Friday, February 8, 2008

Can You Get Here From There?

"My darling I could spend eternity holding you to my heart, protecting you with my sword, loving you with all my soul."

What do you suppose the following terms have in common?

how to dress like a gunslinger
hot kinky laundry
scared to play piano in church
over forty hunks
anny horny traveler
synonym for very best
funny dragon stories
camelot herald mirror
ellora's cave merlin

All of them are search terms which led people to my blog. I have a sitemeter counter on my blog that not only tells me how many people are visiting my blog, but how long they stayed, what search terms they used to arrive there, and what town, state, and country they're from. If they "surf" to my blog from another website, it gives me that information, too.

So thank you very much Molly Daniels, Kelly Kirch, Amarinda Jones, NJ Walters, Sandra Cox, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, and babynteensmom for posting my link on your blogs!

There are other points of arrival. Several have arrived via the RT Convention booksigning data base. Three have arrived via contest postings on review sites. And a bunch have arrived via the Ellora's Cave bio page. Every time I post excerpts on review sites I see an upsurge of visits originating from those posts.

What you ask is the point? Simply this. Everywhere your name is posted is a potential contact for your work. And the more varied your blog subjects the greater the number of potential subjects that will bring visitors to your sites.

Frequently new writers put off blogging as an unnecessary evil. "I don't know what to say." Ummm, would you like to take another look at that list? Apparently, you could write about almost anything. In my experience, the more you write, the more you have to say. Write about your day (that's tomorrow's blog--all about plumbing!) Or write about your dreams. Or write about the writing experience. There are all sorts of things to write about. Life experience is a treasure trove of things to write about.

Every time the writer puts words to paper (or computer) he or she is honing the craft of writing. All practice is good. All writing offers the reader the opportunity to sample your writing style. Frankly, writing style doesn't change much whether you're writing a letter or a book. That's your voice that your displaying. A blog is a perfect way to display that voice for as many people as possible. So you tell me--how many people can you attract? How many do you want to get here from there?

Anny

What could you spend an eternity doing? What is your passion? Your hunger? Your deepest desire? Each day beginning February 5 and running through February 14 one of the ten authors will complete the line, "My darling I could spend eternity…" on either their blog or website. Collect all ten answers and e-mail them to anny@annycook.com with Eternally Yours in the subject line to win some hot, romantic books. There will be three lucky Valentine winners.

The prizes –1st prize--5 books

2nd prize--3 books

3rd prize--2 books
Entries must be in by February 16 at midnight EST. All books and prize winners will be drawn randomly.


Sandra Cox Silverhills
Mona Risk To Love a Hero
Brynn Paulin Tribute For the Goddess
Bronwyn Green Mystic Circle
Cindy Spencer Pape Stone and Earth
N.J. Walters Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke
Elyssa Edwards Mating Stone
Amarinda Jones Shades of Gray
Kelly Kirch Time for Love
Anny Cook Honeysuckle



Tonight at midnight is the deadline for the first week of the February Scavenger Hunt on my website at http://www.annycook.com/ New clues for next week will be posted Saturday Morning.

Drop by Amarinda's blog to see what she's up to at http://www.amarindajones.blogspot.com/ and then pop over to Kelly's blog where she's starting a new serial at http://www.kkirch.blogspot.com/ Blessings on your day!

7 comments:

  1. And now you have plumbers showing interest - so jealous with your contacts

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  2. You're welcome, sweetie:) And you're right...when I first started reading blogs and considered starting my own, I wondered how I would come up with daily topics. And now, six months after I began, they are getting easier:) And look at the people you meet! All potential readers for everyone you touch...or in this case, visits your site, be it intentional or otherwise.

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  3. I always think it's great when you see the variety of locations. I mean Uganda, Japan, Morocco, England, lots of Aussies (I attribute to AJ), and so many more.

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  4. You're welcome, sweetie. Thanks for linking to me too.

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  5. Anny I don't have a blog but your link is on my website. I'm going to ask you how to get a sitemeter counter, but I guess I first have to create my own blog. Hmm I don't know if I'm ready. I'm already blogging on two blogs twice a month and I'm guest blogging here and there. Honestly I'm amazed at your productivity. Maybe next year, if I stop coordinating contests. Something gotta give. BTW today being feb 8, check my website and my blog at http://pinkfuzzyslipperwriters.blogspot.com/

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  6. I was very intimidated to start blogging and I still find facing that blank blog box more anxiety raising than facing a blank page.

    I stated doing it because of your advice and I've met some interesting people.

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  7. Thanks Anny for your links and your wisdom :)

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