Author: Judy L Mohr

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Blogging is an SEO game

Once upon a time, when the internet was new, writers from around the world took advantage of this new platform to get their writing out there. Bloggers were born, each of them with their own opinions about the way the world works.

If you were a frequent blogger back in the day (and we're talking in the order of 20 to 30 years ago now), you could amass a decent size following within a matter of months, just like any newspaper columnist could. They had the right angle, they were using the right distribution channels, and they hit the new technology medium at the right time. However, today, the internet is a completely different beast.

Gone are the days of having a fresh take that would capture the imagination right from the starting gate. Today, bloggers are competing against others with the same views (or opposing views), trying to be heard in the sea of noise. For bloggers just starting out today, your audience consists of you and you alone. For some bloggers, even their mothers won't read their blogs.

So, why do content marketers keep pushing this idea that writers need to have blogs? Well, it has to do with the impact that blogging can have on SEO rankings.

Let me explain.

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Being a writer and editor with dyslexia

I have dyslexia, diagnosed at the age of nine with two separate forms. Reading was incredibly difficult, but I learned to adapt. And I refuse to let it label me as something I'm not.

When people learn that I have dyslexia, it often comes as a bit of surprise. I am a writer and a professional editor, after all. I spend a lot of time behind the computer or with my nose stuck in a book. So, it's not totally out of the realm of possibility that someone would question my career choice when they hear the truth about my history.

There is still a lot of negative stigma surrounding dyslexia, but what people don't realize is that the majority of the people on the planet have one form or another of dyslexia—but they just don't know it.

For most people, their form is so weak that they were able to easily compensate. However, for approximately 15% of American children [1], for 30 to 50% of prisoners around the world [2], the dyslexic forms are severe enough to cause significant issues.

Today, a friend of mine, Beth Beamish, released a book about what it's like to be a parent of a dyslexic child, with practical advice on how parents can help their children through this.

Dyslexia is not a disease. It's just a different way of seeing the world.

To help Beth Beamish spread the word about her book, I thought it might be a good idea to share my own story, highlighting that having dyslexia doesn't stop you from following your dreams, whatever those dreams might be.

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Editing software can never replace an editor

Editing software will never replace the trained eye of an editor.

I'm an editor, so of course I'm going to say that. But I'm not saying it because I want to keep my job. Sure, there is a desire to always have money coming in, but it's more than that. I make this statement because I honestly believe it—as a writer.

When talking about editing software, I'm talking about the different apps like Grammarly, ProWritingAid, Hemingway, AutoCrit, and one I recently discovered, Fictionary.

I will be the first to admit that these programs have their uses. For a writer who is floundering in the dark, they might add a little direction. But for the writer who really doesn't know their craft, these programs can do more harm than good.

For any writer wanting to learn their craft and take their writing to the next level, nothing will replace the eye of another human being.

It's time to talk about all those automated programs that are floating around and point out the flaws—and why they can't replace a human editor.

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The Camera of Point of View

It's not surprising that a conversation about writing eventually turns to a conversation about point-of-view (POV). Exactly how the narrative shapes the perspective of the story will have a direct impact on the reader's experience.

The POV is not just about understanding which character will act as the narrator. Yes, that's part of it, but the POV also has a depth of perception that defines how much the reader knows about what is going on.

Classifying the POV isn't as straightforward as saying that a passage uses first, second, or third person. It's much more than that.

Today, let's look at an overview of the different narrative POVs that you might find within fiction, include a few examples, and possibly provide some insights into what effect the different POVs might have.

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Social Media Realignment Experiment 2.0

The first step in dealing with any addiction is to recognize that you have a problem. So…

"Hi, my name is Judy, and I'm addicted to social media."

Social media and I have weird relationship, and yes, addiction is part of that. I'm obsessed with understanding how security works on the platforms, but the moment I'm in there…

"Oh, look… Some useless post about red carpet fashion disasters… or the latest chaos among the British royal family… or how the children of stars look like their parents."

I'm a sucker for the meaningless and boring… and there just went my precious writing time.

I have tried to so a Social Media Realignment Experiment before... and failed. My first attempt was with the goal to realign my social media usage to my professional goals. Quitting all social media wasn't an option for me, but my everyday usage was out of control.

However, in the original experiment, I was too vague on what I wanted to achieve. So, it's time to kick the Social Media Realignment Experiment into Version 2.0.

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