Bursting at the Seams

I was going to post a recipe today but I’m having one of those “bursting at the seams” weeks and I need a release.  What does that mean, you ask?  Well, there are so many ideas spinning around in my head that I can’t seem to focus or figure out what to do next.  I’ve had two rocky nights because my brain just won’t shut down.

Do you ever make the mistake of overstimulating your brain too close to bedtime?  I know better but I keep doing it!!   I need to close down my iPad, books or anything else that generates thoughts and watch some mindless TV to wind down.  Easier said than done, I’m afraid!!  I wish someone could tell me how to shut down my brain.

How do I become a better blogger?

I’m trying to become a good blogger, so I read others’ blogs and all the tips I can find.  Not surprisingly, they all have different ideas on what’s the best thing to do.  I think this is what keeps my head spinning.  Maybe that’s a mistake?  But I’m a learner and I need information.

I keep coming back to what success means to me:  adding value to others’ lives, as well as my own.  “Value” can be entertainment, information, or food for thought.  Am I doing that?  I love writing the blog.  It definitely provides value to me in the form of an outlet for expressing my feelings and sharing what I know.

Many of the bloggers I read suggest sending out a newsletter to your email subscribers.  They say you should email your loyal followers with more than just post notifications.  OK, I’ve only been at this for a couple of months.  What could I put in a newsletter that would be unique and different from my posts?  Unlike a lot of other bloggers, I’m not trying to sell something.  And I don’t have enough content yet to compile a “most popular” list of posts.

Why would I write a newsletter?

I’ve been wracking my brain (clearly leading to this “bursting at the seams” week) to come up with something I have to offer in a newsletter that is unique to me.  I want it to be something you can’t get through the blog.  You know, bonus material.

Maybe I’m kidding myself.  What makes me think I have anything to offer?  Don’t get me wrong; I have no intention of stopping my blog.  I simply want to do more to keep your attention.  I also realize I may have to be patient and not try to do everything at once.

I’m sure you’re asking yourself, why would a newsletter be a good thing for her to do?  Well, while I love having all of you reading and following my blog, I’d like to appeal to a larger audience.  Others suggest encouraging people to sign up by offering them something they can’t get through the blog.  One of those things is a newsletter.

As I’ve written this, a couple of things have actually come to mind.  I intend to write about both topics in my posts, but maybe I could enhance them through a newsletter.  Both topics have relevance whether you’re working or not.

Wrapping it up

If you have thoughts on a monthly newsletter topic or theme that could sustain itself, please let me know.   You can also tell me to forget it.  I need to know that too.  Please send me your thoughts through my Contact Me page if you aren’t comfortable using the Comments.

Note – I do plan to send a reader survey out towards the end of April.  I promise it won’t be long, but it will help me continue to improve the quality of my blog.  (I hope the survey works the way I think it will.  As you know, I’m still learning about this blog stuff!!)

Thanks for reading!!  And once again, for being my therapy for the day.