I Need Blogging and Website Advice – My Cry for Help!

Image courtesy of Pong / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of Pong / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I really need some guidance, and I am asking you for your advice.

By the way, this is officially the 100th post on this blog.

Is it time to get my own site?

Sunday morning sadness has me contemplating life and blogging again. I am well aware that I did not post a Featured Friday post the other day, and this was intentional. You see, I’m torn between blogging for free and getting my own website. 

I also wanted to do something special for my 100th post, and was going to post my announcement that I’m going to be moving to my own site, but I need some questions answered before making that leap. I know I’ve mentioned this a few times already, and there are two things holding me back: my fears and my unwillingness to start fresh. I’m used to how things work right now, and I’ve been looking for answers all week long.

I’ve also been doing research for the past week, looking for domain names and searching for possible hosts. I have even been designing a logo and image to use on a new site I want to create. On one hand, I’m really positive, but on the other, I’m really depressed and confused.

I don’t often write posts and then hit the “publish” button anymore; I schedule my posts. Not this one, though. This one is going live as soon as I’m done. I’m really frustrated at the moment and am starting to have a love-hate relationship with blogging.

Some days I simply love it and can’t get enough of it, while other days I dread turning my laptop on. I know you all have felt this way at some point, haven’t you?

Today, I am appealing to you to

1. forgive me for posting on a Sunday.

2. help me answer some of my questions

3. give me a virtual hug. (I really need one. I’ve been recovering slowly from my recent surgery and really hate how my leg looks. I got the rest of my stitches out on Friday and it’s going to take longer than anyone expected for me to get better. Yep, I’m sad and depressed, and I’m not handling things very well.)

What’s really frustrating is that I’m not technical and hate feeling inferior.

When it comes to blogging, I cannot help but compare myself to others. I think we all do that, but don’t ever want to admit it. As a perfectionist, this is particularly hard for me, because I want to know how to do certain things and, despite searching endlessly for answers, experimenting with different programs, testing things out, I still cannot seem to learn random things, even when I ask others for help.

Yep, searching endlessly is really starting to piss me off.

So now I’m appealing to you. Yes, YOU. I need your help.

I’m going to ask you some questions, and if you know the answers to any of them, I’d like for you to either (a) tell me in the comment section or (b) email me privately at lorrainemariereguly@gmail.com with your response.

Here are my questions:

1. If I move to my own site, how are my followers going to know when I’ve published a new post? (Yes, I’m still going to use WordPress as my blogging platform.) I ask this because I have followers via email but more via the WordPress reader.

2. How do I get my posts show up in your WordPress reader?

3. Will you still have the option to “like” my posts? What do I have to do to give you that option?

Image courtesy of cooldesign / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of cooldesign / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

4. How are images like this one (of the guy holding a stop sign) created? I’d like to learn how to make some of my own for my blog posts, without having to rely on others to do so.

5. If I get my own site, will I have to install a commenting system or does one come with it? Or do I have the option of upgrading to a CommentLuv system, and how much will it cost?

6. If I get my own site, will I have to install sharing buttons or do they come with it? Or do I have the option of  installing something like SexyBookmarks or SassyBookmarks, if that’s what I want? Or can I upgrade to something like Share+? Do you have one you’d like to recommend?

7. How do I make things downloadable? For example, say I have a Word document or handout booklet that I have created and want to give to my readers, and instead of giving them a FREE PDF Planner, how can I make this something they can download?

I’m sure I have more questions, but for now, these are the ones I currently need answers to – and I’m relying on YOU to help me out.

I’d also like you to share this post on as many social platforms as possible so that all of these questions get answered. I know that there are helpful people like me out there (I help others whenever I can, out of the goodness of my heart) and we need to tap into their brains and hope that they’ll step up and share their knowledge.

Thank you for coming to my rescue. I hate feeling frustrated and stupid.

Roadblocks and Why I Prefer to Blog Instead of Writing My Book

Image courtesy of digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.netFreeDigitalPhotos.net

There is no doubt about it: I LOVE blogging. And writing. Reading, too. And basically anything that involves words, including doing crosswords and playing Scrabble. But I really, really love blogging.

In fact, I prefer it to writing my book because of the emotional pain I avoid. This is my biggest roadblock to writing. It’s not that I can’t write (I totally can!) but that I’ve been choosing not to.

I’m specifically alluding to my memoir book (still untitled) that I’ve started but have been ignoring for the past while; a few months, actually. I’m almost at the point where I don’t think I’ll ever finish it. It’s currently at about 15 000 words. How can I finish it when I don’t put forth the effort?

Now, for all you writers out there, this may seem like an old familiar story. For me, it’s usually not; I generally like to get things done. (Well, most of the time, I do.)

When it comes to writing lengthy pieces, we often feel like we’re facing a brick wall. Yet bloggers crank out thousands of words on a weekly basis. So why aren’t we writing and publishing books? Especially in today’s new self-publishing age? Read More

Alexa Rankings, Readership Stats, and My 1st Year Blogoversary!

one year blogging badge

Surprise! Yes, you’ve just been invited to my surprise party! I’m posting today to “seize the moment” and to celebrate my blogoversary. Happy 1st Blogoversary to me!

YAY!!! I’m so excited! So excited, in fact, that I:

  • created my first year blogging badge using PicMonkey. Like it? 🙂 If you want one like mine, let me know. I’ll see what I can do for you. 😉 (Just shoot me comment or an email. I can customize yours just for you!)
  • am going ahead with a newsletter
  • gave my blog a bit of a face-lift
  • am seriously considering to moving to my own site
  • couldn’t wait until Friday to post this!

I’m also feeling better from my recent surgery, too (sort of), so to kick off “the new me,” I’ve assembled a post I have been looking forward to doing for a while, even though blogging was the furthest thing from my mind the last couple of weeks.

Did you notice the NEW!!! widget yet? 😉

I hope so, and I hope you’re all signing up for it. I’m not making any promises here, but I do plan on giving away a few copies of my ebook, 20 Blog Post Must-Haves, which received a great review on Social Media Just For Writers. Given that I have not actively been trying to market this book, I’m happy it’s becoming a bit more known. I also plan on giving away some copies of my upcoming ebooks, too, so if you’re interested in those, make sure you sign up for my newsletter, as these opportunities are only going to be available to my subscribers, who will always get the “inside” scoop on things!

And thanks to Jeri, one of my comrades, for writing a great guest post on Molly Greene’s blog about Mailchimp. 😉

Hey. All this is getting me sidetracked. Uh, er, um . . . where was I? Oh yeah. Rejoicing! 😉

Happy ‘one year’ to me, happy ‘one year’ to me, happy ‘one year,’ happy ‘one year,’ happy’ one year’ to me!

Ok. I know I cannot sing. Sorry about that. 😉

Movin’ on.

Now that I’m now one year plus into blogging, I figured I’d reveal some stats to celebrate my one year blogoversary. You know, I can still remember the first time I got comments on this blog – what an amazing rush that was! (Confession: I still get a rush when I get them! I LOVE comments!)

Back in January of 2013, I began this blog. Mistakenly, I was under the impression that no one would want to read my posts and that I would essentially be keeping an online journal. How wrong I was! As it turns out, there are quite a few people in this world who care about what I have to say (sometimes!) and with all the guest posting I’ve been doing, I’ve been gaining readers each month, too. This makes my heart light and happy. 😀 Read More

When Do Bloggers Go On Vacation? I Need One! Do You?

Proof of 6 scheduled posts!

Today’s true tale addresses the question: When do bloggers go on vacation? This is a great question, and one I attempted to answer one day, after having six posts scheduled, which is like having three weeks off, I suppose, considering I post twice a week.

I’ll admit that I started writing this post a while ago. I didn’t finish it until a couple of days ago, though. Read More