Jha:
This is great question and every serious blogger should read this entire thread. Background: I blog on www.nakedsoulpoems.com and I have built an online business around it. Although, I started The Naked Soul Blog just 8 months ago, I was able to grow my blog readership to over 15,000 unique per month. There are several important reasons to why and how this could happen. The first key for me was: past experiences with blogging. (I have been blogging since 2006 and have learned a few things in these past 10 years.) But can you do this? Yes, anyone can do this. You can do this. Do I struggle and face challenges with my online business and blog? Absolutely, everyday. Where there are challenges, there is growth. Where there are constraints, there is creativity.
Biggest Challenge That You'll Face As a beginner blogger or starting out, there are many challenges that you'll face. That said, the biggest challenge will be: consistency. Consistency. Consistency. Consistency. This is the secret to success. Big success. Rapid success. Consistency is the secret to earn trust from your readers. You'll need a publishing calendar. Perhaps, a calendar at each place wherever you work. (In your living room, at your work, in your car, anywhere you work). Why? You want to not only publish great content but you also want to create an expectation in your reader's mind. You want to condition them. You want them to come to your blog again and again. You want atleast 25% repeat visitors. Repeat visits is a sign of a healthy blog. Start with a simple plan and then ramp up your publishing schedule. For a beginner (but serious blogger), I would recommend:
Publish one new blog post every week (M-Th). Do not publish on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. You can promote your post on weekends but do not publish on weekends.
Publish one new video each month.
Publish one new podcast each week. If you are solo, go solo. Read from a good book or just tell to your fans (or to-be-found tribe members) what you are doing.
Post once daily on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google+.
Why This Hard Work and How To Do This? Let me show you a few things that you need to do to be successful at any online business built around a central blog. 1. Blogging 1.0 and 2.0 is over. Sad but a fact. Read it, research it, accept it, swallow it, and get over it. Enter Blogging 4.0 Blogging is super competitive. Building a readership from scratch is tough (read: not worth the time investment). Building a large readership who engages with your content is even harder. Today, you need to think beyond blogging. There are almost 1 billion websites (25% of them active), over 8 million blogs and almost as many vlogs (video blogs on Youtube, etc) but only 115,000 podcasts (audioblogs). Blogging 4.0 stands for: 1. Blog (for long form content + introducing your product/services) 2. Podcast 3. Social Media Platforms (for short form content) 4. Videos (Youtube, Vine, Vimeo, Periscope, etc) 5. Repurpose Your Content (Quora, Medium, LinkedIn) Here are few tips:
Blog long form content. Save the short quotes and daily muse for social media. If you want to succeed in blogging, go long and detailed.
Try to solve a problem. Try explaining a situation from a new perspective. Tell a good story that most people can relate to.
Write and then offer free eBooks.
Collect emails so that you can email to your group when a new blog post is up.
Guest blog and cross promote each other.
Encourage your blogger friends to leave a comment. Reciprocate the generosity.
Provide incentives to your readers for commenting. For example, reply to your comment and answer their questions. Or simply just acknowledge them.
2. You need a Podcast. Podcasts integrates with both blogging and social media. Podcasting is both technical and intense. And that's why you have less competition. You must explore this medium to connect with millions of 9-5 job going workers when they are driving and exercising at gym or taking a long walk. Example: Podcast Launch | The Naked Soul Talk Show | Full Human Potential | Daily Growth | Lifestyle Design 3. Build Your Tribe. In the past, your blog was your platform. Not anymore. You need to build your online tribe on various social media platform as that's where your readers are already gathering. Social media is usually the best free source to send traffic to your blog. Read my 4000 word long detailed blog post on building your platform: How I Am Going To Grow My Author's Platform| How To Find Your First 1000 True Fans How To Get From Zero to A Celebrity Status| Hacking Instagram Growth |10 Tips on More Followers, Likes & Comments 4. Go Video. You are writing. You are researching and inserting catchy images in your blog posts. You are building your social authority and building your platform on each major social media. Now go full circle. Go video. Make videos. Make SlideShare out of your blog posts and turn those SlideShare into YouTube videos. Make video of some of your audio recordings (podcasts) and push it on Youtube. Make videos out of images and add music to it. Publish them. Remember, rather than waiting for people to find your blog, you want to find your tribe. You must go where people are already gathering. Then broadcast. Let your lost tribe members find you. Bring them home (to your blog). Reward them for following you. 5. Repurpose Your Content Just as if you have a book to offer, you'll most likely sell it on Amazon and through Barnes & Noble rather than your own website, similarly, you must blog on platforms which are already trusted by millions of users. There are studies done that vast majority of readers prefer (read: trust) to buy a book (or a product) on Amazon than directly from a blog or website. And the reasons are simple. Return. Refund. Shipping options. Trust. Existing account, etc. Likewise, rather than publishing your posts just on your blog, be mindful that there are millions of users on Medium and LinkedIn and Quora who would not go to your blog because they spend a vast majority of their online time on these platform. And they do not have any need to go to your blog. So what can you do? You repurpose your content. Change a few things and tweak it to the like of the target readerships and re-publish. Leave a link to your blog. Those who would resonate with your content and find value in your offering would become your reader. What do you do then? What do you do in the end after all is said? Publish. Be Original. Be Consistent. Consistency is the key. Hope this helps! Related: If I want to make a living as a travel blogger, what is the basic infrastructure I need to setup? What is blogging 4.0? How do I monetize my writing of poetry online? Are there too many online bloggers in entrepreneurship? Is it a race that has already been run?
What are you struggling with as a blog writer?
What are the qualities of a good freelance writer?
Answer by David Throop:
The qualities of a good freelance writer is the same with any freelance position, from writing to photography, acting and music. It requires a person of patience, perseverance, a comfortable dose of delusion and flexibility. Patience to work with many types of clients. It is a service position, one that deals with all types of client-types, from demanding to hand's-off and everyone in-between. Perseverance to keep at it even when it seems like its more difficult than necessary. Comfortable Dose of Delusion to believe in yourself when it appears the odds are stacked against you and the work you're trying to do. You will most often struggle financially, so having the confidence of delusion is a healthy coping mechanism. Flexibility because you may be writing an article for one client, a blog post from an opposite perspective for another, a white paper for a business and an email auto-responder for another all with the same deadlines.
What are the qualities of a good freelance writer?
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