Sending You a Tweenior Moments Thank You

With Thanksgiving almost here, I wanted to step into this season of gratitude by saying thank you for your support.

When I started my blog back in August as a creative project, I aimed to jumpstart my writing career after being a stay-at-home mom and homeschooler for a decade or so. I felt like I was the only woman in the world who ever had to resurrect her career, although I knew this wasn’t true. But with friends, family, blog readers and fellow writers cheering me on, I took baby steps.

Baby Step #1: Learning the Ropes

I knew absolutely nothing about blogging, so I taught myself how to use WordPress and other digital tools  and immersed myself in search engine optimization (SEO) and social media marketing and online content. I’m still a novice in many areas (as you might have guessed with my still-struggling attempts to master my automated email subscription program–damn you, Mail Chimp!), but I’m baby-stepping my way forward. Please, feel free to subscribe despite my ineptitude.  Thank you for your patience as I continue to move from tech-idiot to tech-somewhat-savvy.

Baby Step #2: Finding My Groove

While this is still a work in progress, I’m learning what I enjoy writing about and fine-tuning how to write it in a way that makes readers smile, laugh, relate or learn from my words. Striking this balance between writer and reader often proves challenging, but in a good, creative way. I appreciate that you stick around to read an article, even when something isn’t as funny as you thought it would be, even if it’s about parenting problems and your kids are younger (or older), even if it’s about middle-age complaints and you’re younger (or older). Thank you for reading, as I continue to hone my voice and my style.

Baby Step #3: Growing My Blog

I treat my blog like a business, in the sense that, the more people know about it, the more they are exposed to my writing. I have no idea where this will lead me, but I am 100% sure that it will open doors I never even knew existed. I have already seen this happen in small ways. But who knows what opportunities await just around the corner for me? Maybe an editor will contact me because she liked an article of mine she saw posted on Facebook. Maybe a blog reader owns a small business and needs some help with copywriting. Who knows? Thank you for helping me expand my reach by commenting on my articles, emailing them to friends, sharing them on Facebook and Twitter (especially since I don’t “tweet”), pinning them to your Pinterest boards and “liking” my Facebook page.

Baby Step #4: Making New Connections

My little, solo writing world exploded when I started blogging. I met other writers and bloggers online and found a heap of advice and encouragement along the way by joining several writers groups. And I stumbled on amazing websites like Beyond Your Blog, The Write Life, ProBlogger, Renegade Writer and B2B Launcher, devouring their articles and podcasts. Thank you, online community, for holding my hand, showing me the way, answering my rookie-blogger questions and encouraging me with your been-there-done-that wisdom.

Baby Step #5: Getting Published

I am slowly, but happily, transitioning from write-for-free-while-I-prove-myself-AGAIN writer to paid writer. I am grateful for the opportunity, exposure, editorial tweaking and affirmation from all the websites where I’ve published original content or republished something that appeared on my blog. (Cue the music I  as I launch into my Oscar-like speech.) Thank you for reminding me that my writing skills did not evaporate because I took time off to raise and educate my children: Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop, Ten to Twenty Parenting, Midlife Boulevard, Club Mid @ Scary Mommy, Creative Life, Mamapedia, BlogHer, BonBon Break, In the Powder Room, SheKnows, Today Parenting Team and Better After 50.

With much gratitude to you all, thank you and have a blessed Thanksgiving.