Well, today is a fifth Tuesday, which means it's Guest Blogger Day! Jean Matthew Hall is Coordinator of the planning team for the Write2Ignite Conference for Christian Writers of Children's Literature. I've had the joy of teaching and keynoting at Write2Ignite and highly recommend attending if you're interested in writing for children. Jean's credits include essays and poems published in Mature Living, Sasee, The Vision, Bible Advocate, The Christian Communicator; devotions published in Open Windows; and personal experience essays published in anthologies such as The Embrace of a Father, Whispering in God's Ear, Chicken Soup for the Chocolate Lover's Soul, The Ultimate Gardener, and Christmas Miracles.
Please join me in welcoming my friend and fellow writer, Jean Matthew Hall.
To Blog or Not To Blog? By Guest Blogger Jean Matthew Hall
To blog or not to blog? That was a big question for me a couple of years ago. I finally made up my mind not to use my time blogging, but God had other ideas. A few weeks after I made that decision God awakened me in the wee hours of the morning and told me clearly, distinctly to start a blog.
"And what am I supposed to blog about, Lord?"
"Your prayers."
"You mean just write my prayers out and post them on a blog? That's going to be a
lot of typing, God."
"No, Little One. Just blog the prayers I tell you to blog–those that will show your readers how to open up their hearts to talk to Me honestly, and to listen to Me willingly."
I'd learned better than to argue with God about such things. So, I got out of bed and planted myself in front of my computer and Blogger's basic tutorial. Thus began our blog My Conversations With God. It's "our blog" because it belongs to me and God. He does the speaking, the inspiring; I do the typing.
Blogs have several purposes:
- To grow a following
- To develop a platform
- To market products and services
- To inspire, advise, warn, encourage, inform or educate others
- To gather feedback
The purpose of My Conversations With God is strictly to inspire people to be transparent with God. I want to show readers that prayer doesn't need to be formal or flowery or formulaic. Prayer needs to be honest and sincere.
My Conversations With God doesn't have a big following-a couple of hundred people. But I hope and pray it has a huge impact. I pray it gives people permission to talk to God openly and sincerely. To tell God the truth about what's happening in their lives. [He already knows all about it anyway.] And I hope it gives readers assurance that God really IS listening to their heart cries.
I must say that our blog has had one unexpected affect on me. It has helped me to write tight. To trim fatty adverbs and adjectives. To avoid redundancy. To write with a narrow focus. To stick to the topic at hand. To write short and to the point, and to write regularly and on schedule.
About a year after starting My Conversations With God, I started a second blog for writers. Here too, I try to keep it focused and encouraging. No whining aloud. (Well, at least not very often, anyway.) Jean's Encouraging Words for Writers is my opportunity to be transparent about the things I'm learning as a new writer. I hope my readers can see their own growth steps reflected in my posts. I also analyze a variety of books from my perspective as a learning writer.
Both blogs emphasize transparency. I believe it's the best way to learn from each other, to encourage each other, to affirm each other as Christians, as writers, as human beings.
If you're debating with yourself about blogging, take a risk. Give it a try. But remember a few things:
- Keep a narrow focus. Don't ramble or try to be encyclopedic.
- Post regularly and often.
- Keep posts short. 200 – 400 words is great.
- Give readers opportunities to receive your posts via email or feeds.
- Give readers take away value-something that will add to their lives.
Who knows how our words, freely offered over the Internet, will impact others?
God does, that's who.
Vonda here: Jean, thank you for sharing your thoughts and insight on blogging. You've certainly given us a lot to think about. I remember my own struggle with whether to blog or not. Yes, it requires a commitment, but what a joy to meet friends from around the world!
For more information about Jean, check out these links:
My Conversations With God
Jean's Encouraging Words for Writers
Jean's website
Write2Ignite!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't Forget to Mark Your Calendars for the Free Cec Murphey Writer's Seminars!
Saturday, July 17: We're honored that Cec Murphey, author of over 100 books, including the New York Times bestseller, 90 Minutes in Heaven, will present two free writer's workshops in Upstate SC!
10AM-12noon: Christian Supply, Spartanburg, SC (Writer's seminar 10-11, booksigning 11-12)
2PM-4PM: CrossWay Christian Supply, Greenville, SC (Writer's se
minar 2-3, booksigning 3-4)
Contact me to preregister with your name, address, and email and you'll be in a drawing for a free Cec Murphey book at the bookstore!
Cec will also be speaking at my home church, Westside Church, Simpsonville on Sunday, July 18 in both the 10:45AM and the 6:00PM services. Visit the church website for more info.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And the Winner is…
Liz Welsh! Liz, be sure to email me with your mailing address and your preference of Pat's books, and it will be in the mail to you! Congratulations!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As we continue our journey as writers and speakers with the most important message to share, let's remember these words of our Savior, Jesus Christ:
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing." John 15:5
Go and bear much fruit.
I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,
Vonda
