The Porpoise Driven Blog

Been pondering the purpose behind this whole Blogging thing.

It's hurtin' my brain.

Great post today on Copyblogger by Laura Roeder - I'll insert part of it here along with my own notes:


Lesson #1 - Find your blog's core purpose.

I've been searching - no answers yet.

Here’s a question that never seems to go away: what is a blog?

Feel free to answer this one for me.

 Is it a public journal? An online magazine? An extended way to connect with friends and family?

Good questions to which I offer all no answers

And the answer is . . . a blog is whatever your audience needs it to be.

Oh great! I don't know that I have an audience that needs anything from me!!! That's the problem!

Whatever your topic, you need to get crystal clear on why people are there.

Yay!!! Here we go again, back to square one. This is annoying.

Is it to read the hilarious details of your personal life?

My personal life stays pretty personal (though it's often hilarious).

Watch detailed how-to videos on watercolor painting?

I don't know how to add videos to the blog. Did place 1st for a watercolor that I did - in 10th grade!

Hear your latest celebrity rant?

Puhleeze - I avoid anything celebrity - I don't want to hear their self-important rants.

It doesn’t matter what it is, only that you know it ............

This is lookin' more like a circle. Toldja -  I don't know nuttin'!

I'm not the next Mark Twain, so me offering writing tips would be ( ____ ) fill in blank.


Don't know all there is to know about publishing or book sales - no help there.  


A daily/weekly infomercial on BAD LATITUDE or RECKLESS ENDEAVOR - THAT would be a drag.

So really - What's the _______________??? (hint below)






I've met some seriously awesome (& helpful) folks (now friends) through blogging, learned quite a bit, even sold some books, but I can visit & comment without actually posting (& needlessly torturing readers).


So.... when you stop by to visit JaxPop - Whaddya expectin' to find? What would y'all want to hear or (hah!) learn about? What would make it a worthwhile stop as a reader - besides Debs pictures?
(BTW - Today's pics are from the Internet.)


I dunno - so I'm throwin' these questions out there for feedback. Any ideas, complaints, suggestions???


Hmmmmm????

A Blob of A Blog?

Part of the original movie 'The Blob' starring newbie actor Steve McQueen was filmed in my old hometown of Downingtown (affectionately called D'Town) Pennsylvania. The diner, where the climactic scene was shot, is still there with the sign out front that proclaims "Home Of The Blob". Doesn't make the food sound particularly appetizing to someone unfamiliar with the history of the joint. "Hey - gimme a 'blob' of mashed potatoes willya...." Steve McQueen turned in a pathetic first time performance, but he improved &, eventually, became an icon. Proof, I suppose, that there's hope out there for everyone with the determination & guts to pursue their dreams.

I've been trying to figure out the purpose of blobbing... I mean blogging. There are some blogs that are very instructional. Others provoke debate, sometimes even nasty arguments. Some are just plain entertaining.

So.... I've been thinkin', maybe too much, about the whole thing. Is it worth it to maintain a blog, Facebook, MySpace, etc.? I know I've sold some books through JaxPop & FaceBook & I've made some cool friends, but....maybe I'm just polluting cyberspace with this drivel.

There's nothing instructional on my blog. I'm not qualified as a writing 'coach' or book promotion wizard. I don't get into politics (though I have strong opinions). There's nothing particularly interesting about me as an individual - I'm just an average Joe, I mean, average JaxPop. My posts aren't enlightening, inspiring, entertaining or provacotive.

What direction should I take? Pull the plug & put my energy into something new? Tie it in more with the book & the characters? Keep doing what I've been doing?

Anyone have any ideas or suggestions.... heck..... even questions? Hey y'all - I'm all ears (even though I still can't hear out of 'em.)