Stats Reveal How to connect With Your Readers

February 9, 2016October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 16 Comments

The Daily Prompt: The Stat Connection

Pixabay

Go to your Stats page and check your top 3-5 posts. Why do you think they’ve been successful? Find the connection between them, and write about it.

Stats for the Cow Pasture Chronicles in 2015:

Views: 5,968
Vistors: 3,365

Top 3 Posts in 2015:

Home Page/Archives – 1,137 views
Submit or Not to Submit – This post had a total of 472 views.
Top 5 Resources for Contests and Submissions – 310 views
About Me – 162 views
Access Denied – received 116 views.

Top views went to the home page which includes the archives and my latest post. It’s the first impression point of connection. The other posts ranking highest in views offered information.

Writers at all levels understand the value of submitting work for publication. Submit or Not to Submit discussed the time-consuming but necessary tasks, outlined the benefits, and cautions of taking the leap of sending your words out into the world.

Top 5 Resources for Contests and Submissions takes the work out of the submission process by providing 5 resources for the writer who is ready to submit. Putting yourself out there can be intimidating, but the rewards are worth the anxiety. Acceptance promotes confidence, encourages creativity, is one of the best avenues for perfecting the craft, and provides both validation and recognition.

Readers want to know who you are, your credentials, and why your blog exists. An engaging About Me page not only introduces you to your readers, but provides the personal connection so necessary in drawing readers to your blog.

I like tackling difficult topics and Access Denied is one of those posts. Providing information on the intellectual rights of a writer’s work and how to secure those rights, after you’re gone.

What was the Connection? In a word information.

Writers, particularly newer writers, seek out information that is beneficial to them. Whether it helps them improve the skill of writing or offers the chance for recognition.

3 Things I Learned by Reviewing the Stats:

My readers want information, even if they’ve heard it before.
Readers want easy access to the resources that help them improve or succeed.
Providing resources and information into the readers mailbox is a win-win for everyone.

What are your blog stats saying about you? What did you learn and will you change the types of posts you write?

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently.

Answers to Your Questions Found in the Cow Pasture

October 15, 2015October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / Leave a comment

I’m having a wonderful time participating in, Robert Lee Brewer’s, 2015 October Challenge. The Writer’s Digest has been a favorite resource for me since the day I began writing in earnest. So, when the opportunity came to take part in a challenge focused on building and/or improving my platform, he could count me in.

It’s day 15 and I’m pleasantly surprised to find myself ahead of the game, so to speak. Yesterday, while chatting on Twitter with fellow challengers, several people expressed confusion regarding #hashtags. I’m not the expert when it comes to Twitter, but I did my best to answer their questions. The conversation reminded me of an idea for my blog, I’d been tossing around for a while, and decided now was the time.

Each week I’ll answer questions on writing, blogging, or any related topic, posed by my readers. I understand many of my readers are way ahead of the curve, but we all have questions from time to time, regardless of one’s experience. I don’t profess to know all the answers, but I can share what I‘ve learned and what the experts say.

So, here’s your chance, ask away. I’ll do my best to find the answers. Leave your question(s) in the comment section below and check out the first Q & A in my next post.

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story. And as always, you can follow me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter @cofcmom, and Contently.

I Hope I Nudged Your world

February 27, 2015October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 4 Comments

This is In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Last Words.” (Cow Pasture Chronicles isn’t going anywhere) 🙂

I don’t know quite how to say this, but this is my last post. I toyed with the idea of just disappearing, knowing you would stop visiting, eventually. I imagined my fellow fence jumpers climbing back over the fence in search of greener pastures, and becoming a distant memory or even forgotten.

But, something stopped me. First of all, I have always believed words matter. The words we say, write, and share have great potential to touch those around us. They can mend fences, relationships, encourage, delight and sometimes hurt. But, how sad the world would be without words.

Secondly, I pray the words I’ve shared will be a legacy, of sorts, for those I leave behind. Perhaps, my grandchildren, or their children’s children will get to know me and be inspired. Maybe not, but a woman can hope.

It is with great sadness to know my journey is over, but what a journey it has been. I pray that somewhere along the way, I touched you, inspired you, or gave you a moment’s respite. I know being a part of this community of writers changed my world. So,thank you.

Enough, Already!

October 11, 2014October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 2 Comments

DAILY PROMPT
Ready, Set, Done
10 minutes. You and your keyboard (or smartphone. Or tablet. Or pen and paper). No pauses, no edits, no looking back: it’s free-write time!

I’ve had enough. Our society, the country is off it’s rocker. Case in point, an article published by The National Review, October the 8th, regarding the “Gender sensitivity training of teachers in the Lincoln Public School system.

Training materials came from Gender Spectrum, an organization with the goal of, “Providing education, training and support to help create a gender sensitive and inclusive environment for children of all ages.”

Nebraska took it to the extreme, these training materials encouraged teachers to:

“Don’t use phrases such as ‘boys and girls,’ ‘you guys,’ ‘ladies and gentlemen,’ and similarly gendered expressions to get kids’ attention,”
“Create classroom names and then ask all of the ‘purple penguins’ to meet on the rug,” it advises.
Teachers are encouraged to hang signs on their classroom doors insisting that “all genders” are welcome while discontinuing the time-tested practice of lining boys and girls up separately before leaving class.
“Always ask yourself … ‘Will this configuration create a gendered space?'” the document says.”
Educators should prominently display photographs of gender-benders in the classroom, the new policy insists, and give students at least four choices when it is imperative that gender be determined (girl, boy, both, or neither).

Are you kidding me? As if our kids approaching puberty aren’t confused enough. According to the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA), between 0.1% and 0.2% of live births are ambiguous enough to become the subject of specialist medical attention. Did you catch that, 0.1% of the population!

Are we simply going to sit back and allow a minority of 0.1% erase the identity of our children and future generations? Because that’s what will happen. Erase male and female roles from our society? We might as well make eunuchs of everyone and have all future children fertilized in test tubes. Ridiculous!

In the guise of political correctness and inclusiveness, we as a society, afraid to speak for fear of being labeled, are allowing the tail to wag the dog. Shame on you Nebraska and shame on all of us who have remained silent up to now.

Enough already. If there is a child or adult with issues, by all means provide assistance. But, leave the rest the hell alone. Our society is screwed up enough.