Blogging

[ChangedNameReason]

I'm nervous about posting this, hence the name change, but I would just like some honest feedback. I feel like friends and family tailor their responses and I just want the truth. However bad it is!

www.sarahhaynes.me.uk/Blog/2019/03/24/tales-from-a-37-year-old-brain/

hi OP what is it you want feedback on? The post content/style? The layout/design of the site etc?

Nice way to up your click-count op

Sorry, I couldn't get past the first paragraph really.

It sounds like a lot of navel gazing and whinging.

I'm confused is it fiction or your life?

To be honest memoir and chick lit are not my favorite genres. I once read a Maeve Binchy novel and literally nothing happened in the whole book. Other people must like her stuff though. If you are looking for feedback on your fiction writing, I think there is a section of MN where people will do that.

I think there's also a bloggers section too?

2 very basic things:
larger font.
pictures.

As it's a personal blog, perhaps you don't want to post pics of people. But what about pets, garden, locations you visit? Or even memes or cartoons that illustrate what you are feeling, or a similar or analogous situation?

I looked again. I think there are two sections to your blog: your fiction writing and your personal blogging. It's odd to read your personal blog because we don't know who you are or what you are talking about really. It's like we've walking in on someone mid-conversation. It's probably interesting for your friends and family to read as they have context. We don't have that. I think personal blogs are more interesting when each blog post is an individual story about something that is interesting to the reader, not just about how you are feeling an what you did.

I agree with @blackcatsleeping
Without context, the story is a little odd. It's hard to tell what the actual story is, and reads as though you're bragging about being drunk on a plane? I like your writing style though it's a nice, easy read and very descriptive.

In terms of the layout and theme I think you have too many things going on and not enough pictures, and the text is definitely too small (seems worse without pictures as there's nothing to break it up).

MN can be harsh, especially when feedback is asked for but sometimes it's what you need, so don't be put off OP. I think the blog just needs cleaning up a bit with a clearer theme so when you hit it cold as a potential reader you know what it's about and have a feel for it already, at the moment you can't really get the flavour of it.

Hi OP,
I tried to read your blog but, found your layout off putting. I blog on wordpress and find the layout a lot smoother. Also agree with others there is no clear theme.

When you click on my blog there is a tag line that explains what my blog is about in clear terms. In all honesty I would keep the writing and the blog separate.

Thanks so much for all the feedback. It's really appreciated.

Yes, I suppose most people who read it do know me, so the content is more relate-able to them.

I agree with the layout issues. This is so outing, but I had a male friend who set the whole site up for me, designed everything, all I've ever contributed to it is the content. Then he made a number of sexual assaults on me (including the worst thing you can think of) after he'd drugged me. So, obviously I had to cut him out of my life totally, but that means I'm a bit lost with the technical side of things. I used to be able to post photos, but I can't for some reason any more and I really miss being able to! I agree that they add a lot more life to the writing.

The blog doesn't have a purpose as such. It was created by that guy for publicity after my book was published - I have absolutely no idea about marketing and that side of things, so he took care of all that. I've gone between writing just personal blogs and writing ones with a specific subject.

So the net result of that is that I need to change the layout, add photos and think carefully about the content and my audience. I can do that - with assistance from someone, somewhere! It's nice to have aims, so thank you all again. Oh - and whoever said about the click counter thing, I certainly didn't post it for that reason! I don't really care about the number of people that read it, I'm just interested in trying to make sure that those who do read it, enjoy it.

Op I’m not sure you want those kind of details to be so easily linked back to your name - did you get a conviction?

I am so sorry about that. Good luck with your blog

I'm sorry that happened to you, but I wanted to say well done with your book.

Blogs these days are pretty easy to set up and maintain, but it's also fairly easy to find people who will do it for you for a fee.

My advice is to look at the blogs of people who you can relate to, for example, other famous authors, and see the sort of layouts they use and the sort of content they post. These days, clean, white backgrounds with lots of photos are very popular.

One last thing that struck me is that it's a blog but your info about yourself was written from the perspective of someone else, Sarah is..., Sarah is... It's very odd as usually on blogs people write from their own perspective: I'm...

Anyway, good luck with the blog and the writing!

I don't know if you are a fan of her writing, but check out Freya North's website. It's the sort of thing I think you should aim for.

freyanorth.com/