The Art of Blogging (it is an art, isn’t it?) with YA author Elana Johnson

Blogging is an interesting world, one I enjoy visiting as often as I can.  Most of you who read this blog are bloggers yourself.  I’m a huge fan of your blogs.  There are down right cool.

I love Young Adult Author Elana Johnson’s blog.   

Why?   First of all, she’s hilarious. Second, she always has something to give away. I’m not talking esty.  I’m talking knowledge.

This week she’s featuring tips on how to grow your blog readership.  Now that’s something most of us want to know.

She writes:

1. "To have friends, you must first be a friend." This philosophy (which I'm sure your mother said to you as often as mine did to me) applies to blogging. If you want more followers, follow more blogs. 9 times out of 10, you'll get a follow-back.

2. "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." Yeah, we're taking a big of wisdom from Disney today. If you leave sincere comments, you'll most likely get the attention of the blog author. They're most likely go to your blog. They'll most likely follow you.

3. "The pen is mightier than the sword." Dude, if you want more people to follow you, give them what they want. Politicians tell the voters what they want to hear. Popular kids flatter the right people. So it is with bloggers. Give people good content, and they'll be yours forever. (And, uh, for the official record, the same is true in writing. Give readers a gripping story, and they'll read your books forever--and tell their friends.)

4. "If you build it, they will come." Let's face it. Blogging is WORK. If you think followers are just going to fall into your lap, you're wrong. If you think you're going to get a buttload of comments overnight, you're wrong.

It. Takes. Work.

*cue personal story*

It's February 1, 2010. I'm at Olive Garden, ordering desserts for myself and six or seven of my writing buddies. My treat. Why? Because I've just hit 500 followers on my blog.
 

I have over 1400 now. Just a short seven months later. That's a whole lotta followers in seven months. I felt like it took me half my life and liver to get 500. Why?

Because I worked my freaking tail off. And I didn't stop. All through the winter and spring, I worked. I left comment after comment. I followed blog after blog. I built it. They came. I'm still building it, day by day, post by post, email by email. I don't anticipate stopping.

Building a better blog is work.

*end personal story*

So there you have it. Each day this week, I'm going to leave you with my dirtiest, darkest secret for how I've built my blog into an online platform. I'd tell you not to tell anyone, but hey, I'm posting it on my blog! Tweet away!

Thanks, Elana.  Great tips and personal story.  Seriously, these ideas work.  If only I had more time in the day.

It’s difficult to balance writing with mothering with EBay with shopping with making chocolate chip cookies with nursing with kid’s homework, but sharing comments and becoming a follower of others blogs is the best way to get followers.  I also believe in the philosophy of sharing.  If I have an idea, story, photo, etc. that might help, brighten, enlighten or just plain make someone laugh, I'll write it on my blog and most likely read something charming on your blog too.  If you are not a follower of My Dear Trash, please become one.  That will give me the opportunity to visit you at your blogspot.  Thank you for sharing part of your day with me.  Keep up the great work and thanks again, Elana.

Click here to read more cool tips Elana's writes about on her blog.