Blog school Archives - Words To Run By

Why You Need Blog School by Blog Genie

March 20, 2014 by Sara- Words to Run By Blog

Are you new to blogging or thinking of creating a blog, but don’t know where to start? Do you have a great idea, but aren’t sure how to go about putting it out there for others to see? The internet, especially the blogging realm, is a vast place filled with volumes of information that can be overwhelming to sift through just to find simple information and how-to’s. Why not start off on the right foot?

Or, have you been blogging for awhile now, but you need a change? Are you ready to improve your site either by growing traffic, improve your design, mastering social media, creating a profit stream or work with influential brands? Finding information to help you take your blog from big to bigger can be a challenge, especially when you know you’re on the verge of something better, but you just can’t seem to connect all the pieces to make it happen. Why wait a second longer to reach your blogging and maybe even entrepreneurial goals?

If either of these sounds like you, what I am about to share with you will change your life (I’m not kidding, either, because blogging as we know, can really do that).

Blog School by Blog Genie changed has not only changed the way I blog for the better by giving me invaluable tools, resources and ideas to help me succeed; it has also changed my life outside of blogging by helping me become more organized (and, yes, I thought I was organized before), more focused (that’s really harder to narrow down than you think) and more driven (now with a concrete plan in place) to reach my goals than I ever was before.

What is Blog School?

An online course created by Blog Genie, Blog School is designed to give you a roadmap to help you turn your passion and love of connecting with others into a successful blog [More about Blog School here].

What is Blog Genie?

Blog Genie is run by Rita Barry and she has been working with female healthy living bloggers and fitness professionals since 2009 to help them design and rock their online presence by turning their passions into something more [More about Rita here]. She designed both Words to Run By and Blood Clot Recovery Network and – as my real-life blogging role model – has helped me realize my blogging dreams. If you aren’t connected yet, head on over and subscribe to get in on some free blogging resources, materials, regular tips and blogging insight that you didn’t even know you couldn’t live without.

What do you get?

As a part of Blog School you will receive six core learning modules comprised of a lesson, homework (be prepared to work!) and additional resources. The modules include Foundations, Blog Design, Content, Growth and Traffic, Social Media Marketing (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest) and Media, Money and Income Streams.

Plus you will get Membership to Blog School’s Private Facebook Group, Blogging Productivity Five Minute WordPress Set and WordPress How To Videos. Access to the courses are for life you can log-in login 24/7 as well as take them with you since they are digital.

So, why do you need Blog School by Blog Genie?

Last year, I was the grateful recipient of the Blog School by Blog Genie Scholarship and I was ecstatic to be taking the course. I have a big plans for the future and Blog School has first, helped me discover the direction I need to be going and second, given me the tools to get there! There are so many helpful things I learned about productivity, design, traffic, building/finding a target audience, writing worthwhile content and keeping the blogging momentum going. Blog School is a lot of work (I’m not quite done yet!), but if you really take your time and focus on the modules as they are released and do the assignments, you will get a lot out of this course. It’s helped me in blogging and helped me to organize my online presence (and life) to move in the direction of starting my own coaching business.

Where can you find more information?

You can find more information about Blog School here.

The one thing you need to do now

Enroll in the free, 3 part training series Blog School’s Traffic Road Map now. It runs from March 24 – 28, 2014 (delivered on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of that week right to your inbox) and will give you an idea of how awesome Blog School will be. You can enroll in this 3 part series without obligation to join Blog School so there is nothing to lose! Also by signing up you’ll be the first to know when Blog School is open for enrollment.

Dates to remember

Sign up today to be a part of the 3 part training course!
Blog School opens for enrollment March 31 and closes April 6, 2014 (sign up here to stay informed about the release)
The six core learning modules of the Blog School curriculum will be released monthly starting April 7, 2014

You also need to know

I am an affiliate for Blog School, yes, but I am only telling you about this course because I believe in it and it’s power to make a positive impact in your blogging world. It is a significant amount of money to spend ($345 for the basic course and $595 for the intensive course, which comes with with 6 months individual coaching) and I more than anyone understands that not everyone can spend such a large sum of money. I do, however, believe this course and the knowledge gained is worth every cent of that cost and knowing what I do now, I would not hesitate to spend that money on Blog School. Consider it an investment in your future, seriously.

I hope you consider enrolling in Blog School this Spring. Whether you’re just starting out or an old pro, it will be the best blogging decision you have made in a long time.

Until the next mile marker,

Leave a Comment Filed Under: Blogging and Writing

Weigh-In Wednesday: Week 23

October 9, 2013 by Sara- Words to Run By Blog

Weigh-In Wednesday Weekly Stats

Weight Watchers Week Number: 23

Lbs Lost this Week: – 3.2

Lbs Lost Total: – 14.0

WW Stars Earned this Week: None

Food of the Week

I’ve been eating more raw vegetables and fruits this week – like a salad or fresh apples. I am not sure if it is what helped the weight loss or not. If I’m hungry, I grab a fresh-picked from the farm Honeycrisp apple!

Activity of the Week

Yesterday I had my 16-month follow-up appointment with my hematologist (medical specialist who treats diseases and disorders of the blood and blood-forming organs – sounds scary, right?!). I talked to him about my lack of motivation to exercise ever since I ran the 5K in June. He thinks I may have done too much, too fast and my body wasn’t really ready for that – even though I did it without outwardly hurting myself, even thought it was over a year after my blood clot. I told him I had to do something, but the motivation wasn’t there and it was feeling more like a burden than anything. I told him it wasn’t that I didn’t know what to do or how to do it because I did – it is just a matter of making the commitment. For some reason this time, either my heart or brain or both isn’t into it. He told me to commit to walking at least 20 minutes a day, even if it is on my treadmill while I am surfing the internet (he showed me how to fashion a desk for my treadmill) or watching TV at night. He asked, “Do you work on the computer for at least 20 minutes a day?” I said, “Oh my gosh yes!” He does the same with his dictation notes every night before he goes home. Just gets on the computer/treadmill and types them up/walks. He said, “Add some running in here and there as you feel like it, but don’t set out to run if it’s stressing you out, just walk and see what happens.” I have made the commitment to walk for at least 30 minutes a day, starting tomorrow. Time goals worked really well for me the very first time I started running to help me weight, health and run a half marathon. I would run for seconds then minutes then miles at a time. My hematologist also agreed to following-up with my other doctors about the current status of my thyroid, which I already have planned.

Personal Weight Loss Goals (crossed off when reached)

I want to lose…

~~10 lbs~~
20 lbs
30 lbs
35 lbs
40 lbs
45 lbs
50 lbs
55 lbs
60 lbs
65 lbs
70 lbs

Personal Fitness Goals (crossed off when reached)

I will…

~~Run a 5K~~ Read all about it here.
Run a Quarter Marathon or 10K
Run a Mud/Obstacle Race
Run a Half Marathon
Start Strength Training (again)
Backpack (more)
Start Biking

Reflections

Thank you a thousand times for all of the kind things you said last week. It helped more than you know. I feel infinitely better not only having lost this week, but having spoken to my doctor and come up with a set, doable plan in my eyes.

Reader’s Recap

Don’t miss my Pepper Palace Fall Hot Sauce Review. It’s divine.

Blog School Update

I’m in Blog School with Rita over at Blog Genie and for the next six months I’ll be working really hard to make this blog the best it can possibly be. I’m really excited about this, especially since I was the recipient of one of the Fall Scholarships (for which I am extremely grateful). This week’s update: I switched my subscription manager to MailChimp (it’s free too!) and have to rebuild my subscription list from the ground up. If you like reading my blog (or you just like me or want to humor me with my practice at putting a form in a post!) and never want to miss a post by having it delivered weekly to your inbox, please subscribe below:

Photo Recap

Just because it is fall and I love this.

Question of the Week

How did you first start exercising? What kind of goals did you set?

Until the next mile marker,

Leave a Comment Filed Under: Blogging and Writing, Blood Clots (DVT and PE), Nutrition and Food, Weight Loss

Writer for Hire: Why I Need a Blog School Scholarship

August 5, 2013 by Sara- Words to Run By Blog

I feel like the last two years of my life have been mostly a nightmare. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had some good times, but for the most part, I wish to declare a do-over and wake up in a different reality. I wish I could open my eyes one morning and find out that Mom isn’t really gone – just returning from her four mile run at the park and sending me an excited text to tell me how it went. That the pain in my calf and then side wasn’t a blood clot that broke lose, traveled though my heart and lodged in my lung almost costing me my life – just plantar fasciitis and out of shape lungs. That the job I had tried for two years to land wasn’t the one I also lost less than three months after being discharged from the hospital due to my inability to handle what had happened to me and an intense career – just a trial run in what would be the real thing down the line after I was on my way to recovery. Now here I am, almost a year after losing my job, trying to find my path not only in a career, but in life – a writer for hire, which is why I need a Blog Genie Blog School Scholarship.

I’ve been blogging since 2009 when I first started running. I remember my first post (click if you dare) vividly. It was a welcome-to-my-life post and I fervently refreshed the page every five seconds waiting for someone to read it. No one did. For a long time. I read blog after blog after blog that impressed me with its style, design, content and comments. I would comment when I read something I liked, that inspired me or made me think. And then one day, one of those bloggers commented on my post and I felt like a million dollars. Slowly, my blog began to grow and I gained a small but loyal group of followers. These people, who are still with me today, are the ones that helped shape my blog into what you see now.

I’ve earned ambassadorships like that of FitFluential where I learned on a near daily basis (and continue to learn) how to be a better blogger and influential fitness leader – even when I feel anything less than that. I’ve earned several blogging awards, which have all helped my blog to grow over the years. I have received numerous products and books to review as well as developed some amazing relationships with brands, race directors, and fellow runners and bloggers. I remember when I used to think none of these things would happen on my blog.

I’ve gone through a transfer to Word Press and two design changes, all thanks to Rita at Blog Genie who brought my blog out of the bland, flat, cookie-cutter look that so many blogs have in the beginning. She helped capture the essence of Words to Run By and built a beautiful site where I could continue to talk about running, writing and remembering, part of my re-brand with my most recent design change. I began to focus on writing good content – without a full-time job to consume my time, I could write freely and compose posts with greater attention to detail and composition.

My most treasured accomplishments are those I have made in writing, including guest posting on other sites and a (albeit small) paid writing opportunity involving blood clot awareness. I felt like my content suddenly mattered, which inspired me to begin a second blog totally devoted to blood clot awareness – Blood Clot Recovery Network.

I’ve put countless hours, sleepless nights, significant amounts of money (self-hosted is not free after all) and even tears (okay, a lot of tears sometimes) into making Words to Run By what it is today.

And yet, I know it can still be better, which is why I am applying to Blog Genie’s Blog School’s Scholarship Giveaway. Blog School is an intensive six month program designed by Rita to make your blog the best it can be – and it starts soon! This is the part where I am completely transparent with you – and even now, that’s not always easy – I want this scholarship because no, I do not have a job yet and let’s face it, life is expensive. Blog School is a luxury I can’t afford right now, but would love to participate in the program to build even better content, improve SEO marketing, gain readers, page views and comments and maybe even make money writing on my blog or through my blog.

Even more important than needing the scholarship due to financial hardships, though, is what I believe Blog School can do for my blog. I want to make my writing – and I write primarily on my blog – my business. I believe I can do it, I want to do it, but I also know I need the tools to be successful in building an even better blog. And, I also know I just don’t have them on my own, which is why blog school is of vital importance in helping me reach my blogging goals. What I do have is the time, the commitment, the devotion and the passion to get the most out of what Blog School has to offer. I’m not afraid to work hard and at this point, there’s nowhere to go but up right?! I’ve had a lot of setbacks – and I believe Blog School can be the launching pad into what will be the next – and hopefully greatest – chapter in my life.

Until the next mile marker,

Leave a Comment Filed Under: Blogging and Writing, Blood Clots (DVT and PE), Running

You CAN Build A Remarkable Blog

July 22, 2013 by Sara- Words to Run By Blog

As bloggers, it is only natural to compare ourselves to other bloggers. And, if you’re anything like me, you strive to make your blog better. Whether it be increasing comments, generating unique page views, creating better content, redesigning your graphics or making money from your site, you can build a remarkable blog. And, you can do these things without blogging consuming your life.

Are you ready to find out how?

If you have the passion to make your blogging dream happen, then all you need is the knowledge and tools to get there and now you can take advantage of that knowledge with a free, 3 part training series: Build Your Remarkable Blog. The series is part of Blog School, designed by Blog Genie and is all you need to get started building your remarkable blog.

The three-part training series will be delivered over 3 weeks, one lesson & worksheet every Tuesday, starting July 23 – that’s tomorrow.

The topics of the training are:

Are You Blogging In the Right Niche? – Release date July 23 – that’s tomorrow!
The Art of Getting Things Done – Release date July 30
Believe You Can – Release date August 6

The goal of this program is to give you, my readers, something of great value to improve your blog even if you do not attend blog school. I have invested in Blog Genie to build this website and also Blood Clot Recovery Network for me and I am continually impressed by the service I have received. It is definitely worth signing up for the training series, plus it doesn’t cost you anything!

It’s free and it starts tomorrow – sign up HERE. What are you waiting for to build your remarkable blog?

Until the next mile marker,

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Leave a Comment Filed Under: Blogging and Writing