I have been constantly blogging now for about 9 months, 6 of which were from China. I’ve started blogs before and by the 6-month mark most were dead. It was a mix of things, lack of willpower, interest, stamina.
Clearly something has changed in me as I am just as eager to write blog posts now as I was the first day. I have a bunch of entries ready to go, and a pile of ideas for the future.
So if I want to keep this going, and I do, I realize that I have to get a bit more serious. While blogging may look easy and casual there is actually a lot of ‘behind-the-scenes’ stuff that goes on. I’ve been doing a lot of research lately to figure out exactly what that ‘stuff’ is.
Subtle Changes
Over the next few weeks I’ll be making some subtle changes to the site. I’ll actually add some FAQ’s to the FAQ section (or maybe I’ll just merge it with the About Me section. Either way I won’t keep an empty page around).
I’ll also be changing the About Me section so if you want to see my house and my cats, make sure to check it out now as it will be gone soon. I’m also going to change my avatar from the picture of my cat to a picture of me. This is going to be a real chore as I am infamous for taking bad photographs. And I’m not just being modest. I blink, sneeze, look away, roll my eyes and contort my face in strange ways. I don’t do it on purpose! I can stand perfectly still with a big smile on my face and not move until the camera has been lowered and somehow my face ends up freakish. It is my odd super power and it makes finding pictures of me very difficult.
Blog Schedule
You come onto this site everyday and sometimes there is a post, sometimes there isn’t. I think it is time to create a more standard schedule for flow. I’m going to plan on at least 3 posts a week on Tuesday, Thursday and the weekend. This might be a challenge for me but I tend to work better under deadlines and will ensure there is new stuff to read every week.
Content Change
I’ll be slowly shifting my content away from ‘Hey, look at me!’ to more informational type articles about being an English teacher in China, Chinese culture and travel. Of course I’m going to continue with the personal posts but I want to open this blog to more people, not just my friends, and no one else besides my parents really care what my apartment looks like, ya know?
If there is something you want me to write about specifically, just let me know!
There Might be Ads
I just want to warn you now. While no one makes millions from a blog you can make small amounts of money doing this. Right now all my book recommendations link to Amazon and if anyone ever bought one through my website I would make something like .003 cents. I might play with Google ads, I might not. I haven’t decided yet and really it is a little too premature to plan specifics, but advertising and selling e-books is on my radar screen. Don’t say you haven’t been warned (and don’t call me a sell-out when you see an ad.)
These are just some of the things I have been thinking about lately and I’m sure there will be more in the future. I don’t want to just throw things up here and see what sticks, instead I prefer to plan, to think, to try to meet your needs and create a bigger community. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let me know either by e-mail or from the comment field. Thank you!
Bloggifying the Blog
Told ya I was reading your blog-I decided to attack it like a book (although, I’ve tried really hard not to read posts with things I’ve also thought about writing about-even though you are such a goodnwriter it’s hard not to click on that blog post)
Just thought I’d tell you I liked seeing your apartment. So many contracts have those built into them and you hear so many horror stories and its hard to image a kitchen with no oven or a batbroom with no closed-off shower…so thanks!