Saturday is October 1st!

That’s the first day for each our 31 day series. Have you finalized your topic?  If you are joining in the *plan* is for each of the 8 original 31 dayers to have a linky on our blogs BUT you only need to link up one time on only one blog, if all goes as planned, the links should show up on every blog.  Fingers crossed. So, if you are hanging out at Darcy’s blog and link up at her site, within a few minutes, your link should show up on every blog.  There could be some hiccups because of the way we are doing the linky so just in case there is wonkiness, forgive us, this is our first year and we aren’t really sure what to expect. Hang with us and we’ll let you know if something tragic happens like if we blow up the internet or worse, we all have to re-enter our links.

It was so fun to read your comments from the other day about your topics.  I know it’s a scary thing to commit to writing on one subject for 31 days but, this is my third year and each year I dread it but also love it.  Writing about one thing for 31 days doesn’t mean you are claiming to be an expert on that topic, maybe it’s something you want to find out more about, maybe it’s your passion.  I’ve found that it’s a more rewarding challenge to choose more of a specific category than a general category.  So instead of 31 days of cooking, I might do 31 days of chocolate chips.  Or instead of 31 days of celebrities, I might do 31 days of  80’s teen idols.  This helps the reader know what to expect but it also pushes you to go deeper in a subject.  And that seems to be where the magic happens.

Please don’t fret about whether or not to join in.  If you think you are up for the challenge, great, if not, maybe next year.

Buttons

Some of you had questions about making a button.  A button is not required although I like having a few so I can pepper them into some of my posts and use them on my sidebar. Also I like pretty things so buttons are a natural need for me.  I made some empty ones if you know how to grab them, you can upload them into photobucket or something and then write in your extra words.  If you know of a great button making tutorial feel free to put the link in the comments.  Also IF you are a person who makes buttons and you have time in the next few days for a few jobs, feel free to leave a link to your site or your email in the comments along with what you charge for a button.  But watch out, if you leave more than one link in your comment Nesting Place will think you are spam and it will not publish your comment.

 

 

Linking Up

I made a practice page for you to practice linking up. If you are not completely comfortable with linking up please click on the page and read my many words about it.

This linky party is {hopefully} going to be an image link up along with text.  So think about what image you want.  I can see the stats to all my past linky parties and it’s always the most eye-catching photo that gets the most clicks.  You can also use your button as your linky image.  Just PLEASE have an image, I don’t want to see any of those default blue cartoon frogs on the list because you didn’t link to an image.   When you link up the linky will automatically allow you to choose an image from the permalink you are linking to {if that sentence didn’t make sense read this so you know what I’m talking about} you will also have the option of uploading a photo from your computer or putting in an image code.

Why your link could get deleted::

  • You didn’t link to a permalink
  • You didn’t link up an image and you have a blue frog and you are in the first couple of rows, what? me? controlling?
  • You aren’t actually doing 31 days, you thought you would but naah, let’s face it, you aren’t and when someone clicks on your site there is no sign of 31 day life.  So if it’s October 18th and I click on your site and see NOTHING that tells me you are doing 31 days, and nothing from days before and I just simply cannot find anything? GONE.  This is a 31 day series, yes, sometimes I post twice on one day or work in a giveaway but, I have a button or I link to my post or something, I try to always make it obvious that I am in the middle of an ongoing series.  Make it easy for people to find.
  • You are being sneaking and doing 31 days to selling out your etsy shop and it’s all a big annoying ad to get us to buy something from you.  Or anything else I deem sneaky.
  • You linked up more than once and I’m deleting duplicates

When’s the link up?

Um, I’m not sure yet.  The eight of us are still fiddling around with the best way to make this happen.  Again, if the internet melts, it’s probably our fault. You may see a link up post sneak up on Friday afternoon or night, or we might be frantically trying to figure it out by Saturday at midnight.  So sorry I don’t have an exact time, but I admit I also like to keep it kind of a mystery.  No matter, you won’t be able to link up without having a post published so it wouldn’t hurt to have something ready, and remember, whatever it is that you link to, will be one way people will find your series.  Consider what exactly it is that you want a first time visitor to land on if they are clicking over to give you a look see even in the midst of the series.  Ideally you want something interesting that explains what you are doing and maybe links to each of your individual posts.

Now go forth and 31!

UPDATED::

I put up a test linky here for a few hours but some people panicked and thought it was the real thing so I took it down.  Real linky is coming Friday or Saturday…stay tuned!