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No More Niching: The Feedback

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No More Niching: The Feedback

When I wrote the post: Why I'm No Longer Niching My Blog about why I thought I'd made a mistake in my business because I'd followed all the online advice to 'niche' my blog, I was apprehensive.

Firstly, because I was admitting I'd made a mistake and I was worried how my clients/future clients would feel about this.

And secondly because what I was thinking went against the advice of so many other people online.

But despite my concerns I posted it anyway. As I've been sharing my business (and writing) story, I thought it only fair to say when I'd taken a wrong turn.

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Is social media stifling creativity?

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Is social media stifling creativity?

Facebook rather (over)excitedly told me yesterday that it was our ten year anniversary. I had been on Facebook for ten years. Which means I've been blogging for slightly longer, and tweeting for slightly less.

In this decade of social media I've seen many creative endeavors evolve and grow.

There was the rise of the blog becoming a book deal. The film Julie and Julia (one of my favourites) came about because of Julie Powell's blog. Or we have the Belle de Jour blog which became a book and, later, a TV series with Billie Piper. 

Back then social media was used to chat. 'Water cooler' chatting. Writers, working on their own all day, would come together to compare word counts and commiserate or celebrate accordingly.

Blogs were like diaries. A place to share writing. A place to be anonymous or to share projects.

The Story of a Hen and her Ducklings

The Story of a Hen and her Ducklings

Wincey the chicken was broody. She had been making quiet cluckling sounds for a few days and I'd been crossing my fingers that this meant she was thinking about becoming a mother again. But now she was refusing to come out of the nesting box. 

This was good news. We'd recently lost some of our ducks and only had one left. DuckFace had the company of the chickens but would love someone to go swimming with again. I knew, before Wincey became broody that we'd try for some ducks. Specifically Indian Runner Ducks. The comical and beautiful ducks that don't fly but walk upright, like penguins.

How I'm outlining my novel

How I'm outlining my novel

I've successfully managed to not write my novel for many months. In fact, I think late 2016 was the last time I went near it.

As I say in this week's video (below) this is because I've been busy with my coaching business and new websites and my head cannot take on too many projects at once.

My fiction writing is always the first thing I drop when my head is full. I wish it wasn't but, by dropping it, I don't have to the voices in my head constantly telling me what a rubbish writer I am. Who wouldn't want to get that out of their head?

But I've been encouraged to give it another go. 

My 14 Duck Keeping Tips

My 14 Duck Keeping Tips

For five years I’ve been watching ducks, literally, shake their tail feathers. As we inherited them with our house we’ve had ducks longer than we’ve had chickens, our cat and our dog.

Sadly, we no longer have the original trio – Vanessa, Jemima and Neville. We actually currently only have the one duck. Her name is DuckFace (not as pretty a name as the originals!) and she is the last of the quartet of ducklings we had four years ago.

Over the five years we’ve had a total of ten ducks. It sounds like we’re a bit careless with them – eight have died, only one survives and one we gave away. But in the beginning the adults ducks were practically wild. They were used to fending for themselves and refused all offers to keep them safe. They thought we were the dangerous ones. And by doing so they left themselves wide open to the fox.

We’ve learned the hard way how to keep them safe from predators.

Why I'm Creating a Business to help Passionate & Purposeful Creatives & Writers

Why I'm Creating a Business to help Passionate & Purposeful Creatives & Writers

At the moment I've hundreds of words and ideas swirling around my head. My notebook is being furiously written into. I'm watching Youtube videos on who is the best newsletter provider and creating a project management schedule - of sorts - in Asana (a new to me tool that I'm using to get organised). My head feels like it's going to pop. Every time I think I've learnt something new and that'll be it for the time being, I realise I need to learn something else. Google Drive, Asana, Mailchimp/Convertkit, Squarespace, an accounting spreadsheet - even scheduling posts for my Facebook page - is all taking up headspace.

Do you ever feel like the more you do the less you've achieved?

Do you ever feel like the more you do the less you've achieved?

Do you ever feel like the more you do the less you've achieved? I know, that sounds weird, right?

But I've been working hard on all sorts of things in the last few months.

I've sorted out an online system for working with clients - I've even got clients and worked with them on their social media - that's massive, right? I've launched my new website on a different platform to this one so I had to learn all the tech stuff, I've sorted out the associated mailing lists, updated my computer because the wifi kept dropping, registered a domain, sorted a new email address...the list goes on, but I'm stopping there as I don't want to appear braggy - I'm just giving context ;)