Lisa Simpson - NAKED! Wednesday, Mar 26 2008

In case you haven’t noticed, my March 2007 post Lisa Simpson is often on my Top Posts list (see left column.) This is because the most common search term used to get to my site is “lisa simpson naked.” So even though this blog is riddled with thoughtful prose, tortured poetry and personal musings, what really matters is seeing cartoons in their birthday suits. I considered being upset in a philosophically profound way, but then I realized that the thought of Lisa Simpson’s ta-ta’s was gaining me readership. So thanks, Lis. One man’s trash is [a great way to get to] another man’s treasure.

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The Explanation You’ve Been Waiting For Wednesday, Sep 12 2007

My makeup looks better smeared. Ok from nervous hands, better from happy tears.

So I’ve been MIA for quite a while. I have good reasons, so for all you hanging on pins and needles for my every word, don’t get angry just yet. Both of my reasons are lovely and favorable, by the way.

Reason number one: “And now, now, I have a boyfriend!” (Kelly from The Office. Watch it, love it.) I have a fantastic boyfriend who is, somehow, incredibly kind and funny and cute and pretty much just overall glorious. He digs me being a writer, so it’s not like he’s stopping me from entering LuckyRenee Land (ah, that there were such a place) but our work schedules allow us to hang out all the time, so it’s hard to squeeze in a post when I can be making out.

Your work schedule, Renee?

And BAM, reason number two: I got a job. A kick ass job, actually. Where I use my exact degree and everyone is extremely smart. (That’s all I ask, really. I just want to use my talents and not be surrounded by dumbasses.) I won’t tell you which company exactly, but let’s just say I spend my tremendously flexible working hours (yayfer sending emails in my pjs!) writing, researching and being creative. Hello perfection. This also means, however, that when I spend hours writing for work everyday, I don’t especially want to come here and write more for fun.

Unfortunately (for you) and fortunately (for me) the summary goes like this: great guy, great job, no posting in favor of making out and working. But I beg you, dear readers, to not abandon me just yet. The fall (my favorite season of all time) brings out the best in me so you can rest assured that I’ll continue in full force soon enough. Until then, I promise to make an appearance more than once every trillion years.

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we haven’t had an earthquake lately Sunday, Jun 3 2007

“He was the sort of person who stood on mountaintops during thunderstorms in wet copper armor shouting ‘All the gods are bastards!’” – Terry Pratchett

Thunderstorms greet me again this morning. Sometimes we need a few wretched bouts of horrid weather to appreciate the sunshine, should it ever decide to come back. At first I can’t distinguish between the thunder and my stomach growling; they both snarl in sync and I realize that’s the closest to destiny I’m ever going to get. Perhaps a bowl of cereal will pause both sounds.

I apologize for being out of sorts, readers. I wasn’t going to address the switch in posts from generally happy to rather bleak, but on account of accusing emails, the time has finally come.

I am not my “usual” self lately, it’s true. I’m not one of those to experience random depression, so I assure you my darkness is justified, though I have chosen to not provide the details for personal reasons. I thought about pretending everything was ok and keeping up with the LuckyRenee you all know and love, but I reconsidered. I don’t think I’m a bad writer when I’m miserable, just a different one. The multiple facets of my writing are important. I had hoped that my readers could simply join me on a journey, embracing both amusing posts about TV and gloomy posts reflecting on how sometimes life fucking sucks. Will I perhaps lose happy-go-lucky readers? Maybe, but I didn’t want them anyway. This blog is about life – my life, and yours too – and it’s not always good. It may be true that if you laugh, the world laughs with you, but if you cry, you will cry alone. But if you can’t welcome all emotions into your life, you have no business with LR. May I suggest the Happiness Blog instead? You get the point.

And now, breakfast. Later, lunch. And so on.

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Over It Monday, May 21 2007

“Yeah, I have a response. Uh, what?”

These were my exact Geico-style words, OUTLOUD, several times, while reading blogs today. There are about 40 or so blogs I keep up with on a daily basis because at one time or another I thought they were somehow clever. But man, they are really going downhill. Aside from the general annoyance of people updating only once every 300 years, some of them are going way off the deep end attempting to be philosophical. “Wherefore hence do I experience such exponential anguish fashioned by unprecedented aficionados of mine own heart.” Ok, I get it, your ex-boyfriend pissed you off. STOP TRYING SO HARD!! I know, I know – LuckyRenee often gets unnecessarily complex or vague and awkwardly attempts to be profound. But I hope you never have to re-read an entry 30 times only to realize I’m not saying anything significant anyway. Even the comments on these sites are getting a little out of control.

Someone suggest a blog to me that is fresh, updated often, and relates something interesting in a clear and clever manner. I’m losing my faith in the community.

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The UBA (Ultimate Blogging Advocate) Sunday, Apr 29 2007

It is not a bad idea to get in the habit of writing down one’s thoughts. It saves one having to bother anyone else with them. - Isabel Colegate

I am the ultimate blogging advocate. I plead for everyone, anyone to start a blog. This obsession has recently manifested itself in the form of coffee shop meetings with various friends where we sit down and get their blog rolling. I demand they come with at least one post to start them off, but the real challenge – the thing that turns a half hour setup to a two coffee extravaganza – is the naming of the blog. We scour through quotes and phrases and words and everything ever before they settle on a two to three word phrase that they can be happy with. This, of course, makes me happy as a clam that 3 years ago “Lucky Renee” popped into my mind and off I went. Then again, I’ve never had a problem naming blogs. I’ve had poetry blogs and blogs created for specific communities and blogs that were only one entry then deleted and everything in between, and the names always just seem to keep coming. The key is listening to what their blog will mean to them, then pointing out words that may get them there. Of course, in the end, it’s never a phrase I suggest, but something they conceive. That’s when the magic really begins.

Be sure to check out LuckyRenee’s Blog Spotlight. As these fabulous writers grow, I’ll be featuring them with the utmost pride.

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Blogging - Part III (Strengthen Readership) Thursday, Apr 19 2007

Welcome back to the third and final part of this three part series on blogging.

Sweet, you have a blog, good for you. Too bad no one reads it. Just kidding. Strengthening readership is a topic that is all a-buzz among the blogging world. Blog readership in general has been on the rise for a few years now and is continually increasing, so it’s a great time to be active in social media.

Jon Harmon, author of Force For Good, recommends the three approaches for a strong readership: post good content, keep the posts engaging and updated, and use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tactics intelligently and ethically. Visit his post for expansion on these crucial ideas. His blog is a role model for a structured theme and relevant subject matter, so look to him for a great example.

ProBlogger also offers some good advice, found in their Blog Promotion link. They suggest cultivating relationships with other bloggers, which will not only increase your readership but help you make friends and cultivate ideas as well. Also check out this article for techniques for beginners and this article for things to avoid when blogging.

My personal strategies for gaining readership are simple: word of mouth and blogging communities. Believe me, I plug my blog every chance I get. Class discussion about politics? “I wrote about that in my blog; these are my thoughts.” Talking to a friend? “How was your day? Read my blog.” I’m shameless about it, but hey, if anyone I know has a blog, I want to check it out, so I’m simply providing others with the same opportunity for mine. Blogging communities become a bigger part of my world as my passion for blogging increases. Communities like MyBlogLog and Technorati allow other bloggers to check out what you’ve posted. Likewise, it helps you find blogs that interest you. Commenting on these blogs not only builds relationships (again, reference ProBlogger) and incites dialogue, but also - surprise! - strengthens readership. You can also turn your comments into a post of your own and link to the original post and everyone’s happy.

Strengthening readership might be a big deal to you or it may not. LuckyRenee is much more about releasing my ideas into some cosmic void and much less about the feedback, though I appreciate every comment I receive. I suggest focusing on your writing first and worry about readership later.

For additional dialogue on blogging or writing, feel free to email me at lucky_renee_blog at yahoo dot com or post a comment. I also welcome additional resources on blogging and general comments.

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Blogging - Part II (Find Your Voice) Monday, Apr 9 2007

Welcome back to the second part of this three part series on blogging.

Now that you have a forum for your ideas, run with it. It’s good advice to set a theme, or at least a tone, for your blog. It’s a widely held belief that the most read blogs have a specific focus, and that concept makes sense. I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that LuckyRenee doesn’t so much have a focus - you’ll see by the wide variety of “categories” on the left that there is no such thing as a theme here - but what I do have is a voice. I like to think that if you came across a something I’d written, you’d know it was mine even if it wasn’t posted on LuckyRenee.

If you do consider a theme or focus, think of what you know and love. Are you a super fan of chess? Maybe your blog is all about playing chess and chess players and strategies of the game. Maybe you’re a poet and your blog is a collection of your poetry. Perhaps you’re a business exec and want to blog about working in your industry or what it’s like being a business exec. Or maybe you just have crazy things happening in your life and you want people to know, even if they’d never believe it. Start with anything - you can always adapt your focus as you grow as a writer.

I have to mention that sometimes there is an inner conflict in writing what you want and censoring yourself for your readers. I know that I struggle with this; some of my most faithful readers are family members. But long ago I had to make that choice. I opted for being true to myself and simply told my family and friends that I’m going to write what I want to write, period. I’ve supplemented this with inviting comments and dialogue, as well as asking them to separate me from my writing when necessary. Sure, I’m pro-life, and I write strong posts about my convictions, but at the end of the day, I’m your niece, your roommate, your cousin, and my life isn’t defined by my political ideology. If you want to be uncensored, the significance of a pseudonym may be another option. Or, you know, just don’t write anything you wouldn’t want your mother to read.

The basic lesson is to follow the writing advice of John Jakes:

“Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are, what you believe, shine through every sentence you write, every piece you finish,”

…and the blogging advice of Liz Strauss:

“Breathe. Know that the Internet has no eraser.”

Next: Blogging Part III: Strengthen Readership.

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