Vivian Faith Prescott: Blogging Alaska Style

I’m a blogger and it’s likely that you’re a blogger too. I have two blogs; one that focuses on writing for children and teens, Pocketful of Charms, and another about the human relationship to the landscape called Planet Alaska. But if you’re not a blogger and you’ve been thinking about starting one then I have some tips for you. Be warned, though, blogging and visiting other blogs shouldn’t distract you from your writing time (unless, of course, your blog is the only place you’ll write).

Here are 10 tips for those who’re considering a blog:

1. Think of a tagline/subtitle to your blog’s title: Who are you? What are you blogging about? (What is your platform?)

Are you a frazzled mom blogging about homeschooling four children?

Are you a fisherman with a back injury blogging about changing careers?

Are you a writer in Southeast Alaska setting out to learn beadwork?

2. Decide how often you are going to post: be realistic.

3. Keep it short (I recommend around 500 words).

4. Make sure you spell check.

5. Add two photos (I love photos).

6. Add links to your work or other references; maybe a video or audio link.

7. Enable the comments box (I don’t particularly like it when I can’t say “Hi!”).

8. Invite guest bloggers either to guest post or for an interview.

The advantage of having guest bloggers is that they’ll invite six cousins, their mother and a neighbor to read their post and you might gain a few more followers. Plus, having a guest blogger means that you can slack off for a week or two.

9. Link your blog to Facebook, Twitter, and other networks. Remind people to check in on your new blogpost.

10. Be mindful of what you write. Someone is always reading it.

Personally, I love Alaskan bloggers. Throw in a reference to a moose, smoked fish, or an ice floe and you have an Alaskan blogger. Am I stereotyping? Maybe. All right I am. Some of my favorite blogs are Ishmael Hope’s Alaska Native Storyteller and Tele Aadsen’s Hooked: One Woman at Sea Trolling for the Truth. Now that’s brilliant: salmon fishing and truth. We all knew they were connected.

I also visit author Heather Lende in Haines. Her posts are short and sweet and there might be a mention or photo of a moose. Alaskan writer and language arts teacher Samantha Davis blogs about middle grade and YA books at The Infinite Booklist. Poet Erin Coughlin Hollowell blogs at Being Poetry: Looking at life through the window of poetry. Multi-talented Monica Devine is blogging at Between Two Rivers: Writing, Art, Nature, Photography. And of course, I visit 49 Writers.

So what are you waiting for? The year is still new. Writer and mountain traveler David Stevenson says, “The fact that I don’t really know what a blog is apparently doesn’t disqualify me from ‘having’ one.” So go ahead, add a photo of a moose, talk about a spectacular northern lights display; shamelessly display a photo of yourself cleaning salmon or comparing the size of your foot to a brown bear’s footprint. Blog on!

Thanks for reading my featured writer posts on 49 Writers. So far we’ve discussed writing rituals, keeping your notebook handy, reading Alaskan writers, and blogging. It’s been great way to start out the New Year and I hope I’ve inspired you. Happy Writing!

*If you have a great blog then please respond to this blogpost and let readers know.