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what happens when you've posted something and you want to keep it in "top billing" position? Sometimes I post something that's especially meaningful or that I've worked at for a long time (like the short story I posted last night) and I just don't want to bury it with new postings because I want to make sure it gets read! Am I wrong to assume that most people just read the first post and then move on? Advice appreciated. Click here to read "She craved pomegranates".
Actually, I find myself scanning over the whole first page, so I prefer when the blogger has multiple articles to get an overview of the land, so to type. Now, to get one going inward further, I've found it's all about interest and topic linkage. Now, you can make a "sticky post" in some blog places (I hesitate to say all as I'm not sure), which will keep the preferred post in the most prominent position. Hope that gets your started. :-)
It reassures me to know there are people like you who take the time to get 'acquainted' with blogs. I like the idea of 'sticky posts' I'll look into it.
What an interesting thought. I am only one opinion, but when I find a blog and writer I am interested in, I read through most of their posts in the past few weeks to catch up and then I add them to my feeds or link lists. And when I blog, I often reference prior posts by linking them into a new post I'm curious to hear other thoughts on this subject.
The sidebar idea is good for short bites, likes quotes and such, but not so much for a short story, which is actually a long post. But the link in sidebar would definitely work for me. I think I'll use that!
I'm not expert on the technical side of blogging but am wondering if you can create pages---distinct from the everyday, sequential posts---with Blogger? That would be a solution...where you have a separate page for those things you've worked hardest on. It could be a fiction page or the story of the month page or something like that. A link in the sidebar could draw people's attention to it. I use WordPress and with most of the themes you can make a static front page where you can put anything you want with links to the daily blog postings in the sidebar.
Now...off to read your story!
I like the idea of separate pages, though I'm not sure I understand how that works. I'm I don't think that works with Blogger, either, other than creating a 'permanent' post which doesn't move, like a summary page maybe, which could be a solution. Thanks for dropping by and for the advice!
I read somewhere that people will read up to four posts in one day, more than that is overwhelming. But I'm not the average reader, and if I find someone who's writing style I totally dig I find myself reading almost a month's worth of their posts. Also, if short stories is a subject you think you'll be exploring more on your blog, then I would create a whole separte page (link in the sidebar), and reference it every now and then in your blog postings to attract readers. Just my two cents. :)
Yes, short stories is something I'll be featuring fairly regularly, so I need to find a way to make them readily accessible to readers. You sound like the kind of reader I'm looking for, you are always welcome to swing by! :-)
If the first post is interesting, I'll usually read at least the whole first page. Many times when I comment its on the top post, but on a later one I found moe interesting. And people are always leaving comments on my older posts.
If you really want to bring attention to a certainp ost you can always mention it at the end of your top one. Link to it saying, "I'd also really like more feedback on *insert link here* so please take a minute to read it" or somethign like that.
Nona: I love it when people comment on one of my older posts as opposed to the first one up top. Tells me they've taken the time to actually read me and get a proper lay of the land, so to speak. And your idea about linking back from other posts is great too. I'll start doing that as often as possible.
Hi Smiler,
I am first and foremost a writer of fiction, so I couldn't pass up adding some of my short stories on my blog using sidebar links. I hope this information will be helpful to you. In a nutshell, I create a New Post, add my story, and then click on Post Options to change the date. I change the post date to something old, like 11/15/05. This automatically pushes the post at or near the bottom. (Anyone peeking through old archives might see my story there and (for a second) wonder how a short story got stuck in the middle of daily posts, but the chances of that are slim, and a minor detail anyway since I doubt anyone would care.)
After you publish the post, go to Customize, and then Dashboard, and then Posts. Locate your story in the list of posts and click on VIEW. From here, it's the URL at the top of the page that you want to link back. So copy the URL that's in your browser bar (I think it usually ends with html). Now go back to Customize, Layout, and choose Add Text. This text will be "permanently" placed on your front page, so here you can say something like, "To read my story, She Craved Pomegranates" go here" or whatever you want. Click the LINK button, paste the LINK, and voila! Your front page should have a sidebar link to your story -- which is tucked away in your old archives.
Hope that makes sense. (And if you already knew all this, sorry, I wasn't sure what you've already tried). You are welcome to check out my blog, Pacing the Cage, to see some examples. I have them set up under "Short Stories." Good Luck!
Hi Shelby, thanks so much for taking the time to explain this so thoroughly. I ended up doing something very similar to what you suggested, but with a link list instead. Same deal really, but this way I was able to list all the ones I want to direct readers to. I'm off to check out your blog. I'll be sure to leave a comment! :-)
I don't have a solution, but I've had the same thought many times. Rather than get a few comments or readers in a day, I'd prefer continued exposure and top billing for some posts. It's the nature of the two headed beast, both to want extra time for hard work and to follow the expectations of NaBlo. Just wanted you to know I agree wholeheartedly.
