Once upon a time I was quite active in the #MotivationMonday social media community. But after awhile, people started just sharing the same quotes and the same canned cliches for motivation and inspiration. I went through some dark times and gave up on the whole motivational / inspirational tag train
But, recently I’ve come across some blogs that have some great posts that need to be amplified. So, I’m going to aim to put out a Mindful Monday Roundup every Monday, chronicling the posts I’ve found during the week that motivated or inspired me in some way. Some weeks I may not find much, so if I don’t post one of these one week, expect there to be a much longer one in the future.
Without further ado, here are my finds from the past week’s blogosphere perusal:
“The Art of the Mini Sales Pitch: How to Subtitle Your Book So People Will Read It” by Tajja Isen on LitHub
As an essayist myself, I completely identify with Isen’s struggle with coming up with a subtitle that a publisher will be happy with. Like Tajja, the word ‘essays’ in a book subtitle is a major contributor to me wanting to check it out. I do think that what she and her publisher settled on for her latest book’s subtitle is a good one, though.
“Drops of Jupiter” by Katia Griffin
WordPress suggested this blog to me, and it’s one of the best I’ve read in a long time. Katia is a foreign exchange student traveling Europe who has some of the best writing I’ve read in a long time. Looking forward to her future posts.
“Embracing the Power to Create” by Tune into Leadership
Jewel Kinch-Thomas reflects on Black History Month and the importance of recognizing the shoulders on which we stand. She highlights the enduring legacy of individuals who, in challenging times, held tight to their visions, forged new paths, and unlocked latent desires. These pioneers set a tone for innovation and creativity that continues to inspire generations.
“Let’s All Support a New Swell Magazine!” by Chuck the Writer
Any publication that supports a creative DIY spirit gets my support! It also is heartwarming to me that Swell magazine is collaborating to “include women, LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and additional communities of underrepresented voices and talents from across the U.S.”
“Life in the Radical Middle” by Make the Journey Fun
Our world is so defined by extremes today that trying to live a “normal” life leads to ending up in a “radical middle.” Really great perspective here. I’d say my wife and I are part of this “radical middle” ourselves.
“The Power of Pingbacks: How to Create One” by Hugh’s Views and News
This is a great guide to pingbacks on WordPress. I’ve always allowed pingbacks on my WordPress blogs and moderated them. While yes, you will deal with spam, bloggers should allow pingbacks. This is how you know that your work is being seen as valuable and how you let others know their work is valuable to you. Bloggers who deny pingbacks are missing out on a valuable connective tissue within the blogosphere.
“This Summer, I’m Cranking It Up To 11” by Thomas Slatin
My wife shares her plans to have the best summer of her life in 2024. I will do my best to arrange these plans for the greatest chance of success. My plan is to simply do a lot more writing with purpose, but the adventures on the side should prove a welcome respite from my ongoing creative toils.
Have any blog posts you’d like to share? Please leave links in the comments!
~ Amelia Desertsong, March 4th, 2024
