Blogging for writers: How to get more traffic with fewer posts

Blogging for writers: how to get more blog traffic with fewer posts, so you still have time to work on your book manuscript!


Yesterday morning I sat down at my computer and wondered why I didn’t pick a job that could be—I don’t know—easier? I had to draft comp copy for a proposal, and I could not get the words to flow. It was painful.

This happens to me Every. Time. I get it bad when I’m sitting down to write sections of a proposal. Or drafting a pitch letter. Or writing a blog post.

And that? That is sad. Sad like my inability to keep plants alive.

blogging for writers

It doesn’t matter if we know, intellectually, that it’s just resistance staring back at us, trickling fear into our veins drip by drip. I’ve read every book in the genre—The War of Art, Big Magic, Bird by Bird—and I still get a turn in my stomach at the thought of sitting down to write.

Only two things have helped me woman up and write what needs to be written each day:

  1. Terrible first drafts. (The first drafts of my book projects are a horror show.)
  2. The Sticky Blogging Brainstorming worksheet.

I’ve talked about my trusty Sticky Blogging worksheet before, but that’s because it’s so good I just can’t shut up about it. It’s taken me from stressball to calm + collected about writing.

That brainstorming worksheet lives in a folder on my computer called “Start Here Before Writing,” and it’s the PDF equivalent of brushing my teeth and getting dressed in the morning. If I don’t start there, I get disoriented, scattered, and very grumpy about what happens next.

Now, when I’m thinking about the 10,000 reasons I should check email again instead of drafting that pitch letter, I turn off my wifi, open my brainstorming worksheet, open a Word document, and start doing some terrible drafting.

blog writing workshop

Because terrible drafts turn into better drafts which turn into good drafts which turn into Done.

And Done is a beautiful feeling.

But I will admit that the brainstorming worksheet wouldn’t be the game-changer it is without all the other methods I learned in my friend Kelly’s Sticky Blogging workshop. That class really helped me understand the science behind hooking a reader and not letting them go—something I wish I could teach all writers as well as Kelly does. It’s especially perfect for teaching blogging for writers, which, let’s admit, has its own set of advantages and challenges.

The real payoff of her class? With her Sticky Blogging method, Kelly only needs to post about once a month to get strong traffic and make a living from her blog.

And less time blogging = more time for your manuscript. THAT’s what makes it the best class on blogging for writers–it’s all about building your platform without bankrupting your book writing time.

The best class on blogging for writers

That’s why I’m excited she’s finally opening up to new students for the first time this year. Honestly, I’m tempted to sign Jarrett up this year, but he’d kill me.

But if you won’t kill me for being a bit bossy: you should sign up for Kelly’s free workshop! It’s called How to Get More Traffic with Fewer Posts. 

You can learn a ton from her in just 1 hour, and you don’t have to spend a single penny. You also don’t need to sign up for her bigger Sticky Blogging class if it’s not your thing–you can just tune in to the free workshop and still learn a lot.

Kelly’s running her free sessions this Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Maybe it’s time to treat yourself to a little free education this week? 

 

Click here to learn more and register for the free workshop!

 


5 quick reads for the week

  1. Pitching is an art, and a pitch is possibly the most difficult paragraph you’ll ever write. Luckily, tips abound!
  2. I am a little obsessed with writing by hand. This story takes the cake, though.
  3. Shhh.
  4. I had such a fun time chatting with Maggie of the Cookbook Love podcast! We talked cooking as chore vs. self-care, my very favorite cookbook of all time, and why I don’t actually own very many cookbooks.
  5. Who gets to decide who is an authority on food?

What we’re eating this week

I had a crazy weekend–I zipped off to catch a 3 am Amtrak train after the James Beard Awards so I could be back in time to host my sister and her boyfriend, and I’m still trying to catch my breath. I was only home ONE day last week, so I am also very ready for some cooking in my kitchen. Here are the middling results:

Monday: I did not want to use my brain, so grilling it was. We’ve recently gotten into the chorizo chicken sausages from Whole Foods, and we grilled some spring onions from our farm basket and made an unremarkable salad. Can I write a think piece in praise of unremarkable dinners? (Wait, JJ beat me to it.)

Tuesday: Jarrett is in DC for the night, so Pepper and I are partying with some Pepperoni Pizza Pasta, which is exactly as basic as it sounds.

blogging for writers

Wednesday: J and I joined a kickball team that plays on Wednesdays, so I’ve been turning to one of my favorite books, Eat at Home Tonight, to tell me what to cook when I have to go run around like a lunatic in, like, 20 minutes. This week’s answer: balsamic beef lettuce wraps with slaw.

Thursday: Okay, I ran out of steam. I have no idea what to cook and no desire to figure it out. Thanks for tuning in to my cooking show!

Friday: Beer and BBQ at Hardywood!! Happiness is a warm bun weighted down with pork.

Cheers!

Get one free tip for reading more + living better each week!

How to get more readers with less struggle

The best blog writing workshop: this is my #1 pick for a blog writing workshop that will teach you how to hook readers and not let them go!


Yesterday morning I sat down at my computer and wondered why I didn’t pick a job that could be—I don’t know—easier? I had to draft comp copy for a proposal, and I could not get the words to flow. It was painful.

This happens to me Every. Time. I get it bad when I’m sitting down to write sections of a proposal. Or drafting a pitch letter. Or writing a blog post.

And that? That is sad. Sad like my inability to contain coffee inside my cup.

blog writing workshop

It doesn’t matter if we know, intellectually, that it’s just resistance staring back at us, trickling fear into our veins drip by drip. I’ve read every book in the genre—The War of Art, Big Magic, Bird by Bird—and I still get a turn in my stomach at the thought of sitting down to write.

Only two things have helped me woman up and write what needs to be written each day:

  1. Terrible first drafts. (The first drafts of my book projects are a horror show.)
  2. The Sticky Blogging Brainstorming worksheet.

That brainstorming worksheet lives in a folder on my computer called “Start Here Before Writing,” and it’s the PDF equivalent of smashing the glass case holding the fire extinguisher. (That is, if you were allowed to smash that case every time you turned on the stove. Apparently I really rely on my emergency devices.)

Now, when I’m thinking about the 10,000 reasons I should check email again instead of drafting that pitch letter, I turn off my wifi, open my brainstorming worksheet, open a Word document, and start doing some terrible drafting.

blog writing workshop

Because terrible drafts turn into better drafts which turn into good drafts which turn into Done.

And Done is a beautiful feeling.

But I will admit that the brainstorming worksheet wouldn’t be the game-changer it is without all the other methods I learned in Kelly’s Sticky Blogging blog writing workshop. That class really helped me understand the science behind hooking a reader and not letting them go—something I wish I could teach all writers as well as Kelly does.

That’s why I love to sing the praises of Kelly’s class far and wide, and why I’m excited she’s finally opening up to new students for the first time this year. Honestly, I’m tempted to sign Jarrett up this year, but he’d kill me.

But if you won’t kill me for being a bit bossy: you should sign up for Kelly’s free blog writing workshop! It’s called How to Get More Traffic with Fewer Posts, and this is the last week she’ll be offering it this year. You can learn a ton from her in just 1 hour, and she’s running her free sessions this Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

I’m going to be re-watching her blog writing workshop this afternoon as a reward for hitting my proposal writing goals for the day. I hope to see you there!

 

Click here to learn more and register for the free workshop!

 


5 quick reads for the week

  1. I have plenty of time to write, said no one on the planet ever. Here are 3 ways to fix it.
  2. Laundry is the first thing I would set on fire if I actually had a fire extinguisher. This makes it slightly easier.
  3. “Writing nonfiction is not about telling your story.”
  4. I am ELATED that my wonderful author, Nik, made it on this New Yorker list of the top 3 fall cookbooks.
  5. I know you’ve lied about reading some of these classic novels; haven’t we all?

What we’re eating this week

This week is a tirefire! But a good tirefire! The first half of this week we’re puttering away in Alexandria and doing our regular normal boring things. On Thursday: WE’RE MOVING.

Well, almost. We’re closing on our new house this Thursday and then moving in a bit later in the month. But it is a doozy because not only are we moving from an apartment to a house, we’re also moving to an entirely new cute little town.  

blog writing workshop

So here’s what you eat when you sort of have two kitchens but one of them does not have a refrigerator yet:

Monday: Baked drumsticks and Greek salad. See? Regular, normal, and boring.

Tuesday: Burgers with coleslaw and corn on the cob. What could be more mundane?

Wednesday: Salmon with cauliflower mash and brussels sprouts. Yawn!

Thursday: Closing on our house, after which we will glamorously celebrate with a rare bottle of Foggy Ridge Final Call and even more glamorously dine at Lemaire. Good thing I saved up all my Excitement Points this week so I can cash them in BIG TIME now.

Friday: Cup-o-noodle soup because—ha! —we have no refrigerator yet. Please send us positive, temperature-controlled vibes. And if you want live-action updates on our new house and our exciting new microwave-ramen lifestyle, follow along on Instagram.

Cheers!

Get one free tip for reading more + living better each week!

4 Ways to Work Through a Creative Block

How to get past writer's block

But first, the publishing news worth reading this week:

How to Grow an Amazing Fiction Readership (She’s Novel): “Whether you want to build a full-blown career as a novelist or just bring in a few extra bucks on the side, growing your readership is pivotal to making sales. In fact, selling your stories usually goes a bit like this: Publish a book. Tell your friends and family. Realize you actually have to market this thing. FREAK OUT.”

Calling All Foodie Freelancers: 20 Dining and Food Magazines to Pitch (Kristen Pope on The Write Life): “Don’t limit yourself strictly to ‘food’ magazines and publications. Many other publications, ranging from travel to regional magazines, include a food or dining section, and even more are open to food-related pitches, so keep an open mind when trying to place stories about the culinary world.”

9 Research-Backed Ways to Spark Your Creativity (Michael Hyatt): “Creativity is essential to leadership and business. But we don’t always feel very creative. And I know some people doubt they’re creative at all. The good news is that all of us can easily become more creative.”

5 Tips for Overcoming Marketing Writer’s Block (Chadwick Cannon): “I hear a great many authors tell me that they have these great ideas for how to market their book, but when it comes time to put those big ideas on paper in a streamlined and practical way, their minds freeze up. Or that they have strong thoughts on what their promo copy should say, but then can’t get started when they finally sit down to put it on paper.”

4 Ways to Work Through a Creative Block

We all get stuck sometimes. Last night I was sitting on the balcony with Jarrett and whining about not knowing what to write for a post. We had finally called it quits with work for the day, packed away the laptops, poured the wine, and were watching a thunderstorm roll in. But I was using these precious moments of leisure to complain about the work lying ahead of me the next day.

Isn’t that always how it is? We check one day of work off then immediately start to ruminate on the next day.

I’m convinced that tomorrow’s work is the private terror of the creative mind.

As soon as we hit our goals for the day, we start dreading tomorrow, when we’ll have to sit down and face that blank page again. And what we want, more than anything, is for it to go away. And if it can’t go away, then we sure as heck better be struck by a bolt of inspiration between now and then.

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