Thursday's Thought: Do Giveaways Bring More Traffic To Your Blog?

Now that the holiday season is approaching, many blogs are offering Christmas giveaways. Some of these include Christmas books, movies, music, various gifts, as well as festive decorations for the house. I've heard that holding giveaways can increase your blog traffic since people love entering them - however, is it worth the time, effort and expense that's put into it?

I've never held one of my own before, only because it seems a difficult task. I'm sure that it's not too bad, though. Besides, many of the blogs that do hold giveaways seem to be more popular than those that don't.

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What do you think?
Have you held giveaways before, and were they worth it?
Is it a good idea to hold a holiday giveaway?

Teen Writer's Part 2: The Disadvantages

Last week I discussed why I believe teenagers shouldn't wait to pursue their writing dream. In this post I'll talk about the possible disadvantages of being a teen author.

Not every dream is going to be as glamorous as you've imagined. Writing is a commitment. It involves a big chunk of time out of your daily life just to sit down at the computer and write. Of course, this sounds exciting for me, since I've always been one who loves finding a quiet place to tap away on my keyboard. But just like any other commitment, there are things you should think about before pursuing writing at a young age. Here are just a few that you may want to take into consideration:

• Unless you're as successful as Nicholas Sparks, the chances of your books bringing you fame and fortune are not very likely. According to author Jody Hedlund's recent post, an average writer will earn more as a greeter at Wal-Mart than from writing. So if you're hoping to be a teen author just so you can have of money, you may want to re-think this.
• Writing is a hobby - but being an author is a job. It's not only about writing a book and finding a publisher to publish it. You will need to go through the long and dreary editing process with your editor, establish social networking with other writers (which is a form of promotion), and also market your book. Not only will you have school deadlines, but you will have deadlines with your book, too.
• If you're hoping to publish before you graduate high school, keep in mind that you will be sacrificing a lot of your high school experiences. This is no problem for me. I'd rather begin ministering to people through my writing while I'm still young. But if you are a social butterfly (unlike myself), then you may want to wait a while before beginning your writing career. I have had to cancel plans with my friends before because there was too much writing that had to be done. However, you may be able to manage both the teenage and the author lifestyles - but some people may prefer to enjoy their youth while they can without having to worry about a career. And that's fine. God has a different plan for everyone, and you're only a teen once.
• Not everyone is going to be nice. What I mean is, there will be people who will give you harsh critiques. Some of these will be from people who are in the industry, and others will be from random people who voice their opinion on Amazon reviews. In writing, you will be rejected. You will be critiqued. Not everyone is going to like your work. This is one of the reasons why many adults think that teenagers should stay away from being published until they've developed a "thick enough skin" for rejection. To be honest, I don't think we will handle rejection very well even after we are adults. However, you may want to let God allow you to mature a little longer before getting involved in such a ruthless industry.
  

For me, the advantages of being a teen author completely outweigh the disadvantages. It's worth the time, sacrifice, rejection, and stress. Besides, all of the work will eventually pay off when that first published book is in your hands. If you feel discouraged about pursuing this craft but still don't want to wait, keep in mind that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13).

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If you are out of high school, what is your opinion? Do you think teenagers should get a jump start on writing as a career, or wait? What are some other possible disadvantages of being a teen author?

Thursday's Thought: Should We Prepare Before Writing?

Many writers have to take about an half hour of "preparation" before actually putting ink on paper (or fingers on keys). This may involve reading a book, listening to inspirational music, or writing prompts.

For me, I love "getting into the zone" before beginning my writing for the day - but I also tend to get a little distracted during this time. However, reading a book (or even a writing self-help book) does help clear my mind when it's time to write, and the words seem to flow more naturally.

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What do you think? Is "preparing" before writing necessary? Or do you think we sometimes use it as procrastination before getting to the real thing?