Victories and Vacations (Elements of Blogging) #AtoZChallenge

      We enjoy an uplifting story that gives us hope in our own lives.  History is filled with countless stories of the victories of nations, communities, and individuals.  The stories of winning and achieving over tremendous odds tend to thrill us.  A blog that depicted such stories on a regular basis could likely have readers returning often for an empowering dose of the positive.  A blog dedicated to victories could have an endless number of subtopics.

       Like travel blogs, blogging about vacations holds many possibilities for interesting stories and visually entertaining photos.  A vacation blogger can blog about their own vacation adventures as well as general information about vacation trips that we all might dream about at one time or another.
Vacation blogging can include information about popular hot spots as well as lesser known destinations.   This type of blog provides an opportunity to offer readers coupons, deals, and travel services.

       The letter "V" might seem like a limiting one for blog topics but I'll bet you can think of many.  How about veterinary topics, vaccines, or the Vatican?   You can travel the world from Virginia to Venezuela to Viet Nam.

          What are some blog themes that you can think of that start with the letter "V"?   Do you ever blog about your own vacations?    What has been your favorite vacation memory?

   

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Delivery (Elements of Blogging) #AtoZChallenge

       A blog run by UPS or the Postal Service might have a lot to say on the topic of delivery, but that's not exactly what I'm referring to in this blogging element.  One more function of blogging that we will consider is "Delivery" --messages, the goods, the news--we are all delivering something to our readers.

       When we receive a package or letter in the mail it can be quite exciting once we've determined it's not just more junk from advertisers.   Something that is nicely packaged entices us to look inside to see exactly what it is.   What a delight when it is something that we enjoy, find interesting, or from which we might even be enriched.

         Each new blog post that you produce should deliver something that your readers can use or will enjoy.  As you prepare your post keep in mind how your readers will react when they open up your blog to find that post.   Even the most mundane seemingly nonsensical topic can be presented in such a way to give it a relevance that a reader can respond to and will be affected by in some positive way.

        If you keep delivering quality--or at least fun and entertaining--goods, then your readers will return for more and maybe even share your post with others.    Avoid lazy sloppy posts or piling on excessive marketing or haranguing tirades.  Overly long posts can be tedious--divide those into smaller posts when you have a lot of text or images to share.  If you're a blogging star or if this is what your following expects then maybe you can get away with this, but most of us can't do that.  Readers don't have the time and patience for the most part.

        It's a crowded market in the blogosphere and we'd all like some precious time with readers.   Sometimes the shorter post can deliver the most powerful punch.

         Some other "D" blog themes can be about dreaming, debate, development, or even dogs.  What are some blog subjects that you can think of starting with the letter "D"?    How do you typically handle long blog posts as a reader and in your own blogging?

Blogging with Importunity

English: The Importunate Neighbour. At the National Gallery of Victoria (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

          I am Blogman so I sit in church and turn sermons into blog posts.   In a recent sermon at the church I attend, our pastor gave a sermon about praying with importunity. This sermon which was based on Luke 11:5-10 described how the most effective way to get prayers answered was to pester God about what we want.  We should pray without ceasing even if we are repeating ourselves.  Like kids nagging their parents, we need to be persistent in our pleas.   I'd heard the verses and sentiments before but I'd never heard the concept put quite in the way the pastor had put it.  

          Then as I thought about this idea I realized that I blog with importunity.  I frequently go back to the same topics.  I'll take an idea and break it down.   If one post about a topic isn't enough I might make a series out of it.  I suppose some readers get bored with my rehashing of topics, but sometimes I'm just trying to get my point across,  However, most of the time I blog about certain topics because they fascinate me.  Marketing, promotion, "blog science", and the psychology and mechanics of social media.  They are topics I am trying to figure out and am hoping some answers will come from readers or just come to me as a result of thinking about it so much.

        So whenever you think I'm being pertinacious, dogged, or persistent to the max, please bear with me.  I hope you will find something interesting in what I'm saying or discover a relevance in my topics applicable to your own purposes.  Honestly, I'm not trying to be annoying.  I'm just blogging with importunity.

Sorry but I just love that expression and had to use it in a blog post.

         Do you ever feel like you blog with importunity?   Are there any topics that people might think you are fixated on?   Do you believe that an author basically has one story to tell and they just repeat it in different ways?

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That’s right! Time to roast a new victim. This year’s hosts are Mark “Madman” Koopmans, Alex “Clone me a” Cavanaugh, Morg “the Borg” Shamy, Stephen “Wormhole” Tremp, and David “Don’t Mess with the” King.   Today's the day when the lucky (????) roast honoree is announced.   Who on Earth will it be?   Is the person even from Earth?

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Taking My Own Advice: A New Theme for Wednesday

Lisa Loring as Wednesday in The Addams Family original series. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

          Coming this Wednesday I'm going to start offering a new theme for Wednesdays.  Actually I've already begun this series with my last Wednesday post Suggestions to Improve Your Blog in which I responded to a question sent to me by blogger Daron Henson.

           In my reply to Daron I suggested that he might consider offering regular themed posts.   This is something I've been doing for quite some time now.  I fallen away from the theme-per-day format to some extent although I have been fairly faithful to maintaining certain thematic content.

          My Wednesday content for a trial run will involve my blog acting as a help or advice column in a sense.   Call it "Ask Arlee" or what you will--I'm open to any suggestions you readers might have on what to call it or if it needs a theme name at all.

          This is actually nothing new for me as in the past I have often answered questions or offered any help I was able to give others.   Some recent emails and requests in my blog comments have asked me some questions that inspired answers that have turned into blog posts.  Now I will present some of these that are still filling up my blog composition reserve and answers to anything else you think I might have an answer for.

        What qualifies me to do this?   Not much more than my abilities to analyze situations and solve problems.   I'm not a doctor, psychology specialist, auto mechanic, or computer wizard.   Don't expect anything too technical from me.  If I have no idea I might just try to be funny.  Yeah, that could be a real flop.

        After 35 years in the field of management I think I do know a few things about solving problems.   I might have good answers and I might not.  Best of all though will be the answers you will provide in my comment section.

         That's right--this is not about my brilliance, but about the genius of my readers.   You are some of the best in what you do.  Don't discount your abilities.   We all have something special to offer.  Today you may be asking the question, but tomorrow you might be the one with the answers.

         Ask, receive, and give back when you can.  It's the beauty of what we do here in the realm of bloggers.   This will be another Tossing It Out experiment.   Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't.  They are always worth trying.

         Do you have anything you need help with?    Do you have a problem you'd like solved?   Do you think this series needs a name?   Could this potentially be considered a controversial post?

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