Today, I’m posting another question I got from a reader recently. Thanks, Lori at FaithFilledMom for contacting me!

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Lori’s question:

Genny,

I have four children, ages 5,7,9, and 11. I am writing a book and am now a guest columnist on https://www.catholicmoms.com/ as well as https://www.phasesofwomanhood.com/. I love writing, but am not sure how to get my blog off the ground. I had an article in a local newspaper and my visitor numbers jumped, but then flattened out again. I am on twitter and Facebook. Just wondering if you have any advice? Your blog looks very professional and you have so many ads. Do you work from home or is this just a hobby? I hope you don’t mind me asking about your story. I find it is the only way to really learn the ins and outs.

Eager to learn,

Lori

My answer:

Hi Lori,

So nice to hear from you. Congratulations on writing a book and being a columnist. That’s great. Sounds like you have your hands full with a wonderful family too.

I thought I’d answer your question in sections below, to break it down.

Blogging – work or hobby?

As far as my blog, I originally started it for professional reasons for my writing, as a place to post some of my parenting articles. However, I quickly realized blogging provided an opportunity to do more than just post information; it enabled me to connect with many other moms, writers, and bloggers, and it really opened up the door to several communities and wonderful friendships. 

Blogging motivates me to write about topics I might not otherwise make time for, it helps me to capture moments I don’t want to forget, and it enables me to reach out to others with my words. I get encouraged by the stories and experiences of other people and, through my blog, I hope to be able to provide some of that encouragement back.

As far as when I blog: When my kids are in school, I often write at home (or in a coffee shop), working on my manuscripts and freelance projects. I also do per diem work for a publishing company outside of the house a couple days a week.

So…to keep my blog updated, I usually set aside blocks of time to write posts, and then set my posts to auto publish. I’ve actually had some laughs recently because a couple of my friends have asked, “What are you doing writing on your blog in the middle of the night?” when actually what I’ve done is pre-written posts and set them to auto publish. So, no, I’m not on my blog at midnight! lol :)

Ads:

I do have a few ads on my blog (you can read details in my disclosure policy), but the money is really minimal. I typically put it back into my blog, with updated blog designs or something like that. While some blogs are set up as businesses, that hasn’t been my intent here.

In some of my posts, I do link to other blogs, websites, products, or books that I’ve found helpful, but I don’t get paid to do this (unless I tell you otherwise). I just like to pass great tips and information on when I can.

Growing your blog:

I think it’s great that you’re on twitter and Facebook. Both are good ways to spread the word about your blog. I’d recommend linking your blog directly to your twitter account (I did this for mine through Feedburner). That way, when you post, it automatically publishes your link to twitter and people can see it. You can also do the same thing in Facebook through Networked Blogs, and you can create a Facebook page specifically for your blog as well.

You mentioned your numbers went up then down. Don’t get discouraged. As long as you’re posting on a regular basis and providing valuable content to your readers, your blog will grow over time. I would focus on writing quality posts and connecting with others, and an increase in traffic will follow. A great resource to find and connect with other bloggers is the Mom Bloggers Club .

I’d also recommend reaching out to other bloggers to see if you can write guest posts on their sites. That way, the readers of those blogs will get a glimpse of your writing and see a link back to you.

Thanks again for your questions. I wish you the best with your blog and your writing!

Genny

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I also emailed Lori some thoughts and tips on blog comments that I’ll be putting up in another post here soon, so stay tuned!  :)

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