I’ve gotten enough emails and DMs on Twitter that I thought I should probably run a short post answering some questions about submitting posts for the search engine, etc.
First of all, thanks so much to everyone for their support! Mike Fleming and I have been really overwhelmed by the blog posts, the tweets, the Facebooking, and the encouragement. Thanks so much to everyone!
The content for the search engine is coming from the links that I’ve tweeted. Each week, new links will be added to the engine from the posts I’ve tweeted from the previous week. So basically, Twitterific is going into the search engine.
I’ve had quite a few questions from writers on how to get their content added to the search engine. I’m usually looking for craft-related, industry-related, social media, promo-related, or writing inspiration posts. I love posts that are easily skimmed (as opposed to a block of text–most writers are working with short amounts of time), have great content, and can be helpful to many writers.
I’m scanning over 1500 blogs…and it’s easy for me to miss a great post. I’m trying to spend only an hour a day reading posts, so I’m reading them very quickly. What’s most likely to make me accidentally skim over a wonderful post is a misleading title, an intro that doesn’t relate to the rest of the post, or a truncated post in my Reader (the whole post doesn’t show up in my Reader and I have to click “read more”…leaving my Reader and opening another window to do so.)
Have you got a great post on the writing craft—even something in your archives? Feel free to email me at elizabethspanncraig (at) gmail (dot) com or to shoot me a DM on Twitter (@elizabethscraig). Not sure your blog is in my Reader? Please send me a link and I’ll add it.
Thanks so much again, everyone, for the amount of support you’ve given us and the ideas you’ve had for the search engine. We’re hoping it’ll be a tool that’s a quick, easy way to connect with resources. And please let me know in the comments or by email, Twitter, or Facebook (Elizabeth Spann Craig, Author.)
Elizabeth – Thanks for this really useful post on how the search engine works. It’s a wonderful, wonderful tool!
I know I told you before, but this is such a great and awesome thing you guys are putting together. Kudos to you both.
I’m back. I might have missed a post on this…can we put the WDB badge on our blogs?
I’ve seen over a dozen posts this past week about your new site – I think you started something big!
You don’t really want everyone to email you their links do you? That could get a little crazy as this thing catches on… :)
Margot–Thanks so much!
Alex–I’m getting a stronger response than I expected, for sure. :)
Carol–Thanks! Yes, you sure can. The code for the badge is on the WKB site, in the sidebar: http://hiveword.com/wkb/search
Bluestocking–Ha! Well, I think I’ve *gone* a little crazy. Right now I’m getting more emails asking me HOW to get a link into the database than emails with links *in* them. I think I’m hoping that all 9,000 of my followers on Twitter + Facebook don’t email me at once! I’m expecting a manageable number.
You always write the most informative posts sweetie. Thanks!
Good luck in your new adventure, I know it’s gonna be great!
God bless and have a most beautiful day!!!
Thank you so much for all the leg-work you are putting into this. Do you have a preference, when we SEE something great, on how to alert you? (tagged when we do a FB link, for instance? email?)
Nezzy–Thanks so much and the same to you!
Hart–Any of those ways would work out great. I think I’m just going to update and load and schedule in batches and work systematically through the different apps to get the links. Thank you!
Hi, Elizabeth,
Every month end (actually, it usually turns out to be the beginning of the next month), I write a blog post entitled “Links & Things” in which I recap the month’s resources, news, and such, all of which pertains (primarily) to the craft of writing, editing, publishing, etc. Might I suggest that you review this recap (I have written 27 so far over the past two years) as I may have links to resources that you may have overlooked. I just posted January’s Links & Things on Tuesday. My blog is More Red Ink.
Cheers,
Marty Halpern
Hey sweetie, I just wanted to thank you for your visit and hoppin’ on my blog. I sure hope ya enjoy the ride!!!
God bless and in the words of that wild and crazy Granny Clampett, “ya’ll come back now, ya hear???”
Thank you for this information and for putting together such a great service for writers!
Marty–Thanks for the info! I’ll add you to my Reader and look forward to the links. :)
Nezzy–Of course! I was happy to. Nice blog and a friendly place!
Critique Sisters–Thanks! And thanks for coming by. :)
I hope you’re browsing over Juliette Wade’s and Janice Hardy’s blogs. They both have so many wonderful posts on worldbuilding, revisions, and improving writing skills.
I am totally impressed that you are putting so much effort into the database. It’s much appreciated.
Many thanks for all your hard work. We really appreciate it! :)
Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse