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Cathy C. Hallhttps://cathychall.wordpress.com/I write, write, write. Then I rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. THEN I submit all those polished-up words out into the world and sell 'em. It's a plan that's worked pretty well.

Tooting My Horn Tuesday: These Boots Were Made for Platform Building

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Yep, those are Cathy C. Hall’s boots. And when I wear those boots, I’m about 6 feet tall, towering over the less tall (is that more politically correct?) folk out there.

If you’re a writer, and you want to get published, you’re going to need a platform. You’re going to need to write something scathingly brilliant, of course. But it’s also wise to get to work, towering over all the would-be published writers, with a scathingly brilliant platform. But how, you ask?

First, read my article “Platform Building 101” that was published in the Institute of Children’s Literature newsletter a few weeks back. Then, get yourself a pair of seriously platform-kicking shoes so that when you walk in a room, people look up and say, “Hey, who’s that tall woman with the spinach stuck in her teeth?” It works for me.

Finding Something Friday on Alexa and Fairy Tales

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I somehow managed to roll myself into the office so I could share what I found on this Friday after Thanksgiving. I mean, besides the three extra pounds I found around my waist.

So, I opened my Inbox to find a lovely email from Enchanted Conversation where I’d sent a poem having to do with Sleeping Beauty. Which turned out to be a very good thing, what with Sleeping Beauty being the theme of their first issue, due to come out in January 2010. So whee! I can’t wait to read this online magazine that celebrates all things Fairy Tales-ish.

Now, I know you’re thinking hold on a pea-pickin’ minute. Is this the same woman who wrote The Nano Lament (sung to the tune of I’ve been Working on the Railroad)? Well, as it happens, I can write delightful, not to mention, deeply moving poetry when the lyrical muse whacks me upside the head. But you shall just have to take my word for it until January, 2010 (when I shall give you a firm but kind push in the direction of Enchanted Conversation).

And since Enchanted Conversation is a new magazine, it will be trying to grow its readers. That reminded me of a nifty little tool I use to see how my blogs are growing, so to speak. It’s called Alexa, and I’m totally enamored with this web traffic whatchamacallit. You can install the Alexa toolbar or you can install the statusbar. I use the statusbar so I can check my blog’s ranking.

I’m not really all that sure what affects blog ranking. I know that the number of hits to a blog affects ranking, but I’m guessing there’s more to it than that. Links back to your blog might help your ranking, or a variety of visitors vs. the same old, same old crowd of visitors may have something to do with it, too. All I do know is that I like to check those numbers to see how my blog’s ranking goes up and down.

Kinda like my weight during the holidays. Which is not nearly as fun as you think.