Rogue Writer Shari Lopatin, who’s anything but boring(!), happily shares her new views on blogging below. And consider this a heads up, folks: I’m looking to follow her advice!
- Lynette
Sometimes, you just can’t write about “passive versus active voice” anymore.
And—let’s be real here—there are only so many ways to reveal “the secret to getting more comments on your blog.”
BORING!
My blog stats proved it. They were pathetic. They were navel lint. Which is why, one day, I finally broke:
“F- it!” I screamed. “I’m doing a blog makeover! And I’m scratching all that professional crap. I’m going rogue.”
It All Started with a Woman Named Kristen
Before my blog breakdown, I’d been blogging for two years about writing, publishing, and media strategies. It worked for a while; I built my readership off those posts.
But one day, I looked at my blog stats … and crash. No matter what awesome tips I offered, not many readers flocked back.
That’s when I stumbled onto Kristen Lamb’s Blog. Upon reading this life-altering post, Kristen’s words bitch-slapped me into an epiphany.
You ready?
“Regular people (code for ‘readers’) love being entertained daily in small, manageable, bite-sized pieces. They often read them on their smartphones while in line or on the train or when stuck at an appointment … The Bloggess (Jenny Lawson) gets THREE MILLION UNIQUE VISITS A MONTH on her blog … Pioneer Woman (Ree Drummond) is another favorite. MILLIONS of people follow these blogs. Any guess why? These bloggers (writers)—are you ready for this? These writers don’t blog about writing.”
***BITCH SLAP***
That’s when I realized I needed a change.
The NEW ‘Rogue’ Blog Makeover
Some people have asked if I have a marketing plan. Hmmm … not really. Or how about a theme? Uhhh … nah.
What I do have, however, is ME. My sometimes ludicrous view of the world, the thing that makes me so—uhhh—unique. On that note, here’s my new blog’s angle:
Shari Lopatin: Rogue Writer
At least I’m not normal.
I’ve written about:
• Gold-pooping bacteria
• Raining spiders in Brazil
• Why lobsters at Red Lobster depress me
• Homosexuality in ancient Rome
• And … how my Pillsbury biscuits tasted like raspberry air freshener and ruined my lunch
I freakin’ LOVE it.
Blogging actually turned into something fun again. And creative. And inspiring.
Oh yeah … and I got my mojo back. I just passed the “800-follower” count. Not bad, eh?
QUESTION FOR YOU: What unique, personal aspect defines you and your writing? And how could you harness that trait to improve your blog and its content?
Share your wisdom. Leave a comment.
Shari Lopatin is a former newspaper reporter who went rogue in 2007. Published in magazines both regionally and nationally, Shari spent her whole life defending her “weirdness” to others. She finally realized that she prefers weird. Weird is better. At least it’s not normal. For more about Shari and her writing, visit her blog, “Shari Lopatin: Rogue Writer.”
SO glad the change has been a hit! I also blog about random stuff and love it. Having fun matters so much when we’re not in it for the money!
I didn’t read your blog before the change, but I really like it now. Your raspberry air freshener made me smile all over again when I saw it listed at the bottom of this post, and I am still completely and totally freaked out about those stupid spiders. How were they so calm in that video?????
So anyway, from someone who is just coming up and along in the blogosphere, thanks for the advice and keep being yourself!
Hey Nina,
Thanks lady! I TOTALLY agree: fun is everything! Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek.
So glad you enjoyed this post, Leslie. I’ll make sure Shari sees your comment.