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.
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:
- Terrible first drafts. (The first drafts of my book projects are a horror show.)
- 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.
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?
5 quick reads for the week
- Pitching is an art, and a pitch is possibly the most difficult paragraph you’ll ever write. Luckily, tips abound!
- I am a little obsessed with writing by hand. This story takes the cake, though.
- Shhh.
- 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.
- 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.
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!
