Blog Hop News Week 9: Advice and Givewaway

Weekly Calendar:

July 17

    Katie from Kati's Quilting

    Claire from Sewing over Pins
    Caroline from Quilting in the Cold

July 19

    Jamie from Sweet Baby Jamie

    Janine from Rainbow Hare Quilts

This week's guest post is by Kerry from verykerryberry.  This is another of my favorite blogs - I love all her cute and inspiring projects.  And I always love her fabric choices.  Plus, with my new interest in paper piecing, Kerry's blog is a great resource (as is her other blog Sew-Ichigo.)  And she also has a great collection of blogging tips on her blog.  


Thank you to Beth for inviting me to share a few thoughts in her Advice for New Bloggers feature.  I am Kerry and I blog over at verykerryberry.  There have been some great contributors already so I thought I would narrow my focus down to voice.  This is the biggest thing for me in blogging.    Blogging is ultimately a form of diary keeping in words and pictures so I want to feel some truth and integrity beyond the pictures or the recipes, or the goods or service they may also provide.    I am attracted to blogs where I feel an openness, a willingness to share ideas and inspiration and a little bit of themselves.  I don't need to know a blogger's inner deepest darkest secrets but I like to give a piece of me when I blog and I guess I like the same in others.   When I have got to know this type of blogger better, the person never disappoints.   


Ayumi's Pink Penguin blog was one of the first I followed and she has become great friend.

Image from Pink Penguin via verykerryberry

Her blog is such an inspiring place to visit.  It is clean and easy to navigate, there are lots of free patterns and tutorials and she connects with her readers,  responding to comments no matter how busy she is.  She has no pretence and is honest and open and her many blog readers reflect how much people appreciate this.

Many of you will be familiar with Lynne from Lily's quilts.  From her early days of blogging, what has stood out is her humour and her willingness to share. We have sent many emails back and forth over all sorts of quilting and non quilting issues and meeting her in person was lovely and confirmation that she is as easy to sit and chat to as she is to read.  You hear Lynne in her posts, it is like she is standing there talking with you.

Image from Lily's Quilts via verykerryberry

 She blogs with warmth and sincerity, straight from the heart and is an endlessly generous blogger.

Anna Maria Horner is a great example of someone who despite her busy working and family life, genuinely loves blogging and connecting- not because we are her potential customers but because she loves what she does and likes to connect with others who feel the same.  I never feel like she is corporate in any way despite being a massive brand in the quilting world.

Image from Anna Maria Horner via verykerryberry

Her blog still feels personal, never commercial and on Instagram she posts the usual mix of pics like everyone else of pets, kids, home and works in progress. I admire her hugely for keeping it real and her free flowing creativity is reflected in her fabrics, her new range Field Study, look incredible!

Blogging is a multi platform activity.  I love Instagram. It is such a fast way to capture and share images and is a great aid to blogging as the pictures are easily sent to Flickr, Facebook and Twitter.   Instagram has its own community of commenters and likers which feels friendly and intimate- it is a gentle, supportive way to connect with other bloggers.  Twitter is a little different.  It took me a while to get the hang of Twitter.  It takes time to get to know how it works- Laura did a great post on this here.  Twitter is fast and there is nothing better than your twitter friends for a speedy bit of advice, I have had responses in seconds.  Katy Jones (Imagingermonkey) is the Mistress of Twitter and Instagram.  She is fresh, funny and fast.  She is all those things in person too!

Image from I'm a Ginger Monkey via verykerryberry

Katy also demonstrates the different feel you can get from a blogger depending on the social media they use.  She has a different voice for each platform and they all relate and complement each other.   She is a skilled communicator and gives a lot of herself to each medium, nothing is neglected.  It is hard work, you have to love it to do it so skillfully on so many platforms.  You need to use Twitter to really understand it and get beyond weekly tweets announcing that a new blog post is up.  Twitter is in the here and now, it is micro blogging on the run and its speed can make it the funniest and rudest place.  I laugh loudest and hardest on twitter rather than Instagram or blog reading.   I feel like I dip in and out of Twitter between the demands of work and family and sewing but there is always someone there and always something I can connect with.   If you want a way into Twitter, shared events like #fqchat create new ways to get to know your blogging friends and make new ones.

I hope my ramble helps you in the world of blogging.  Above all,  be yourself, that's the best advice I can give for life generally or just blogging!

Thanks Kerry!


Are you inspired to get on Twitter and Instagram after Kerry's post?  I've been using both more often recently and have participated in the chat she mentioned - and let me just say - that was a super fun and funny chat.  One of the questions asked and discussed was what fabric would you want with you on a deserted island?!?  If you are already using Twitter or Instagram or sign up for the first time this week, find me so we can "figure it out together" - ha, ha.  You can look me up as plumandjune for both.  


Check out the list of tutorials from blog hoppers here.  And here are this week's highlights:
Intro to HTML by Echinops and Aster
Personalizing your Blogger Comment by Made by ChrissieD
How to Have Your Blog Linked in Your Profile by Fabric Engineer

This week's giveaway is from Sew Fresh Fabrics.  Peg is offering one lucky person a $40 gift certificate to her wonderful fabric shop.   She has a great selection including some really fun bundles - I especially like her stash builders organized by color and her Kona bundles that she puts together inspired by recent fabric lines.  And if you are looking for it, Peg has a great selection of Birds and Bees.

To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment on this post - any comment.  Want a topic - how about letting me know if you have used any of the advice we have received through the advice series.  One comment per person for an entry.  This giveaway will remain open until Saturday, July 21, 2012 at 8pm EDT and one winner will be chosen at random.  And, please, unless you are sure that you are NOT a no-reply blogger, write your email address in your comment.  The winner will be announced in the Blog Hop News on July 23, 2012.

The winner of last week's giveaway from Poppyseed Fabrics is:  MichalaJuly 9, 2012 6:09 AM Congrats!

The complicated rules:
1.  Anyone who is participating or following along with the hop can add a link that is quilting or sewing-related.
2.  For this week, what about linking up an old blog post that you got a different response than what you had expected - either one that got more comments, pins, or links than you would have thought or vice versa.   When the link tool asks for your name, write the name of your favorite breakfast.  
3. You can also link up your recent post - when the link tool asks for your name, write the name of your second favorite breakfast BUT I'm hosting TGIFF this Friday so consider whether you want to link your recent posts now or then (or both, I guess?!?)
4.  It is up to you but consider linking to this page from your blog so others can join in as well.
5.  Please visit (at least) the person who links up before you and leave a comment to say hello!

Hey Blog Hoppers - link the events you are hosting on your blog here and on the main blog hop page!  Just list the name of your event and your blog when the link tool asks for your name.

Week 6 Blog Hop News and Giveaway

Weekly calendar:  be sure to visit these blogs this week to meet the bloggers and learn more about them AND see the projects they made especially for the blog hop!

June 26

    Svetlana from Sotak Handmade

    Beth from Plum and June (my turn!)
June 28

    Julie from Jolie Maxtin

    Lori from Adventures in Fabric

Click here to find links to the awesome tutorials from the last five weeks and to see some fantastic events currently being hosted by blog hoppers.  

This week's guest blogger is Angela from the wonderful Cut to Pieces.  I first found Angela's blog when I spotted this beautiful mini.  And I've enjoyed following her blog ever since and seeing all her lovely projects and her awesome tutorials.  To help us out, Angela answered some questions I sent her based on the information you all told me you were interested in hearing more about.

1.  What do you think is most important for new quilting bloggers to know?  Were you given some advice when you started blogging that you could pass on?

Well I think the first thing is to just start blogging because you WANT to.  Don't do it because "everyone" seems to be doing it or you want to become popular or other insincere reasons.  Blogging is about sharing your own journey through whatever projects you are tackling, whether that is quilting, sewing, painting, or life in general.  Not everyone will want to read your blog and not everyone needs to write a blog.  I didn't write a blog for at least a year after I was seriously involved in the online quilting community.  And when I started I did it because I realized I had a lot more to say about WHY I was making the sewing and quilting decisions I was.  And I realized that I needed to document the things that I was making because I kept giving them away and you so easily forget what you've made or what it took to make it.

There wasn't anyone that I knew well enough to ask about blogging when I started so I didn't really get any advice.  I just started writing and invited the people that I was in bees and swaps with on flickr to read along.  And eventually others followed.

2.  Is there anything you now know that you wish you would have known when you started your blog?  Anything you wish you had done differently?  Anything you now know NOT to do on a blog (not necessarily something you have done but something you now know never to do.) 

Well one of the things that I have learned is that having a blog is A LOT of work.  If you write a post even three times a week that means you need to generate enough content to warrant that.  You need to be taking photographs of your work and then editing them and uploading them and then finally writing a blog post.  I don't think most people realize the time commitment that is involved with that.  So perhaps decide how much time you have to give to something like this.  Because when you are blogging, you are not sewing.  It's really hard to keep that all in balance.

Another thing that I learned is that you need to BE YOURSELF.  People come to a blog because they like the pretty pictures or ideas, but they also come because they enjoy reading how the particular blogger writes.  So speak with your own voice.

I try not to have a lot of regrets in the blogging world.  One thing I've seen and learned is to "save the drama for your mama".  People do NOT want to hear your grievances against someone else unless there is really no other resort or you would be protecting people.  But in general, be kind.  Don't be fake.  But seriously...if you don't have something nice to say then don't say it.  Figure out how to air your grievances in a way that does not attack.

                   image from Cut to Pieces

3.  What would your advice be for growing readership?  Any advice on using social media to do so?

If you really want to grow your readership then you need to be involved...involved in swaps and bees and be a presence somewhere.  

Also, I personally don't like doing this, but I know it works...throwing around pictures of popular fabric draws people in.  We're suckers for a pretty picture of fabric we like.  

Giveaways work as well...but be prepared for people who complain...because they're always out there.  I started with giveaways of things that I had made and went from there.  It was quite a while before I had a "sponsored" giveaway.  Giving away a precious item that you has made shows your readers that you are serious about respecting their time and appreciate that they read your blog.  I also gave away my own fabric that I purchased.   I'm not sure how many people are doing sponsored giveaways these days...it may be easier to find someone than when I first started.

4.  Do you blog surf?  If so, can you pinpoint a few aspects of a new blog that would make you want to become a follower?  And is there anything that would make you want to never visit that blog again? 

Occasionally...but I typically go outside of the quilting world when I do.  For me to follow a quilting blog, the writer has to have a style that appeals to me...that doesn't necessarily mean that they appeal to everyone.  More often, for the blogs that I don't follow, I will read an occasional post when I see an item that I like on flickr and want to know more about it.  HOWEVER this can only happen if the person has put a link under their picture on flickr directing me toward their blog.  You can't make it hard for people to find you!

As mentioned before, drama tuns me off...gripey whiney drama in particular.  I want to see "real" people but I don't want to surround myself in negativity.  So it's not that a person needs to be spurting out sunshine and rainbows all the time (that can be equally annoying), but I don't follow regular "complainers".  

                                             image from Cut to Pieces

5.  What types of posts are most popular on your blog and what about those posts is it that make them such?

Boy if you get the answer to this question then let me know!  I've always been surprised by what topic will strike a chord with my readers and what doesn't get a lot of response.  I do think that it is key to engage your readers in order to get responses.  So I always reply to everyone that I can who comments on my blog...some people don't give you email access, so there isn't much you can do unless you want to comment publicly on your own blog in response.

Still, to be fair, I would say that my most popular posts have been about my mini quilts and the stories that go with them.  That and really great giveaways.;)  But the minis are often made for someone who's identity I have not revealed and the story is not given until the end...so there is some anticipation I think to learn about the piece.

6.  As part of the advice series, we will be putting together a checklist for new quilting bloggers including items to help us look at our blogs objectively in terms of the look of our blogs, the photos, the content, the writing, etc. - any tips for what you think we should include on the checklist?

A clean, crisp look is most appealing to me...but that is very subjective.  There are lots of different blog styles out there.  Just make sure that your blog is easy to navigate.  

You may have noticed (even with this) that I tend to be a little long winded...some bloggers will give you five sentences and call it a day.  And it works.  That rarely works for me.  It's just not how I communicate online.  So again, the writing style is pretty subjective too.  I'm not a ton of help here!  Sorry!

7.  Thinking ahead:  (a) how and when should new bloggers solicit sponsors and (2) how and when should new bloggers seek out ways to be published.

a)Well gathering sponsors for a blog is a very personal decision and frankly a fair amount of pressure.  I don't find that it pays me enough for the pressure and have considered chucking it all...but I still end up blogging, so I guess we're all good.

I did ask a couple of people to sponsor my blog and was asked by another to be a sponsor all around the same time.  Some people turned me down.  It WILL happen.  One thing I learned is that a lot of companies budget their advertising for the year...so you can ask them now, but expect them to not be free to do that until the new year.  In fact, you might even suggest that yourself.  You may get someone who is willing to branch out later but doesn't have the time to think about that right now.  

                  image from Cut to Pieces

Also, you may find that asking someone to do a sponsored giveaway is a good alternative for both of you.  They might decide that they get a lot of traffic through your blog and you may get new readers through having a sponsored giveaway.  Plus it is a one time deal...you can find if you are a good fit for each other.

b) If you want to get published then contact publishers!  They are always looking for new work and ideas...but beware...it's not uncommon in this current industry to not be paid for certain publications.  But it gets you out there and gives you some credibility.  Most magazines will pay you for your work but it's a wait to see if you've been accepted.  Books are a little rarer to be published in because unless you are doing your own, then it is a compilation.  And that means that it takes many hands to make one book.  Which means it takes more time.  It's typically a year and a half to two years for book publications to come out from the initial invitation...that's a long time to wait if you are doing this to tell people about it.  Because you can never talk about publications that early. ;)

Good luck everyone!  And thank you for having me!

May we all accomplish even one dream of ours.

Angela

Thanks Angela for all the great insights and advice!

Giveaway:
  
This week's giveaway is sponsored by the very cool Contemporary Cloth.  They have a wonderful selection of fresh, modern fabric and they are currently having an awesome sale.  The giveaway includes two Jennifer Paganelli charm packs (Dance with Me and St. Croix) plus one yard of Kona in a color of your choosing.


To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post.  Leave any comment you want to enter but since it is fun to have a topic, if  you'd like you can tell us what is it about the blogs you follow that caused you to click the follow button?  One comment per person for an entry (replies to other comments don't count so reply all you want!)  The giveaway will be open until Saturday, June 30, 2012 at 8pm EDT and a winner will be chosen at random.  And, PLEASE, leave an email address unless you are sure that you are not a no-reply blogger.  The winner will be announced in the Week 7 Blog Hop News on Monday, July 2nd. 


The winner of last week's giveaway from Fabricworm is #44 - bhafer.  Congrats!  

Anyone participating in or following along with the blog hop can add a link.  Please either post the button or a text link somewhere in your post or on your blog and please visit (at the very least) the person who links up right before you and leave a comment!  For fun (actually, an experiment), when the link tool asks for your name - write down your favorite color instead.  

Week 5: Blog Hop News, Advice, and a Giveaway

Weekly calendar: (be sure to visit these blogs this week to meet these fun bloggers, learn more about them, and see their great tutorials prepared especially for the blog hop!)

Tuesday, June 19

    Jennifer from Sewlandia

    Nicole from Mama Love Quilts
Thursday, June 21

    Suzanne from SuzClaas

    Mina from Kindaquilty

Click here to find links to the awesome tutorials from the last four weeks and to see some fantastic events currently being hosted by blog hoppers.

1.   Nicole from bold goods put together an excellent tutorial explaining how to use powerpoint for your blog including a header, a button, and even business cards.  Check it out here.

2.  Alyssa at Pile O' Fabric is writing a series called Sewing and Quilting Events 101 - so far, she has posted about quilting bees and swaps.

3.  Last week, I encouraged everyone to join Twitter.  (Follow me here.)  Some of you have been tweeting for years, some joined last week, some were confused by Twitter, and some of you said you were scared of it!  If you haven't already, consider trying it out for your blog.

4.  This week is Let's Figure out Flickr week.  I'm new to Flickr so I am going to open it up to you - let us know in the comments how you use Flickr or what questions you have about using it.  To get us started:

• You can add me as a contact - find my Flickr here.
• I created a few Flickr groups for you to join.  
• Plum and June Inspired Projects - this group is open to anyone to post any projects you make inspired by my projects.
• Projects Inspired by The Let's Get Acquainted! Tutorials - this group is also open to anyone to post projects you've made inspired by any of the projects from the blog hop.
• Let's Get Acquainted! Blog Hop - this group is for bloggers participating in the blog hop and those actively following along to post photos highlighting your projects.  I also started a introduce yourself discussion so we can, you know, get acquainted.  When you have a chance, please do so and post a few photos of your work.

This week's advice post is by Megan from Canoe Ridge Creations.  Megan has an absolutely beautiful blog filled with wonderful inspiration and fantastic tutorials.  She also hosts a weekly link up on Mondays for modern sewing creations (I'm a regular.)  Some of you may also know Canoe Ridge Creations as she held the Festival of Half Square Triangles earlier this year (which was um, very, um,  exciting for me as my HST doll quilt was in the, um, Top 10 as was a gorgeous quilt by blog hopper Jess from The Elven Garden.)  

     

This week's giveaway is a custom bundle from the wonderful Fabricworm - this is a fat quarter bundle of Rally Champ.  Fabricworm has a fantastic selection including japanese imports and organic fabrics.  And until June 21st, Fabricworm has a great deal - 15% off any custom bundle - either yardage or fat quarters.  


To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post.  Leave any comment you want to enter but  want something to write about?  -  what about Flickr - do you use it?  how?  suggestions?  advice?  One comment per person for an entry (replies to other comments don't count so reply all you want!)  The giveaway will be open until Friday, June 22th at 8pm EDT and a winner will be chosen at random.  And, PLEASE, leave an email address unless you are sure that you are not a no-reply blogger.  The winner will be announced in the Week 6 Blog Hop News on Monday, June 25th.  


The winner of last week's giveaway from The Intrepid Thread is Ginny!  


       

<a href="http://www.plumandjune.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Plum and June" height= "140" width= "100" src="http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s494/PlumandJune/acquaintedlinkup.png"/></a>

Anyone participating in or following along with the blog hop can add a link.  Please either post the button or a text link somewhere in your post or on your blog and please visit (at the very least) the person who links up right before you and leave a comment!

Week 4: Advice, Calendar, a Link Up, and a Giveaway

Seriously, week 4???

Today's advice for new bloggers is from Lynne of Lily's Quilts.  If Lily's Quilts is not already on your inspiration blogroll, I highly recommend it - she makes beautiful quilts and has several great tutorials.  And Lynne's blog also holds a special place in my blogging heart and I think many of yours as well for her monthly Small Blog Meet.  It is the first of every month and is a place for blogs with under 50 readers to link up and meet other small bloggers.  This is how I met many of the new bloggers in the hop including many of my best blogging friends - you know who you are!  Click here to read her advice for us.

Week 4 Calendar:

June 12
    Kelly from Jeliquilts 

    Yzo from Chez Roo
June 14

    Debbie from A Quilter's Table

    Sarah from Silly Banana Sewing

Awesome Events hosted by Blog Hoppers - Check them out!

    Alyssa from Pile O Fabric  - Quilting and Sewing Events 101

    Debbie from A Quilter's Table  - Tuesdays at the Summer's Table

    May from Confessions of a Fabraholic - Star of Africa Quilting Bee

    Danny from MommyFor Reals - asking for help making pillows for Teen Reach Adventure Camp

    Rebecca from Sew Festive Handmade - Christmas in July

    Em from Sewing by Moonlight - Road Trip Quilt A Long

    Catherine from Knotted Cotton - Fabric Trading
    Lorelei from Mermaid Sews - Quilting for Kids in Need

Click here to find links to the awesome tutorials from the last three weeks and more information on joining the Blog Hop.

Other ways to keep up and participate in the Blog Hop:

   1.  Follow me on Twitter. 

   2.  Join and post on the Let's Get Acquainted! Flickr Group

   3.  Follow and post on my Let's Get Acquainted! Pinterest Boards here and here.

What is this - a new button???  Well, since we are learning all these great tips from the bloggers in the advice series, here is my motivation to put those tips and ideas into action.  Each week I'll pick one or two items to highlight here.  If you have any ideas you'd like to see, let me know.  Or if you'd like to host a Let's Figure it out Together post on your blog, that would be great too.  Topics:  setting up social media for our blogs, blog design (adding buttons, pages, headers, post dividers, backgrounds, and more), and photography among others that come up along the way.

For this week:
1.  Let's all be 100% positive that we are NOT a No-Reply Blogger.  Here are some tutorials here and here.  Interestingly, it was Lynne from Lily's Quilts who let me know I was a no-reply blogger when I first linked up to the small blog meet.

2.  Join Twitter.  Why?

• great way to promote your blog posts
• find out about special fabric sales and promotions
• keep up with your favorite bloggers
• communicate with your followers when you don't want to publish a whole post
• retweets - share great posts written by you or others with your followers who can share with their followers who can share with their followers  . . .

As with everything blog hop related, this is open to all bloggers with stops on the hop and any of our readers AND no rules - no pressure to participate - totally up to you how little or how much you want to get involved with this.

If you would like to participate, confirm that you are a blogger that can receive replies to your comments and set up a Twitter account.  You can follow me on Twitter here (I'll be sure to follow you back) and then you can use this week's link up to let us know you are on twitter - just put Twitter:  your blog or twitter name (in addition to linking up your post.)  Next week:  Flickr.

And how about a great giveaway.  Julie from The Intrepid Thread is very generously hosting a giveaway for a fat quarter bundle of Flying Free by Adrianne Looman for Anthology - isn't it beautiful?  This line is among many of the new fabrics she carries including several at the top of my wish list.

To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post.  Leave any comment you want to enter but if you'd like a topic, how about your suggestions for topics for the Let's Figure It out Together posts.  One comment per person for an entry (replies to other comments don't count so reply all you want!)  The giveaway will be open until Friday, June 15th at 8pm EDT and a winner will be chosen at random.  And, PLEASE, leave an email unless you are sure that you are not a no-reply blogger.  The winner will be announced in the Week 5 Blog Hop News on Monday, June 18th.  

Last week's winner of the premade blog design by Jennie from Clover and Violet is LeslieJune 4, 2012 2:31 PM who said:  "Wonderful words of advice, I especially love the line about bribing ::giggle::"

Anyone participating in or following along with the blog hop can add a link.  Please either post the button or a text link somewhere in your post or on your blog and please visit (at the very least) the person who links up right before you and leave a comment!

Advice for New Bloggers

Just wanted to let you all know that Rachel at Stitched in Color just published an awesome post with her awesome advice for new bloggers for the blog hop series.  Here is the link.


And speaking of awesome, have you seen the four blog hop posts this week?  Awesome!

June 5       Cinzia from Deux Petites Souris 
                Kristy from Quiet Play
June 7       Taryn from From Pixels to Patchwork
                Em from Sewing by Moonlight

Click here to find links to the awesome tutorials from the last two weeks and more information on joining the Blog Hop.


Apparently, this post is brought to you by the word "awesome!"

Blog Hop News, Advice for New Bloggers Guest Post, and a Giveaway

As part of The Let's Get Acquainted! Blog Hop, I thought it might be fun and helpful to ask some experienced bloggers to share their thoughts on blogging with us.  I was so excited when Deborah from Whipstitch agreed to be our first guest.  I have been a fan of her wonderful blog for a while - I love her blog's design, her writing style, her great projects - well, basically everything about her site.  Here is what she had to say:


Thanks so much to Beth for inviting me to be part of this! I really and truly love
blogging and all the connections and friends I have made through the course of it,
so it's super fun for me to have the chance to talk about the process of writing and
maintaining a blog with other crafters and folks who quilt and sew. When I first
started my first blog in 2004, I really had no idea what I was doing or what was the
best way to approach the process; I really saw blogging as a simple way to write
about the things that I cared about, and didn't even dream that anyone else would
ever care! Blogging was still new then, and the idea of using what was essentially
a group email to keep our friends and family updated on our lives to connect to
strangers from all across the world was beyond my comprehension. These days,
a lot of folks start their blogs for the express purpose of connecting with others
who love what they love, and it's so exciting to see how that grows and works and
evolves.

Beth asked me to share any advice I've gotten or would give to new quilting
bloggers, so I really sat and thought about what has worked for me over the years,
and where I have learned the most that has made my blog something I can be proud
and excited to share with others. I hope it's helpful for you, and that you'll all fall in
love with blogging!

                                                                      image from Whipstitchfabrics.com

My nuggets of blogging advice, in no particular order, and somewhat stream-of-
consciousness, with a dose of cheerful encouragement:

• Work to be YOU in your blog. It's so easy to read another blog and emulate what you see there, specially when that blog is successful or bringing in revenue or widely read. But the reasons that blog is all those things is because it is unique to that writer; your blog can only ever be a reflection of you, because if it's anything else, readers will sense that and you won't find the connection you crave. Some of my most popular or widely-read posts were ones where I felt I was saying something obvious and that wouldn't interest anyone, or putting together a tutorial that no one would care to read but that served a purpose for me, or was maybe over-sharing a bit and getting too touchy-feely. What I learned is that the times when I am most myself are when I get the biggest response from my readers--so be real.

                                                                         image from Whipstitchfabrics.com

• Read other blogs, and leave comments. You don't
  want to work to become another blogger, but it's unwise to pretend they're not out
  there. Read other blogs, particularly the ones that inspire you to push your own
  creative envelope. You never know what will spark your next great idea! When you
  visit someone else's site, take the time to leave a comment, even if it's just a little
  note--we all know how nice it is to have a comment on a post, and it doesn't take
  much time. Some of my closest friends in the online world have come from just
  leaving comments and replying to the ones left for me! Those friendships are the
  ones that inspire me to come up with new ideas or to invite someone to visit (in
  person or online) and are the folks who push me to be more ME in my own blog.
• Use great photos. Most of us realize this now because we've become fairly blog-sophisticated, but when I was new to blogging, I didn't realize that the thing I loved most about the blogs I loved most was their images. You don't have to have a fancy camera, but you really can't get away with importing photos and using them raw. Edit your photos using iPhoto or any other simple (and often free) photo editing software--make it lighter and brighter, adjust the exposure,and crop out the "noise" that doesn't tell the story of your photo. Take the time to take pictures in good locations--outside, in natural light, and in front of a backdrop that enhances your quilt whenever possible. Vary the focal point of your images, giving readers both a full shot of an entire quilt as well as close-ups of the seams, the fabrics, the quilting stitches, your binding, and any element that sets your quilt apart--see this recent quilt post for an idea of what I mean here. Photos that show the quilt in motion or some kind of dynamic pose--on a person, being used, wrapped around a tree, being tossed in the air. Quilts are dynamic, and readers love seeing them in various "poses," just like a person.

                                                                        image from Whipstitchfabrics.com

• Write great content that will last. Your blog is like a
  good friend--you want to nurture and care for it. You're not doing your blog any
  favors by adding posts that don't add content. It's easy to think of the blog like an
  email, with each post waiting for a response, but it's wiser to think of it like a
  magazine, with each post lasting perpetually. Rather than feeling pressured to write
  a new post about a partial project because you haven't finished anything worth
  writing about, make that project part of a series of posts and link them to one
  another--that way, readers can find the beginning of the project and work through
  from beginning to end even if they locate your blog years later (Pins & Needles does a great job of this with her wearable art garment posts). Rather than writing the dreaded "Sorry I've been neglecting the blog" post when you've failed to add new content in a while, simply pick up where you left off--hardly anyone reads the dates on posts anyway, and unless you had a major car accident/death in the family/cataclysmic event, chances are your absence is probably not worth calling attention to. Rather than making your posts "time-specific" by referring to the day of the week/date, work to make them timeless so that in the future when readers find your blog for the first time, they will feel they've uncovered a treasure trove of information instead of a time capsule (the obvious exception to this is if you're posting about a particular holiday or doing a time-sensitive giveaway or event).
• Respond to every comment you possibly can. This one took me a long time to learn, and it really has called me to grow as a human being. For years, literally, I would love and crave comments, but wouldn't respond to them. Partly that was because I didn't really think anyone would care if I did, but partly it was because GETTING the comment was what mattered most to me. Those two things reflected my own insecurity and self-absorption, respectively, and learning to see that in myself wasn't totally fun. BUT! Once I realized that I was actually being disrespectful and unkind to readers who had taken the time to interact with me, I began to really get the meat out of blogging where before I had been subsisting on the fluff. By responding to comments, you build interaction with your readers, which grows their loyalty and your readership, and makes a community on your blog as the same folks come back time and again--but it also grows YOU, which makes your real life better, which makes your blog richer, and that benefits your readers. See how it all comes around? At some point, God willing, your blog might be so huge you cannot possibly reply to every person who leaves a comment--we should all have such problems. When that happens, pick and choose which comments you answer, but still take the time to interact with your readers. Anna Maria Horner once replied to a comment I left on her blog four years ago--I still have the email, tucked away and saved.

                                      image from Whipstitchfabrics.com

• Social media isn't just about promoting yourself (but it can be). Personally, I despise Facebook and adore Twitter; you might be the other way around. It
  doesn't make a difference--what matters is that not everyone can keep up with their
  Google Reader all the time, and your recent brilliant blog post might go under their
  radar if they don't have another way of interacting with you. I love, love, love
  Twitter because the interface makes it so easy for me to catch up on bits and pieces
  of what my friends and fave bloggers are doing, and for them to do the same with
  me. I can tweet a post that I've just published to guide readers for faster feedback,
  and I can highlight events I'm planning or ask for advice or find a comrade with
  whom to make some mischief. Facebook acts very much the same way, and can help
  your posts get passed on to someone who might not find your blog any other way.
  The key is always to be genuine, and avoid using either as a means to self-promote
  all the time. Nothing makes me unfollow a blog faster than when they are constantly
  working to build their readership by giving things away, soliciting sponsors, or
  tweeting advertisements. Use social media to share your blog, yes, but also to share
  ideas and the joy of quilting with others from a real place.
• You are under zero obligation to write a tutorial.
  When your blog is new, it seems as if you are expected to do a tutorial at some point. This is a MYTH. For one thing, not everyone is gifted as a teacher or technical writer. For another, not every tutorial needs to be written. Going to all the effort of putting together a tutorial and getting little or no feedback is discouraging, to say the least. If your readers see a project you've done and ask for a tutorial, then go for it--two of my most popular tutorials ever (one with over 36,000 Stumbles and  nearly 200,000 views) were the result of specific requests from regular readers of my blog that I was happy to fulfill. I had absolutely NO expectation that they'd get the kind of readership or reaction that they did; I made them for folks who already read and liked my blog, and that made it fun to do. Most tutorials get nothing like that reaction, and that can be a real bummer if you thought it would be the Next Big Thing. If you don't want to write a tutorial but would rather show off finished projects, then by all means, do what you're best at and avoid what you don't enjoy! Your blog should be your happy place, not a land of drudgery.

                                                                    image from Whipstitchfabrics.com

• There should be no music on your blog. If I land on a blog with music in the background, I click away and never, ever, ever go back. Having music on your blog is way 1998, and is the death of any increased readership. For reals.
• Make it easy to find content on your blog, now and in the
  future. This one is the real back-end work of blogging, and I am always
  tweaking mine--in fact, I'm in the middle of a redesign right now, working to get
  more content archived in ways that make it simple to find and utilize. Blogger and
  WordPress and TypePad all make great widgets for your sidebars; you don't have to
  use them all. Instead, find ways to organize your blog to make it simpler for a new
  reader to get involved. Think of it as if you're part of a TV series, and any new
  reader is coming in part way through the season; if they can't catch up on the story
  and characters, they won't stick around. Make sure you have an "about" section that
  introduces you, a "back posts" section where they can find older posts in a
  particular category or on a certain subject, and don't be too proud to highlight older
  projects or posts in your sidebar. If your blog is about YOU, make it possible for a
  new reader to learn what it is that makes your blog different and enjoyable so that
  they'll be encouraged to come back over and over again.

I hope these suggestions are useful! Most of this is pretty foundational, but these
are things I didn't think about or know when I started blogging that would have
been so helpful in thinking through WHY I had a blog and WHAT I wanted my
blog to be about. Your blog will be different from anyone else's, and the more it's a
reflection of you, the more you'll enjoy the process, whether you have readers or
not. And the enjoyment you get from blogging comes through in your posts, which
is what draws in readers. It's a paradox, I know, but there it is.

Happy blogging!

Thanks Deborah for all your valuable insights and advice!  This is such helpful information for new bloggers (such as myself) and on behalf of the new bloggers who will be reading this, I want to say how much we all appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts. 


Giveaway:

                                            image from Whipstitchfabrics.com

***Deborah is teaching a four-week e-course starting June 4th called Essential Quilting.  I've read through the description and it sounds amazing!  The course is aimed at beginning and intermediate-level quilters and will teach you the steps to make 10 different quilt blocks that can be combined into an awesome sampler quilt as well as four mini projects!   There will be daily lessons consisting of videos, audio, images, and downloads plus guest interviews with some of our favorite modern quilters.  There will also be two live chats so you can receive direct feedback on your quilting and you'll receive a PDF e-book of the course to download at the end of the class.  Be sure to check it out!


And Deborah is offering a spot in the class to one lucky reader!  To enter, just leave a comment (1 per person) on this post.  The giveaway will remain open until Thursday, May 31 at 8pm EDT and a winner will be chosen at random that evening.  You can leave any comment you want to enter the giveaway but if you want a topic, please write about your favorite quilting tip.  If you are a no-reply blogger, be sure to leave an email address.


***Edited to add:  I am getting lots of comments from no-reply bloggers on this post so I can't reply to you - if you are unsure whether you are a no-reply blogger, please put your email in your message and I'll let you know - this includes bloggers/readers using their Google id - you might still be a no-reply blogger.  


Giveaway now closed.  And the winner is:

Brooke CrookMay 28, 2012 11:42 AM

That was great advice for a newbie blogger like myself! Thanks for sharing. As far a quilting tips go, one thing I have learned is to measure several times before cutting or piecing blocks together. I struggle in the math department and have been forced to do lots of tweaking when my calculations are off base:).

Congratulations Brooke!  Enjoy the great e-course.  






And for those of you are visiting my blog for the first time today - Welcome! - if you would like more information on the Blog Hop, click here.

Blog Hop News - May 28, 2012

Weekly Calendar

May 29
    Heidi from Fabric Mutt

    Amy from Amy's Crafty Shenanigans

    
May 31
    Jodi from Tickle and Hide
    Libby from Miss Beau Jangles

  

If you missed last week, you missed four awesome tutorials - find them here:

 May 22
    Kelsey from Kelsey Sews

    Erin from Billy Button Designs

May 24

    Nik from Bold Goods

    Alyssa from Pile O Fabric

Events and Highlights:  I'll write another post with these later this week (email me if you have something you would included.)

Other ways to keep up and participate in the Blog Hop:

   1.  Follow me on Twitter. 

   2.  Join and post on the Let's Get Acquainted! Flickr Group

   3.  Follow and post on my Let's Get Acquainted! Pinterest Boards here and here.

Weekly Link Up:

This is a weekly link up for Blog Hop Participants and anyone who is following along.  If you have made any projects inspired from the tutorials on Hop, link them here.  If not, just link up your recent post so that we can all get to know you better.  Be sure to visit some of the other bloggers who link here as well.  Please link to this post somewhere in your post or on your blog so others can find it as well.