Being Social as a Blogger with BlogCatalog

When I first started blogging, I knew that the #1 thing I needed to do was learn how to network.  Its vital, when doing anything online, to be part of some form of community.  Through doing all of that, I quickly learned some shocking truths.

A large percentage of blogs all about “Making Money Blogging.”  Its truly astounding how man ‘experts’ there are with ‘expert advice’ on how to blog ‘correctly.’  The first community I joined, ended up failing for many reasons, but the fact that it was inundated with those types of bloggers who were not talking, but spamming their blogs, didn’t help it survive.

The Beauty of What I Do

Part of me wants to truly believe that art lives within everyone and that anyone could recognize and appreciate beauty.  Unfortunately I know that just isn’t the case.  The world is an ugly, ugly place, full of violence, hatred, and so many things that should make anyone ponder what everything is all about.

Fact is, beauty is something rare, even if it is all around us, and it should be cherished.  One of the greatest beauties in the world is simply to create.  I’m shocked to say this, but There was a country singer who said something truly amazing the other day as I was watching TV.  He said, “If I couldn’t do this for a living, I’d still do this.”  I thought about that quote and instantly applied it to myself.



The problem is...I don’t do this for a living.  I sure wish I did, but yeah...this is most definitely a hobby.  There’s so much I want to do with writing, so many stories to tell, that I know I am simply enjoying writing, and that I enjoy it enough to do it no matter what.  No one knows how truly blessed I am to be able to do this as much as I do.

Luckily with the wedding over, Lisa and I are finding ourselves a bit more time to get down to what we need to be doing.  In the weeks leading up to the wedding, I got seriously behind on my blogging schedule, and I still have tons to do to catch up, but at least I’m getting the opportunity to.

Writing has always been something I’ve loved to do.  I’ve always had a fantastical imagination, and one of the true joys of such an imagination is to share the stories, share the dreams.  The idea that I can write something, and someone else read it, and it affect their lives is something truly extraordinary, and beautiful.

And I honestly say that from experience at both ends.  I’ve read such wonderful things in my life, that have opened up my heart, soul, and mind to things beyond reality, giving me new dreams and old friends.  I’d like to think I’m working towards that goal of doing the same for someone else.

Beyond all of that, though, is me just having the time to do this, the time to create.  Time that I use to full advantage, and a wife that doesn’t see it as a waste of time.  Even if I never see anything out of it, she is truly appreciative of the art that I make here, and the writing that I do.

I might have just married the perfect woman for me, but I know that deep down, I will always strive to deserve her, because I never feel that I will.  I am humbled and awed by her so many times each and every day.  She believes in me and pushes me in every way, even if she doesn’t understand the vision, simply because she believes in me and trusts me.  And I know, that I will forever be sure that I earn that from her.

Creating is something amazing, and I get to do it on a daily basis, and share it with you, my readers.  Whether or not I succeed in doing it entertainingly enough is in your eyes, but the fact that I get to try is all because of Lisa.  “I don’t do this for a living, but I still do it.”  And that is something truly wonderful.

Blog Spring Cleaning

I keep looking at this blog and thinking about what I’d call ‘trimming the fat.’  Some of the earlier posts just aren’t up to snuff.  Heck, there are a couple of posts that are really just ads for other posts.

Right now, I feel as though the pace I’m setting is great.  Four posts a week are really working out, and it leaves me a wiggle room to write other things.  But I can’t help but look at my post count, and wonder if I should divest the blog of some of the earlier posts.

(poem) - Stats Hide The Joy of Blogging

Stats stats
Its all about the stats
It makes me so mad
That I just spat

Why can’t it be
Just about writing?
Putting out content
That is simply inviting?

It seems there is
Some kind of statistic
Behind everything in life
Including a simple lyric

So how does one
Tune it all out
Blog about whatever
And not scream and shout?

I’ve been amazed at how many
Analytics there are
And how SEO
Is what everyone should strive for

Getting viewers to come
Is such a heroic deed
That it makes one wonder
How DO good bloggers get paid?

In the end
You can’t think about that
You have to write for the joy
Not for the feather in the hat

Getting paid would be nice
But the true joy of writing
Is simply creation itself
Of dreams igniting

And burning bright
Out on the internet
For anyone to come by
And leave a comment.

Blogging is a joy
That can be an occupation
Its too much fun
Enjoying this creation

So only glance at the stats
Don’t watch them like a hawk
Keep your eye on the prize
And don’t listen to the talk

Just write for the fun of it
And if you get paid
Then it will be a joy
As joyous as getting laid

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

(poem) - How My Day Starts

There’s nothing quite like
Waking up every day
Going to the computer
And blogging away

If only that was
All that it entailed
There’s so many other things
That get me derailed

Socializing and commenting
Reading other blogs
You have to do these things
To power your cogs

Discussions and talks
Everyone has many names
These are all forums
No matter the claims

And here I sit
Making friends from everywhere
When writing like crazy
Is what I hold most dear

I suppose its good
Being all for the best
It takes an audience reading
For ideas to digest

My life has a new crazy
The creation has sparked anew
I cannot understand
How I deserve you

I write and I write
And its all just for fun
Yet readers come back
Again and again

I’m humbled and excited
A duality of pleasure
And I will continue to write my best
For every measure

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

Quality Content is King, We Proved It

There are so many people, on so many websites, clamoring for ‘help’ with blogging.  They all seem to be asking the same questions, “How do I drive traffic?”  And it seems like everyone always answers the same thing, “Write quality articles!”  But what exactly does that mean?

Obviously I can’t completely answer that question for everyone.  Here at ABN, we write whatever we want to write about, so I’m not sure this advice would apply concretely to bloggers that want to write about SEO or technology reviews, but maybe, just maybe, those that write those sites will gain insight into writing by my own experience here.

(poem) - What If? I run out of ideas....

The other day
A friend of mine mused
What if I were
To run out of topics to be used.

I smiled and laughed
And said no worries
Then got to thinking
If I am truly that hungry

To write an article
Almost every day
Seems an impossible task
In every way

There are only
So many ideas
Maybe I will
Suffer from a lack of choices

I wonder what will happen
If my well ever runs dry
Will I turn my back
And try not to cry?

I’m sure that somedays
There will be lack of inspiration
But what if I run out
Will I have a coniption?

I’m on pace to write
Over three hundred posts
In a single year
Am I being too ambitious?

Should I slow down
Or should the train keep rolling?
Is this fear valid
Or do I need consoling?

Only time will tell
If I can keep this up
What will I find next
In inspirations beat up cup?

I know I don’t show signs
Of slowing down soon
Because I’m enjoying
Making my wife swoon

The poetry I write for her
Is simply a joy to construct
And the controversies I publish
Are enjoyed, to my luck

At least I know
My schedule is way far out
As I write this
I have to laugh outloud

At least a month will pass
Before this is read
And another month of posts
Have I already bled.

So worry not
Because I do decree
If I start to stop
I will warn all of thee

Because I care about my readers
And they seem to care for me
So I will not just fade
Into obscurity

I will write and write
And write some more
Because writing for you
Is something I adore.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

Post #100

One hundred posts.  Doesn’t seem like such a big deal as I write this one, but wow.  What a journey.  I know there’ll be many other milestones along the way, but this blog has truly been an amazing experience.

When I first started A Brainless Nod, I thought it would be a fun way to get me writing again.  Sure, I’m writing a novel, but its hard to really set a schedule when its just you and words that seem to stretch on forever.  Blogging has an instant gratification to it, that is such an amazing experience.  But I never thought it would take on a life of its own.

Blogging, Blogs, and Bloggers

Reading blogs has been an odd way to spend my time blogging, but it has been very important.  I’ve tried to learn from what others have done, and been inspired by people’s blogs in the process.  I am honestly stunned at what I’ve found, and I’m amazed at how far the culture of blogging has come.

It almost seems to be the way you’d think about it, but I think the term, “Only Bloggers read Blogs” is kind of the truth to an extent.  There are definitely those out there that find a particular blog and stick to it, even though they don’t blog themselves.  I mean, I have some family and friends that stop by every now and then to read something, but for the most part, I get more feedback and sociality from fellow bloggers.

The Digital Age is Here.

Its so amazing how the digital age has changed just about everything we can comprehend.  Besides making the generation gap far more evident.  I still find it hard to imagine that I now have friends all over the world.  I remember the old days of ‘pen palling’ and how it was such a huge failure with me and my friends, now its alive and well more than ever....

But, I did mention that generation gap thingy.  Many people don’t see how you can have honest to goodness friends who are so far away.  I wonder if its just the idea of not getting the whole instantaneous world wide connection, or the thought of sharing personal and intimate issues with someone you have never met personally can possibly happen.

Addressing my current state.

I’m tired of spreading hate, and tired of having hate spread.  Its truly a shame when it hits so close to home, in a more than literal sense there.  I mean, I have such happiness in my life, but then as I’ve always know, when people see something that’s truly beautiful, they try to destroy it.

I’ve seen it happen time and time again, to so many people.  Everything is going great, and people just start picking.  There’s been songs about it, there’s been songs about the condition of people just having to cause drama to keep themselves occupied.  I’ll never fully understand it.

To have a schedule.

Schedules.  Why are they so feared by some people?  I like a tad bit of order to the chaos of the day.  Its not like they are concrete things that cannot be flexible....

I enjoy my schedule, I am trying to be diligent with it, and treat this blogging thing like a job.  I try to make sure I spend equal time networking and writing each day, so as not to fall behind, or get lackadaisical.  But in the end, I still feel I’m falling behind in my own way.  I want to write more fiction, yet I think I write just about the correct amount of time with the blog.  Hopefully I can balance this out more soon, though I’m not sure how without spending yet more time here in front of the computer and away from Lisa.

This Journey

What a journey.  Soon I shall pass the 1000 page view mark, and I couldn’t be more happy.  I know many people surpass this mark much faster than I have, I’m still very proud.  How could I not be?

Our blog here is definitely a little labor of love, and I’ve had so much fun doing it.  With The Ballad of the Emerald Bard up and running on Saturdays, I’ve become even more proud.  Just to know people are stopping by and enjoying what they read, and then coming back later for more is a true honor.

(poem) A silly poem about Blogging

Blogging
Its all about the passion
Even if it is
All about fashion

To sit right down
And write an essay
Throw it on the Web
For everyone to read today



Maybe it will inspire
Maybe people will smile
Some hope to make a change
To push people the extra mile

Some are amazing to read
Some are horribly bad
Its public expression at its finest
Nothing could make people more glad

Freedom of Speech
A heck of line
Look up blogs on the Internet
Know that its going fine



Though some people get censored
Some get flamed out
Others rise above
And blog about their cat

Either way it goes
I’m enjoying this experience
To simply write away
And try to make it make sense

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!