And now for the final minutes from my meeting last week. This is part three of three ... part one can be found here and part two, here.
Organizing your blog ...
Well to be perfectly honest, I felt a little funny discussing "blog organization" with my guests since my own site had been completely out of date for some time! Still, we went over the general layout of a blog -Typepad's offerings at least. I like a 3-column design, but there are several others to choose from - and we also discussed how sidebars or "Typelists" can be used for various types of information: book lists, web links, previous posts, photo albums, personal notes, etc.
I showed them my category list and how I assign my posts with specifically themed tags - so as best to find them later. In my "category cloud" you can see at a glance (by text size) what themes I post about most often: family, nature, home education, food and drink, etc. The more specific your post tags are, the easier it will be to find a specific post down the road. For instance, my Nature category is HUGE ... but if I'm looking for a post about Trees, I have a separate category for that.
My Book Typelists help me keep our reading well organized. I try to update what books the boys are reading (haven't in a while, though!) as well as what book our Book Group is studying each month. I also like to post what books I have sitting on my bedside table as well as favorite book collections - for homekeeping, crafting, nature study, etc. If we're studying a certain subject - owls or Mexico or amphibians, for instance - I have book lists for those too.
Organizing our seasonal reading is particularly easy using Typelists. In my Typelist Index I have stored all the lists I've ever published. So when Spring is approaching, I can grab my "Spring Book Basket" Typelist and add it to my current blog content (removing it once Summer is upon us). I make sure to update the list with any new book titles before posting. It's a great way to remember what books we have in storage (because yes, I can easily forget!).
I've also posted seasonal household lists - for example, a pre-Easter cleaning schedule, a back-to-school supplies list and this month's January to-do's. These are helpful in keeping on top of things around here (relatively speaking lol).
Another way I use my blog is in keeping my nature notes organized - in fact, this is my favorite Typelist of all. At the top left-hand side of my blog you'll find my Nature Notes corner. This is a "notes" style Typelist, meaning it's used primarily for notes, or text. (They can also be used for pasting images such as the birds nest at the top.) As most of you know, we are real nature nuts here - and we enjoy keeping tracks of the changes that come with every season - the flora, fauna, weather etc. On any given day I add an item to my List, dating it and writing out some observations - a migratory bird we spotted, the first rainbow of the year, how much snow fell overnight - and then post it to the List. After several days, or sometimes a week or two depending on how much I write, I scoop up all those notes and make up a post for my other blog, The Nature Corner. What I have now is a wonderful journal of a year (more than a year now) of our New England seasons and our experiences with nature. I find this to be a very easy way to "nature journal" regularly, and these collected notes make up a handy personal almanac of sorts.
Making money with your blog ...
Unfortunately I didn't have a lot of useful information to share on this topic but I felt it needed to be addressed. I am not a professional blogger, but I can see how someone can use a blog to appeal to a targeted market. It's certainly an interesting and easy way to connect with potential customers or clients. Private bloggers can also make money by hosting ads at their site - this is not something I am familiar with, but again, I know it can be done. (If anyone has links or tips on this subject, please feel free to leave me a comment below - I'd be happy to pass on information to my readers.)
Now, the way I can and do profit from my blog is by being a member of the Amazon Associates program. I know there are various ways to profit from this program, but I have only used it in one easy way. The links I post to books (in my posts and on my sidebars) take you directly to Amazon.com. If you buy *anything* when you are at Amazon (it doesn't have to be the book I recommended) I earn a referral fee. Because you came to (and shopped at) Amazon from a link at my blog, they reward me with a percent of your purchase. At the end of each month Amazon Associates sends me a gift certificate to be used at Amazon. I believe there are other options for your earnings, but this worked out best for us.
On a final note on this subject, if you are toying with the idea of writing a book (as *big breath* I am) it is wonderful to have a blog base to feel out ideas and opinions, as well as a potential readership. I have had thoughts for a book for some time, and it's interesting to see what posts capture the most attention here at my blog. This helps me hone my focus and tweak my ideas. So a perspective writer can certainly get a great boost from blogging (if for nothing else than for writing practice!) but as with any business venture, you just never know where and when you'll make a great connection or "meet" someone who can be helpful to you in your endeavor ... and blogging is definitely a fabulous way to meet people!
Types of blogs, including kids' blogs ...
There are so many uses for blogs - the template can be used for a personal diary, a homeschool record, a travel journal, a family reunion project, a housekeeping manual, a photo journal on any and all subjects ...
A neat way to involve blogging in your kids' lives is to give them a blog to play around with. Their sites can be password protected (meaning only people who have their password will be able to find and read their blog). Blog writing is fun but it's also a great way to work on writing skills. Ask your kids to write up a movie review or a book report at their blog - or let them post pictures from a field trip. Recently, Bookworm attended a science lab and I asked him to post a recollection of what he learned from the experience. If you are planning a family vacation, let the kids start a blog in which they can post all kinds of things from their shared experience. They'll get great writing practice as they preserve their journey in a fun and memorable way.
Blogs can also be shared by multiple authors. One blogger must own a pro level account (this is at Typepad, other platforms offer similar packages I am sure) and then invite other bloggers to join her or him in posting about a certain subject. This would be great fun for any group - including a Teen Group or a Drama Club or a Cub Scout pack, etc. The possibilities are endless!
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At the end of my meeting I gave my guests a link to my original post in which many kind readers left comments with links to their blogs. I also shared links to two other bloggers in my homeschool group - both friends of mine and terrific ladies - Leigh and Jenney.
It's so much fun to check in with other homeschoolers (mothers, homemakers et al) and see how things are going for them - what ideas work, what struggles we share in common, how we are feeling about this place we find ourselves in at this time in our life. I enjoy sharing ideas with my readers but more than anything I am thrilled to have four years worth of memories from my family's life. I KNOW without a doubt I would never have this much saved if I didn't have this blog.
In the end, I hope my guests went home with a better feel for blogging - what it is, how it can help a homeschooling mom, and how it can be done by anyone (trust me - if I can do it, ANYONE can!). I know for myself, this meeting left me feeling so invigorated about blogging and determined to find a way to fit it back into my life once again. I know I say this all the time, but I truly appreciate all my readers - especially for your patience and support. Thank you for sticking by me, for all your kind comments and for encouraging me when I can't seem to encourage myself. :)
Blessings to you all - have a wonderful Monday - and I'll see you back here just as soon as I can!
