I wanted to address some additional blogging issues that I have encountered.
Reblogging Other Writers Work: Having your work reblogged-as long as you are properly cited- is considered one of the highest compliments in the blogging world. To reblog or not to reblog another writer’s work can be a hard decision to make when you are first starting out. When I was first starting out, I would occasionally reblog other people’s work. The good news is that it would often bring more traffic onto my blog but then I would get really depressed if my new followers greeted other people’s writing with more enthusiasm than they were giving mine.
This is much less of an issue now as the quality of my writing has improved as well as my confidence. I am pretty ecumenical about reblogs. Sometimes I reblog writing from my favorite established writers (Olde Punk, Candice Lousia Daquin, S.K. Nicholas, Lois E. Linkens, Nicole Lyons and Jasper Kerkau are just a few.) Sometimes I reblog people who I have just discovered who I think are so terrific that I think my readers will think are terrific too. I have recently published exciting work by Dom at Bold, Beat. . . &Nipless, Devereaux Frazier, ohellino, S Francis, Ryan Kelton, Aakriti Kuntal, Christina Strigas, and Hudson Biko Mwalagho.
One my favorite things about having almost 700 followers, many who read me regularly, is being able to pay it forward for other writers. The support of the Sudden Denouement Literary Collective and Felicia Denise was invaluable in getting me exposure to an audience who my writing speaks to. Their support is a debt I can never fully repay.
Guest Blogs: Lots of guides to WordPress recommend not writing guest blogs or posting guest blogs. I have written one guest blog and it was a perfectly fine experience. I don’t think the blog I wrote for is even still active but it wasn’t a bad or exploitative experience. If the blog otherwise fits your values and aesthetics and you are welcome to reblog to your own blog, I say trust your own judgement on this one. I have been talking to a couple of people about writing guest blogs for Brave and Reckless. I don’t need the content—I am a very prolific writing– but I have a couple of friends and acquaintances with amazing writing voices who are trying to decide if they want to blog and I am happy to let them get their toes wet here.
Collaborations: I was always the person who hated group assignments in school. Ironically, I have discovered that I love to collaborate on creative writing projects. In fact, another writer sending me a stanza to play with is like a Christmas present. Each collaboration is its own journey. Sometimes collaborations work best when they are a dialogue (Uncharted Nights, Careless Whisper) and sometimes words can be woven in a way that you no longer remember what you wrote and what your partner wrote (Our Undertow). Sometimes I write with one other person, sometimes many (The Weyward Sisters: Hand in Hand.)
Collaborations are creativity challenging and exciting and great way to really get to know another writer.
Reblogging Your Own Work: I write a lot. I try to write daily. It occurred to me recently that many of my older pieces were only read by a handful of people because I only had a few followers. It has been a good experience for me creatively (and sometimes deeply illuminating emotionally) to go back and revisit these older pieces. Sometimes when I revisit a piece I only remove a word or two. Sometimes I take something with good bones and transform it. It is all part of my journey as a writer and takes pressure off of me when the ideas are not flowing as easily.
Experienced WordPress bloggers, feel free to add your advice for new bloggers below.
To read more blogging advice, visit:
Brave and Reckless’Advice for New WordPress Bloggers– Part 1
Brave and Reckless’ Advice for New WordPress Bloggers– FAQ
© 2017 Christine Elizabeth Ray – All rights Reserved
Thank you so much. This information is very valuable to me. Granted I’m not really trying to reach anybody. I started merely to get things down in a format that was easy. I have found, though, that I am enjoying the interaction with people whose blogs I read and vice versa. Your blog is icing on the cake. I had not considered that I would find such a delightful experience in reading what I find here.
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Thank you! There is a lot of fabulous writers here and WordPress has a strong community vibe.
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Yes. I’m finding it much more gratifying and affirming than other networks 🤓
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Great post, thanks for taking the time to help out us newbies 🙂
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I have a lot of empathy for newbies! Wasn’t so long ago that I was a newbie.
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Thanks for the tips, I’ll be keeping them in mind as I go forward.
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Excellent!
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Great advice! I thank you, too. I’ll look for your Part I, as well.
I’m very new to WordPress blogging, and have learned many things each day. One day I found a blog post here on WordPress with an outstanding article about the artistic aspects of Rorschach test. I was blown away by the quality of the post. It took me a bit, but I realized it was not the blog owner’s article. Though it wasn’t, I still very much appreciated the blog owner for selecting such a good read.
I have only written four posts here so far, and am working on a fifth. My fifth is on a topic that I plan to write about in collaboration with my husband. The post idea is mine, but my husband is a bit more knowledgeable about some of the content I hope to include. I will certainly let it be known that he was a contributor.
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Welcome to WordPress!
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Thank you for the advice in your posts on blogging! I’m new to WordPress and appreciate the good advice. I’ll look up the links you cited, as well. So far, I’ve met some very nice people and great writers!
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Excellent!
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Great advice. Thank you! 🙂
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So glad to hear it was helpful!
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You are too kind.
Even writers aren’t always able to fully express their joy, frustration, or pain. I saw myself in your words and it didn’t just make me smile to know I wasn’t alone, it was empowering. I knew it could do the same for so many others…so I shared. 😉
Much respect.
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Thank you my dear!
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A very informative and useful post here. Originally I had only used wordpress as somewhere to keep finished pieces, and I wasn’t expecting a reaction to them. However, the support of you, SD, and others have really made it something I see in a completely different way, and I’m very grateful for that.
This post has got me thinking and setting sights on things I hadn’t considered – I had never considered a collaborative piece before but it’s an idea I’m finding more alluring.
I’ll make sure to check out part 1 of this, and if anything else of this informative nature comes along I’ll be sure to keep my eye out.
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Hi Howl-
I have really become a big fan of writing collaborative pieces. S Francis and I had a piece I really love go up on SD yesterday. He and I write together in an incredibly seamless way where we literally lose track of who wrote what. Olde Punk and I love to collaborate but have very distinct writing voices so we find word duets to work better for us. He and I have a collaborative piece going up on Monday or Tuesday. We would love to get all of the SD writers thinking outside of the box and collaborating.
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Well I’ll make sure to check out that collaborative piece when I get home. There are certainly some very distinctive and characteristic writing voices on SD, so collaborations would definitely be intriguing to say the least, or a workshop type of scenario could yield something really interesting.
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All kinds of cool possibilities to ponder. . .
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Thank you for the advice! As a new blogger, I found this very handy! Thank you ❤
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So glad it was helpful
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You’ve hit on some excellent issues! I like to reblog when I am very excited about something I have read, I like to wait until it has been seen by the writers followers. Used to be readers would go to the original but lately I find that they don’t and that makes me feel like I have done anything good. Your opinions on all these blogging situations is wonderful to read, thank you so much.
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Thank you so much!
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This is excellent advice. I am trying to come back to writing daily. I think I’ll start with April’s poem a day challenge, and continue on. Thanks for the great tips here for moving forward with my blog. ❤
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So glad you found it helpful Elle. Excited to read new work from your beautiful brain.
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I do my best writing when I am revising, so I think the advice to revisit older pieces of writing is spot on.
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I think the distance helps– a lot of times when I am writing, I am working through tough emotions. Sometimes the process just needs to be the process but with some distance, you can look at piece with new eyes and make it fly.
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I find that, too. When I was working on my Masters Thesis, my first draft was so confusing, but when I looked at it a few weeks later, I could see exactly what I needed to fix.
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When I am stuck on any kind of writing– creative or technical– just getting away from it for a while can be really helpful
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Revising is one of my favorite parts of the writing process. I was also thinking how great it’d be to go back to old pieces and spruce them up if needed. Exciting stuff.
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Its an opportunity to experience your own writing in a new way
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I once got to see a manuscript of Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea and CU-Boulder. He had revisions in it even after it was published. I guess every writer feels that they can make their writing better.
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Guess the urge to tinker and refine never goes away
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Oh wow! Thanks for sharing that. It makes me want to research writers and revisions. If I reread, it’s almost certain I’ll find something to adjust. To the research!
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🙂
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Thank you for sharing your words of wisdom! I am absorbing advice from experienced bloggers like a sponge! I will definitely be revisiting you often as my blog progresses.
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Happy to help out new bloggers. My early mentors were a huge source of help and encouragement.
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Thank you for posting these tidbits of advice. I am brand new to this (literally less than a week), having been spurred on by friends who enjoyed reading my longer posts on FB. Strangely, I always hated writing when I was in HS, but now that I am an adult, the words just seem to flow into my brain, and hopefully this venue will give me the outlet I need.
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Sounds a lot like how I started out. Its always more fun to do what we want to do versus what we have to do!
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Question on your tip about blog length: How long is too long, before you should consider splitting up your post?
I am working on a post that I am publishing on Thursday for a specific reason. It’s finished except for any minor editing, and currently sits at 750 words. Too long? It’s not a heavy subject, really something more informative and should be an easy read.
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For my writing prompt challenges, the top limit is 750 words. I think you’re okay. I took a Creative Writing Class this Spring– my first– and some of the best advice was to read my work and see how many small words I could eliminate. Too many ands, thes, etc can get distracting for the reader.
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Thanks for the advice; I try to re-read and re-read to see what extraneous words I can eliminate.
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Just a thought. Once somebody pointed it out to me, I did start looking at my writing differently.
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Welcome to WordPress and the blogging community. The water’s warm 🙂
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Echoing everyone else here, yes, thanks for the info, especially about reblogging my own older posts- I wasn’t sure of the etiquette, but I’d love to bring older good pieces back out into the light 🙂 Cheers from Australia, G
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One of the things I realized is each month I have new followers who have never read those posts and even my long term readers sometimes enjoy revisiting them.
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Now I echo you. May I just say, very off-topic, that I love the name bone&silver. I don’t know what it is, but when I saw it, it just struck me as perfect; the images, colors and mix of texture. (I’m not a psycho, I promise!)
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Hey thanks 😃
I love it too
My About page tells you why this blog is called that: bone-true tales, & my hair is silver 😘
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Thank you for your helpful advice. All of this is new to me, like a sponge I am trying to soak in as much as possible.
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I think that’s a great approach.
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The only other experience I have with reblogging is on Tumblr, and that is quite a different experience.
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I post to Tumblr but still can’t decide even after six months whether it is worth the time investment.
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Tumblr used to be pretty community oriented, at least I thought so, but nowadays I feel its hard to reach an audience that actually engages with you. So it often feels like a waste of time, yeah.
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Sometimes its important to acknowledge that we have limited time available and that we need to invst in the places that give us the most back. I think you may have just talked me out of continuing to post to Tumblr!
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True! I think I’ve also just officially given up on Tumblr.
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😉
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Thank you so much for this post. And now that I have encountered such wonderful tips, I would appreciate your feedback on my blog. 🙂
Thank you for this post!
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Hi Vinay. It is a super crazy time at work for me right now but I am willing to try to visit your blog. It would be great if you could fill out a contact form that includes a link or two of pieces you would like me to look out. It would also be really helpful to know if there are specific things you want feedback on.
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Thanks for the advice. I am new, haven’t posted, still trying to decide what to post. This is very helpful to me,
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I started off posting Facebook posts I had written that had turned into essays. Then I rediscovered poetry. My blog is a little more eclectic than some but we are complex creatures.
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Reblogged this on blogohby.
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Thank you!
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I think I’m going to stick to the advice you have given, but how do we create ideas on what to blog about??
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I highly recommend following The Daily Post, which provides a new writing prompt every day. https://dailypost.wordpress.com/2017/03/06/community-pool-206/
There are also great writing prompts to be found on Tumblr and Pinterest. I honestly write about what’s on my mind every day. Music lyrics are also a constant inspiration. I have even been inspired to write after reading a beer menu
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Wow! Many thanks for this posts very much appreciated. I am a newbie and your suggestion are very valuable!
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So glaf
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So glad
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Thanks for great advice
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😊
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Thank you for posting these helpful tips. Well said!
Tatyana at http://www.arts-ny.com
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Thank you Tatyana!
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Thank you so much! I am a new blogger and really need and appreciate the guidance. Much continued success!
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Thank you!
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Hi there! Thank you for this post, it really is crisp and clean advice on how to improve both one’s writing skills and one’s reach. One of the things that makes your article stand out, for me, is that your passion for the craft of writing itself, instead of just reaching a high number of readers, really shines through. You also do what you preach: another convincing factor. I’m inspired to take my writing more seriously after reading your two-part advice piece – to write more regularly, to follow more blogs, to interact & collaborate more with other writers. You got me excited & inspired – a writer’s hardest task, if you ask me. Thanks and take care.
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Wow! it makes me feel really good to know that my writing excited and inspired you! I think there was definitely a transition that happened where I went from thinking of myself as a middle age woman who wrote to thinking of myself as a writer. Other people called me that long before I did but something changes when you embrace that.
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I totally understand what you mean. I started blogging out of two reasons: firstly, because there was a moment when I realized that I could connect to people with my writing and that felt – sorry to sound cheesy – healing. Like something clicked in me and found its rightful place. Secondly, the fact that I started getting paid as a freelance writer a few years later really gave me the final push. It wasn’t the money itself; it was the formal recognition I got for my writing – in form of money, the title on my tax form, the daily visits to the editorial office – that showed me what I hadn’t quite been able to grasp: I had indeed become “a writer”. I still feel like an impostor when I say it, though, but that is the topic for a whole other blogpost!:) Anyway, this realization made me embrace writing more, just as you put it – and now I am here, taking my first steps on WordPress!
Thanks again and sorry for the long reply, I couldn’t help myself. Just one more thing: my name as shown in the comment above seems to be linked to the wrong blog. Mine is this one here: https://gigisblogworld.wordpress.com. I really don’t know why I’m linked to this other account, but will try and investigate. In the meantime I wanted you to have the right reference to find me if you’d ever want to. My blog is the eclectic one with the food and the politics and the grief-stuff.
Greetings from Hamburg, Germany to wherever you are!
Gigi
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I struggle with feeling like an imposter. I am a writer and managing editor for Sudden Denouement (https://suddendenouement.com/ ) and even though I have been these since December I still everyone’s going to wake up and realize that I am not cool enough to hang out with them! Your blog looks very professional and compelling. I live outside of Philadelphia, USA.
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How did you decide on your blog’s set up> did you design this yourself? Mine is pretty lame. I am reading up on how to add some pizzazz … or, (if you watch Big Bang Theory) Sheldon would call it :zazzle!
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So I have “redecorated” twice since October. I use the free WordPress templates. Its been a lot of trial and error until I find something I like. I like a clean look that highlights the images which I spend a lot of time choosing. There is certainly a lot more going on here now than there was in October! I did ask for feedback from the Community Pool about organization.
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Ah ha! So that’s how you use Community Pool. Thanks! i was kind of hoping there was somebody I could HIRE to do this!! I am not big on reading directions 😛 I am good at delegating, however 😉
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Well, the nice thing about the templates is that you can “try them on” and its pretty easy to revert if you don’t like it.
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So many great advice! Thanks for sharing! I will for sure keep those in mind 🙂
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🙂
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Hi Christine,
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
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My pleasure!
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Thank you so much! I just joined wordpress and I was kind of lost, but after I read your blog I feel a little more confident! I’m so happy WordPress has people like you in the community!
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Thank you!
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This was new to me. Thank you for sharing your insight. Keep writing! 🙂
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I will- glad you found it helpful
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your posts (this and part 1) are exactly the kind of help I’ve been after!….like others i’ve had my blog for many months, but I’m only just getting to grips with it all now. i’ve spent too much time (with my privacy settings set to ‘private’) getting content on there from a project I did last year, and now i realise that was a daft thing to do!!…do you think re-blogging my own old posts is the way to go or should i just leave things as they are and start from now, as i mean to go on? 😬 ~thank you!
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If you pleased quality– by all means repost the older blogs one at a time. If you hit Add blog and select More Options there is an option to select a post to copy. It will let you edit text but will not let you change images.
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thank you….i’ll maybe have a go with doing that then. 😊
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Best of luck!
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Hey that was really cool to read. Your writing don’t let me stop until I reached the end. It showed me I didn’t everything wrong even I did most of my blogs in learning by doing. But your tips are worth a lot. I never thought about reblogging but the argument you may have gotten some new followers who do not know an older blog you wrote is an argument that counts. Thanks for the inspiration!
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You are very welcome!
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I appreciate your blog. I’m learning about WordPress and the blogging culture and your writing is helpful. Thanks.
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You are very welcome!
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Very interesting read, thank you for posting!
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you are very welcome!
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Thanks for your guide! I’ve had a blog for a couple of years, but it’s only in the last couple of months that I’ve started really trying to get it off the ground. This is sure to help!
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So glad!
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I enjoyed what you had to say about blogging. On a whim, a year ago I posted math shortcuts I knew. Believe me, this is not an interesting topic for most people. However, I have had repeated hits from 18 countries- it blows my mind that something I write is helping people around the world. I now have another blog on trees, another topic people generally have little interest in. Again, I have been surprised in the response. I struggle with finding the time to post articles, but the effort is enjoyable knowing I touch so many in a positive way. Thank you for the blogging tips, anything helps!
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An excellent example that if you are passionate about something, somebody else on WP probably is too. Good luck
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Reblogged this on Delaneira.
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I was at first hesitant on reblogging my own entries. Thank you for the advice.
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You are welcome.
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Thank you for your good advice, I will most certainly be going away and learning with what you have provided. I also look forward to reading more of your work over time.
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