When I look back at a few of my earliest blogs, I have two thoughts:
1. Wow, I’ve changed so much since then.
2. I wish I had known xyz back then.
There is something wonderfully vulnerable about the way our voices as writers grow and change when we willingly give them an audience. When we start, it’s exciting, seductive even, that other people want to read our work and are affected by it. A few people read it, and a few more, so we want to see that readership grow. Here are a few things I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) about how to mindfully build a strong readership while writing online.
1. Be genuine—and know your boundaries.
If we don’t truly care about what we are writing about, no one else will either. This is true whether you are writing a personal essay or an article on beets. I know I find that my writing voice does vary depending on the topic, and a wellness article will obviously have a different tone than a personal essay about a traumatic life experience, but being personal and genuine is appropriate either way.
That said, it’s worth thinking about your boundaries up front. We can be completely open and genuine in our writing, but choose not to share on every single topic. It is rare that I write specifics about my kids or my ex-husband. I don’t write specifics about anyone I date. I might share incredibly personal details about how I feel about something or what I experienced, but my dharma on this issue is that I share what’s mine to share—not someone else’s. There are a wide range of opinions on this—and many writers I respect do write about their loved ones (and not-so-loved ones). The key is to think about it and be intentional rather than regretful after the fact.
2. Think about your brand.
This is one of those things that initially feels yucky. We’re artists; we don’t want to think about that stuff. That’s just for advertising and stuff like that, right? Well…
If one of your goals as a writer is to have people who consistently want to read your work, it’s worth considering who you are as a writer. Are you a wellness writer? Are you an essayist? Are you a food blogger? Are you a social commentator? Is there a particular issue you are passionate about that comes up in your writing often? This is not to say that we need to solely write on one topic, but it’s worth considering how you define yourself, rather than waiting for your readership to define you.
People like to look at an author and say, “Oh, she writes about xyz,” and that is what they will expect to read from you. It’s worth taking a look over your work and creating a mission statement for yourself as a writer—even if it’s something you keep to yourself to remind yourself what your goals are.
If you write on multiple, disparate topics, one helpful strategy is to write on them in different venues. If you find a spot where your writing on a particular topic resonates with the readership—keep it there. You can start a separate blog or freelance write elsewhere on other topics.
If you find there are content areas where you consistently write, be intentional. Comment on other articles in those content areas. Connect with other authors in those content areas and share their work as well. Look for current news stories in those areas to blog about. This will help you solidify your identity as a writer, which helps you as well as your audience. The intention here is not to be restrictive, but to find clarity. Being intentional about your focus as a writer is a discipline that helps you grow.
3. Find another writer you trust to honestly edit you.
Having a peer editor or writer friend that you trust is huge. I have a few friends who I often ask to go over my work, especially if it’s a piece I feel emotional about. The key is finding someone you not only trust with your heart, but someone you trust to be honest with you. The friend I ask the most often to look over my work is also the most critical of my work, in a gentle but thorough way.
I had a day where I had something buzzing around in my head, dumped it all into the computer and was riled up thinking it was so amazing and earth shattering. But…then something made me pause. I shared it with my friend, and he gently said, “This is one is just for you.” And that happens. And I needed to hear it. We need to have writer friends who don’t just pat us on the back and tell us we’re awesome; we need friends who can say, “What if you moved this part up here?” or “What if you tried it this way instead?” or even, “I hear you, and I think this one is just for you.”
Writing is a wonderful tool for processing our lives; not all of what comes up is meant to be shared with the world. Having someone to witness that and help guide you is a tremendous gift.
4. Be heartful in your social media use.
When you share your work on social media, do it from your heart. It’s a little disheartening when someone copy/pastes the exact same intro and shares their article in half a dozen groups, Facebook pages and friends’ walls. It can feel disingenuous on the receiving end, even if the author’s intentions are great and they are merely trying to save time. Sometimes we do find that one line in a post that we are so proud of that we want to share it everywhere with that.
Change it up. Don’t be spammy. We don’t relate to every friend we have the same way. We don’t discuss the same things in every Facebook group. Be personal when you share it and be clear about why it’s relevant to those you are sharing with. If you are posting a link on someone’s wall, or tagging them so it shows up on their wall, make sure it’s someone you’ve built enough of a relationship with to know they are receptive. And share things that will interest them! Your Paleo-loving pal doesn’t necessarily want your top five vegan recipes. Your polyamorous friend doesn’t want to read your article on why monogamy is the new black.
The key here is that readership is a relationship. Build it the same way you build other relationships, by strengthening the areas where you have things in common.
5. Make your own rules about dealing with comments.
There are so many different opinions about commenting. Some sites moderate comments. Some sites, including Popular Science, have removed commenting capabilities altogether. Some still allow an un-moderated free for all in the comments. I like to think of it this way: someone can put garbage on my doorstep, but I don’t have to leave it there. Disagreement is different than being abusive or belligerent.
My personal rules for dealing with comments are actually similar to how I deal with face-to-face criticism.
If someone comments critically, I ask myself if it’s a valid criticism or if it seems that they are just venting. If it’s the first one, I will often respond, ask more questions if I have them and try to create a dialogue. The potential trap there is getting caught up in the idea that we can “make the commenter understand.” Because if he just understood he would agree and all would be right with the world! Well, probably not.
Sometimes people understand where you are coming from and still don’t agree. Sometimes people aren’t interested in understanding where you are coming from. You do not have to respond, in fact, it’s a great exercise in discipline to leave it alone, or just say, “Thanks for your thoughts” and leave it at that.
6. Know when to break the rules.
Someday, you will feel defensive and get in a fight with a commenter. You will be unintentionally spammy because you are really excited about an article. You will write something fluffy and silly because you found a cool picture. You will over share and then feel vulnerable and embarrassed. You will write about something passionately that you’ve never written about before that doesn’t fit anywhere with anything else you’ve written. You will publish something that really should have stayed in your journal. You will break your own rules, and you will make mistakes.
The best way, the most important way, to build a readership is to keep writing what’s in your heart. Some of what’s in your heart is only meant for one person. Some of what’s in your heart can change the world, if you are willing to let it out. Some of what’s in your heart is awkward and quirky and feels like a mistake to share, and those are often the ones that touch people the most. Some of what’s in your heart is brash and arrogant (and those will be the ones you look back and see how far you’ve come). All of what’s in your heart is human, and when we let that human animal run a little wild, that’s when we connect with people—on and off the page.
If views matter more to you than the actual quality of your writing, please go do something else. Go write porn, or listicles for Buzzfeed. A strong readership for your writing isn’t about your view count; it’s about building relationships and finding your tribe as a writer.
If you truly want to do that, it’s easy… write the things that won’t stay unwritten.
Kate Bartolotta is the owner and editor-in-chief of Be You Media Group. She also writes for The Huffington Post, elephant journal and The Good Men Project. She is determined to change the world—one blog at a time. Connect with Kate on Twitter, Facebook and Google +.
Photo: Amy the Pirate