BLOGGING TIP NO. 101. NO MATTER THE TITLE OR CONTENT OF YOUR BLOG, YOU CAN GET MORE ‘HITS’ BY INCLUDING A PHOTO OF YOUR CAT. HERE SHE IS, LOLA, THE BLACK CAT WITH THE LONGEST WHITE WHISKERS IN THE WORLD. Photo by Lola’s personal staff photographer.
Thanks for reminding me! Yes, besides changing the blog theme (the appearance of the blog), I’ve also fiddled with the name. Again! The old theme, in case you’re wondering, was called “Twenty-Ten,” and the new theme is “Chunk.” Both are great themes, available free on WordPress.com.
When I started this blog back in 2009, I thought I had a great name: “Life After Sixty.” I was going to focus on — you guessed it — the life and times of those of us who’ve passed the big SIX-OH, with special attention to living simply and cheaply frugally after age 60.
Before long, I started writing more and more about dysfunctional politics and economic meltdown. (I know, “Boring”). I had this inspiration for a new name: “Dispatches from ConsterNation” It sounded like a cool name. Catchy. Maybe it was just a phase I was going through. At least it was better than “Boring.”
Now, I’ve shifted the focus again. The revolution in publishing — the surge of Indie publishing and Ebooks — fascinates me. I even decided to write and publish an Ebook of my own. If you’ve been following any of the book blogs I link to, you’ve run across the acronym, WIP. It stands for “Work In Progress.” Writers use WIP to refer to their current project, manuscript, or forthcoming book. Since I’m following developments in the world of Ebooks closely, and writing my own Ebook — it remains a WIP — I decided to change the name of the blog to “Work In Progress.”
“Work In Progress” is apt because it also describes my life (after sixty) and just about everything I do. It’s all a Work In Progress. Trial and error. Learn by making mistakes. Rewrite. Patience required. Some phases of the Work In Progress might seem like a hard-hat zone. Or is that a hard-head zone? I keep reminding myself: Change is good. But a little stability would also be nice. I’m planning to try stability someday. But maybe not in this lifetime.
In addition to Ebooks and publishing, I suspect I’ll continue to write about politics and the economy.
That’s my blogging story, and I’m sticking to it. Unless and until I come up with a better title.
— John Hayden
Related articles
- How I Self-published A Book (millerbeachblog.com)
- Writing a novel doesn’t have to be daunting! (davidmcgowanauthor.com)
- Just Keep Writing (lalammar.net)
- Ebook and Indie Book Self-Publishing Services, Confusing Choices (johnhaydeninmd.com)
- Getting There: My First Ebook Hits The Virtual Shelves (wendyamprosser.com)
Living Simply And Still On The Grid 
I was scanning over the blogs and your gorgeous cat caught my attention so it looks like you are right!
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I’m trying to put this change thing together in my mind. So, your’e over sixty and starting an E-Book. Excellent 🙂 Now you can use your old Type Writer to write the book, scan the pages, and post the images on your new Blog “Work In Progress.” When will we see the real “WIP” side of you? Take care and God Bless!!!
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Thank you, Morningstory. If only I could effect change so seamlessly.
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You are so right about the cat!
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I was all excited after a post started racking up hits and told me wife about it. She showed me a cat picture that had thousands of hits the same day. Man, those cats really have pull.
Remember the SNL skit about Toonces the cat that drives? Just remembering that shows cat power.
I like your WIP. Much better sounding than Caning. My blog name started with B&B, with rooms dedicated to subjects, and a way to avoid being The Writer. The first thing that happened with DG’s B&B was my mom calling to ask if she could book a room. Only online, Ma, only online.
Thanks for kicking my evening into gear.
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