The Purpose of this Blog – What I will blog about and why I am blogging
So we are finally ironing out the creases in our new blog; it will still be a work in progress for a while yet, but ready to go now. You can find the old one here, at least until we shift all the content over.
I've been deliberating and planning for a quite a while about what I want to do with this blog. The old one, aside from being on someone else's farm, was not, now that I consider it, very focused, and I want this one to be more aligned to my overall purpose.
So what is my overall purpose?
Well, I have four main objectives -
1. I want to write and illustrate excellent and entertaining children's books, graphic novels, YA books, NA books, and romance books. Yes, I do mean to add illustrations to the last three categories as well. It was done once and it ought to be done again. I always like looking at illustrations, and no doubt others do too.
2. I want to create apps and animations that are either related to my books or are stand alone creations.
3. I want to create artworks, principally in pen and ink, water-color, gouache, acrylics, oil, pastels, and collage.
4. I want to connect with possible readers, parents, clients, writers, artists, illustrators, designers, entrepreneurs, and other interesting and creative people.
How will the blog help me with these objectives?
The blog is, of course, not going to help me with the actual writing, illustrating, and art-making, it will even take time away from those very important activities, but it can help me in disseminating the works to the right audience.
To engage with visitors, I will -
Share samples of my artwork.
Share news about the books I've published and the books I'm writing.
Share information about my work process and what is working or not working.
Share the things I am doing or learning to improve my craft.
Share my experiences with time management and productivity.
Share what I am doing to stay mentally focused and motivated.
Share inspirational ideas and quotes, favorite books, music, and movies, and interesting and educational videos that I come across and which I think might be of interest to others.
Share my ideas and experiences of business and marketing.
Post my Sunday comic strip 'The Smartist'.
Write about my music study.
I probably won't be getting too personal, because, aside from beating my own drum and proclaiming far and wide that I'm a genius, I'm a very private person with little interest in washing, hanging, and drying my laundry in public. No, make that mysterious personality intent on retaining her enigmatic aura. I do have a very nice garden and three wonderful dogs though, and I have no qualms about bragging about them. And I sometimes travel and I may mention that and share the photos. Other than that, this will not be a diary.
This already sounds like a lot and it will happen over time, not all at once.
I will keep my blogging frequency to four times a week -
Monday - Inspirational quotes and tips to start the week with
Wednesday - Any new illustration/painting/project I'm working on
Friday - One long article, approximately 1500 words
Sunday - Comic Strip 'The Smartist'
I think this is good to start out with. I will make a note of what works and what doesn't as we go on, and adjust and improve as I see fit.
