I will always remember Summer, 2011 as being the Summer of Blog Challenges. July 2011 will be remembered as the time of (here a resounding vibratto here) "The Ultimate Blog Challenge".
I have met great people, written a lot of words and rekindled a certain style of writing I haven't used for a while: The Life-Coaching step-by-step "I've done it and you can do it to" sort of post. Today, I am reflecting, summarizing and finally - at the end of this post, sharing some tips for thriving as you take on any blog challenge in the future.
I have written reflective, creative, Mommying posts, but many of my favorites were clear as to "Here is the benefit of reading and acting on this blog post". It reminded me of the value of this style of writing. For this alone, I am exceptionally grateful to both the organizers and the participants of the Ultimate Blog Challenge: The comments and the RT's were what kept me going.
By the way, I not only wrote the UBC posts during July, I also wrote poetry and my "usual" posts like Wednesday Wishcasting and Creative Every Day posts which I didn't count toward my UBC totals. A lot a lot a LOT of words were written here in July.
Here are the posts I believe offer the most continuing value which I hope you will visit now if you didn't in the past.
How to Live a Charmed Life in 5 easy Steps - No Matter Where You Live.
(I should know, I live in Bakersfield!)
Simple Keys to Self Forgiveness
(thanks to Louisa May Alcott's wisdom)
How to Recognize and Share the Beauty that is You
5 minutes to Phenomenal Life Change: A Writing/Reflection Exercise
Challenging Today's Young Women to Think (and Act) Bigger
Now - the Tips you have been waiting to read - and use - to thrive during the next blog challenge you choose to participate in:
1. Participate as a Writing Blogger AND as a commenter. This doesn't need to overwhelm you: I usually comment three blogs at a time AND I read for value and comment on that value I receive.
2. Write in YOUR voice and style. Don't copy other bloggers you encounter. Enjoy and value their way of expressing themselves and know each person's voice is valuable and needs to be expressed.
3. Don't be harsh with yourself OR with others. Don't compare, critique, lament or argue. Challenges are to increase your connections, word counts, posts, connections. Not for fighting and certainly not to block your own creativity. Focus on improvement rather than perfection and uniqueness rather than "just another cookie cutter blog, thank you very much."
4. Visit blogs for inspiration but don't copy their work. Ever!
5. Use Social Networking as a tool: Retweet, reply, engage and enjoy. If the blog challenge has a facebook page, join it. If it has a Google+ Circle, join it. If it has a special time for tweetchats or teleconferences, participate as you are able to participate. Stretch your readership and have a good time while you are doing it. If your blog challenge turns into a chore, assess what is squeezing your efforts and then re-engage from a shifted perspective.
= = =
Interested in August's Virtual Writing Camp? Check it out and register now to reserve your seat. We begin August 8.
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© 2011
Julie Jordan Scott
This is post 31 of 31 in July for the Ultimate Blog Challenge ~
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