Exposing Your Personal Side with Blogging

Blogging is an ideal way to find a voice in such a huge online crowd. Of course, you can have a business website with all the features and product listings, but this doesn't provide the platform you need to ensure that your customers, visitors and readers know the ‘real you.’

People are always looking to learn more about anyone they do business with and you are no different. So you have to represent your ‘true self.’ You want people to trust you and feel your sincerity when reading your posts.

On your blog, you can say anything you want, but be careful with your freehand. People can take things out of context and when writing, remember that this blog is going to be a permanent addition to the online community, which means that you cannot take it back. Blogging is a way for you to show your personality and allow your readers to have a look into some parts of your life. Be aware, though, that a blog is extremely personal. You put yourself in a vulnerable position, but sometimes, it is required.

My Personal Story

One personal example for me is the fact that I have experienced child sexual abuse at a young age. I used this experience to write two books that would help other young children and their parents. One book is titled “For the Wounded Soul and the other titled “The Man in the Shadows: He Touched Me Where it Hurt.” I am very passionate about this issue and instead of hiding behind what I went through, I made a firm decision to become vulnerable. So for me, this isn't only about making money from the books. More importantly, this is about touching lives with my writing. Do I really want to become vulnerable? Honestly, no, but I have no choice. I didn't choose what happened to me, but I am in a position to help others so I have to share my story or I can’t sleep at night. That’s how serious it is for me!

Other Bloggers

My life like many other bloggers is not scripted, but if we find that what we blog about is an issue that will encourage or motivate someone else, by all means, we are going to tell the story. Believe it or not, we are all connected in some way or the other. Someone’s child may have been humiliated by a bully at school. The person may feel like sharing it on a blog. Another mother might stop by and read the blog after hearing that her child also has been bullied at school. Do you think that this information will help that mother? As long as it is written in a compassionate and informative way, it most certainly will.

Of course, there are some people who will misjudge your intentions, but that is the chance you have to take. Once you know that your intentions are pure, you have nothing to worry about. In real life, we all have so many issues to deal with. If sharing the solution is any way to help someone else, then that is what you should do. The Internet community has enough room for us to tell stories that will impact lives. Broadcasting your feelings and issues doesn't mean that you are oversharing. It means that you care about the issues that affect others. This is the difference between immature indiscretions and candid actions.

Now that you have read all of that, learn more about me by viewing my entire book line on Amazon. I have no more secrets. I am an open book to the world in order to save even one person and I make no apologies about that. Thank you for reading. Share this article with your friends and associates. It will do much good!

Writing for a Specific Purpose and For A Target Audience

When you understand the demographics of your audience, it will determine how you write, what you end up writing about, the choice of words and the tone of your content. Once you know who you are writing to impress, it will give you a sense of purpose on the point of your content and how you will bring those points across. Once you know and understand your purpose and the audience to which you share this purpose, you will be more focused in your writing.

In my case, I am very passionate about writing for victims and survivors of child abuse. My immediate audience would be parents who have had children survive this traumatic event and victims who have reached adulthood. I would also target child advocacy groups to let them know that I share their cause and possible share my writing with them so that they can in turn share with their members. The public-at-large is also my audience because they need to become aware of this issue.  Why?

Write to Educate

I try to take the opportunity to use my writing to educate the public on the seriousness of this issue. I would indirectly target the decision-maker of big corporations so that they can provide me with a wider audience reach? How? Well, these big nay-sayers are encouraged to buy my books in bulk (sponsorship) and donate it to the child advocacy organization in good faith. However, I could go one step further and offer to put a one page ad in my book for the corporation. This will provide a benefit to the corporation and give a reason to act.

SIDE NOTE: By the way, if you are a corporation or company, feel free to purchase my books online and donate them to your favorite child advocacy organization or to Darkness to Light, an advocacy group, of which I have an interest.

Write to Give Hope

When I was writing my book, my first thought was the audience that I was writing for.  Initially, I started by writing for the parent who doesn't understand that he/she should be careful to observe their children. Or the child sexual abuse survivor who is still trying hard to deal with the issues related to their unfortunate ordeal. Then I will think about the precise point I wanted to make. In this case, I would want the survivor to know that he/she is not alone because I am a survivor too.

I write my books in such a way as to give hope. For the parents, I share my story, which shows that even a close family member can be the perpetrator. Therefore, my writing conveys the message that it is especially important to closely monitor children. I cannot say that enough!

I usually ponder on the questions that my target audience would ask. I go over those questions, find the answers and include in my draft. I will put a lot of thought into this step. If I have to do additional research, I will – including statistics to show how crucial it is to spread the word about child sexual abuse and the effects it has on children.

Conclusion

Whatever, you write about, let it be something that is dear to your heart. If you write a romance novel, for example, develop a story that people can identify with. If you write non-fiction, make it purposeful and choose the right audience before you put any words on paper.  If you want to help my particular cause and passion, purchase my book at Amazon or virally share this article or the link to my book on your social media pages. Help me to shatter the silence of child sexual abuse. There is a child out there that needs your help too!

Amanda’s story: Child Sexual Abuse

Amanda stared at the tall, lengthy silhouette of her neighbor, Mr. Condit, as he pulled up his pants and slowly buckled his belt.  Suddenly, he invaded the silence by calling her name seductively, “Amanda.” She reluctantly looked around at him and saw him waving the $10 bill he had in his hand. He quietly placed it on the table next to him. This was the routine every time she would come over to his house to get money for school. 

Amanda grew up in a household with 7 siblings and a single mother who tried her best to meet the family’s needs, but they were always in need. So, one day, Amanda approached her neighbor, Mr. Condit to ask for monetary help. Mr. Condit was always nice to her. He would wave from his backyard and smile at her. She felt safe with him until Mr. Condit told her one day, “You are going to have to give back something in exchange for my money, Amanda.”

“I don’t understand,” Amanda said quite innocently. “Come over to my house after school and I will show you,” he said with a mischievous smile.  

Amanda soon found out that Mr. Condit was not the man that she thought he was. He took advantage of her innocence and as she now grabbed her underwear and slipper, running out of the house was easy compared to the memories that would not escape her.

Most of the child abuse incidences are rarely reported. In Amanda’s case, Mr. Condit told her that if she told anyone, he would hurt her entire family. Amanda is not alone. Many children are fearful of their perpetrator, which is usually someone they know. Even when some of the parents (usually single mothers) know, they won’t say anything. In Amanda’s case, her mother had a notion of what was going on, but she knew that Mr. Condit was providing money that she couldn't, so she let it be.

This is not OK. Kids, like Amanda, who are being abused by adults that they once trusted, can be emotionally and psychologically damaged for life. I can attest to this because I am a survivor. Lucky for me, I found a way to channel my frustration by writing books on the topic. You can find some of my books on Amazon here. I have an innate passion for this subject because kids feel that they don’t have a voice and the idea that they can be violated in such a horrific way is not something that they can wrap their minds around.

No child can be prepared psychologically to cope with sexual stimulation; whether it is one time or repeatedly. Even smaller children (2 or 3 year old) who don’t know anything about sex will have issues later as a result of being violated. If the abuser is a relative, friend, neighbor or associate, it is even more difficult for the child since this is a person who the child may greatly admire. A child like this may want to please the perpetrator for fear of being unloved or hurt if he or she tells someone.

How do we break the silence? I did by writing my books, but what can you do? Don’t turn a blind eye. Look at this as a lifetime problem for a child and for society at large. I challenge you to buy my book, which is a similar story to mine. What this will do is to educate you on the effects of sexual abuse on a child. It will also give you an opportunity to introduce the book to someone who may have been sexually abused or a parent who may have a child in such a situation. In addition, proceeds of the book will go to a related charity. So buying the book today will lend a voice to this devastating issue that most of us don’t want to talk about and subsequently keeping it hush-hush!

Buy THE MAN IN THE SHADOWS right now and make a difference in a child’s or parent’s life!