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the lazy girls' guide to blog promotion pt. 1

... aka 'how do i get readers to my personal blog' ?

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July 15, 2004 12:44:46 AM from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums


"ask not what your blog can do for you ..."


ok, so you’ve been here a while now, you’re enjoying your blog and you’ve decided to make it an ongoing project. me too !. so, like me, you might be becoming interested in adding some “extras” to your blogging experience. (yet, also like me, you might find that things like “rss feeds” or “offsite posting” sound a little like medical procedures).

i admit to reading numerous excellent articles on ways to promote your blog. yet, (through no fault of the respective authors’) i still lacked the good sense to apply their advice in any practical way. (i am not what one would call pro-active. i am also borderline stupid on all things "it"-related).

so, with thanks to several of my more-advanced/nerdy friends, (who elect to forego any potential praise rather than have their names mentioned in such an embarrassingly basic article), i present to you ...


the lazy girls’ guide to blog promotion part 1:


“contributing to online publications”


although a blog technically is an “online” publication, it's guidelines for publication are determined by it’s author. in the case of "e-zines" and similar, submissions are invited, but what ends up actually getting published usually depends on the site or “zine” editor or admin.

these publications cover every imaginable topic and are constantly on the hunt for quality material to include. they will provide, as a general rule, the option for you to display contact “details” for yourself. including your blog-link in this “contact” area will provide any interested readers of your article with a quick and easy way to visit your blog directly.

as daunting as it initially sounded, i have looked at a few of these publications, and not only are they an excellent way to reach readers for your blog, the majority of them actually seem to be of a fairly high standard with a regular readership.

so, you may have posted an article on ju that you feel has some wider appeal. or you may have some work from your blog that is ready for it's "next step". you may even specialise in an area or subject and find your readership limited by (or to) that.

whatever the reason, finding yourself readers you may not otherwise have reached is what you want to do if you're writing to be read.

here are a very few of the (innumerable) sites i found using some very general search terms. they represent the tip of the proverbial iceberg in terms of subjects and specialities, and a narrower search in any subject area would locate a suitable publication for almost anything you can think of (and some things you would never think of, too).

so, what are you waiting for ? ... go forth and be published !.


3am magazine - a huge ezine with writings on fiction, poetry, politics, the arts and music. this is apparently one of the toughest to get published in, and the quality reflects that. it currently features articles entitled "bed-street-grave", "politics and tv" and "poems". i think you'd call that diverse. (perverse even ?).

you can view the site here: Link

you can submit (via email only) to: submissions@3ammagazine.com



globalpoetry.com - not just for poets!. this site seeks poetry and articles which "motivate people to write, empower them, and create value". it sounds corny but the international flavour of the site attracts some very unique perspectives, and the "open" subject base makes for a very diverse mix of contributors. (not a huge site, but apparently growing very popular).

you can view the site here: Link

you can submit here: Link



"cyberista" - this site states its' requirements as: "well-written, solid and informed commentary on timely international and domestic sociopolitical-economic and cultural issues". (phew). they are currently featuring articles entitled: "rational choices guide iraqis" alongside "death by choice" and "liberte, egalite, fraternite and stupidite" (on the french vote to ban students from wearing religious apparel in public).

you can view the site here: Link

you can submit (via email only) to: contribute@cyberista.com



there are so many inspired and informative articles on ju just waiting to be read, and if you can get your writing across to like-minded readers, and enrich your blogging experience at the same time, then that's got to be worth consideration.

with my apologies to the readers of this who found this mind-numbingly basic (ie: nearly everyone except me hehe), i wish you good luck and happy posting. may you all become gratified. or something.
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Reply #1 July 15, 2004 2:32:24 AM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
with my apologies to the readers of this who found this mind-numbingly basic (ie: nearly everyone except me hehe), i wish you good luck and happy posting. may you all become gratified. or something.

Migs - I hadn't even thought about the fact that the ramblings in my blog would ever have any more value than that! So instead of being 'mind-numbingly basic' you've opened my eyes again(if you keep doing this everytime you write something, I may as well have my eyelids removed and be done with it!) There's no better way to improve your writing than submitting to a publication and seeing where you fall amongst the tough competition.

Sigh. Thanks mig. You rock!

Suz xxx
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Reply #2 July 15, 2004 3:32:12 AM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Mig, that was ace! I'm off to have a nosey now, and though I doubt anything I have to write will be up to the standard of these things, having a look will do no harm. I have to say I'm rather stupid when it comes to things like this, so i found your article really helpful, in the word of the dirty floozie Suz.....You rock!
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Reply #3 July 15, 2004 6:55:47 AM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Migs - I hadn't even thought about the fact that the ramblings in my blog would ever have any more value than that! So instead of being 'mind-numbingly basic' you've opened my eyes again


oh that's a relief, suz. i mean, it was all new to me, but i thought everybody else might already know and go "oh duh, how slow is mig" hehe

There's no better way to improve your writing than submitting to a publication and seeing where you fall amongst the tough competition.


i agree, suz. i haven't had the nerve to actually do it yet, so please let me know if you plan to go ahead, i might tag along for "moral support" (not that you will need it)



Mig, that was ace! I'm off to have a nosey now, and though I doubt anything I have to write will be up to the standard of these things, having a look will do no harm


sal, i do believe that you have a successful blog for a reason ... that reason being that people enjoy your work !. i'm sure you're equal to anything any of us on ju could do. (aren't we funny, at this rate we 3 girls will all be submitting to the same one like chickies going to the loo to gossip in a bar "psssst, you submit yours yet ?" hehe)

I have to say I'm rather stupid when it comes to things like this, so i found your article really helpful


oh good sal. heh, like i said to suz, i thought this stuff might have been news to some people like it was to me, but i wasn't sure !


thanks for your comments chicks. i hope you both do go ahead and submit. let me know if you plan to so i can get all excited !

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Reply #4 July 15, 2004 7:01:58 AM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
sal, i do believe that you have a successful blog for a reason ... that reason being that people enjoy your work !.


Aww Mig you're so lovely to me! I've been to have a look at them, and though they look quite scary I think I will submit something, but if you don't mind could I send it someone first, for like opinions or whatever (that offer is ofr anyone hwo wants to take me up on it?) I have to go out now, but will be back later, to properly decide!

(aren't we funny, at this rate we 3 girls will all be submitting to the same one like chickies going to the loo to gossip in a bar "psssst, you submit yours yet ?" hehe)


Yeah I think we should all decide on something and the do it together at least we can support each other then, do I sound really sad? HA!
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Reply #5 July 15, 2004 7:16:52 AM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Miguna,
excellent....I will check them out. Thanks
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Reply #6 July 15, 2004 7:45:22 AM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
I didn't know you could do this..do you think the JU people would get jealous and possessive like a boyfriend should??

I didn't find this boring mig, you're many things, but never, ever boring.

I might send some stuff to a publisher soon cuz my friend just started working for one (foot in the door...). Wish me luck!!

I'm going to bed now *yawn*.Have a good one.

oh- And i read your article on anorexia, but had nothing insightful to say since I think you and Suz just about covered it . But just to let you know I read it, and thought it was well written and opinionated. Was it one of those "smart" ones you were talking about?

Dyl xxx
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Reply #7 July 15, 2004 8:42:29 AM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Aww Mig you're so lovely to me! I've been to have a look at them, and though they look quite scary I think I will submit something, but if you don't mind could I send it someone first, for like opinions or whatever (that offer is ofr anyone hwo wants to take me up on it?) I have to go out now, but will be back later, to properly decide!


they do look a bit scary at first, i agree. but the articles all seem to be written by people just like us, so i think we can do it !. maybe you can email it to marco (i don't know if you have his email but i'm pretty sure you would ?). then he can send it to me (or he can give you my email. i had to get it off here coz someone sent me a dirrrrty email once. hehe). that would work, i think ?. and then maybe you could read mine back ?. and i guess we could get marco to do one too. and suz. and dyl. and muggy. and ...

Yeah I think we should all decide on something and the do it together at least we can support each other then, do I sound really sad? HA!


bah ! not at all ! look what i just typed back there. theres' safety in numbers ! hehe



Miguna,excellent....I will check them out. Thanks


thanks so much gerry atrick. let me know if you decide to submit, i'd love to know "where" and "when" .



I didn't know you could do this..do you think the JU people would get jealous and possessive like a boyfriend should??


that's what i first assumed, until i was told that if you post an article you have already published in your blog and link it, it doesn't detract from ju in any way, it actually adds to it because your linked article will bring "hits" to your ju blog, then people will look around, maybe register, so on, and you get new readers for your blog, the site gets new users and more traffic. win-win !. funky !


I didn't find this boring mig, you're many things, but never, ever boring.


*smooch for that*

I might send some stuff to a publisher soon cuz my friend just started working for one (foot in the door...). Wish me luck!!


you don't need luck, dyl. we will all be lining up to sign your books one day soon, i just know it. you've got it, honey, and you've got in in spades !

oh- And i read your article on anorexia, but had nothing insightful to say since I think you and Suz just about covered it . But just to let you know I read it, and thought it was well written and opinionated. Was it one of those "smart" ones you were talking about?


yeah, suz and i typed our fingers off there. and it may well have been a "preparing for marco" warm-up smart attack. got to limber up now


thanks everyone for commenting.

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Reply #8 July 15, 2004 9:12:51 AM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Good info mig. I just went to 3ammagazine and book marked it so I can go read it when I have a lot of time. Good article, it mamkes sense and it is easy..Woo Hoo...
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Reply #9 July 15, 2004 9:13:19 AM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Now i know my ears were burning for a reason. And don't trust me with any peices of writing, i'll just Ok it and watch the resulting carnage

Now that you've all talked yourselves up into a clucking frenzy, you just have to submit. If not, your all a bunch a renegers (is that even a word?) and i will never let any of you forget it.

Besides. i want someone to test the water tempreture

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Reply #10 July 15, 2004 9:15:36 AM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
*you're* and *temperature* - remind me never to write again.
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Reply #11 July 15, 2004 9:39:58 AM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Reply By: KellyW. I just went to 3ammagazine and book marked it so I can go read it when I have a lot of time. Good article, it mamkes sense and it is easy..Woo Hoo...KellyW


thanks, kelly. i like to be able to just click on stuff, so i figured people might actually be tempted to look if i made it easy !. and it worked !. i hope you like 3am, and i hope you get inspired to link a blog-article to it



Now i know my ears were burning for a reason. And don't trust me with any peices of writing, i'll just Ok it and watch the resulting carnage


as if we expect any less ...

Now that you've all talked yourselves up into a clucking frenzy, you just have to submit. If not, you're all a bunch a renegers (is that even a word?) and i will never let any of you forget it.


renegers or not, you're one of us now and you're submitting an article too !

oh go on, i'll beg. look .. look at me go ....pleeeease marco. hehe

Besides. i want someone to test the water temperature


suz and i elect to toss YOU in headfirst and see what happens, marco.

deal ? hehe


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Reply #12 July 15, 2004 6:35:55 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Reply By: notsohighlyevolved.. *you're* and *temperature* - remind me never to write again.

marco, i'd never do something as stupid as that. write away !. we have to submit soon !

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Reply #13 July 15, 2004 7:03:17 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Why the devil hasn't this article been featured?

Surely everyone at JU would benefit from reading this... Perhaps Brad hasn't even read it?

Pfft... his loss I suppose!

Oh well - thanks a gazillion Miggy! Not all of us are techno savvy, and it's great when we received a little helping hand from tose in the know!

BAM!!!
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Reply #14 July 16, 2004 4:53:06 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Now that you've all talked yourselves up into a clucking frenzy, you just have to submit


I've looked at the 3am one and I'm going to submit some fiction, I've read some of the stuff, and i think i can just about manage it, so ha Marco, hehe!

Besides. i want someone to test the water tempreture


Ohhhhh nooo Marco, we are all doing it! All for one, and one for all! Hehe, someone slap me please!

maybe you can email it to marco (i don't know if you have his email but i'm pretty sure you would ?). then he can send it to me (or he can give you my email. i had to get it off here coz someone sent me a dirrrrty email once. hehe). that would work, i think ?. and then maybe you could read mine back ?.


...dirty e-mails, aren't you lucky, hehe! Ok, Mig I'm going to write something over the weekend, and I'll e-mail to Marco (I hope he doesn't mind) and you can both read it and give me feedback, and I'll be more than happy to read anything of yours! Is that ok? My e-mail is sally_jacobs_g@msn.com!
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Reply #15 July 16, 2004 8:19:14 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Why the devil hasn't this article been featured?Surely everyone at JU would benefit from reading this... Perhaps Brad hasn't even read it?


muggy, you know, when i first started my blog, i used to think to myself "gee. i hope the site owner thinks my articles suit the site". (i have this real "thing" about not forcing my way into anything). anyway, i look back on those thoughts now and it makes me laugh. can you imagine that i thought brad read every article on the site ?. every day ?. bwaaaa haaaaa. how embarrassing !. i either had no real concept of the number of users, or no real concept of how many hours there are in a day or something. but thanks for saying you think this is worthy of being a feature, i'm very glad either way because it seems like some of us are actually going to DO it now, which is pretty damned exciting !. will you be joining us, muggy ?



I've looked at the 3am one and I'm going to submit some fiction, I've read some of the stuff, and i think i can just about manage it, so ha Marco, hehe!


sal, that's teriffic news!. i haven't heard from marco thus far today, but it's only 11am and knowing him he just got to bed, so he may not be joinig us here for a while hehe

Ohhhhh nooo Marco, we are all doing it! All for one, and one for all! Hehe, someone slap me please!


no slapping will be occuring in my blog !. you will not be slapped ! you will be praised !. for rallying the "troops" to submit our work !. seriously sal, i think moral support is a big thing, especially when we are all just starting out and getting a bit brave, it's great what you're doing

Ok, Mig I'm going to write something over the weekend, and I'll e-mail to Marco (I hope he doesn't mind) and you can both read it and give me feedback, and I'll be more than happy to read anything of yours! Is that ok?


yesss !. sal, i was going to ask if you thought i had anything in my blog so far that might be the sort of thing they're looking for ?. i thought maybe the things with the most comments would be better, or maybe i should write something new also ?. aaarrrrggghhh !. nervous !. whose dumb idea was this ?


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Reply #16 July 17, 2004 4:12:09 AM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
yesss !. sal, i was going to ask if you thought i had anything in my blog so far that might be the sort of thing they're looking for ?.


Funny you should say that Mig, I read your groupie blog, and found it really touching, I even mentioned it to Marco, but I didn't comment as it seemed so personal, but I truely thought it was beautifl, I also like the blogs about your Mum, they are so funny and energetic! I was thinking of doing something on the perfect girl, making it longer, or something inspired by that, i don't know! Whose dumb idea was this??? Hehe! I'm off to rally Suz...hehe!
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Reply #17 July 17, 2004 9:06:01 AM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Do any of these ezines pay the authors?


The ones I looked at don't, though Mig might know of ones that do, but they are all just about getting people to read your stuff I think
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Reply #18 July 17, 2004 8:11:28 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Funny you should say that Mig, I read your groupie blog, and found it really touching, I even mentioned it to Marco, but I didn't comment as it seemed so personal, but I truely thought it was beautifl,


oh thanks, sal. i'm glad you liked it, although i'm not surprised you didn't comment, it was very personal, you're right. (btw, the guy i wrote that about is the "michael" on our ltm page, and there's him singing "the ltm song" on the site somewhere too, which is an awful parody of the beatles' "yesterday" that i wrote for some stupid reason i can't recall now. anyway, it's funny in a cringing way hehe)


I was thinking of doing something on the perfect girl, making it longer, or something inspired by that, i don't know! Whose dumb idea was this??? Hehe! I'm off to rally Suz...hehe!


sal, that sounds something i'd read, so i think yes, go for that one ... and we will blame marco for this idea


Do any of these ezines pay the authors? I write to be read, sure, but i'll confine it to JU unless theres some pay involved. I wasnt even too happy when I found out posts made to the politics threads here we subject to syndication to income generating sites. As long as JU is a free service, i suppose thats acceptable, but if it goes to a pay service, i wont be writing here anymore, because it would be like the author paying the publisher!


sabrina, again you make me think !. i actually had no idea about the politics threads being subject to syndication. is this a well-known fact ?. i mean, my lack of participation in the political forums would explain why i had no clue about it, but it seems odd that i've never heard it mentioned. it does bring up an interesting conflict in that way. i wonder have you considered doing a blog on the subject ?. i for one would find it informative (as you can see, i'm still feeling my way around the features here, even now). and thankyou for adding this dimension to my article, as always i'm appreciative. (must. not. add. smiley. must. resist. ahhh. oh. no. cannot. stop. myself) ....


Please send or forward all dirrrrrrrrrrrrty email to little_whip_@hotmail.com and i promise it will be enjoyed, graded, and given a good home!


sabrina, as you may have guessed, it is hard to describe sex act in a way that i find repellant. both my writing and my appreciation of others writing on this subject has no real "taboos", so it is rather difficult to offend or surprise me in this area. but this guy did it. mostly what annoyed me was his misinterpretation of me as some kind of slut because i wrote erotic short stories. my pet hate is when people mistake open-mindedness about sexuality as an invitation or as some kind of indicator of low sexual standards. i actually deleted it, but i forwarded it to marco first so he could laugh at the guy, so i'll see if he still has it. if not, i guess i could attempt to reproduce it on here hehe.



The ones I looked at don't, though Mig might know of ones that do, but they are all just about getting people to read your stuff I think


thanks sal. those 3 that i mentioned were just the most popular ones i could find, so yes, they are just about getting visits to your blog.



For those of you who enjoy writing *dark* prose, poems, and short stories...heres a cool site, that pays. (not much, but hey, gotta start somewhere, right?)


this is true. it's a very interesting concept, isn't it.

People can read a free sample of your work and if they like it, pay a small fee to download more in PDF format. Pay is based on a per word basis and how many downloads you generate, with the site paying the author 80% of the revenue. If anyone else knows of any sites like this, please let me know.....i think i will submit some poems at Horror Masters and see what happens, a few extra bucks is always welcome, even if its just a few!



i'm glad you said this, because i was going to ask you if you intended to submit to them. i'm going to have a look at the site shortly. let me know if you do submit them, i'd like to hear how it pans out for you. i think your poetry is utterly amazing, and i know i'm not alone there.


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Reply #19 July 18, 2004 4:11:31 AM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
sal, that sounds something i'd read, so i think yes, go for that one ... and we will blame marco for this idea


Okies, I'll do that today, and e-mail to Marco, and you can have a look....be brutal though Mumsy!
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Reply #20 July 19, 2004 4:07:54 AM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Just 'cus i know you like poems, ill jump off topic and leave you with one of his....


sabrina, you're right, simons' dark stuff is beautiful. i should have known it would be, as you and i seem to share similar tastes in this area. i still maintain that your poems need a wider audience, though, too. you must !. they are truly special. thankyou so much for sharing this with me, please feel free at anytime to do so.


Okies, I'll do that today, and e-mail to Marco, and you can have a look....be brutal though Mumsy!


marco is arriving here tomorrow, sal !. woo hoo !. i will get him to check his email as soon as he arrives ! how exciting hehe


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