The Reason Why I Moved At All

If you've arrived at this blog, I'm guessing that you probably migrated here from my previous location. And no doubt you're looking around my blog and wondering why I bothered to move at all.

Why, why, why? (Buy this print by TheBackPackShoppe on Etsy.)

The first thing you should know is that this is the same blog you're used to reading, at least in the ways that matter most. As you've probably gathered, I kept the blog title Perfectly Sensible Nonsense, and I expect to blog about the same range of subjects I discussed on my original blog. I've updated my blog pages, but other than that there are only two real changes: one, I have a GORGEOUS new design by Prim and Proper Designs! (Don't you love it?!); and two, I have a new URL - taylorlynnbooks.blogspot.com.

After a year at my old URL, perfectlysensiblenonsense.blogspot.com, I had gained a pretty steady flow of traffic, especially from Google search. Granted, most people seemed to arrive through searches for  "dorothea lange" and "peeta mellark shirtless"; but I got plenty of visitors regardless! Which begs the question: Why on earth would I bother moving?!

It's simple, really. If you know me at all, you know that my biggest dream of all time is to be a published - preferably bestselling! - author. This is more than a dream; it's a life goal of mine, and I'm consistently working to make it happen.

I recently read a book called The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published by Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry. (Stay tuned for more on the book in an upcoming post!) The guide has a plethora of information - everything you ever wanted to know about the world of book publishing, and everything you need to know about getting your own book out there. And one of the subjects it talks about is networking and gathering an online following before your book hits shelves. Networking and making connections with your readers, especially using online social media sites, is extremely important in this day and age. These days, the publishing world is less exclusive than it used to be, and publishing companies can't afford to spend too much money promoting every book they publish. Authors are expected to pull their own weight when it comes to publicity and gaining customers.

Without even realizing it, I'd already begun to network and gain a following at my previous URL, simply because I like to connect with people. I was on the right track, but there was just one problem. You guessed it - the URL.

When I become a published author, I want my blog to be my website. I don't want to mess around with custom domain names and expensive web designers; I'd rather just use Blogger's free platform and design my own little corner of the World Wide Web - or find wonderful people who are willing to make me designs. (Thanks, Gwenea and Milisande!) It's not unheard of - bestselling author Veronica Roth blogs at veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com, no website to speak of. And Kristin Cashore, also of New York Times bestselling fame, has just one online presence. You guessed it - kristincashore.blogspot.com!

Which is why I've got a new URL - taylorlynnbooks.blogspot.com. I'm preparing for authordom and building a network around what I intend to eventually use as my central online presence. And I decided to move now, so that by the time I actually end up published, my blog will already be hopping with traffic - AKA, potential customers!

I'm still going to keep up my old URL and have it serve as an archive, where you can browse through nearly two hundred past posts if you like. Besides, I spent so much time building up the content over there I can't imagine taking it down! So all of my old posts will still be available for you to read and link to - you can see them at any time by clicking the link below this blog's archives on the sidebar.

With that said, I guess all that's left to say is welcome - welcome to any new followers who stumbled in, and welcome back to my lovely bloggy friends, my dedicated readers! I'm really excited for this chance to start fresh and make Perfectly Sensible Nonsense even better than before, in preparation for my future career as a published author.

Thanks for stopping by!