True Confessions & Desires

When Mountain Man and I came to our log cabin, it was to simplify our lives and live off the land for one year.  An important part of that plan for me was to create a blog and write about our adventure.  So far, so good, we know we are exactly where we are supposed to be, HERE!

...stormy today...

I will begin with the end in mind...both yesterday and today, I have received comments from 2 readers I have not previously "met".  I knew about the comment from yesterday, but I have only just read today's comment.  Regardless (this will make more sense shortly), I will continue to post my thoughts for today as I originally intended. Because it is from my heart. Because you, my faithful family/friends/readers/subscribers/followers (now to be known as f/f/r/s/f), are important to me.  And I know all is evolving exactly as it should, and I continue to move confidently in the direction of my dreams (Thoreau).

When I began my blog on April 4th, I was amazed at the number of pageviews each day, and how quickly my friends and family (that would be you, my faithful f/f/r/s/f, thank you!) subscribed for daily email updates and as followers.  I discovered that I can look at my blog stats (traffic, referral sources, number of pageviews, etc) each day, which gives me the chance to see who my audience is. This is a good thing.  Except the 'driven/have got to get it right' part of me is still alive and strong, and even though I work hard at channeling that into an internal competitiveness of how quickly I can get to the mailbox and back, or through the woods with a wheelbarrow full of logs...I have noticed that my blog audience (don't get me wrong, I appreciate each and every one of you) isn't growing as quickly as I would like.

Why is this important?  Well, I am a writer, and I intend on becoming the best writer I can be.  And in doing so, will move my professional life toward new and exciting things that include writing, and talking to people about my writing, and writing about my Log Cabin Life, and talking to people about my Log Cabin Life...you get the picture...

Speaking of pictures...

...this little furry beauty is a Virginian Tiger Moth, looks soft enough to pet!...

Back to my point, I've learned, as I have jumped further into "blog world"...reading and following relevant blogs (to me), seeing how "seasoned bloggers" do things, learning how to utilize more blogging tools...that writing in this realm is, well, an art, and a field filled with talented people (yikes, danger zone, the 'c' word...I mean competitive, ha ha, had you going there).

I was thrilled when Tipper of Blind Pig & the Acorn asked me if she could use my Car Wave Hello post as a guest post on her blog.  WOO HOO!  It was a wonderful compliment to be asked in the first place, but I also gained several new readers and followers as a result.  I still get excited when I look at that post, it fills me with continued enthusiasm and the confidence that I am doing exactly what I should be doing, and this in-and-of-itself is success!

All that said, I feel like...

...I am moving at a snails pace; this little fellow was on our road this morning after returning from the garden (and discovering the corn has sprouted, woo hoo!)

I have found, this is my true confession, that I am completely challenged with getting readers (that would be you, my faithful f/f/r/s/f's, don't get me wrong, I appreciate each and every one of you, whether you comment or not) to comment on my posts.  And while I write because I love it, and I want to capture the experience of living off the land for a year, and I will continue to write each day no matter what, I am also interested in your comments and feedback.  Lara Britt, in her blog Writing Space, has a section, An Experiment in Co-Creation, and I can not explain my interest about you commenting any more succinctly than she has.  You can click on the link to read more, but in brief, Lara says

"Writers do not write in a vacuum.  Readers are an integral element to the equation...Interaction with you, My Dear Readers, makes this experiment dynamic dialogue rather than stilted monologue." 

I am so pleased I came across her blog (and signed up for email updates, and no, I did not comment there yet, so I understand not always wanting to do so immediately), because it is this description that gave me the "brave" to write this post.

So, this is my desire, when you read a post you find interesting, please leave me a comment.  Or if you just want to say hi, please leave me a comment.  Or if you want to disagree with something I have written, please leave me a comment.  Or if you have a suggestion, please leave me a comment.  Or if you don't have anything to say but you want me to have some comments, please leave me a comment.  

It's really not difficult, just click on the comment link, identify yourself - only your name will be posted, or you can remain anonymous, and comment away!  And if you find yourself befuddled and need a helping hand, just email me at liseslogcabinlife@google.com and I will do my best to guide you through the steps. 

OK, truth be told, I have one more true confession.  I would like to find more people who are interested in reading about my adventures, you know, build my audience, broaden my horizons, more faithful f/f/r/s/f's.  Oh yes, and comment leavers:)  So this is my second desire, if you know someone who just might be interested in reading about Lise's Log Cabin Life, forward them a link to my blog:).  They just might be interested, sign up for email updates, or follow my blog.  Then again, they may not, and that is OK too.

And now I am getting ready to click publish, and thinking to myself, good golly, what if no one comments?  That will be OK too, because I will keep on writing, keep on posting, and I will know that you, my faithful f/f/r/s/f's, just don't want to comment:)

I'll leave you with one more photo, this is of some sort of wheaty/grass by the road, I found it beautifully peaceful...

Oh, btw, I am going to try to stay updated on Pinterest and Twitter as well, you know, building audience, etc...so if you are so inclined, you can find me there.  I also post my blog on Facebook each day...at some point, I will figure out how to put those like buttons right on the blog so you can click directly.  So far, that tool continues to befuddle me!

And one more thought, some of you do comment via my email address, and I love that too.  The thing is, blogs have this "community potential", in that as one person comments, then does another, then does another, and soon, you have a community of faithful f/f/r/s/f's who are exchanging about your blog.  This evolves into more faithful f/f/r/s/f's, and interested potentials, you follow (ha ha, pun intended)...I would like that with/for www.Lise'sLogCabinLife.com...

Thanks for your ongoing support, and really, I treasure you, my faithful f/f/r/s/f's!
Thank you for reading my blog, see you tomorrow,
Lise