Yesterday I registered a domain name for my author web page – which doesn’t exist yet. Eventually you will be able to find my author page at www.cjpenn.com. But clicking on this link won’t get you anywhere today.
Though it was easy to get this domain name registered, I was surprised at how difficult it was. Confused? Me too. Technically it was easy. Emotionally it was hard. This feels like a huge step for me.
Though I’ve been writing for this blog for almost 10 years, and working on writing some books for almost 9 years (nothing yet published), I feel like I just took my first step into a whole new phase of my writing – the marketing phase. And it feels awkward and uncomfortable. I feel like I just climbed into a rocket about to blast off to Mars.
My author web page will be all about marketing me and my books. From the research I’ve been doing, an author page that’s separate from my blog is essential. But this whole marketing bit just doesn’t stir the passion and excitement in me that writing does. I’ll just have to force-feed the passion, I guess.
Anyway, I think I’ll start blogging about my experiences with this new phase of my writing life. So if you’re interested in such things, please check back in. AND, please give me some advice. I could use it. Thanks
CJ Penn's Online Writing Hangout 
February 13, 2016 at 8:03 am
C.J., I can relate, as I have had my own domain and registered web site now for a couple years, and also hope it will provide a better platform for my intended book when completely finished. It was a big step for me, too. But, the main thing I like about having my own domain is that it kind of feels like a separation from Word Press in a way which I really like, because I feel there is more of a freedom in being the person and writer you want to be, and writing in a way that is not like just another ‘cookie cutter’ site like everyone else’s with WordPress tacked on to it. I think there is more potential to be yourself, and for a Christian I think it frees us up from feeling we have to conform to the secular world on Word Press. That to me is worth every cent invested in it. :) Best wishes to you in your books and writing and domain. As Christians I think it very important that we can be supportive of one another in whatever way we can these days as the world slides even further into decay in this day we live in.
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February 14, 2016 at 7:10 am
Hi Joyce,
Thank you for sharing your experience. It really helps me. And I really like what you say about helping each other. Like how you just helped me with your story.
What strikes me right now is the strong desire to spend more time on WordPress, reading other people’s blogs and looking for opportunities to help in some way. But life currently sucks up too much of my time. Oh well.
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February 14, 2016 at 12:30 pm
Hang in there, C.J. God will use you wherever, and whenever He can, even in the smallest way, it might be a turning point for someone else, maybe when you never expected anything to come from it, just somethings said or written might make a difference to one’s life.
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February 13, 2016 at 8:45 am
Being an introvert, I can sympathize with the challenge of marketing oneself in the area where you are selling yourself. It requires a great deal of networking and a lot of grit. I myself am on the same path you are taking, but it is important to approach it piece by piece. To try to tackle it all at once will result in disappointment. Rome was not built in a day, it founded brick by brick. I wish you the best of luck.
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February 14, 2016 at 7:13 am
Thank you. Maybe a bunch of us writers who are at the same place in our writing journeys could help each other, like by sharing things we’ve learned. But I’m not sure how to conveniently do that.
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