Guest Post: Charity Bradford on How to Get Blog Followers

Back in December, I asked my friends if they wanted to write guest blog posts for me while I was busy giving birth. Charity very kindly stepped up to the plate. She's a wonderful person and one of the first people who followed me on this here blog. If you're not following her yet, I highly suggest you check her out. I loaded her post into my queue.

I then went into the hospital to have my baby, and well...life hasn't slowed down since. I just checked my archives and realized this has yet to go live. It's a shame, because this is an awesome post. So now I give unto you: 

 How to get blog followers

How do I get more followers?

Here's my first piece of advice--
Stop stressing about the number of followers you have. Yeah, I know. Considering I just had a 500+ giveaway makes me sound like a hypocrite. Watching the numbers go up is a form of validation.

And we all need that, but I'll let you in on a little secret--I was looking for an excuse to give away some books. And hitting a milestone seemed like a good excuse.

And the slightly crazy side of me really needed the likes to match up with the follows. 500 and 100 look so much nicer together than 500 and 63. You know what I mean?

However, you'll drive yourself crazy if the numbers is the only thing you concentrate on with your blog.

There are lots of posts out there that talk about ways to pull in followers, but I'm just going to talk about the three things that have helped me get followers.

1. Know your purpose as a blogger. This will help you know your audience. For example, my blog is about my writing journey. I talk about what I'm learning about the writing craft and industry, share story bits, review books, and interview other writers. My purpose is to learn and grow in the area of writing. My audience is me, and people like me.

2. Find similar blogs that you will enjoy reading and follow them. Once you follow make thoughtful comments. Participate in the discussions on those blogs. People will notice you and visit your blog to learn more about you.

And yes, I'm getting a D- in this area right now, but I hope to do better soon. Don't give up on me yet.

3. Participate in blogging events that are relevant to your blog content. For me, this means writing blogfests. Over the summer I didn't participate and my numbers stayed the same. Now that I'm getting involved in the social aspect of blogging, my numbers have started going up again. And you know what? I've met some new people that I have a lot in common with.

Just make sure you don't get so involved that you stop writing. You know that WIP or project that you started a while back?

That's it really. There are a few cautions that will help you along this path.
1. Be patient. Followers will come--and go. It doesn't mean you aren't a great blogger. Life is just that way.

2. Be as positive as possible. Don't bash people in the industry or other bloggers. Remember that what you post is out there for all the world to see.

3. Don't kill yourself trying to do it all. For most of us, blogging is not a paying job. You can't comment on every blog. You can't read every blog. I schedule time to write my blogs (usually a weeks worth at a time) and to scan the blogs in my google reader. Although I can't comment on each blog I follow every day, I do scan them. (Think 200+ blogs a day and you'll see why scanning is the only option.) When a post really speaks to me, I make a point to click over and comment. I wish I could comment more, but I've learned it isn't possible.

Remember, as wonderful as blogging is, the one thing that will improve your writing the most is living life.

Blackbirds Release Date!

There are some books you mark your calender to remind yourself of the release date. BLACKBIRDS by Chuck Wendig is one of them.

I've read Chuck's blog for a while now, and ever since I heard him talk about the premise for the book I've been frothing at the mouth to read it. Here's the blurb:

Miriam Black knows when you will die.

Still in her early twenties, she's foreseen hundreds of car crashes, heart attacks, strokes, suicides, and slow deaths by cancer. But when Miriam hitches a ride with truck driver Louis Darling and shakes his hand, she sees that in thirty days Louis will be gruesomely murdered while he calls her name.

Miriam has given up trying to save people; that only makes their deaths happen. But Louis will die because he met her, and she will be the next victim. No matter what she does she can't save Louis. But if she wants to stay alive, she'll have to try.


So yeah...frothing at the mouth. I've always loved the idea of someone seeing the future and being unable to stop it (I actually have a book in the making about just that), and I love the twist that Wendig's put on it.

 You know you're intrigued too! Run, don't walk to your nearest bookstore or bookstore web page and order the book now!

Tuesday's Child is Full of Grace

It’s Tuesday, and I have decided that I am going to try to post about other media on Tuesdays. Kinda like a Shout Out day. I talk about poetry, or music, or other authors, or the bread mold I found inspiring…you get the idea. There are many, many influences that goes into a writer’s mind, and I thought Tuesdays would be a great day to talk about them. Because let’s be honest: no one really likes Tuesdays. Actually I don’t mind them, but I have a weird work schedule. I am off Sundays and Wednesdays. Most people, however, work Monday through Friday, so Tuesday doesn’t have the fresh start of a Monday, nor does it have the middle of the week buzz that Wednesday does, Thursday is beloved because it’s almost Friday, and everyone loves Friday, because, well, it’s Friday.

But I remember a time where Tuesday had some respect (actually I don’t, I am just using hyperbole). It’s named after the Norse god Thor, for crying out loud! Thor’s Day! Let’s take Thor’s day back…wait, crap. Thursday is Thor’s day isn’t it? Well, Tuesday was named after Tyr, also a Norse god. He was the god of single combat, heroic glory, and victory. He allowed the other gods to tie up Fenrir (a REALLY big wolf) by sticking his hand in Fenrir’s mouth. He subsequently lost his arm, but that did not stop him from being cool.

So, ahem. Anyway, a day for shout outs. Here goes mine:

Natalie Whipple: This writer chick is seriously sweet! I want to just squeeze her! She blogs about all kinds of stuff, from straight writing advice to really meaningful topics that plagues writers and most don’t want to talk about, like self-confidence, and comparing yourself to other people, and staying positive. She’s my daily pep talk. I absolutely cannot wait until she gets published. Also, I think she might be Wonder Woman. I’m just saying.


Nathan Bransford: He’s an agent that has demystified the query/agent process. He’s funny, and also gives updates in the publishing industry, and talks about mistakes writer can avoid. Basically, he helps you look smarter. Which is awesome. I am querying him first the second my book is ready. Hopefully he’ll think my book is brilliant, and sell it to a Big Publishing Company, and I can quiet my day job, and…there goes that fertile imagination again.


The Rejectionist: Hilarious, with a perchance for the royal we, this blogger is an assistant to an agent she refers to as “Steve”. She’s a slush pile warrior, with the battle scars to prove it. Also another way to get savvy to the whole publishing biz, and make yourself seem smarter, and doing that nasty thing we writers like to call “research”.


So. Go forth and check these people out. Your writing will thank you.

Anyone else have some great shout outs? Places with indispensable writing advice? People who are hilarious and great for a good laugh?