Wave Your Writer’s Flag

Little over a month ago, I decided that I wanted to take my blog to the next level while beginning the process of building my author platform. So, I picked a date out of the air and got down to the business of figuring out exactly what steps I needed to take to make that happen.

Right away, I put together a blogging schedule and put some serious thought into what I would post about. Then I got down to the work of creating a surplus of posts and redesigning the look of my blog.

I spent some time connecting with other writers I met on Twitter and studying their websites and blogs and just basically trying to take in as much as I could. I read advice and asked questions. I was pleased to learn that I was mostly on the right track with preparing my new blog, according to others more experienced. I made a few tweaks to my plan and kept going.

Let's join these guys in waving our flag!

There were so many trepidations that I faced and things that I’m still dealing with. Up until this point, my main readers have been family and close friends.

Now I’m standing here, waving my little flag, trying to catch the whole world’s attention.

The butterflies in my stomach feel sort of like when I had a piano recital as a little girl. Only, this concert hall is much larger.

One of the toughest decisions was figuring out what to rename my blog. The previous name I had blogged under was Where I Don’t Go Crazy, a name that I had outgrown. I figured that if my long-term goal was to build an author’s platform, it was only obvious to go with my own name. 

I’m sure my journey will be riddled with mistakes, but I’ve discovered that is the beauty of blogging. It’s a writing journey, something you are continually learning about and adjusting. It’s something that you’re constantly working to improve and that’s never really finished – sort of like life. 

Some of the greatest advice I ever received was from my grandfather when he said: “Pay attention to what I’m telling you. I’ve already made these kinds of mistakes. Learn from my mistakes so you don’t have to make the same ones.” 

While he was talking about something completely unrelated to writing, I cling to that advice. I like to think that he was telling me to build on the foundation that he’d already established in life. He wasn’t telling me not to mess up, but he was telling me not to repeat his, or my own, mistakes.

I know that I’ve made a lot of mistakes along my writing journey. It’s part of being a writer – heck, it’s part of being a human being! – but I have learned from those mistakes so far. I’ve been able to pick myself up again and keep going. That’s what really matters.

I hope that you’ll follow me here and benefit from the stories of my mistakes and be willing to share some of your own.

Together, let’s wave our writer’s flag to the world. 

What are you doing to wave your writer’s flag right now? What are some mistakes you’ve made since starting on this journey and what have you learned from those mistakes?