Time to Reflect: Step 138

When I woke up this morning I realized there were a number of thoughts and ideas that were bubbling in my synapses, and so I rushed over to the keyboard and typed down a list of ideas. They include a thriving economy, full employment, dependable government, trustworthy politicians, clean energy, quality universal healthcare, excellent education, community-minded corporations, reliable reporting, thoughtful commentary, natural resources, personal freedom, sports heroes, safety, beauty, humor, justice and peace. Now, close your eyes and repeat them in reverse order. Just kidding.

When asked for a timeline to launch my business I immediately thought of the fourth of July. What better time to declare oneself a vital part of the American fabric than on the birthday of our nation. Like the brilliant author James Baldwin I believe, “I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” However criticism need not point to obvious blemishes but rather to spark dialogue aimed at the aforementioned ideas.

As noted last week I have had to apply a vast amount of lubricant to some rather rusty technical skills. Most of this lubricant has come in the form of reading repeatedly through instructions, guides and tutorials. Then, after making several attempts to apply what appears to be a simple procedure regain my composure and patiently try again.

One of the things I will need to determine in the next few hours is how many categories will be discussed in the new blog and over what period of time will this discussion take place. In other words, how thin can I spread myself and still meet the standards followers and participants expect.

Another factor essential for the long-term survival of this blog, and the evolution it is currently undergoing, is marketing. Three weeks ago I surveyed friends and family to determine what blog categories they were most interested in and what social media they used to share these interests with others. News and politics received the greatest support with business, humor and entertainment following close behind.

Facebook was the social media most often used by a better than two to one margin over second place YouTube. In searching further I found respondents to the survey did not necessarily post videos on YouTube, and may only go there as viewers. As a result, Twitter and LinkedIn, which were next in the survey results, may prove better marketing tools. So, look for me there in the days and weeks to come.

Finally, while my life story will continue for at least one more week here at Every Step of the Way it is time to draw to a close my weekend reflections and commentary. It is my sincere hope all of you will follow me, and join me for discussions, as I launch my new blog, the name of which along with a link I will share tomorrow in From Where I Stand.

Time to Reflect: Step 75

For this week’s quote I turn again to the great Irish writer George Bernard Shaw, who said, “The man who writes about himself and his own time is the only man who writes about all people and all time.” Over the past seventy-five days I have attempted to tell my own story, to offer a weekly reflection of my current thoughts, and a weekly commentary on current events from my unique vantage point. If Mr. Shaw is correct my story written about the times in which I have lived should be representative of all people and all times. While having such universal appeal satisfies me as a writer, my purpose as a blogger has been to provide a forum. When I began this journey at the start of my sixtieth year of life my intention was to offer a daily post for people traveling the blogosphere to use in their everyday lives. Since one of the features of a blog is the opportunity to respond to the author, or put another way interact with the blogger, my hope was to inspire numerous comments. Extremely appreciative of those who have commented, especially comments coming from individuals I did not know before starting this blog, and recognizing this journey is an evolving process my expectations remain strong for making this a place where everyone will feel free to contribute. Maybe what is needed is a simpler response form such as the “like” response given to Facebook visitors. Certainly it is easy to understand how someone may wish only to make a short stop to read and carry away what she needs without feeling compelled to respond. In our fast paced world where the average time on message is measured in seconds rather than minutes or hours a passing glance is preferable to no glance at all. My desire to have those who come along step when they need to stride or wing their way through the journey is most likely some insecurity I have regarding the quality of my artistry. During the past week there have been several opportunities to consult with colleagues and collaborators concerning the potential Every Step of the Way has to serve a community and become an emerging enterprise. Although the idea of having followers become paid subscribers, similar to online newspapers and magazines, is one that holds no appeal, finding businesses that provide products and services visitors to a blog desire has been shown to generate substantial advertising revenues elsewhere. Questions arose regarding what were the demographics of the market in which my blog fit. Methods for stimulating expansion of those finding and using the blog as a forum were explored. Areas such as market segmentation, current trends, and effective means of social networking have become research projects. Questions also arose as to whether the blog might be split into more than one format and whether more visuals and video may be included as it evolves. In taking a closer look at who I am as a writer, what I want to achieve as a blogger, and how I might better serve you the reader and blogosphere traveler, the possibilities for growth and development become limitless.