Friday, January 10, 2014

• Pet Blogger Challenge 2014

With its broad focus, my blog can include a  bunny in a dress and a Dal.
Every year on January 10 Amy Burkert of Go Pet Friendly hosts the Pet Blogger Challenge. This year Edie Jarolim of Will My Dog Hate Me? is co-hosting. They pose questions and bloggers answer. (I shortened the questions.)

1) Why do I blog?
I've been blogging since 2011. Deciding to blog was part left brain: As a pet sitter, I felt I needed to participate in social media. But truthfully, my decision was mostly right brained: Whee! creativity time.

2) One thing about my blog that made me proud in 2013
I'm getting more comments.

3) What about blogging has changed for me in the past year?
One thing that hasn't changed is that I'm fairly lazy. I always post on the BlogPaws Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop, but otherwise I don't keep to a schedule. I did come out of the closet about being 21 years' sober. I think I'm ready for what I write to be more meaningful. Stay tuned.

I can post about doing energy work with horses . . .*
4) What lessons have I learned?
People want to be heard. When someone comments on a blog, "Likes" a post on Facebook, or retweets, it shows that someone is listening. When we pay attention, we honor each other.

5) How do I get more traffic to my blog?
Sometimes I mention a post several times on Twitter. I should do this more, especially for posts that are evergreen, like my post about dog fighting. (Notice how I'm getting more traffic to my blog here?)

6) How much time do I spend publicizing my blog?
None. To get regular readers you need to post on a schedule and have focus, but I write about what I feel like when I feel like it. I worked at National Geographic for 32 years. Being behind the scenes (Get more readers! Keep them! We're losing them—get them back!) took a lot of the fun out of it. I love to use my background to help other people, but as for myself, I'm just having fun.

7) How do I gauge if what I'm writing appeals to my audience?
The more comments I get, the more I assume I appeal. Ironically, the most thoughtful comments I received last year were in response to my Meet the Bloggers post, in which I revealed that I'm a recovering alcoholic. I was transparent and authentic. People found that meaningful, which, in turn, meant a lot to me. (Feel free to make meaningful comments below. LOL)

8) What inspires me to comment on someone else's blog?
On Wordless Wednesday sometimes I comment on blogs so people will visit my blog. Shallow, huh? If I have pertinent information I'll share that, but I tend to make few comments.

9) Do I do product reviews and giveaways?
No. A lot of my work at National Geographic was production (print publications, T-shirts, etc.) and coordination (printing and distribution). The thought of setting up a system to run contests and mail prizes sounds like what I used to do. And I don't want to do what I used to do.

. . . and about doing Reiki on horses.**
10) When writer's block strikes, how do I recharge?
I don't blog regularly, so this doesn't apply. I admire people like Amy who produce on schedule, week after month after year. I would have thought that 5 years after I retired that I would be ready to commit to a blogging schedule, but I'm not. For this INFP, 32 years of deadlines was about 31 years too many.

11) Have I taken a break from my blog? Thought of quitting?
Never.

12) What goals do I have for my blog in 2014?
I want to get back to writing as a craft: the punch of the right verb, the "Ahh" of an unexpected metaphor, the kind of piece that makes people say, "I never thought of it that way." A good goal would be to write one blog post a week. Mind you, that's not my plan. I don't have a plan. And for now I like it that way.


*  Fire Horse Ranch Equine Guided Experience. Photo by Diana Gogan
** Manifested Harmony Reiki for Animals class. Photo by Allie Phillips

21 comments:

  1. Looking forward to hearing more from you in 2014 Emmy!

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    1. Diana, you're an inspiration to me to do things differently this year.

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  2. Wow...32 years at National Geographic? How cool. We all need to write for our blogs on our own terms to let the best of us shine through. It is nice that you are clear on your blog's purpose.

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    1. Thanks, Jessica. I guess my purpose is all over the place, isn't it? Your blog is a great example to me if I decide to narrow my focus.

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  3. Hello! Just clicking over from the Pet Blogger Challenge! Happy to make your acquaintance! :)

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    1. Christina, it's good to meet you. Are you on Twitter? Your name looks familiar.

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  4. It's all about having fun. If you don't have fun, then you won't want to do it.

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    1. Exactly what I think. But I also think I need to cast a wider net for fun so that I can blog more often and more meaningfully.

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  5. Blogging is my creative outlet, too. That and therapy. ;-)

    I think if the site meets one's own needs, you win, and it sounds like that's working for you!

    --Woofs (and purrs) from Life with Dogs and Cats.

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    1. Thanks, Susan. I'm with you on therapy. Blogging and especially microblogging are creative and a good way to bring people together. It works for now.

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  6. You are such a genuine soul and caring, dedicated person and pet person in general. I am so glad you blog!

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    1. Thanks, Carol. I'm most grateful for BlogPaws for linking me with dozens of other dedicated pet people like yourself. Never do we trade pet stories and say to one another, "Oh, that's silly!" It's always, "I do that, too!"

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  7. Good luck with your goal for 2014! I look forward to reading your posts :)

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    1. Most posts are pretty quick, Julie, since they're "wordless" on Wednesday. I look forward to reading yours too.

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  8. What a phenomenal goal! I have faith that you'll achieve it! I absolutely adored this line: "When we pay attention, we honor each other." One of my personal goals for this year is to be more mindful, and I'm going to add that insight to my arsenal.

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    1. One thing about being mindful: It's better if I don't turn the TV on. It's hard to change! Baby steps. :)

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  10. Great post, Emmy! I'm excited to see where your newly discovered passion to write more from your heart will take you. I would encourage you to stay on your "fly by the seat of your pants" schedule though. Putting yourself on a strict schedule sometimes means churning out posts that aren't in line with where you seem to want to go. I can't wait to see where 2014 takes you (West, I hope - but that's a private joke between us), and I'm already looking forward to your 2015 Pet Blogger Challenge post so I can see how you feel about your accomplishments in the coming year!

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    1. Amy, you're the best. "Seat of the pants" is an awesome gift after 32 years on a schedule, and I appreciate that you think it's OK. I hope to catch up with you and your boys this year.

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  11. Nice to meet another blogger who is 'fairly lazy'. ;) And otherwise have a rather casual approach to blogging, especially in keeping what they WANT to do prominent. I hope you can craft your writing as you hope to in 2014, but also hope you can stay happy with your blogging schedule.

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    1. Thanks, Tegan, Glad I'm not the only casual blogger out there.

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