Photo by: Roderiques Photography

Over the past week – I traveled back east to visit my family in New Jersey and Rhode Island. The question that almost everyone asks when I travel back home is, “What have you been up to?” No matter how many times I go visit and get asked this question, I always feel unprepared. I’m a bit like a deer in headlights. Of course, I have plenty to tell them. But when I am asked outright, all the things that I prepared to say while on the plane just fly out the window. The good news is that I was quickly able to regain composure this time and give my answer. I started blogging. So, of course, the next question comes, “What is a blog?” I thought man, I just caught them all up on what a podcast is, now I need to explain what a blog is?! I love my family and realize that the more times I need to explain these things, the better I understand them. And now because of my family (did I mention that they are the best family in the world?) I am writing this blog about blogs. So, perhaps we should start with the proper definition at Dictionary.com

Blog: noun
1. a website containing a writer’s or group of writers’ own experiences, observations, opinions, etc., and often having images and links to other websites.
2. a single entry or post on such a website

I would first like to add educate to that definition. I think blogs can be a great way to learn new things. Through starting to write my blog, I have been reading more blogs. The thing I love is that there are blogs on practically everything. I also love that you can read them whenever you want, as much as you want and, when you miss someone’s blog post, you can usually go back and read their old blogs. Can I say blog one more time?! Yes, because here are a few blogs that I currently enjoy reading that help me in different aspects of my career.

Jeff Bullas
I’ve mentioned Jeff Bullas a couple of times in my Social Media Moment on Hollywood Close-Up because I find his blog posts so informational and many of them provide me with tips on social media strategy. The latest one I mentioned was The 6 Step Social Media Marketing Strategy Plan for Your Business. As I talked about on the show, this article in particular is helpful to bigger and smaller businesses. It asks one very important question: “What type of information is not only engaging, but is something followers would like to share?” I think this is really important to think about and it got me thinking. It is not only important to write about something my readers will be interested in, (which I guess if you are reading this, then I’ve done my job) but it’s also important to get my readers to share it with others. The article explains that one of the quickest ways to pick up new followers is by creating content that is shareable. So everything works together, you must engage your followers, to get them to share your content and then in return you gain more followers.

Shaleah Dawnyel
Hollywood Close-Up interviewed Shaleah Dawnyel on Ep54 . One of the main reasons I enjoy reading her blogs is because I can always hear voice through her written words. Even more, what I love about them is that they are constant, educational and make me think. This is something I strive to do in my own writing. One of her blogs that I believe is great for anyone pursuing a career in the entertainment industry is 5 Networking No No’s: Are you guilty? . Shaleah wrote this blog brilliantly as she not only shared her opinion and experiences about networking, but she joined forces with some of her, in her words, “all-star contacts” to give their thoughts on networking.

Backstage
Now, I realize that Backstage may not call their “Advice” section a “blog” per se, but based on the Dictionary.com definition of what a blog is, I would think this falls under the blog category. I follow Backstage on Facebook and Twitter and I am always delighted when I see a new post. There are many great blogs written by an array of people in the industry ranging from acting teachers to casting directors, from actors to producers. They provide so much great advice. Some things I read are new to me, while others are a great refresher. One of the latest, Get Serious About Your New Year and New You hit home when writer, producer and casting director Marci Liroff wrote, “Your perception is the one thing you have control of in this business.” This is important to remember. The one thing in this business that you have control of is you. Something that I already knew, but when someone in the industry reaffirms that, it makes me feel more confident.

What Blogs (besides Hollywood Close-Up’s of course) are you reading these days?