Blogger Recognition Award: Why I Write & Tips for Bloggers

I am so thankful to be have been nominated by Shanice at Faith & Turtles  and Carrelle from The Aesthetic’s Vida for the blogger recognition award! Truly, it means a great deal. all writers want to be heard. Having nominations like this one gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside because it lets me know that when I write, I’m not just shouting endlessly into the void for no one to hear. (Well, I know that God hears. God hears all of our prayers. Nevertheless, it is still comforting to know that there are other humans out there listening as well!)

I was also nominated for this award by the very cool O.D. Book Reviews! OD is a very cool blog and I always enjoy reading their reviews. Plus, the name of their blog is an adorable pun. I will admit to “overdosing” on reading! I’m addicted to anything, it would be books  (or Jesus).

Update: Shortly after writing this post, I was also nominated for the Blogger Recognition award by Stephen Writes. Stephen and I are both authors who started blogging as part of an effort to connect with readers and other writers. 

Rules of The Award

The rules of the award are as follows:

1.Thank The Blogger that nominated you.

Thank you so much to Carelle and Shanice! I would like to strongly encourage you to check out  Shanice at Faith & Turtles and Carelle at The Aesthetic’s Vida. Both of these lovely ladies write great articles that I always enjoy reading. Postiivity just radiates off of both of them!

Here is one of my favorite posts by Shancie in which she conducts an interview about the importance of Self Discipline. I know from my own firsthand experience just how important self discipline is for everyone, especially preachers and writers.

Here is one of my favorite posts by Carelle in which she explores the challenges and benefits of studying abroad! I’ve always wanted to study in a different country.

O.D. Book Reviews is a great book blog. For the holidays, I recommend this post about an adorable children’s book, Snobbity Snowman! 

Stephen Writes runs a great book blog from across the pond. He has written over 3,000 articles about sports in multiple magazines. He is also a poet. Here is a great post he did recently where he talks about the most powerful books he read in 2018!

2. Write a post to show your award

3. Give a brief story of how your blog started

4. Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers

5. Select 15 bloggers to whom you want to give this award

6. Let each Blogger know that you have nominated them and provide the link to the post you created.

How My Blog Started 

I have always loved words. I wrote my first book when I was in fourth grade. I included illustrations and wrote it in a brightly colored Lisa Frank notebook. Ever since then, I have loved writing.

I always told myself that I would write a book before I turned thirty. Thirty seemed like such a long way away when I was in high school. I have very vivid memory of being a senior and sitting in class pretending to take notes when in truth I was penning what I hoped would be the next great American novel. When I looked at what I had written, I was disappointed.

“Oh well,” I told myself. “I have plenty of time!”

Time passed and soon I was in college and then graduate school. After that, I started my first full time job as a clergywoman in the United Methodist Church.

Then, one day, I realized I was almost thirty. My friends were all married with children. Many of their children were walking and talking at this point. Some were as old as five or six years old!

As much as my heart rejoiced for my friends, my heart ached when it saw their children.  

I can never have children due to my complicated health problems. At first I was disheartened. Then, I realized that due to the fact that I don’t have children, I have the free time necessary to write. (I have great respect for people who can raise a family. I can barely keep the dog fed and dinner on the table. I don’t know how you amazing folks do it!)

I can give my writing, my books, novels, and poems, all the love I would have given a child if God would have blessed me with one. 

Furthermore, I view writing as a natural extension of my ministry. God calls us to use all of our gifts and graces. I have done my best up to this point to serve, but now the time has come for me to pick up my pen and write.

This blog is a natural outgrowth of that call.

*If you’re interested in more of my writing, I have a new book of poems available on Amazon. It’s free with Kindle Unlimited! 

 

Two Pieces of Advice for New Bloggers

I am still very new to blogging myself. I started in early October of 2018. Nevertheless, here are two helpful tips that I wish I would have known sooner!

1. Be Social: Visit other bloggers, read their work, and leave a comment. 

Bloggers and all writers love feedback and comments. It lets us know that someone is listening.

In essence, writing is a solitary activity. In order to write effectively, we squirrel ourselves away and bury ourselves in words. When you are writing only for yourself, you do not need an audience. Many people get great enjoyment from simply keeping their thoughts in a diary.

In contrast to writing, blogging is a social activity. If you want other writers or bloggers to be interested in your work, you must take an interest in theirs. I try to take about fifteen to twenty minutes every day to simply read other bloggers. I let people know that I have enjoyed their writing by leaving a comment. I often don’t get to read as many blogs as I would like because my job is so busy, but if you make an effort to be social, people will notice.

 

2. Be A Good Literary Citizen: Follow your fellow bloggers/writers on Twitter. Subscribe to their blogs on Word Press.  Leave a book review on Amazon or Goodreads! 

I like to consider myself a “good literary citizen.” I always try to follow back other writers, bloggers, and creative types on Twitter or other forms of social media. Furthermore, I always try to go the extra mile and leave a book review. Even if it’s only a few words, I know that authors are people. Everyone wants to know that someone read and enjoyed their art. Furthermore, publishing houses like to see a writer with a presence on social media.

I also know that traditional publishers tend to give authors who have not been able to generate book reviews the side eye. In today’s world, book reviews serve as social credibility. Authors are expected to get book reviews.

This particularly important if the artist in question is a woman, person of color, or a member of another marginalized minority group. The publishing industry (and the church) has traditionally been dominated by white men. It is important to support one another;  We’ve made great strides but we must continue to support one another!

 

Nominate 15 Bloggers

First, I would like to nominate the lovely ladies from my blogging group His Encouragement. These wonderful women have all committed to sharing the love of God each week through their writing. I genuinely enjoy reading all of their faith centered posts and book reviews.:

 

I would also like to nominate the following bloggers. There are so many blogs that I enjoy, it’s always hard to choose!

8. Ellie @ A Book Devourer

9. The Joyous Living

10. The Newbury Girl 

11. Natonya @ Just Natonya

12. A Rainbow from Onyx

13. Zuri Sophilia

14. Allie @ Allie Reads

15. Cody @ A Thin Slice of Anxiety

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What bloggers do you enjoy reading? Let me know in the comments! Also, don’t forget to subscribe so that you never miss a post!