Blogging

Tips to Increase Followers and Views.

Ronovan Blogging , , , , , , , ,

Followers and Views, two different aspects of blogging that go hand in hand but at times do so in ways that you may not think about.

People like that Follower number to grow even if they don’t like to admit it. But not all of that number View your posts. Many did at one point but over time things happen and blogs slip through the cracks. That’s one reason I try to Follow the ones I really, really can’t miss by email. That being said, I don’t WANT to miss anyone’s posts, but I have developed some relationships that have been good for me that I don’t want to let slip away for certain. If you are new here, I have retro grade amnesia and short term memory problems so I have to do certain things to make it easy on me. I just didn’t want anyone to take what I was saying the wrong way.

Here is an article which touches on our subject today.

Blogger Psychology: Views vs. Likes, Which Satisfies you?

We will start with Followers.

A big place for a blog to initially get Followers is through their blog’s platform. I will be referring to the WordPress platform for the purpose of this article as that is the platform I have this blog on.

WordPress has a Reader. This is where the In House Readers or IHR as I call them come from. You can use the Reader to see the blogs of the people you follow or you can select a Tag to see and read anyone that comes up with that Tag attached to their post describing what their post is about, even if you don’t Follow them. I can put in the Tag Haiku and see all of those posts with that Tag. Even if the post/article is about jelly beans they can put Haiku as a Tag and it will show up under Haiku.

Here comes a problem. If you have a very short post, Images or a Haiku poem for example, people can see that in the Reader and simply click Like from there without ever having made it to your blog and registering as a View. For a blogger who often writes Haiku that can really take a chunk out of the potential Views even if I get 50 Likes for a Haiku from the Reader.

If people go to your blog you have a better chance of them Following you and of course you get the Views. For me, well I suppose it’s the Views that show me people are interested in what I do, not just Likes.

Likes are nice but Views make news.

But to be honest when I see certain people Liking my Haiku and the Views are not matching up, I don’t freak out. I know they are reading and I know they didn’t just click Like because they click Like on every person they see. There are people that do that in hopes of having people Follow them or in hopes of keeping Followers.

Increasing Followers and Views go hand in hand. Someone has to Follow something somewhere in order to get to your Blog. It could be a Tweet on Twitter or a link in someone’s blog post. I can’t talk about Views without some reference to Follows. That’s why I went into all of that.

Here’s a checklist of things you might want to keep in mind.

  • Make your posts longer-That sounds opposite coming from someone who wrote an article called Short and Sweet Keeps Them in Their Seats. Well, in this case you want posts to be longer so the WordPress.com Reader cuts them off and thus makes the reader need to click to your blog. I don’t mean way long though. This is not something I actively do, but something I am pointing out to you so you are aware of it. With a Haiku or image you can see everything on the Reader and no one need visit your blog.  But you say you don’t want to do that. So what should you do? Well if you are writing an article make the opening lines count. I don’t normally have short articles but if I want people to click on something that might say 1,275 more words at the end of the cut off point in the Reader, I best make those first words count.
  • Writing counts-Make certain you are putting quality out there. Regardless of what it is, make it the best writing you can do.
  • Subject matter-You will have visitors from your other social networks but you want to go for the IHR. One way IHR find you is according to the Tags you use. We know tagging is important. I’ve discussed it many times. I even have an article Tag So You’re It. But let’s move on from there. What are you writing about? Are you turning off your current Followers and Viewers with a sudden change in interest? I recently became passionate about the plight of a Blogger who is imprisoned in Saudi Arabia. Since that day my Views have dropped big time. Perhaps I offended someone. Well more than some ONE. But as I have said, I will write what I write and whatever happens happens. So that’s a decision for you to make. But I write honestly. I don’t write popularly.
  • Social networking activity-Usually the more involved you are the more likely you will have increased Blog activity.

The key to more Followers and Views?

The secret all Bloggers want to know?

Time

  • Time as in effort you put in regarding the quality of work you do.
  • Time you put in for social networking activity.
  • Time in waiting for the Followers and Views to find you after you have worked on the first two Times. The Three Ts.

But honestly you need to do a little of all three to get the job done. And one of those you MUST do. Quality.

For more articles on Increasing Views and Followers:

Why Isn’t Anyone Reading My Articles?

3 Ways to Increase Views And Make Your Life Easier

Blogging Tips: 3 More Ways to Increase Your View . . . The Easy Way

5 Image Things To Know For SEO

How To Increase Your #SEO Results And Get Your #Blog Noticed

 

 

Ronovan Writes

 

 

 

 

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Disabled, Disgruntled and Disenchanted-The WordPress Stats Page

Ronovan Blogging , , , ,

Thank you WordPress for making it more difficult for me to see my stats with this new stats page. You asked for my feedback and I explained how with my hands how scrolling is difficult and is actually becoming more and more difficult as time goes by.

Now you have made it so the View Old Stats Page option is at the very bottom of the screen. I am not as interested in my stats as I once was but I do look at them to see how things are at times and to do research for blog posts and blog tips.

I guess there will be less posts of that nature after the current one I am working on. Perhaps you just wish for some of us to stop posting all together. Some of us use voice to text software just to do posts in the first place. Yes, you have disabled people using your platform. Or you have had. Maybe you will have fewer as time goes by.

Sincerely,

Ronovan Writes

Introduction: Part 1

Ronovan Writing , , ,

Brand New Blog
Go Check it out and Follow from the Beginning. Welcome a new WordPress family member.

From nothing to a Blog Post. It happens.

Ronovan Blogging , , , , , , , ,

I’ll be honest with you, I have no idea what I am going to write. I opened up this page with the thought of just letting words happen. The idea of writing about How I DIDN’T Watch Football on New Year’s Day came to mind. Then I thought, why? I asked myself that as I leaned back against the headboard of my bed, leg stretched out crossed at the ankles and my laptop, well, on my lap top. Not that I’ve ever heard of a lap bottom. Why would I write about no football?

I thought about writing a poem, but it felt forced. So that was a no.

I thought about a writing or blogging tip, no.

I thought about promoting a book I like a lot by a friend of many of us, no. But that being said seriously go and purchase The Blue Diamond: The Razor’s Edge by PS Bartlett. It really is excellent and no, I do not say that as a friend. My honesty comes before friendship, otherwise my recommendations mean nothing. And she has other books in the series she is working on so there are more to come.

I did create a logo for the Lit World Interviews site. I am sharing that because I enjoyed doing it and I do think it looks pretty good.

lit world interviews logo

Okay so there, picmonkey.com. I was a fan of fotoflexer.com for a while. I still like some of their features. But picmonkey has become my current go to. I create all my own images of late, if at all possible. That way I don’t have to worry about credits and the like. My images, my credit, or no credit really.

I originally was against picmonkey because of the way you had to navigate, but as I mentioned in a previous article it was just a matter of getting accustomed to things. And it was very easy to grow accustomed.

There are some limitations in some font choices I would like but the ones they have are very cool and varied and you can load your own fonts. The borders are nice and the effects and textures are excellent. If you are creative you can do a lot with them.

From creating a banner, a simple blog insert or even a book cover picmonkey.com is a great place to get the hang of. And it is really simple once you just start clicking and playing around with it. I use it every day.

Oh, and when you save it, make sure to put dashes between words like this – and ronovan-writes-blogging-tipsnot like this _ because _ is ignored in searches so words run together. While this – is seen as a space.

And that’s how I created a post for today. I wrote until something of interest to me came up and I thought would be of use to you. Normally I get rid of the not possibly interesting parts but decided to leave them in today just to show you how random I am.

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Resolution Day.

Ronovan Life , , , , ,

Resolution Day.

This the day we make promises not to be kept. Promises we make each year. Be honest with yourself today and make this resolution;

  • wake up each morning and renew your commitment to what it is you have as a goal.
  • Print out your list and tape it to your mirror, your wall or wherever you will always see it.
  • Keep several lists.
  • Each month change the color of the list so as not to become so accustomed to it your eyes ignore it.

Resolutions are lost each year because we fall away from being Resolute to them.  We do not have a Resolve to do the tasks.

Each morning make it part of your routine to prepare yourself each day to work toward your goals.

I do not normally make New Year’s Resolutions. This year I do have some goals and I will share them here so I will be reminded in a years time whether I met my goals.

These are professional goals:

  1. I will have two books made available to the public this year.
  2. I will be part of making the LitWorldInterviews site become something much respected in the Author and Lit World by improving the quality of my interviews once the current set of interviews have been completed.
  3. Quality on all of my sites will improve. Meaning Quality over Quantity as I endeavor to provide my friends with my absolute best.
  4. I will begin to take time each day to read more of my friends’ blogs and promote them.
  5. I will ask a friend each month to do a Guest Blog on my RonovanWrites site, beginning with Suzie of Suzie81Speaks, who will respectfully decline because she is so busy. This will be followed by requests made to Florence T and Hugh Roberts. Then I will go from there. Why so public announcement of who I will ask? These are three that have impressed me with a maturity in growth in tone of their blogs since I began reading them. I don’t know if others have noticed but I have. And maturity does not mean they were silly to begin with. I simply mean there is a tone in them that is more about writing as they like and not for others TO like. And there are others as well.
  6. I will simplify my blogging and in turn attempt to help others do so as well to make blogging more enjoyable as opposed to a time consuming unpaid business venture.

There are other Resolutions I am certain I will come up with but for now these will do.

Do I dare say I will find an agent or publisher to sign with this year? Do I go out on a limb and say that?

I will say yes.

With that in mind, just know that I will be devoting a lot of time to making a dream come true. And when it happens to me, know it can happen to you.

Now what are You

Resolving

To Do?

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My Top 10 Most Liked Blog Tip Posts of 2014.

Ronovan Blogging , , , , ,

When  I started blogging I never thought I would have anyone reading my work or following my blog. Honestly I just wanted to share what thoughts came to mind as a way to get them out of my head because I needed to. I mean I literally had to get all these things out or go crazy. A concussion will do that to you.

I was a teacher of students of ages 14-over 50 or 60 all in the same classroom. Then I was a trainer and manager in the business world. Teaching is in my blood somehow. If I learn it I share it.  And I like to share it as simply as possible. Well as simple as other people can understand. It isn’t always simple to make it simple for others to get it. But people have liked my Blogging Tips this past year and here they are my . . .

Top 10

ronovan-writes-blogging-tipsOf 2014

#10
How to Increase your #SEO Results and get your #Blog noticed.
Sept 15

#9
Nice try . . . but even though I may be stupid, I do check.
Sept 5

#8
3 Ways to Increase Views and Make Your Life Easier
Aug 21

#7
Keeping Your Sanity in Blog World
Sept 4

#6
3 Things Every Writer or Blogger Should Consider
June 29

#5
5 Image Things to Know for SEO
Dec 3

#3
Add your website/blog site to your Gravatar.com site . . . PLEASE!
Aug 19
#Blog #Tips Tag So You’re It-How to Tag your Blog Right.
Dec 1

#2
Writing and Blogging For Therapy
65 June 3

#1
How to Survive the Blog Life.
Oct 14

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What is a blog?

Ronovan Blogging , , , , , , ,

What in the world is a blog?

Big Lazy Old Guy.

No, no that’s just my own personal definition as I look at my reflection in the screen of my laptop as I write this.

You’ve heard of them, Blogs that is, you might even have one, still Blogs or maybe that other blog definition, but you have no idea what that really means. Well, let’s give it a shot, shall we?

You have two creatures out there called web sites and weB LOGS. Or some might say weblog as the history of the word goes. See what I did there? Yes, I know you did.

Keep It Simple Simpleton

A site is one of those places that you go to and is somewhat static in nature with some background content updates. For the most part it’s a place where you will most likely see the same thing each time you visit. For you writers out there, ever notice when you go to a literary agency web site how things don’t look much different? That’s a site.

A weB LOG is a log of things that come to your mind and you share with everyone. It might be life events, creative sparks, anything. Anyone can have a Blog. Many authors have both a web site and a Blog. With Blogs an author puts out promotional updates and even samples of what they might be working on. Or at times just a quick little poem or short story to give fans a taste.

I personally, believe it or not do own a website, www.ronovan.com, just no hosting for it so here I am in Blog World and will stay here even once I have hosting I can afford or find for free somehow. The Web Site would act as the landing site for visitors and then they could click on a tab on the page to show up here. Which they can do now actually. How about that name for my website? Is that original or what? Can you believe it wasn’t taken by anyone? And yes, Ronovan really is my name.

Why is a Blog so useful?

  • A blog is where you can have fun and keep fans posted on goings on in your author career.
  • You can show your personality in a blog. This how you really connect to fans these days. You combine a blog with things like Twitter, Google+ and other things and you have people that will buy your books. They want to know your life, and this is a way to give that to them. Even if it’s just a picture of a sunset near your home or places you’ve been.
  • And as for being a part of WordPress you can become part of a massive author community that  helps each other out. You can learn a lot about being an author, from writing to marketing right here on WordPress.

You don’t connect like that with a Web Site. You are mostly out there on your own.

In reality you can make a Blog, which is really a web site as well, a traditional web site if you wanted to. Perhaps I will do some articles about building a Blog. I did a few on my LitWorldInterviews site but life got in the way of my completing the series. Who knows? I may have even written a few articles here on Ronovan Writes as well. I tend to write a bit about everything. You may have noticed that.

So before I commit to telling you to expect a series, I’ll have it completed first. But, if you have a question, ask. You can even send a question to RonovanWrites (at) gmail (dot) com and I’ll see if I can help you out.

Much Respect

Ronovan

Ron_LWI

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5 Image Things to Know for SEO

Ronovan Blogging , , , , , , ,

In a recent article I discussed How to Tag Your Blog Right. In that article I mentioned that to increase SEO results and thus visitors and views to your blog does not mean extra work. Tagging your blog content is something you do anyway, so why not do it properly? I also discussed the permalink change that is no extra effort. Extra effort to me is if I have to do research and search for all the things to do for an article. I like to just go with the flow of the mind waves.

Today is another ‘No Extra Effort, Should Already Be Doing It’ thing to, again, increase SEO results. I harp on SEO results. I don’t do this to try and turn you into a tech savvy market yourself machine. I do it to give you the lingo and the basics of blogging and website management. You write it, you build it, don’t you want it seen?

I get in a rush sometimes and don’t always do this. To be honest, as I have said before, I am not so much focused on really pushing my blog to be some monster machine. I’m happy the way I am. That being said, I should be doing these things. Reading about these things might make it SEEM like there is more to do, but it’s not. It’s just you are reading about what you already do. That always makes it sound like work.

5 image things to know for s e o

Image Type or File Type

When you look at images on your computer you see those letters at the end after the . that are usually JPG, GIF or PNG. Those really are QUALITY things to look at. If you want QUALITY at any size go with the JPG. PNG and GIF would just depend on what you have. I notice that at times a site called picmonkey will save a creation in PNG form. This is not to say it is better than others, it just means that the format is good for that image. How do I know this for certain the JPG is the best quality? I took a picture and did something I will discuss in the next point.  The JPG quality sometimes surpassed PNG and GIF greatly.

You are probably wondering how if you have a GIF how you can turn it into a JPG. In WINDOWS you simply open the file then click;

  • File
  • SAVE AS
  • And Choose JPEG from the Save as type portion of the pop up box that shows up. At least that’s how it works with mine. Most will work similarly. Play with it if yours is different.
  • Save

Right about now you are thinking that is a lot of work. Do it a couple of times and it takes you maybe 30 seconds. My apologies if that ruins your day.

Others of you are asking yourself “What difference does it make since the picture looks fine to me?”

File Size or Web Page Load Speed

You’ve written a catchy sounding title, it’s been clicked on and then it just sits there attempting to load. If I am a passerby visitor I’m gone already. If I am a friend and follower of yours I will refresh to see if it works and if not, I might come back later. Sure I will eventually read your post if I remember. If I have 10,ooo followers on my Blog and another 20,000 on Twitter and I might have shared that post with them at Lunch Time in the New York City time zone and am now sharing it in the 2 AM New York City time zone instead, that might mean a bit of difference to you.

This is a little extra work for you. But it’s quick work.

The smaller your File Size for an image the faster your load time. But be careful of your quality. Reducing File Size means reducing the number of pixels per inch. As you reduce the number of pixels you are basically taking away detail of the image.

  • DynamicDrive has something called Image Optimizer that is free to use online. You can choose a URL to load or an image from your computer. You can convert to a different type, and then compress.  The really great part? You can then scroll down and look at the original photo and compare to the different reduced file sizes for what you like. Yes, they get bad toward the bottom, but the first couple are pretty good. And depending on your purpose for the image, that -21% image might be nice enough. Then you just save the image you want and move on.
  • I Optimized the same photo in all three file types and the jpg was by far the best quality.
  • What you have below is the original photo in JPG form, then reduced by 21% in JPG form, then by 19% in GIF  and then the PNG is the only one they offered.

collaborationstallcollaborationstall_21collaborationstall_19collaborationstall_4Extra Bonus? Less space on your computer taken up as well if it’s something you are just using for a blog post and not a family photo.

Now you know about quality file types. You know about compressing or resizing your file types. Now onto something else that’s important and we will discuss it in three forms. Why? Because there are three different forms

Naming Your Images

File Name or Image Name

This is the name you give it on your computer and then load it to your site or blog. Think key words and simple English. Don’t jam it full of buzz words. Let’s say you have an image of a sunset. Suggested File Name;

  • pink-sunset-over-ocean.jpg

Basically you describe what is in the image with the most important words first, just in case you use too many characters. In a way you are ‘tagging’ your images. Basic and to the point. If you had a vehicle you would put in the details of the vehicle such as blue-honda-accord-2007-se.jpg or something like that. Your images have to have a name so why not make them useful for you and SEO. I have done a bad job of naming some of my images in the early stages and spend forever looking for that one image I need.

Alt  Text

If you look in the Media portion of your site or blog you will see something called an Alternate or Alt Text box. Fill that out. Don’t leave it blank. When you load the image you will already be on this screen with this field staring at you. What do you do? One simple thing would be to take the file name and just replace the dashes with spaces. I know that sounds simple but that is one suggestion. You can also give it a different name such as;

  • sunset over laguna beach pacific ocean

Now you have two different wordings for the same image for the SEO to see. Just remember to use the important words first.

Title

The great thing here is that for WordPress.com users this is already filled in. Now you can always change it for a third descriptive and short blurb. If you have a site or blog that doesn’t fill in the Title go ahead and put something in there. There is no 100% answer to if it does or does not impact SEO but why not? You can even just copy and paste the ALT Text blurb if you like.

So why the big deal about naming?

There are tools out there for the visually impaired that actually read your images. Also SEO reads your images and if you have an image at the beginning of your article or post and there is nothing to read but gibberish File Name numbers that came from your camera then that search is going to skip right by you. I am not certain how far into your content a search goes but make sure those first couple of of paragraphs, images included, have important words in there.

Much Respect

Ronovan

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Get that Creative Spark Back: Do a Guest Blog

Ronovan Blogging , , , , , , ,

How can you spark your Blog World Creativity?

It’s called the . . .

Guest Blog

Yes, that fabled thing we all hear about and sometimes actually take part in. I did one a while back. Now I’ve done two. Today, this being Friday, November 21, 2014 I have a guest post on Meanings and Musings by Florence T. How in the world did I end up on the blog of a very deep thinking, super intelligent ladies’ blog?

Well it all started back in 1970 when two young tadpoles were born and then . . . okay maybe that’s too far back. Florence is crazy busy in her life and needed a Florence 2stand in for her Blog for the day. And yes, Florence T is the Florence of LitWorldInterviews. So her being so nice as to help me out on that site I was more than happy to step in and save the day. Super Ronovan Writes to the rescue.

Then I find out the topic. I wont’ tell you what it is, you’ll have to go find out for yourself. Let’s just say it’s not a subject I would have thought of. But the good thing is, it stretches the creativity.

When asked, don’t say no. Just go for it and whatever the topic, do it. Just remember, you are writing it and you can make it what you want it to be, not necessarily what they thought it would be.

As long as you write in a respectful manner that doesn’t like insult the audience or the host then cool. Like I know that on Meanings and Musings, Florence’s site, I will not use profanity. Not that I do anyway. She is a professional; attorney, therapist, teaching college, mother, saint. astronaut, former pop diva, and professional wrestler. (Some of that might be true and some might not.)I keep that in mind, although I don’t let it stop me from having fun. I still have to be me, and she knew that going in.

That poor woman. All those poor readers. All I can say is part of the title is “What’s up with Sex?”

Perhaps I will start Guest Posts here. Hmm. Not a bad idea. Random Writers on Ronovan Writes. Interesting.

Much Respect

Ronovan

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I’m Alright. Don’t nobody worry about me.

Ronovan Blogging , , , , , ,

Yesterday I wrote an article about why people are still blogging. I have a reason you should be. however I also mentioned how my blog views had slipped and asked for some feedback. I think that turned into the purpose of the blog. The thing is, yes my views have decreased, but I’m not in any danger of like being unemployed. For one I don’t get paid to do this. (Pause for chuckles.)

(Continue) BUT really, I’m All Right, Don’t nobody worry about me.

(Wait for everyone to stop gopher dancing.)

 

 

(Continue) I came into Blog World without any views and I can stay in Blog World without any views. Yeah, I like them. And seriously I am good with my number of my views, if not I know how to increase them.

I asked people to give me reasons they might see as to why THEY think I might have fewer views. I was waiting to see who chimed in and what advice I received. You see, I know the reasons.

  • I have changed a little of what my content is.
  • Summer is over and school is in session so there is a little less viewing time for a lot of people.
  • I don’t write depressing, pain riddled poetry much if at all any longer
  • I don’t put out 3+ articles a day, I do sometimes but it’s rare and only if I really like something.
  • It’s football season here in the US of A.
  • I also don’t Tweet and advertise quite like I used to.

Does this mean I don’t have a lot of views? I don’t really know what a lot of views means. I would like to think that I do okay. I mean I know what some sites get as I have been in the background working on them and I am higher and lower depending on the site.

Do I plan to do something to try and raise my numbers up? No. You see if you try to do something to raise your numbers, people know it. I pretty much have had fun my entire blogging except that I did feel a need to put out at least three post per day. Why? I wanted to put out a variety of content for different possible visitors.

Some might point to my new site as being an energy eater. Most of you know I have a limited amount of energy, although I always seem to be around. Pain is pain and if you give in you get no gain. Right? Right.  And yes LitWorldInterviews is taking a lot of energy out of me. I actually need an assistant to help format some of my work over there. Formatting is my hard part. My hands don’t work so well. I am working on getting voice to text to work so I can ‘write’ by speaking. Yes, that’s how bad my hands are.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not complaining about how busy LWI is. I mean two author interviews per week, a current series on Author Presence, Book Reviews by four people out in one week, plus Feature Articles. Who even knew that would happen? And I’m still not doing all that I want to do there. Only one of me.

Well, sorry I spoke about LWI, I am trying not to do that so much here on my personal blog but it is part of my life, and there is stuff going on there that I think some of you here on RonovanWrites would like to know about. But I just wanted people to know that I am fine and don’t plan to do anything different. I am happy with my blog and what is happening. I still have more than enough views. And I know the events that cause them to be low at times.

 

Much Love and Respect to all you reading

Ronovan

 

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Why are you still Blogging?

Ronovan Blogging , , , , , ,

Have you figured out why your blog is important to the universe and you need to keep going with it?

Oh be honest, you really have no idea. None of us do until an aha moment happens. No I do not intend to break into song  “Take On Me” and think of the greatest music video ever.

Okay so perhaps I did that last part. Now back to why I am here. Actually literally why I am here.

I’ve noticed in recent times my viewership has started dying away.

tumblr_inline_mrwi4acR2u1qz4rgp

Does this worry me? I have to actually sit myself down and step back to think that through. That in itself should tell you if I am worried. Ultimately the answer is no. You see I think I know why it’s happened and it’s a rather sad reason. But I’m okay with that.

20050523-tows-tom-cruise-2-600x411

But I still serve a purpose. You know as long as you help or inspire one person, your blog is worth it. To be honest if all I had going here was my various Haiku challenges each week and my Sunday Thoughts I suppose I would feel like I was doing something in the world, something more than I ever thought I would do.

That’s what you have to figure out. Is there someone that has commented on your blog that you helped them in some way? If you helped one, don’t you think you’ve helped others? Those others who haven’t spoken?

You might be saying that you’ve never had anyone say that. There is something I’ve discovered while blogging, or maybe two, okay maybe three somethings.

  1. I get things out of me that I need to get out and that is therapeutic. I am mentally and emotionally healthier than I was the day I started blogging.
  2. I have found my writers voice while blogging. I am not afraid to write anything under the sun and I know I can write it. Sure, I may not be an award winning author . . .  yet, but I can write an article with the best of them when I want to.
  3. I’ve made friends here that I wouldn’t have otherwise.

I imagine many of you can agree with all three of those, if not then I know you can say yes to at least one of them. So when you feel like you can’t blog or it’s not doing any good and then you remember that you wanted to blog to change things in the world, you have. You just have to realize what part of the world you’ve changed, even it is you that has changed.

jerry-mcguire-callouts

As readers of this here thing called a blog, why do YOU think my views are dying off? I do want to hear suggestions.

And believe me, I have a list of reasons, some are even very harsh, and I came up with them all. I just want to see if I am thinking right. So share, please do.

Does this mean I will change anything I am doing? Who knows. My main goal is to be happy.

Much Respect

Ronvoan

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Surviving the Blogging Dry Spell.

Ronovan Blogging , , , , ,

“HELLO?! It’s dry in here!” My brain screamed at the top of its . . . whatever it has to scream at the top of with.

“’Sup?” I asked.

“Dude, we got nothin’.”

“What do you mean, nothin‘?”

“Seriously? I’m your brain and you are asking me what that means?” It asked. It sounded ticked.

I waited a moment, gathering my thoughts.

“Dude, I’m your brain, I know what you’re thinking. Yes, I mean we have no more ideas up here. You need to get your butt in gear and stimulate us somehow,” it said.

“Okay,” I said. “You got any ideas?”

“You are a freakin’ froo froo. I just told you we’re dried up and you ask if I have any ideas.”

“Oh yeah. Okay . . . wait, then how am I supposed to come up with something if you have no ideas for me to come up with ideas?” I asked, realizing the real dilemma.

“Just figure it out. I’m taking a nap.”

Surviving the Blogging Dry Spell . . . Or How to plan for one.

Yes, the above is a real conversation I’ve had–a few times. Don’t commit judge me!

Remember that feeling when you first created your blog . . . and immediately wanted to change the name of it? And that was after you sat there 20 minutes coming up with the first name. Nah, I’m just kidding about the changing the name part—a little.

We had that giddy feeling of having a presence on the internet. We were now going to take over the world share our thoughts with others.

Then–dun dun dun.

We had to write our first blog post and, yes, we froze.

We were excited but our brains started hurting because we thought this was the be-all-end-all of our blogging career. The future relied on that first post. DOOM was on the horizon and we were freaking out and regretting we ever signed up for the Blog World Life!!!!

Boy, were we wrong. Drama Diva much? I get like that at times. Hey, we all have a touch of diva in us.

But that excitement is something we want to keep going. And wo/man, is it difficult at times. And you know what? It’s okay. It happens, just go with it.

You might look at my blog and wonder how I would know about a lack of excitement in blogging and finding that energy to create something new. All you see is the AMOUNT of articles/posts I have.

Variety is the spice of life, folks.

I do poetry, humor pieces, opinion pieces, post videos, rants, stories and I even interview bloggers and at one point on RonovanWrites I did Author Interviews, I’ve started a new site for that though.

Some sites like to do just one type of thing. If that’s the case, then keep in mind you might run into a dry spell. I said might? You WILL run into a dry spell. Even with variety it WILL happen.

How do you make it through a dry spell and get that excitement back?

  • Write while you are excited and hold some of those things in reserve. Don’t put everything out like a maniac like I have done. I’ve put out enough for two years worth of posts. In the beginning I would put it out as it came. Because the thought was that you needed content content content. But the habit you start is the habit you keep. Then I came to my senses and began to go ahead and schedule something for each day moving forward until I am done with that creative flow. I also have drafts of things I’ve done and folders on my computer with things to pull from if I need to.
  • Visit blogs and find inspiration there. I said find inspiration, NOT copy. There are times I will read something and think a few things; 1) That word used, I like that and can do something with it, 2) That turn of a phrase brings a memory to mind, or 3) That is just wrong and I need to write something factual about something along those lines. I don’t take an idea and then make it my own. Never do that. If you do something with an idea, give credit to whoever it was and then go with it.
  • Have a Reblog day of some of your favorite posts you’ve found and make that part of your regular schedule. Why? It allows you time to actually visit blogs when you might normally be writing because you think it’s all about you. And if you plan to do that, make sure to be someone who reads reblogs as well. Why? I’ve found that reblogs aren’t the biggest traffic inviters on my site. I try, but most times it just doesn’t work. Maybe I don’t present it right. But Reblogging does a lot of things. It helps you rest, and it gives your friends another outlet for their creativity and it shows your enjoyment of what they do. So if you are reading this, expect some reblogs here, and not just from my LitWorldInterviews site.
  • Be open to anything. Even if you do only blog one type of thing, be open how to interpret things to fit your content type. I created a Wordless Haiku for Photography even though I am not a Photography but I love seeing what people do with it.
  • Spend a day commenting on blogs. I tell you, having a conversation with your fellow bloggers can be a great stress reliever.
  • Read your comments on your blog posts. There are ideas waiting there for you.
  • Take a break. Yes, take a break. Who says you have to post every day? Take a mental break and recharge. Go out into the world and look around, pay attention, and write what you see.

There are a lot more things you can do, but only you know what they are. Just know that a Dry Spell in Blogging does not mean to stop Blogging all together. It happens to everyone. Dry Spell might even be the wrong words to use. You might just be going through a Down Spell, or a Blah Spell in your energy and you THINK it’s a Dry Spell.

Give it some time and then you’ll be fine. Don’t put a time limit on it. Don’t set deadlines for yourself ever. Deadlines are a killer in blogging. Blog because you want to blog and blog when you want to blog.

Well, that’s about it for me this week. My brain has said “stop now before you get into that you are stretching it too thin, Ronovan  zone”.

See Y’all Next Time
Ronovan

ron_full_river - cropped

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There’s No Worrying In Blogging!

Ronovan Blogging , , , , ,

All through life I’ve worried about things.

In school it was having friends, crushes, grades. Okay, flip those first two. Yeah, that’s the order. I remember Roberta and  a song that began with . . .

Down on the corner by the traffic light

Everybody’s lookin’ as she goes by

Since college it’s been family, job, health. No flipping the order there. Not really sure of a song I would put to that. Perhaps something like  . . .

I think I’m tired today, driving the same old way

Why can’t I see what’s ahead, only blindly living instead

Now here I am in Blog World. I entered in timid and unsure. I didn’t know really what I wanted to write, well I did but I didn’t know how to write it the way it needed to be.

Approaching 800 articles across Blog World later . . . I still find myself worrying.

Or I did.

Ladies and Gentleman, and unladylike and slovenly, I have discovered that, to paraphrase a famous line from a famous baseball movie;

“There’s no worrying in blogging!”

This is not a joke.

Not some pithy thing to say. I mean it.

I worried at one point about talking about my faith. I do it mostly on Sundays, but I’ve been happily surprised at the reception. If the reception had been bad would I have stopped? Well in the beginning no one was really ‘recepting’ it . . . soooo. .  .

I’ve worried about things like writing sensual poetry or even articles about race. Would I offend people? Would people stop following me? Would people not visit and like my work?

Yes, I fell into the blogger Blog World trap. I obviously did not fall in so deep that I didn’t post what I wanted to. But I did struggle and worry and even question myself after publishing.

But do I still worry? Am I still afraid people will abandon RonovanWrites over something Ronovan Writes or how bad Ronovan Writes what he Writes?

Let me paraphrase again, only with a slight difference this time.

“THERE IS NO ROOM FOR WORRYING IN BLOGGING!”

I am not saying intentionally seek to offend people. But do not be afraid to speak your mind. I happen to have a fairly rational and calm way of doing it. It’s just in my personality or something. I can’t write intentionally offensive things. Believe me, I’ve tried to write rants that end up as these think pieces and totally change. I end up calm by the end and have to rewrite everything because my thoughts had turned into this debate thing. And then I didn’t have to change much. Yeah, I sometime wish I could just go off on a subject.

I have a site dedicated to Rants but so far it has one article and that’s basically the here I am article. Yeah, its’ going to be a big mover.

We have enough stress in our lives to worry about blogging which is really meant to be a stress reliever, thing to enjoy, fun, creative.

You are worried about offending?

I have three very simple tips for you today:

  • Turn off your comments
  • Do not have contact info or a contact form
  • Or get out of blogging

I am a super over sensitive person. I will admit it. The smallest thing will make me think for days and become depressed. But here in Blog World I do my best because I know there will be people that, in all honesty are just out to be mean on purpose. Trolls anyone?

Why is this something to think about? Why is worrying something that is something to worry about?

One thing I enjoy about blogs is all the different people with different lives, perspectives, opinions, backgrounds and personalities. I like to learn. If we all are worried about things, then we all sound the same. If I was happy talking to myself I wouldn’t be here. Well, never mind, that’s a whole different article.

Sum up time

Blog what you want to and don’t sweat it. Or to paraphrase a famous baseball movie line;

“and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days.”

So I didn’t paraphrase. But I liked it. And can you think of a better way to not worry?

Much Respect

Ronovan

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Blog Tip: How to do a ping back. It’s more than you think.

Ronovan Blogging , , , , ,

WordPress has changed a few things on the tech side since I first wrote this about 2 years ago, so here’s an updated take on things.

Ping backs.

A lot of blogs talk about ‘put a ping back to my blog’.

All a ping back is, is you copy the URL of an actual post into your post. I know that sounds simple, and once you’ve done it a time or two it really is. But let’s talk about how you do it and the different ways to do it.

First let’s talk about the word Ping. What a blogger is asking you to do is to have your blog speak to their blog post. That’s called a Ping. By using the URL of the blogger’s Post within your own Post, you create that first step to a Ping.

Now, to make the link active and carry out the actual Ping Back, you need to do the following in WordPress:

  1. Decide if you are going to have the URL visible on your post or if you would rather it be hidden within a word. Some people like to say “Click HERE to see the rest of the entries for the contest.” You can actually hide the URL within the word HERE in the previous sentence. You can even hide it within an image.
  2. You’ve decided on the type of Ping Back you want to do. If you want it within a word like ‘HERE’, or perhaps using the URL just as it appears in the address bar, highlight the word or URL, then click on the Insert/edit link icon in your Toolbar. The icon looks kind of like a paperclip.
  3. After clicking the icon you will get a pop up on your screen where you place the URL within. Do that and then click the Blue Box with the White Arrow in it. You’re done.
  4. If you are placing the URL within an Image, click the Image and then Click the Insert/edit link icon in your Toolbar and repeat #3.

It can be a link in the words you type, you know like a hyperlink thing where it says click HERE to go to something. Well HERE is not the actual URL. HERE is just the word the URL is hiding behind so to speak. An example of a page you could do a ping back for is an About Me. (To learn how to put a link so it is in a word instead of that long ugly URL format, click HERE for a step-by-step with images and you will leave this page. Thanks to Wendy Kate in comments for giving me the idea of noting this putting the link to my article here.)

An example would be like when I suggest putting a ping back to my Haiku Prompt Challenge.

The URL not to use as a Ping Back because it is to a page not a post: https://ronovanwrites.wordpress.com/

The URL not to use as a Ping Back because it is to a category page not a post: https://ronovanwrites.wordpress.com/category/haiku-prompt-challenge/

For the week of this article the challenge post URL to use is: https://ronovanwrites.wordpress.com/2014/10/06/ronovanwrites-weekly-haiku-prompt-challenge-13/

Notice the date and the challenge number included for the one to use. Also note the word category in the second one not to use.

Well that’s about it. I hope that ugly little thing that tech people try to make sound kind of difficult is a little easier now.

 

Much Respect

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The outlook of the future. Hmm . . . I think those words are almost the same.

Ronovan Opinion Articles , , ,

As we are in a new month and a new season it’s time for a change. As you may have noticed, ever so slightly, my content is slowly changing. Moving forward I’ve decided that unless it is something I truly like you will not be seeing it. I always thought I was doing that and maybe I was. But my personal standards are higher now. With that being said, you might visit me and not see a brand new post for that day. I have plenty of posts for you to see, almost 700 now. To make it easier I might put the tag cloud back out so you might find things you could be interested in if you wish.

 

Sometimes people think they see a theme in my writing, my posts. There isn’t any. I like to write about love. I think that’s kind of cool really. I hear a song, just a few bars and the beat or something then clicks with me and I write a poem. Don’t worry, folks, Ronovan is okay. Until he’s dead, he’s doing fine. I have a firmer grasp on things than a lot of people in this world.

 

I hope you keep visiting even if the pickings become a little slimmer, but no more fluff. I consider some of what I have put out to be that. And as for my lists on Fridays, some of them have been pretty sad and the results have shown that, but then again, the ones I really felt passionate about got no results. Well, passionate and enjoying is what I am going to be about. So, hope you keep visiting and enjoy my offerings.

 

Much Respect and Love

Ronovan

2014 © Copyright-All rights reserved by ronovanwrites.wordpress.com

3 Things To Announce for My Site.

Ronovan Blogging , , , ,

Things to Announce

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This won’t take long.

First of all I am hoping that we will soon have:

Sian Pfudor, our resident Prompt Girl, Young Lady,

actually here as a member of my site. She will hopefully share her Haiku and other things as well without having to go through me first. And yes, there really is a 10 year old girl named Sian that gives me some words to use. You may ask yourself why I am doing this. Well, one thing I enjoy more than anything else is when others are encouraged to do something with their talent. This young lady has talent and who knows what she might do by just by being involved here and getting wonderful encouragement from all of you. And no, she does not look like a unicorn, but she does like purple.

 

Next I wanted to mention the new Rating I added to my articles.

Those are the little stars you see. I am not saying you need to rate my work, but I wanted to point out the change as you should do whenever you make a change on your site. I think I might regret it, but I would like to know if either my tips are helpful or if my poems are enjoyable and this is a way of letting me know without commenting for those who don’t comment and I can’t see who rates  what. (I am still a little apprehensive about it.)

 

That being said you will notice a new page for my new site at the top ‘Lit World Interviews Site!’.

That is letting you see what my other site is about and letting you know it exists in case you miss this or any other posts I mention it in.

 

That’s about it for today. I told you it wouldn’t take long.

 

Much Respect

Ronovan

 

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Blog Tips: Collaborating-The Pros, The Cons, and the Cautions.

Ronovan Blogging , , , , , ,

There are different types of Blog Tips. Some are simply how to tag your posts better, or how to advertise, so to speak. But one Blog Tip takes a bit more effort, time, and really a gamble on your part to make work.

They Can Work

collaborationgood

They Can Stall

collaborationstall

And

They

Can

Epically

FAIL

collabtwerkfail

Collaborating with another writer on their blog or your blog can be beneficial to both of you for many reasons.

  • For some they might do it for a sharing of each others audience.
  • Others might do it to experiment with style.
  • Still others might just do it to work with a friend.

 

It’s not something to jump into without a lot of thought. Are you protective of your work, your words? Do you get hurt when things are changed or another person doesn’t agree with your ideas?

If you answered yes, then do you think you should collaborate with a blogger you consider a friend?

 

I  have collaborated a few times, unbeknowst to all but a very few, I asked my name not be mentioned. Why?

  • There are people out there that want to collaborate simply to use another blogger for increasing their Followers/Views.
  • I didn’t want to open the flood gates to their having to possibly say no to others asking for a collaboration, when a collaboration just happens for myself and another. Intentional collaborations for me don’t seem to flow well. Those that are inspired by a conversation are the best.
  • And to be honest, I just don’t like the attention that much. Which sounds odd because I like to have Followers for my site and Twitter and the ‘likes’ of my work and everything. It is a fantastic feeling, it really is. I won’t lie about that. But for some reason I prefer to stay in the background a bit and just do my little thing. I like to see the success of something I had a hand in. That’s been enough for me.Some might say it’s the Gemini in me and the intellectual and emotional aspects at war.

 

The Pros of Collaborations

  1. You get to work with a good friend and learn from one another about what and how we do things differently
  2. Your work is shared with a different viewing audience and you can see how it works
  3. (I get to take credit for another person’s talent.)

 

The Cons of Collaborations

  1. Hurt feelings might happen over creative differences
  2. One person seems to think their opinion is more important the others and changes work without thinking how it makes one feel
  3. (You end up wanting to kick the other persons butt because you find out they are really the biggest lame jerk that every graced the page tabs of a blog site.) Your friendship suffers because your differences over each others work that you normally love are just too different together.

 

How to Make a Collaboration Work

  1. You should PERSONALLY keep in mind what you like about the other persons work and try to make sure that is included in the piece you are collaborating on
  2. Chose a battle. Not every single point is worth a fight in an article. Unless it is just a matter of your personal beliefs or something, look at it for what is best for the piece over all and the message.
  3. And seriously, be honest and recognize that the site you will be posting on expects THEIR blogger’s work. We know what our readers like to see. Just make sure your ideas get included and some of your writing as well. It really depends on the piece being written. Whose style does the piece fit best?

 

How to Determine Who to Collaborate With

  1. Do you click-This means do you have a rapport and an underlying sense of respect for one another
  2. Do you agree-If you are writing certain pieces and you don’t agree, like politics or religion and its about a sensitive topic, you may wan to stay away. You can like a persons work and respect their views but once you delve into the behind the scenes and deeper into their thoughts you may not really enjoy things as much.
  3. Frankly, do you like the work of the other person-That sound simple but you might have a friend but it’s the person you like and your two styles just won’t click. Stay away. Friends are more important forcing something.

 

The Cautions of Collaborating

  1. Friendships end over unimportant things
  2. You end up having the other persons reputation be associated with yours. This is a caution in case you don’t overly agree with their views or really their style
  3. You might end up getting asked by friends for collaborations and you have to say no and hurt their feelings, or you say yes and neglect your own work

 

There are a lot of benefits from a collaboration from expanding your blog reach.

  1. Two or more people can end up sharing some of each others followers and find new viewers because of it. You get that new audience.
  2. It allows you to learn some tricks you may not have known before about blogging.
  3. You earn a reputation as a person that works with others which to some means being nice and sacrificing.

 

I can collaborate with anyone, but I choose not to jump into that pool much. It does take time from my own work. I did one recently that I enjoyed and was not something I felt took away from my work at all. Why? Because we click, we shared ideas, and we recognized who could do what. I know my strengths and weaknesses and had no problem expressing that. I also felt I could express my opinions without any problems. Why? Because we click and respect each other. Neither of us really benefits in regards to followers from the work. We share a lot of the same people.

The main reason I even allowed my name mentioned was the subject really required both of our names to be included for there to be a balance. Not specifically our names, but our genders.

Finding a collaboration partner that really works well is difficult. I don’t seek them out, they just happen. I don’t ask, they just happen. Do I get asked? Yes, I have.

 

Do I encourage you to collaborate? That is up to you. To me it is not something I go out and look for unless the idea pops to mind, I am already clicking with the person, I know we agree on things and we can mesh well. You need to know that first.

 

Much Respect

Ronovan

 

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#Blog #Tips fotoflexer and picmonkey when image is everything.

Ronovan Blogging , , , , , ,

Blog or not you probably will have a time you need to edit photos or images, be it for getting rid of a pimple or simply to put a ‘Merry Christmas’ or ‘Happy Birthday, Ronovan’ on a pretty picture to email because it’s cheaper than buying one. And it is cheaper than even mailing it if you are adding in the gas money, and tax and any impulse buying you do, even just that soft drink you just NEED or you will DIE. Why do I hear a 10 year old crying for baseball cards? Hmm.

Here are some tips.tipping_hat.jpg

I want to talk about two tools today; fotoflexer and picmonkey.

Both of tools are free to use online with just a bit of difference. I won’t be getting detailed today. I already went into some detail about fotoflexer in another recent article titled ‘How to use fotoflexer to add text and more to your images‘. I will get deeper into not only it but picmonkey as the days go by. Today is a just ‘tell you about them and and what I see as the differences and similarities’ day. Because really the way to learn how to use something like this is to go and play with it. I kid you not. Once you learn where things are, then you might go and see some advanced tutorials, which there are. I used a few on fotoflexer that are really cool. Cool’s not professional to use? Are you serious? Bummer, dude.

 

Let’s just be straight up here. Try both and see which one you like. Yeah, I know, that sort of tells you not to read the rest of this, right? Not really. But at the end of things that’s what you should do no matter whose article you read, because preference is just an opinion. Each of us will like one over the other.

Pros and Cons

In the world of Pros and Cons there is really only one Con to fotoflexer  and one for picmonkey I’ve found so far, but I am still looking in both.

The Fotoflexer Con

It appears you have to allow pop up ads on the site.  One pop up will occur and then you are free to go. If you have adblocker and pretty much anything like it you can just allow ads by site. This hasn’t been an annoyance for me so far as it has just been the one ad that pops up, I leave it in the background on another page were it pops, and I’m left alone the rest of the time. And they aren’t offensive ads that I have seen to date.

Con Rating with 5 being Migraine?-1.5 I know it’s free to use and they have to get the money in some way, so I go with, at least it’s not a distraction while working on an image.

 

Picmonkey Con

It is possible I am in error but I haven’t found the animated feature yet. By animated I mean you can make added images or text to your images blink or twinkle. It’s not a must but it is fun at times.

Con Rating with 5 being Migraine?-1  Maybe. I only give it a 1 because maybe I want the animation and I haven’t seen it yet. But no tool is perfect, no free tool anyway.

 

Neither of the Cons for either is a killer for me, a knock out not going to use either punch. Both have features I like that the other doesn’t.

Fotoflexer Pros

It has the animated Text and added images feature. Just a bit of a cool thing. But what I really like is the tool feature bar itself as it is located at the top and is very clean looking, while picmonkey is just a little more difficult for me to go through at the moment, but with usage either with do just fine.

Picmonkey Pros

Picmonkey has some nice fonts and is more of a classic design for images. It has more in the way borders/frames.

 

I think you could combine the two at times and come up with some fantastic creations. If you like playing around with things, then go for it. If not, stick with one and learn it well.

 

My pick? I am not a overly image needy person as far as what I need to use, so I go with the layout and toolbar of fotoflexer. It is just more appealing to me and I can have fun with the animation pieces.

Classic pick? Go with Picmonkey. Yes you can get classic with fotoflexer. I just wanted to say that before anyone jumps in. In fact I used it for a recent Haiku where I blurred the edges of old paper and the like to get the right look. But if you don’t care about the bling, then picmonkey might be your thing, especially if you don’t want the pop ad.

I’ll do a more detailed article on picmonkey as soon as I explore it more. And I will also post some results from each site to show you want can be done.

 

Two sites, are much the same inside, just different ways to work the features. It’s all a matter of taste.

 

Much Respect

Ronovan

 

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Very Inspiring Blogger Awards from . . . Sharu, Jill, Colleen & LoudThoughtsVoicedOut

Ronovan Awards , , ,

No, these did not all come in today. Unfortunately I have been extremely neglectful in showing appreciation to these ladies for honoring me with these awards. There are many awards out there and I like receiving whatever happens to come my way. New types fascinate me, but knowing I inspire someone I think much be the best thing a person can be made aware of. (I have no idea if that made sense it went on so long.)

Very Inspiring Blogger Awards

(The rule is not to use blue for text because links are blue. I like blue, so neener neener neener.)

Let me throw down the rules then get into the good stuff.

  1. Thank and link the amazing person(s) who nominated you. (Wait for it . . . )
  2. List the rules and display the award. (No doubt! Duh!)
  3. Share seven facts about yourself. (Gonna have to dig deep for this one. Any kids reading this?)
  4. Nominate 15 other amazing blogs and comment on their posts to let them know they have been nominated. (Only 15? But then others will hate me. Now I am gonna be a hater baiter.)

 

First off I gotta say, this is like the most beautiful quartet of people to appear in a VIBA acceptance ever.  Let me take a moment.

Okay moment over. Now this is how y’all make me feel, but I know the ladies won’t be wanting to use this on their blogs, although I created it. It doesn’t go with every blog. So scroll down and you can save and use the next one.

VIBA

 

 

Very Inspring Blogger Award

 

First we have Sharu of life, laugh, love

sharu

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Follow her on Twitter 

graphics-fireworks-769931Now for Jill of Ripples of Truth

Jill                                         Follow her on Twitter

Next up Colleen of Silver Threading

Colleen

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                                                                              And now LoudThoughtsVoicedOut

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Thank y’all for the award.

 

Now for the facts:

  1. You pronounce my name like Donovan but with an R. That’s right. I know it is a difficult concept, but it is not Ron OOO von nor is it Rononninvnnanna. That last one is for those of you who have probably seen the name, attempted to say it out loud, and did not give up in the middle thinking you could save it. Didn’t happen, did it?
  2. I eat salmon or tuna almost every day for either lunch or dinner. Even when I might cook something else, although my hands get burned often and I am almost bodily removed from the kitchen, imagine that for a moment. I am a tall man, I will pick my tuna or salmon, or a salad instead.
  3. I fall in love daily with the same person. No, this has nothing to do with my amnesia, y’all are just that amazing.
  4. I am the worlds worst writer when it comes to punctuation.
  5. I sleep about 2-3 hours a day.
  6. I once saw a concert by Henrietta the Singing Chicken when I was a kid.
  7. I freak my son ‘B’ out at times when I start dancing to make him laugh. He had no idea his Daddy had rhythm and could bust a move. Even though it hurts like crazy, it still gets him out of bad moods and back to laughing. His Daddy’s got some Bass.

 

Who am I nominating?

K.S. Fause of K.S. Fause -“I sense great things for you. Develop your craft; write your book; you will be a success.” Meredith of Meredith’s Musings. I thought that summed up her site fairly well. A love her poetry. I discovered her through her participation in my Haiku challenge and it has pushed me to try harder.

 

Amie of Confessions of Amie – Loving her poetry. She puts her heart and her battles/struggles in it. What else can you ask for than that. The link takes you to one of her works called ‘Writing in the Sand‘.

 

Battered Wife Seeking Better Life -Met this wonderful lady through my Haiku Challenge on Twitter when she tweeted her Haiku. I raved over it, took it, and put it in the comments on the challenge. We’ve been friends since, with her even catching up with all of the challenges. You need to read her story and support her. There’s a lovely lady behind that title.

 

Becca of On Dragonfly Wings with Buttercup Tea – What a great addition to my world. Love her enthusiasm for my Haiku Challenge and I love her site, both for content and visually. You need to check her out.  The blog people!!!!

 

Faith Unlocked – Another Haiku Challenge participant, dedicated to the challenge but more important dedicated the Word. I can’t stand not knowing who someone is. It’s one of the concussion things. If there is something my brain does not have the answer to, it will dwell on it for days. I’ve had to learn to try and distract myself with this unknown, but their name is known where it counts.

 

Kat of Dandelion Fuzz – A more recent encourager of mine that I have enjoyed exchanging words with, in a friendly way. There are different ways to inspire someone, and one way is to simply talk to them, and enjoy. At times that is the MOST inspiring way. For that I thank Kat greatly.

 

Georgia Mom of Far From Grey Street – Sometimes you run across someone who is there to look out for your own good. Well Georgia Mom is one of those people. She and I have our moments but she has a great heart and really puts herself into her blog.

Jo Robinson of Jo Robinson-Writer – And that she is, a writer and author at that. In fact, on September19, 2014 she will be the next Author Interview on my LitWorldInterview site. (That’s tomorrow as of this writing.)

 

There are a lot more I am forgetting and I know it. There are those that continue to Inspire me that I have given the award to before, and will in the future if I am offered again, but for now I will simply say thank you to Amanda, Hugh, Jen, Kate, Cat, Nishi, Serin, FlorenceT, Eloise, Cyril, and the countless ones I am forgetting . . .  oh, Meredith and Colleen for certain. I would give the award to all of you each time.

 

That’s all for me now until next time, I have another award to write up. See you soon,

 

Much Respect

Ronovan

 

 

 

 

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Virtual Blog Tour

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Check out Kat

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at Dandelion Fuzz and her Virtual Blog Tour where she has tagged me as one of the next participants. Also Follow her BLOG!!! I swear I had and I go there and it showed I hadn’t. Once again Ronovan is ticked and might have to Rant. And yes, I do have a blog for that I haven’t posted on. I just don’t rant that much. And yes, it is called RonovanRants. Gotta love me, right?
Much Respect
Ronovan

Kat's avatarDandelion Fuzz

I would like to start by thanking Adrienne at greatsnaps, goodtimes and me for inviting me to take part in this tour. My participation was delayed by jury duty, life…..but I’m happy to be participating now.

Here are my answers to the Virtual Blog Tour questions:

What am I working on?

Since I began this blog, I have struggled with finding focus. That remains an issue for me. While my blog generally centers on my family’s journey with my transgender son, I try not to make that the only topic. We are so much more than that. I am working on the right balance and developing variety in my posts by trying out different things. imagesJC1T2POF

I am in the first week of Writing 101- Round 2! 2 days, 2 assignments completed. This time I WILL finish!

In addition to working on Writing 101, I have been brainstorming possible new features…

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