Tribe Building Tips For Unknown Writers

Hello.  My name is Michael.  I'm addicted to writing.  I hear voices in my head.  The only way I can make the voices shut up is to write about what they talk about when they wake me up in the middle of the night.  I decided to admit my addiction publicly 1,301 days ago when I abandoned my cave and formed an online support group, otherwise known as a blog.  It's more than a blog.  It's a tribe.  Many here follow me anonymously.  Others have shared their addictions in interviews, guest blogs and books.  The chronic type A personalities follow me at  Caveman Reflections Cyber-bistro, a blog I set up for writers who share their passion for writing with tribal members and visitors.

The best lesson I learned from blogging is that it helps you connect with others who share the same interests.  Here are some tribe building tips for unknown writers like me who would like to form their own support group:

1. Don't be afraid to be yourself.  Your quirks are what make you unique.  Your followers respect authenticity.
2. Be consistent.  I write seven days a week because it's the only way I can get the voices out of my head.  I publish at the same time, 8:08 AM, Pacific Time, so my readers know when to tune in.  Yesterday I forgot to hit the publish button before I departed for my day job and a loyal reader sent me a text to see if I was okay.
3. Experiment.  There are no rules to follow when you design your own blog.  The choices I made were always based on the price tag.  I promised my wife I would not spend one penny on my addiction.  Everything you see on this blog is free.  Blogger is free.  All the widgets are free.  Createspace is free.  Hootsuite is free and it allows you to post tweets automatically.
4. Communicate with your tribe in any language.  Google Translate widgets allow you to find new members all over the world, even if they don't speak your language.  Yes, they are free.  Here's a link to help you translate your blog and find international followers.
5. Turn your addiction into a positive.  Use it to connect with others.  Build your own tribe.  I know there is no way for me to stop writing, especially with all the new free tools that keep popping up.  Instead of resisting my addiction, I'm embracing it.  I'm seeking others who share my interests.  The world may think we are a little strange.  I don't care what the world thinks.

The biggest challenge I face now is getting other members of my tribe to write a comment.  Most prefer to show their support in private emails.   That's okay.  As soon as some of my long-time tribal members post a comment, the real fun will begin.  Would you like to add to the conversation?  I would love to hear what you have to say.  Click on the comments section below.  If you prefer to keep your name private, you can post anonymously.  Thanks for stopping by.

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