I tend to break rules.
Always have, probably always will and, oh boy, it gets me into trouble wherever I go. One of the rules I was told when I first started blogging was ‘stick to one subject and cater for a particular kind of audience’. I thought I could do that – Bangladesh; simple; right?
Nope.
I don’t just write about Bangladesh but about Britain too (because I’m British, go figure) and about being a writer, and a teacher, and musician, and scientist…you get the drift. I don’t stick to one subject. At least this gave me the excuse that this is the reason the wordpress team haven’t ‘pressed’ me and made my blog amazingly famous for five minutes. Nothing to do with any writing skill…
But such diversity, whilst not attracting hundreds to my blog, does have one wonderful, wonderful benefit; something I love in ‘real life’ just as much as one in the virtual. And that is I gain a diverse number of followers and readers. You lot come from all over the world and every kind of background and belief.
And some of you are fellow writers.
It is with those of you who are (or who dream of being one) that I offer you this post as something to read and contribute to:
What Are You Excited About? Marketing & Promo Made Easy… | Writers In The Storm Blog.
I came across it thanks to a lovely woman who works helping writers to find work. You can read her blog here: http://chopeclark.com/blog/ She’s a lovely lady and I recommend her newsletters too. You can find her on Facebook as well. She really is lovely!
Anyway, this post by Writers In The Storm has the rather cool idea they call “Promote and Pimp”! The idea is you promote your blog, articles, books – anything as long as it is writing connected – and then ‘pimp’ or praise somebody else’s writing, blog, book or whatever.
I like that.
The sense of helping each other out, it just has that Random Act of Kindness feel to it that might, just might make the world a slightly better place to live in. My writing friends – enjoy the post. I hope it helps you, your writing and those you want others to know about too.
Best wishes 🙂
PS – in case you’re wondering and can’t read my comment on the post itself yet, I promoted this blog (of course!) and pimped the books of an old friend of mine – Elizabeth Haynes who really is a fantastic writer! Check out her work 🙂
kenthinksaloud 
That’s great, thank you for sharing! I love the fact that your blog is diverse, and I chuckled at your mention of the WordPress advise 🙂 I also tried to follow that rule but quickly went astray in my efforts to find perfect 🙂 Let me go check that out now…
Cheers,
Yulia
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Thanks Yulia – I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who can’t follow ‘the rules’! thanks for your kind words and I hope you find the link useful! 🙂
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Hi Ken.
I like your blog just the way it is. It’s real and seems to link to a REAL person.
You’re right, my writing coach keeps telling me to focus. But, I like writing about the stuff that interests me, and being a dilettante that’s a whole lot of stuff.
Thanks for the heads up on chopeclark. Will certainly go check her out.
And, yes, my next blog will be about promoting and pimping.
On that note… Do you have anyHarvest Moon festivals in BanglaDesh and have you blogged about them recently?
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That’s wonderful to hear oddznns! Thank you for your kind and supportive words. I look forward to seeing your own promoting and pimping!
Hmm…now then, Harvest Moon festivals in Bangladesh? Not that I’m aware of, no. There may be some Hindu festivals associated with that but I only have a limited knowledge of Hinduism. My knowledge of Islam (Folk Islam especially) is better and I’m not aware of anything to do with that. Maybe some of my readers who are Muslims will have a better idea if they notice this comment thread? Bangladesh is FULL of festivals. Every month has at least one festival holiday and often two, three or more! The Harvests come round twice a year though some bideshis (foreigners) tell me there is a third one though I’ve never heard of it from Bangladeshis if there is. But the kind of things you’ve been blogging about on your blog (I HAVE been reading!) I can’t say I’ve noticed here.
Sorry I can’t be more help! :S
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Well, you did resonate with the piece I had about the Sufi talking to the moon. There’s another one of Rumi’s up now. You might want to take a look later… http://www.oddznns.wordpress.com. .
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I’ll give it a look when I get the chance. I can see Sufis writing of nature and mystical things certainly. Just not aware of that formalising into anything more ritualistic as harvestmoon festivities. But I could be wrong…
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Fascinating blog, Ken – so glad you found us, over on WITS – I’ll be checking in from time to time!
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That’s wonderful Laura – thanks for dropping by! 🙂
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I think YOU are quite lovely, Ken. Thanks so much for your sweet words while mentioning me in your post.
Hope Clark
http://www.chopeclark.com
http://www.fundsforwriters.com
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My pleasure Hope – you have done so much to inspire me and keep me going with my writing that this is really the very least I could for you. Best wishes to you and your wonderfully creative and supportive work 🙂
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I really enjoy reading your blog! The diverse range of topics is what keeps it interesting for me. Although I mentally do link your teaching posts and Bangladesh posts together, they are pretty much closely related 🙂
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Yeah I think most of the time the teaching and Bangladesh do come together. I still have to remember though that I’ve taught much longer in the UK than I have here. I’m still very much a ‘trainee teacher’ after four years in Bangladesh!
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I was never given blogging advice, but for me sticking to one subject is mind-numbing and the thought alone kills a part of my soul. And on my personal blog, the only audience I have ever catered to is myself. So clearly you’re in good company here.
Though I am so far the only blogger I have ever known who doesn’t give a single thought to stars, subscriber numbers, being “Freshly Pressed” (that one I especially don’t see the value of). I promote other bloggers’ stuff more than I do my own.
Except for Canvas, that site I promote the crap out of.
Anyway, neat idea, Ken. Thanks for sharing and spreading the love around!
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It’s stats I don’t care about, btw, not “stars”. Stupid phone.
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lol 🙂
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And so you should Roobles (you see what I did there? 😉 ) so you should Canvas is a brilliant blog and well worth the promotion.
You know me, I always like to share the love 😉
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Yes Ken, I see what you did. Thanks for the kind words about it, these are the kinds of things that help me to keep on keepin’ on. 🙂
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he he 🙂 Good – that’s what friends are for. 🙂
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“Into this house we’re born,
Into this world we’re thrown.”
And friends help to cushion the shock. 😉
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“…and about our lives we groan?”
Sorry, wrecking a very lovely saying from you there but I couldn’t resist 😉
Friends most certainly DO cushion the shock and I’m grateful for friends like you that help people like me (who feels those shocks more than most) to get through them 🙂
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Ken! Wrecking a very lovely saying from me? You can’t honestly be saying that, not you! Another link for your fb wall.
As for helping you get through, I do what I can, but I think it’s good that you have a wide circle, as I tend to spend a lot of time either on my soapbox or giving you a hard time. Or both, if I do things really well. 😉
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I can’t believe I had not spotted the connection! How foolish am I?!
Both your soapbox and your hard times are very lovely Ruby and I wouldn’t want them to stop – singly OR together. I do have a wide circle, its true, but each person in it (including you) are very special to me. That’s enough niceness for you girl for one day! Tomorrow I shall be mean (and you know how nasty I can get 😉 )
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Yup. Not very! LOL.
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he he 🙂
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Promote and pimp. I love it.
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If anyone was going to appreciate it La La, it had to be you! 😉
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