TEN-YEAR ANNIVERSARY BLOG POST - In 2011, I wrote my very first blog post,
which felt like shouting into the wind. I started without even being sure my
posts would be read. I had a blog, but what do I write about? One thing I knew –
I’d write about what interested me, that would also (maybe) resonate with
readers. I had no sponsorship, collected no monetization, and still don’t. Not
being beholden to anyone gave me the latitude to only write about what held my
interest. Ten years later, my blog receives over one million
hits yearly. Wow that’s a lot! But a decade ago, as I sat down to write, I
yearned to understand how postings were being perceived. I read every comment, learned
how to check post metrics, and viewed the responses. I learned how different
platforms vary, and the value of building a dedicated site with a mailing list.
Audience feedback helped shape my tastes, which narrowed over time; toward
horror, scifi and dark fantasy books and movies. I never envisioned so many
eyes would be on my stuff, when I started this little blog. But what has
blogging done for me, you might ask? I can’t go into every skill I learned
along the way. Much of them were technical, and learning in this electronic era
is never truly done. Lettering and layout in digital design led to taking up
drawing and painting again. I'm also getting back into creating tiny DIY miniatures. Writing posts sharpened my voice in essays, while writing fiction
developed my storytelling. That’s all good, but what will the next decade of posts be about? You’ll have to
stick around to find out. The recent signed paperback contest was a huge
success which I’ll be repeating. The only way to get the next invite is by
signing up on my mailing list.
