Bloggiesta! – Round up

 

 

 

 

A few day ago i found a weekend 48hours challenge to tackle some of the housekeeping on my blog and my overflowing inbox and to-do list.

I have been plodding away at it since Friday, as there is an extensive list to get through.  I was doing well on Friday, had a process going and a game plan in mind of how to sort out the few remaining things on the list… then disaster happen

my entire blog template code got messed –up and i had no choice, but to take my blog offline for a few hours and  sort out an entirely new template.

So I have not done everything on the list – but I am very pleased with what i have completed. I spent about 14hrs on and off over the two days on the blog.

 

• Write book, movie, TV, product reviews.  Any reviews really.

           Two review up and two scheduled to go for Tuesday

          Sex, Lies and wedding Bells – EM Lynley

           Dante's Wrath – Eve Vaughn

           Krista’s Binding – Jory strong – scheduled

           Zeraac’s Miracle  - Jory Strong - scheduled

• Write backup posts for a rainy day.

          I always have a post for a raining day – so  I found a 30 question list on my friends Shayne’s blog –This and That and I have answered that and have it waiting in wings for a raining day

• Write that great post idea from three months back.

           Nope – I kinda go with the flow and my reading taste is all over the place, I have jotted down a few ideas for my Discussion Point post so I suppose that could count

• Work on series posts.

Yes I worked on my Guest Blogger series post – I have Anna – Anna’s Book Blog up on Monday – so I spend some time on that post – finished it as well.

• Write guest posts.

          I am doing something's in a few weeks time at different blogs, I am still plotting away – so not behind or anything, so I didn’t touch this – I’ll go with the flow.

• Put out invitations for guest posts.

           Yup, got a few invite out for guest bloggers, also updated the Ning callout for Guest Bloggers.

• Conduct and edit author interviews.

          Yup, I  have two of those sitting in my inbox,  I have manage to only mock up one of them though – the post isn’t until a few weeks so I am going with the concept of having a little more time.

• Create template posts for your future reads (ie: title, images, linking, tags, etc,) so you can open up, write review and post without being bogged down with technicalities

          Yes I did do this – although I use the Window Live Writer Software – it’s nice to have the template to go – I’ll probably carry on with this as best practice.

• Clean up your tags, archives, books reviewed list, etc.

         I am pretty good with that bit, from the moment I started my blog – so other than updating my review list – this one was a bit straight forward for me.

• Improve your blog template, clean up sidebars, add a favicon, install those plugins that you’ve been meaning to do.

         I went one better and did an entirely new template – if you have never been here before – this baby is hot off the presses.. My old template started going wanky and I got frustrated trying get things to stay where they were meant to be. So i trashed it and am sporting something new.

• Add or edit your about me page, review policy, create landing pages (for example - an about me for Twitter readers page) or any other pages you might have.

        Nope I didn’t get the chance to complete this – but – but I have the draft all set up so i will 

• Any bloggy type housekeeping that you’ve been neglecting.

      I have update, Upcoming books, link list, and update my Goodreads list so it is more reflective of what's happening on the blog

• Clean up and update your challenge lists.  Link up your posts with hosts.

This was the challenge for the Weekly Geeks post this week – so all my ducks are in a row, and I have a fair idea of what challenge I am doing great in and which ones I have to make a move on if i don’t want to forfeit at the end of the year.

• Make sure all of your social network profiles are up to date.  Brand yourself through those profiles with color scheme, images, etc.

         I use Twitter, Goodreads, Blogburst, Blog Catalog and My Blog Log (yahoo)  – branded and updated.

• Go get a gravatar.

        Don’t like them – so i am going to pass on this one…

• Visit the Blogging Tips group on the Book Blogs Ning and find ways to improve your blog.

This is an ongoing process – some good tips and the ladies are always willing to look over your blog to give you tips about you are doing right and how to make everything look appealing.

• Work on any specialized projects that you may have going.

Yes i have one major project coming up – i twiddle on it everyday – so i spend a few hours plodding away at this as well.