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New Year’s Resolutions for the Blog

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Develop focus

It’s been quite a while for the blog now. From day one, I thought it might be necessary to have a plan for the blog. A year-and-a-half into it, I’m still planning to have a plan. What themes do I focus on? What character do I develop for the blog?

If nothing else, this plan to have a plan has made me think a lot about myself and my writing. So it’s not been all strife and missed targets but perhaps a little trimming of subject matter and presentation might help.

Become dynamic

I don’t know how new readers feel, but for old readers like me, both subject matter and design have started to feel a little bit stagnant. I admire people who continue to maintain a blog for years and years without much variation of subject matter or presentation and theme.

As a reader of my own blog, I know I’d like to see some changes, some of which might be about adopting a new theme or highlighting different subject matter but some have to be about changing at the core.

Developing a voice that truly engages with the audience, changes with changing responses and is sensitive to audience moods is important to retain attention. At present, I might be veering towards a monotonous lecture form which can get boring with time, no matter how fascinating at first.

Stay Static

Staying static and true to the character of the blog is also important despite all the dynamism. There’s a reason why people come to a place on the internet and that reason they pay a visit cannot get buried in all the hurry and scurry of dynamism.

The character of a blog has a lot to do with voice and theme but it’s important to remember that some fundamental characteristics of language, tone, style and subject matter, if removed or changed, might make a blog unrecognizable or even redundant. Hence remaining static in those ways is an asset, not a drawback.

Involve people

This is an aspect that requires some thought and time commitment. Should I do more fun or cool stuff on my Facebook page? Should I do something interactive there or here right on the blog? Will that increase or deviate interest? Will it be inkeeping with the character of this blog?

Become involved

Is it wise for bottledworder to reach out to other similar blogs or different ones to request guest posts or comments? Or is it wiser to stay an exclusive spot on the ‘net right here? Would quality suffer with increased commitment? Could there be a strategy of involvement that could work without compromising quality?

My New Year’s Resolution is to make a few resolutions about this blog.

This very old souvenir was on display at the entrance to the Luray Caverns in Virginia. Perhaps it's appropriate here.
This very old souvenir was on display at the entrance to the Luray Caverns in Virginia. Perhaps it’s appropriate here.

31 thoughts on “New Year’s Resolutions for the Blog”

  2. It’s a great idea to have goals for your blog – it means you’re focused, organised and can measure success. I think your blog is great so far and look forward to seeing how it progresses. If you do decide to become involved in other blogs, I’d be happy to swap guest posts or collaborate in some way.

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  3. Love the name of your blog! This is a timely post as I, too, have been thinking my 3-year-old blog needs a facelift. The topic focus—in, on and around the life of a writer and the “art of living” theme stays, however. You might say I believe it is what I do best. It seems we have that in common as I look around your blog. Very nice, by the way. Hope to run into you more often now.

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      1. It just all takes time, doesn’t it, Lady Bottle! I figure that’s what a nice, long, slow, ice-cold January is for! Wish me luck–and the same back to you.

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  4. Pingback: Who are you, reader? | bottledworder

  6. I often ask myself the same questions. I’ve been posting on the same blog for almost three years now, and I’ve often felt the need to change. But in the end, I keep coming back to the same types of posts, as that’s what my readers respond to. In the end, I believe the most important thing is to stay inspired. Write what you want to write – I, for one, will keep coming back, because I truly enjoy your style and your insights often make me pause and reflect. So thank you 🙂

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  7. THey are good questions to ask. All I can say is I enjoy your writing. I guess if the blog feels staid to you, that might leak into your writing. How exciting or dynamic does it look to you? Are you buying what you’re selling? If you’re happy, we’re happy 🙂

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    1. Great questions. Exactly what I’ve been thinking about. In other kinds of writing, you only pick those pieces that are “worthy” in some way to be published. In a blog, a major part of the reason for publishing is a sort of periodic exposure of your thought processes that may not necessarily be your best or final ideas. So would I always buy what I’m selling?

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      1. I think for me, in some way, you have to. I have only been blogging for 5-6 months but I try to consider it an extension of my writing in order to console myself with the sad fact that I haven’t touched my second novel since May. I am going back in this week and an hoping that the speed of writing needed for blogging will somehow leak in positively to my daily output. I’m sure that will become a blog post in itself! I think everyone’s relationship with blogging is different. To each their own!

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  8. Happy New Year, Bottledworder. I love this blog, and as a reader, haven’t found it to be stale at all. When I began Mrs Fringe, I purposefully didn’t narrow my focus because I knew I would get bored if I did.

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  9. This entry echoes my sentiments. I’ve no idea any more. Being inspired to write is hard work, especially if the subject matter become stagnant and it becomes repetitive. I get bored with this too. So what’s the answer? I honestly don’t know. Perhaps, the best thing to do is just write whatever takes your fancy at the time you write it, and not worry about it too much. After all, what is it that you seek? From what I’ve read so far, you have an interesting writing flare as it is. It flows, it’s easy to ready, it’s not heavy and wordy, and I don’t need to re-read it over so that I can understand what it is I’ve just read. In my book, you’ve got your own style going and it’s a good one.

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  11. I feel that many bloggers have come up against many of the issues you have stated in your post. I myself have struggled with a few of these, and still don’t know what to do. I feel that as writers, we are allowed to do what we want. If we want to be interactive with our audiences, we can. If we don’t want to, we don’t have to. That’s the beauty of having a blog. It’s your to do what you want with it.

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  12. Reblogged this on Turn the Page and commented:
    I don’t often hold to New Year’s Resolutions, because I have a habit of letting things fester and stop when I haven’t even gotten to the gate yet. But, I do want to try and do more in my own writing. Even if it’s just 1,000 words a day.

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  13. I enjoy your blog and look forward to your posts. My New Year’s resolution is to write more often about the indie musicians that I promote on FB on my Music & Arts Connection page there and here on WordPress!

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  14. I like your blog, just the way it is 🙂

    When it comes to my own, I’m constantly writing down what’s on top of my head, and will keep doing that until somebody comes along and tells me it’s complete bull and nonsense.

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  16. Becoming dynamic. That is a tough one. Not for you per se, but just in general. I think you have a voice on this blog and I don’t find it monotonous at all (just one girl’s opinion).

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