Okay I have made a decision. I need to back off from this blog. As of this week I will only blog once a week. Wednesdays. And I will blog about wicked, silly, irritating and some paranormal topics. It will still be “Something Wicked this Way Comes” because I am too wicked to let go of it and there are too many wicked funny topics that need to be given the spotlight
I apologize for not having the moxie to continue on with a 3 time a week blog but, time is slipping away each day and what is a writer without a book? I consider myself a writer first and a blogger second. But, the blogger part has tied up the writer and shoved her into a closet. Books are my first love and writing is all about the love. I understand that this blog could be considered short stories, or a jump-start to my writing day but, I am too anal for that reasoning. I want my blog to have tons of comments, subscribers and posted all over the internet. Not happening. It is like the plant on “Little shop of Horrors” always yelling “FEED ME!”. So I will, once a week. I would rather write one excellent blog instead of three mediocre blogs.
I tip my hat to these wonderful bloggers who make it look so effortless. Pamela Mason, Danielle Meitiv Piper Bayard, Jami Gold, Kristen Lamb, Tiffany White, Jenny Hansen, Anglea McGill aka Curiocat , Kathy Owen, Amy Shojai, Chuck Wendig, and Anna DeStefano, to name a small few. If I don’t have you listed my apologies. I have read so many wonderful blogs by so many wonderful people it is hard to list them all. So if you are not on the list shoot me a comment because I am going to do a list of “totally wicked blogs you should visit” at the bottom of each Wednesday’s blog.
Thank you everyone who has posted a comment, tweeted, Facebook’d or just visited me on this blog. Next Wednesday I will make it more wicked and enjoyable. I mean, what’s life without a little wickedness?
Thanks for stopping by and for sticking with me!
Shellie Sakai 
Well, I don’t know if I should give you a high five for making a decision that’s right for you, or wave my hanky to you from the train station. *sniff!*
Effortless? Whaddya mean Effortless! I don’t know if I’ve ever worked so hard in my life! Generating content that’s original and meaningful is so hard! And you feel like you’re throwing darts out of the Tardis in a wormhole … are you hitting anything? Is it still out there floating around in space?
I’ll be here looking for you on Wednesdays! But I’ll be missing you Mondays & Fridays.
I understand about it being hard. Believe me, I do. Thanks so much for all the comments you’ve left and for missing me. Don’t worry though, there is a method to my madness. Having to produce only one blog a week means more time for Facebook and Twitter, did I say that? I meant, more time for my WIP. Yeah, that’s what I meant. Thanks Pam for being my friend……
See? Everybody loves you & wants you to stay. *running to block the Tardis door*
NO Shellie! Don’t throw yourself out into the wormhole!
We’ll just call this a little sabbatical. In the meantime, everything wicked I come along I’m sending your way.
A bientot… on Wednesdays.
Yes, I’m with Pamela. Effortless, schmeffortless. 🙂 Even though I post only twice a week it *still* takes up too much of my time. But I applaud you for doing what’s right for you as a writer! 🙂
It isn’t effortless, it is HARD as all get out. One thing I advise when the “writing the blog” gets too hard is for writers to open their minds to what they think of as a blog post. Write your wicked blog post, but then one day can be a mash-up of 5 of the best blogs you have found over the week. Wicked Friday Fun…and give some posts to help us find the good stuff. I know you are on Twitter and you know blogs that are good staples. I almost always include Chuck Wendig, Jody Hedlund, and Writer Unboxed because I know they will ALWAYS have useful posts. A mashu-p takes 15 minutes.
Another day can be a video or a picture with a handful of questions to spark discussion. Piper Bayard (another awesome blog) used this tactic to have content for her Fridays. Pick a day and post a picture then ask us what the image makes us feel and think. We love interactive places, and a post like this makes less reading for us, too.
Basically, posting often just makes you top of mind. You don’t have to post writing three times a week, just start a discussion and poke your head out and say, “hello.” This can be pictures, mash-ups, video, or even a quote with some discussion-provoking questions. Open your vision of your blog and it might feel more liberating. I challenge you to try this before you go down to one time a week. When I blogged once a week my numbers were absolutely dismal and growth was very slow.
Also make sure that you are tweeting about your posts on #MyWANA. I talk about your blog all the time, but I have a lot going on, so a digital tap on the shoulder helps.
Regardless what you choose to do we are here for you 100%.
Hugs,
Kristen
Oh, and *Thanks* for the link love! 🙂
I’m having the same struggle. I’ve been reading Kristen for so long and wanting to do three times a week, but now I have outside writing work (and some that actually pays!) and start beating myself up when I don’t blog as well. I know for me that part of it is working harder and being more disciplined, but I agree with you that sometimes we have to recognize our (current?) limits.
Shellie, I SO feel your pain, esp. now that summer’s here and the kids are home from school. Really hard to write! But I have to agree with Kristen. When both Kristen and my agent were telling me I had to go from 1 to 3 times a week, I was shouting “Noooo!!!” because it took forever to write my weekly content! My posts were mini-dissertations, too long for most people to have time to plow through, and too complete for comments or contributions.
You can do this! Have one post per week be that core content you love. For me, it’s Masters of Mystery Mondays (my first love). My Wise Word Wednesdays and Fashion Fridays are shorter, quicker. Wednesdays are mashups, quotes, quick reflections…Fridays are ONE historical article of clothing, some pics, a few facts.
I try to dedicate one day – just one – to writing all the blogs for the week (doesn’t always work out that way, but that’s the goal, LOL). Then schedule them, spend a little time on the days they come out letting us know they’re out, then the rest of the week is YOURS to write your own stuff.
Just some ideas, piggy-backing on Kristen’s wisdom. You’ve got to get your name out there, and keep it out there! Blogging is one of the best ways to do it.
Good luck!
Kathy
Two words–plagiarize yourself! *s* Thanks bunches for the link-love, and I echo what others have said. My “thoughty thursday” post probably takes the longest but the others are *ahem* reworked stuff with cute pictures and videos. I’m so there for you and support your decision to do what’s right–or write–for you! Hang in there, will *see* you here on Weds and twitter/FB etc.
Hi Shellie. Effortless? Well, I’ll take that as a compliment. The fact is that, with five posts each week, I probably put in 15 – 20 hours a week feeding and tending the blog and pimping it on social media. Three a week sounds like a vacation. But Kristen is right. Once I opened my mind as to what constitutes a “blog” life got much easier. I have to say, too, that for my Wednesday blog, I would be spending my time laughing with Holmes about those things, anyway. I’m just writing down what we joked about this week. But I do feel your pain, and I’m always looking for ways to open up time for my WIP.
One thing to keep in mind, though, is that the more you blog, the easier it becomes. When I’m writing one from scratch now, it takes me about an hour unless I’m having to do a lot of research. And the more I blog, the better my prose becomes. I’m much more relaxed as a writer, and that translates into a higher quality novel. It’s all about balance. Good luck! Let me know how I can support you.
Oh, Shellie! First, you have to do what is right for your & your writing career. Second, it’s not effortless. It’s hard work. I’m spending more than 40 hours a week on everything writing. It’s a full time job plus some. What I’ve found easier, is making a list of blog topics ahead of time so that I can “quote on quote” use my lunch hour to blast one out. That allows me the rest of the day to focus on my WIP, critique pages, etc. To be honest, I need to force myself off social media more. 🙂 Regardless, you always have my support. *Hugs*
Hey, Shellie. You have to do what’s ‘write’ for you. Maybe you need to cut back a bit at first to find some balance and come back full force later on. Whatever you decide, we’ll be here for you. Take care!
Hey, Shellie! I have several thoughts…(don’t tell me this surprises you!)
1. Thanks a bunch for the linky love – I look at my name on a list with these greats and just glow.
2. I’m with Jami on the “effortless-schmeffortless” front. Blogging is ass-breaking hard work.
3. I’m also with Piper about how blogging is improving my writer’s voice. I can see it and feel it.
Kristen is right that what constitutes your blog should maybe change. “When” you write your blog could maybe be mixed up a little. I write my blogs in the car A LOT, or in my purse notebook…the key being that I get double-duty out of my time (oh, oh…I feel a blog coming on…).
You absolutely need to do what will make you the most cheerful about your writing, which IS the most important thing, but I hope you try some other routes like a single morning of your week for blog posts, before you go down to 1x per week.
Hugs to you!
Jenny
Shellie I totally understand your decision. I’ve dropped down to once a week with an occasional second post. If that’s what you need to do, we’re here for you and will look.forward to Wednesdays with bated breath!
. I also get what Kristen is saying about what constitutes a blog part. I’m going to try to take her advice re- mash ups and photo check-ins…