I write stories for children

grandma · Feb 11, 2010

I do not want to make money from it. I know that is a strange attitude but it is mine.
I started a blog and have posted some of the stories.
It is absolutely free and people can print them out so they can read them as bedtime stories by the bed.
Also older children can read them for themselves.
My question is how do I get people to visit the site. I started it last year and nobody comments and I can't figure out a counter.
Hey I am an old grandmother with a broom and dustpan mentality. I like computers but they do tend to frustrate me.
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

alleycat · Feb 11, 2010

If you just want to share your children's stories, you might try submitting them to something like Stories for Children Magazine, a quality, non-paying (generally), online magazine for kids.

PVish · Feb 11, 2010

I like the idea for your blog. Sometimes it takes a while to build up a readership.

One way to acquire readers is to visit other blogs and leave comments. A bit of Googling should turn up other story blogs, blogs for grandchildren, etc. Your comments will link back to your profile.

A couple of suggestions about your blog: You have long blocks of text with no pictures. Could you post illustrations for the stories? Some of your stories don't have space between paragraphs, so you might want to go back and edit.

Good luck with your endeavor. I'll bet your grandchildren like your blog!

grandma · Feb 11, 2010

Thank you for the suggestions.
I have used computers for years our first was a timex that you loaded things in off a tape cartridge.
But I am pretty computer illiterate. But I am learning.
My son is helping me long distance and he said add pictures and I am just now figuring out how to do that.
I will try and find online magazines as well.
My grandchildren get the stories first so they are child approved.
I just love everything about children and want them to develop imaginations and if my stories can help with this I think that is wonderful.
Off to see what I can do to improve the site and write a new story about someone learning to use the computer.

Smish · Feb 11, 2010

alleycat said:
If you just want to share your children's stories, you might try submitting them to something like Stories for Children Magazine, a quality, non-paying (generally), online magazine for kids.

Actually, they're closed to submissions, and after the March issue, there won't be any new issues for a few years.

stormie · Feb 11, 2010

As others here have said, visiting other blogs and commenting is a great way to start. That will link back to yours. Also, even here in your sig line or on your email, put a link to your blog.

Your grandchildren are lucky to have a grandmother who cares so much for them! (And a person is never too old to learn new things.

)

One other thing to note: Once you put your work on your blog, it's considered published, and if you ever wish to submit it to an ezine or magazine--even for no payment, you'd have to say that the work is for reprint rights.

wyntermoon · Feb 11, 2010

Our blogging forum can also help with ideas on getting the word out.

grandma · Feb 11, 2010

The site address is in my signature. I have it on all the signatures of sites I go to.
Found out recently how to do that.
Will now start looking at writing sites of others to see what is being written.
If places want only totally unpublished stories that is not really a problem.
I am constantly writing stories in my head.
The main problem is getting them down on paper. I have a disability or two that make typing a bit of a problem.
But once I start I write 2 or 3 stories at a time.
I write like I talk so after getting them down I send them to my son to edit them.
I get my ideas from things around me and right now I have a story building in my head dealing with cats around computers.
Do writers naturally gravitate to cats? I see lots of them in the pictures by posters here and other writer boards.
I personally have 2 and wouldn't want to lose them.

PVish · Feb 11, 2010

Do writers naturally gravitate to cats? I see lots of them in the pictures by posters here and other writer boards.

Well, thanks to a strange twist of fate, I have a dozen. Eight are house cats and most like to sit on my desk while I'm on the computer. The one in my avatar is Dylan, who is now middle-aged (and that picture was taken two computers ago).

Stijn Hommes · Feb 12, 2010

I've found that the best way to get people to visit a website is to spread the word about it. Having it in your forum signature is a good start. You can also look for sites that publish stories for free that already have a large readership.

abctriplets · Feb 12, 2010

grandma said:
Do writers naturally gravitate to cats? I see lots of them in the pictures by posters here and other writer boards.
I personally have 2 and wouldn't want to lose them.

I have 3 cats. But I also have 3 kids. I wouldn't want to lose the latter, but wouldn't be too upset about losing the former

Inkblot · Feb 12, 2010

Grandma, do you have a Facebook account? If you do, you can put a link on it to your blog -- and mention it on your status. If you don't have a Facebook account, now would be a good time to get one. Ask all your children and grandchildren who are on FB to be your "friend" (trust me, your grandkids would rather have you as a friend than one of their parents.) Search the database to see who you know who's already on FB, and ask if they'll be your FB friend, too. If you want, FB will also email people in your address book and ask if they want to be your friend; or you could just ask the specific people you want. All of this is a way to build up a "presence" on the web and a way to tell more people about your blog.
FB is also a nice way for friends and family to share photos with each other. My mother, who is in her 80's, is on it. It's not just for college students anymore.

sissybaby · Feb 12, 2010

Welcome to AW, grandma, nice to meet you.

I, too, am finally a grandma - as you can see from my avatar picture. Took me forever to figure out how to get that picture in that little box. I previously had one of my cats in there, but she got hungry and wanted out, so what was I to do?

I haven't checked out your blog yet, but plan on going there soon. Good luck with all of it.

Sissy

Little Red Barn · Feb 12, 2010

grandma, welcome to aw. start here and visit mommy blogs, boatloads of them out there. nice bunch of folks. http://www.babble.com/babble-50/mommy-bloggers/

good luck, i like your concept, you might also contact some toy etc companies (one blogging mom got HP to donate their latest-greatest laptop ) and consider having them donate a gift/gift basket once and awhile to your commenters. and always use your town for gift donation resources. then tweet and face book it and visit others. a win-win situation for both you and companies.

scope · Feb 12, 2010

You ask the eternal question. How does one get more visitors to their blog (or website) without spending crazy money and/or hiring a marketing analyst of sorts -- neither of which I'd recommend. I think the advice you have received is about as good as you are going to get. If there was a sure fire answer I think we would all like to know it. Certainly get yourself involved with as many social networking sites as possible and create a profile, and do whatever else is possible on each. As said, there's Facebook, and add a few others to the list, goodreads, jacketflap, twitter, and a bunch of others you can find by Googling. Send letters to appropriate magazines and let them know what you are doing. Contact your local library and others if possible. Let local schools know of your free stories and offer to talk to the kids for ideas (not that you need them). There's a lot more you can do, but it's a job and it depends upon how much time you want to devote to such activities.

Newguy1428 · Feb 20, 2010

Go Grandma Go!

grandma said:
I do not want to make money from it.QUOTE]

Hi Grandma. Why not donate your time at schools or libraries? Reading books to children that excite them is like being a rock star. I have two books so far that make reading fun. I love to write books that get a response from the reader/listener/viewer. I think I have cracked my code and have a feeling that I will start writing these kinds of books by the dozen soon, I thank everybody here for that.

Just this week, I read a book I wrote a while back to a bunch of 1st graders. They loved it and helped me with changing one word. I am sure you know how generous children are. They'll help you become a better writer. I have read my Santa book to thousands of children. They loved it. It's a strange realization that I have shared one of my stories with as many children as many published authors have sold books to. Most print runs are what? 5,000? I have easliy read my Santa story to 2,000 children. I have taught art to children at several schools over the last six years. I usually have between 700-1200 students.

Now making money isn't all bad unless your heirs suddenly start taking an interest in how much mad money you spend on trips to the casino. Fame is the hardest part in making a fortune. Giving it all away is the happiest part. I can understand if you want to keep your private life private.

Publishing a book allows librarians and schools to access it. A teacher that falls in love with your book will share it with 20-30 children a year. You can touch many, many lives. A librarian can promote your book to many people also. If what you are writing about has a strong, powerful message, people want to know about it. If your message can change lives or just portray life in a new way, if it is a personal story that shows how you have coped with love, sorrow, happiness and life, people need to read your story. Then, your first fear of appearing egotistical changes to a fear of not fulfilling your duty. We all have a duty like journalists, to let the world know our stories.

Have I convinced you to reconsider publishing? I feel a greater sense of duty myself but, I have been teaching children so long that it's second nature to tell my side of the story. Children need exposure to all types of education and literature in order find their value and place in life.

Newguy1428 · Feb 20, 2010

The wide, wide world.

grandma said:
I started a blog and have posted some of the stories.
It is absolutely free and people can print them out so they can read them as bedtime stories by the bed.

Technology/security

Grandma, I wanted to keep this part separate for some reason. Did you know the touch screen personal computer was developed for young children? As you can tell, it never took off. The problem they discovered is young children fail to bond with their computer like adults do. It became like an old toy.

Security. Blogs are not secure. First, the nightmare scenario. You would not want any predators making contact with children from your site. I apologize for bringing that up. You should turn off the comments or any display of guest identities.

Second, picture books are wonderful things like anyone here can tell you. The tactile feel of the book. The richness of the colors. A good PB will atttact readers of any age. Reading a PB is a multi-generational activity. How often are my nieces and nephews asking me to read a book to them? A lot. Reading time is a favorite bed-time activity. You read a book in your bedroom away from the computer. It creates it's own comfortable world. Printouts don't do it.

I showed my niece a printout of a book that I have read to many classrooms of young people to great success but, in the at home setting, it didn't work. She kept focusing on the fact that it was stapled together and was printed lopsided on the paper. It just didn't have the picture book finesse and security.

Oh well, good luck. I wish you many happy returns.

I write stories for children

grandma

storytime grandma

alleycat

Still around

PVish

Cat hair collector

grandma

storytime grandma

Smish

Reads more than she writes.

stormie

storm central

wyntermoon

grandma

storytime grandma

PVish

Cat hair collector

Stijn Hommes

Know what you write...

abctriplets

Inkblot

New kid, be gentle!

sissybaby

Little Red Barn

haz own threads

scope

Commonsensical Maverick

Newguy1428

Newguy1428