Website Update: March 26: I’ve created an event on Goodreads for Minutes Before Sunset’s release. Join here.
On September 25th, My Primary Post was created, and this website was established. Six months later, here I am: all over the world.
When I first created this website, with the direction of Robin Hoffman, I didn’t know what to expect. I had all kinds of questions: How do I connect? What do I post about? Who will read it? Who will I want to read? Will this go anywhere?
I didn’t know any of the answers, yet, today, I have over 5,000 followers, and I couldn’t be happier with all of the lovely supporters (readers, writers, and dreamers) that I have talked to through this blog. Today–this six month mark–is a mark of celebration! And this celebration is all about you all 😀
![My Facebook Author Page is almost to 150 followers too :]](https://shannonathompson.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/facebook_like_button_big.jpeg?w=150&h=66)
Below this, I’m posting my top five posts and top five commenters. I’m doing this, because I want you all to see what has driven my blog the most. Maybe this will help you with yours. At the same time, I want you all to think about what you’d like to see on ShannonAThompson.com in the future! I really encourage you to comment with questions or comments in regards to what you’d like to see, and I will surely post about it! (I’ll even link to your page :D) And you can do this on any post, not just today’s, because this blog is truly dedicated to you guys, my readers. For instance, I’ve noticed many of you really enjoy writing tips, but is there a particular piece about writing you have questions about? I’d love to help with those.
My top five posts (not including pages) are:
1. Writing Tips: Being an Author: Pros & Cons
2. Inspirational Meet: Kristine Andersen: this means a lot to me by the way. Kristine’s death has been very difficult, but knowing you all have taken the time to read about her memory brings me a comfort that I cannot explain.
3. Publishing News: Barnes & Noble: Paperback: I just sent off the final bit of paperwork, so I’ll keep you updated as it continues to process.
4. Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting: I think it’s very important to analyze such tragedies in order to make as much understanding as we possibly can. If you haven’t read this post, I have two novels that, I think, can help question and understand school shootings.
5. Writing Tips: How I Form Dialogue into Writing
…
My top five recent commenters are: (And they deserve great praise, although all of you are getting a thanks!)
1. Slepsnor, Legends of Windemere.
2. Ahamin, Ahamin: Author’s official Blog–AKA my thoughts
3. The Animation Commendation: The Animation Commendation: A Tribute to Disney and Animation
4. P.C. Zick: Living Lightly
5. PO3TIC: Stranger Than Fiction: Photography, Poetry, & Prose.
…
I’d also like to thank Sam Dawson for featuring me on Hot Tea and Dark Chocolate March 21st, along with many others for being especially dedicated to their craft and support: Jhobell Kristyl, Ky Grabowski, & Tuan Ho along with so many others.
So thank you again for journeying with me to this milestone. I will continue! And I am looking forward to what the next six months will bring. A lot of that will be up to you guys!
~SAT
March 27: Publishing News: Cover Reveal
Shannon A. Thompson 
Congratulations! Five thousand followers in six months– that’s incredible! As to your request for topics, I wonder– is there anything you feel has been particularly helpful in your blog’s success? (I’m sure that having a published book, and another on the way– congrats again– is some assistance ;))
Thanks in advance and well done!
Thank you.
I try to read as many other blogs as possible. I think this helps a lot, because I find readers rather than wait for them to come to me. I also posted about the top 5 posts, because I thought that would help with topics. I have two Facebook pages (one for November Snow, one for me) and a Twitter page, Goodreads, Shelfari, and LinkedIn.
I think these help as well.
I hope that helps!
~SAT
congratulations on your blogs success!
That is pretty awesome. Congratulations.
Congratulations! 5,000 followers and a map with that much filled in is something for many of us to aspire to. Looking forward to seeing how much further your blog and success grow.
I have mentioned you yet again in one of my blogs! Congratulations on your success!
Your are an earnest worker by these numbers. Good work!
I like all your writings, but as a new author myself, I appreciate the Writing Tips the most.
Congrats and thanks for mentioning me 🙂 ! Just one thing, my blog is “The Animation COMMENDATION”, not “CONDEMNATION”. The two words mean totally different things, lol!
I’m so sorry! Dyslexia + lack of sleep does that to me.
I fixed it :]
~SAT
Lol, thanks!
Congratulations, Shannon! You indeed have had impressive results and I wish you continued success.
Congrats, Shannon!!! Just out of curiosity, do you feel that your social media feeds -Facebook, Twitter,etc- have helped to generate more followers/views? Thanks!
Facebook: No. It’s normally followers from somewhere else. Goodreads and Twitter helps! But Twitter only goes up to 2,000 before you hit a limit mark, and then you can’t follow anymore (or anyone back), which is stuff, because you want to.
~SAT
Congratulations on reaching that amazing milestone. As for posts, I love writing tips, posts on books or movies that inspired you, and progress updates on your writing.
How do you keep find new writing blogs to read? I’d love to go “find readers” like you do and see what they have to say, but I don’t even know how to start!
Google helps. Any search engine really. Or blog site. Like blogspot.com or even WordPress. Use your “Reader.” That’s a great place to start!
~SAT
Congrats, that’s awesome!
bravo 😀
Those are some incredible stats! Congrats! I’m looking forward to reading everything that’s yet to come. 🙂
You’ve created a blog and energized it in such a way that readers want to come back time and time again. Could you perhaps tell us how you’ve reached so many people in such a short amount of time?
I was hoping by showing my popular posts that I could explain why readers come back. But I think it’s also because I read other blogs. That is honestly my best guess. I don’t do more than that other than I also have other websites: FB, Twitter, Goodreads. But I think most my followers there come from here too.
~SAT
That is awesome Shannon! Congrats is in order 🙂 I honestly lag on keeping up with my blog but I do enjoy sharing my silly thoughts or ponders. But I love sharing my poetry. This is something you should be proud of. I would show it off too because that shows your hard work and dedication to writing that comes so natural for you 🙂 And thank you for following my blog even though I fall behind with it. This encourages me to write on here more often.
Oh wow, congratulations, you are obviously doing GREAT 😀
Congratulations on your success! I’m excited for your one year report. The sky is the limit!
I had no idea I’d make your top commenter list! I’m impressed with your numbers. You must post the how’s and why’s. I read lots of other blogs, and try to leave thoughtful comments, but my movement of followers is slower than yours by far. I have two blogs – Living Lightly contains my “platform” posts and Writing Whims is just what it says it is! I’ve started a few new things this past month which seem to be working. Thanks for giving us this information and most of all, congratulations.