Happy Monday, everyone! Today's post is going to be short but hopefully fun. There are a lot of great blogs out there with awesome names, and I want to know how you came up with yours.Here's the story behind my blog name, and it's not what you think. Turning The Page isn't a reference to writing or reading. It's actually a nod to Bob Seger's classic song Turn The Page. Why? Because it's the first song my husband and I ever danced to.
Back in August of 1998, he was still my boyfriend, and we'd gone to the Iowa State Fair with a friend. After spending too much time in the beer tent, we headed across the road to a hole-in-the-wall bar called Gene's. I knew Rob was too far gone when he wanted to dance, but I was happy to go with the flow. Turn The Page came on, and he pulled me onto the dance floor, something he'd never done in several months of dating. He had two left feet and sang off key, but the look in his eyes as he stared into mine was something I'll never forget. That was the moment for me. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.
When it came time to name the blog, I couldn't think of a better title. That night propelled me into a new stage in my life, and so did blogging. Granted, one is bit more meaningful than the other, but you get the idea.
Now I want to know about your blog names. There are so many cool ones out there: Full-Tilt Backwoods Boogie, A Day Without Sushi, Atoll Annie and the Non-Specific Rim, the Ooo Factor, More Cowbell, just to name a few. How did you come up with them? Do they have special meaning?
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42 comments:
I chose mine because I wanted something that embodied 'inspiration to all writers'. I think 'Bookshelf Muse' does that. :)
I know that some criticize that blog names should be our own names to create brand. But, in my opinion, my brand is 'I Help Writers'. I've been careful to tie my name to the blog in all ways possible. Hopefully most people see my name and think 'Bookshelf Muse' or see 'Bookshelf Muse' and think 'Angela Ackerman'.
Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse
Angela
Bookshelf Muse is a great name for your blog. It encompasses everything you do. And I agree, you've built your brand as a writer's helper, so the name is appropriate. I also think by signing all your comments with Angela at The Bookshelf Muse is a great way to tie the two together.
Thanks for commenting!
My blog doesn't have a cool name. Ugh! It's connected to my website, which is simply Kelly Hashway's Books. I'm going to go sit in the corner now. :(
Acutally, I had yours pegged. I just figured you liked Bob Seger--which I do, too. I love the romantic story that goes with the song, though.
And it is a great song. It's one of my husband's favorites. He has always said he relates to the part that says "You walk into a restaurant, strung out from the road. And you feel the eyes upon you as you're shaking of the cooold. You pretend it doesn't bother you, but you just want to explode."
Full-Tilt Backwoods Boogie...well, it comes from a lot of things. Janis Joplin had a band called Full-Tilt Boogie. I like the idea of Full-Tilt anything. It means going all out, pulling out all the stops. I write about rural areas, so that's the Backwoods. I kept Boogie after I saw a documentary about the making of From Dusk Til Dawn--which was called Full-Tilt Boogie. Confusing enough for you?
Fun topic and great story about you and your hubby. :D
That's okay, Kelly. Your blog name is still part of your brand, which is important:)
LOL, Catie. I figured you might guess it. That's cool about your husband. I think a lot of people can related to that song and that era of music.
God, I loved From Dusk Till Dawn. So cheesy but fun. I actually watched it no too long ago. That's cool the meaning of your blog name comes from so many different things. I never would have guessed.
Thanks for commenting, guys!
This is one I probably shouldn't answer...since my blog name is just, well...my name. But I do love Turning the Page...and all the other cool names folks dream up.
I love your story of that day at the fair, Stacy! Too much time in the beet tent. :-)
My husband dances like yours, I afraid.
Stacy, first of all LOVE that name tag. "Allo! My name is..." Great movie.
I chose my name Writing with Gusto as it embodied what I feel about writing - and some days I need to find that gusto and re-vive it - so its always a motivation.
Cynthia
All answers are welcome! Thanks for the compliment. And LOL, I think a lot of men do. At least they put the effort into it:)
Donna
Thanks! Princess Bride is one of those all-time classics. Used to watch it a lot. Very cool about your blog name, and that's a good point. Sometimes we have to dig deep for the motivation.
Thanks, ladies!
I created my blog name ("I wanna be . . .") in a moment of cynicism, when I felt lost in the flood of advice about what a new writer needed to do in order to become a successful author. I thought my posts would have names like, "I wanna be Stephen King, only better looking." But I soon found other uses for the theme.
Well, if I could only choose one word to describe me, it would be "dreamer." My dreams at night can be epically vivid, and I day dream constantly. (Sometimes it can be a bad habit--during class *cough*) So my first attempt at naming my blog produced "Dreaming Wide Awake," though after some help from some wana tweeps in Kristen's blogging workshop, they fine-tuned it to "Believe, Dream, Awaken."
Maria
I completely understand being lost in that advice. There is SO much out there for newbies, and it's hard to pick and choose. Great idea. That does lend itself to a lot of different ideas. Thanks!
Angela
I have wild dreams at night, too. Sometimes I feel as though I've never slept. I love your blog name. It's inspiring, just like your posts. Thanks!
I was aiming for a name that represented my writing mysteries around forensic anthropology. 'Skeleton Keys' not only had the play on words with skeleton, but a skeleton key is mysterious and opens all kinds of doors, so that suited the mystery aspect as well.
Great topic! I'm really enjoying others' reasoning for their choices...
Mine was set up for me as part of an online publicity package, and they named it "'Homecoming' blog" after my debut novel. I hesitate to change it at this point, though I did finally figure out how to get my book covers in the sidebar! (At 70 I have a slow learning curve, even though I learned html back in Netscape 1 days.) Just started a new one called "Jarnian Confederation" but that's only for SFF Saturdays where they want short snippets.
Jen
Skeleton Keys is a great name for your blog. I love all things forensic and mystery, so it definitely gets my attention. Thanks for commenting!
Sue Ann
I remember Netscape 1 days. It doesn't seem all that long ago. I can see why you wouldn't want to change your blog name now. It's part of your brand. Thanks!
Whao a couple of hours ago, in order to submit a comment it was requested I sign up to blog. The first name I chose, "Dreams Come True" was not available. For my soon-to-be-blog, I settled for "The Hourly Dreamer" Yes I am a dreamer and have an awesome imagination
Its rather uncanny that you ask for the whyfors of blog names the day I sign up one, didn't dream that, it just happened like I dreamed it would
Stacy,
I actually wrote a whole post on this subject! My greatg'father,g'father,father, & now uncle all owned & operated a lumber company that built and rebuilt the part of NOLA - St.Bernard Parish - that Katrina tried to wash away, 6years ago this week. We lived through Betsy, Camille, & now Katrina tried, but couldn't take us down!
I went to LSU & graduated with a bachelor's degree in Interior Design from the school of Architecture. And I married an architect,last name: Mason (noun: one who builds with stone...).
No longer do I design as a career, just for fun. But when I write, I frame out my worlds, and their settings inform my characters' choices and journeys. Hence I named my blog WriterMason.
On Wednesdays I post DesignWrite, either for your home office design ideas, or for writers' characters/settings ideas.
I hope you visit & check it out!
And thanks for the opportunity to tell you about my blog name!
I no longer design as a career
Stacy, I absolutely love the story behind your blog title. So sweet!
I chose "Flights of Fancy" for a couple of reasons. First, the main story I was working on at the time was "Path to the Peacock Throne," a fantasy tale that involves a lot of bird imagery and mythology. On a broader level, I liked the idea of writing and creating worlds as a "flight of fancy," an endeavor filled with whimsy and fantasy.
My blog is called Two Kinds of People (http://2kop.blogspot.com) because it started with a series of essays I wrote on the theme, all beginning with "There are two kinds of people in the world …" My "brand" is also known as 2KoP around the interwebs. It's mostly observational humor, usually pointing out that we're more alike than different. Like several of your commenters, I liked the idea of having some kind of structure for my posts.
Grew up in Detroit listening to Bob Seeger. My favorite was "Fire Down Below," but he isn't on iTunes and my album is long gone.
I wish I had a clever story for how Atoll Annie and the Non-Specific Rim came to life. I think I was in a strange mood and couldn't come up with anything...the pressure was building so I cast my fate to the wind. I think it has to do with the absurdity of some of my posts. Hard to probably track sometimes! Thanks for the mention!
Pamela
I will definitely check it out. New Orleans is one of my favorite cities. Designing sounds like a fun career. Any kind of art is so far over my head, lol. You're very welcome. Thanks for sharing!
Annie
Your blog name is one of my favorites. You're so creative, and that shows in not only your blog name but your posts as well. You're very welcome. Thanks for commenting!
Susan
I'm definitely going to check out your blog. Sounds very interesting, and I love the theme. Your topics would be endless, that's for sure.
Segar isn't on iTunes? That's too bad. I bet you could find his stuff at a music store, though. Thanks!
Jamila, thank you. I like the story behind your blog name as well. NIce tie in to what you write. And the idea of being whimsical and free is great - we take ourselves too seriously. Thanks!
Oh my goodness, since taking Kristen Lamb's online Building Your Brand course, I have been thinking about a log line for my blog. Right now, it's merely "Julie Glover's Blog." (Ooh, original!) But I can't settle on something. I kick around ideas and want to find a name that I LOVE before I commit to it. Maybe your post will inspire me! Thanks for the story behind your blog's name. Loved it.
Awww, thanks for mentioning my blog!
A Day Without Sushi (for the benefit of those who don't know) was a name born from blogging when I found out I was pregnant. I originally was going to call it "A Year Without Sushi" in reference to the 10 months avoiding raw fish during pregnancy, but when I typed it out, it became "a day" instead.
Back then I didn't tell people about my blog, so readership was a handful of close friends. Now, things are different, but I've kept the name. :)
Julie
Log lines are really tough. I'm terrible at them. I agree - don't settle on anything. Your blog is too important. You're welcome, and thanks for posting!
Amber,
I didn't know that, and it makes sense! Not a sushi fan, but that would be tough if you love. I think it's good you kept the name. It's a standout.
Thanks!
Hi Stacy,
I love what you do here. I'm so glad we connected on Twitter.
My blog is "Defying Procrastination." I constantly battle the Procrastination Demons, and this blog is helping me slay them.
Defying Procrastination was started as a way to document my journey to becoming a published author, to share knowledge and wisdom acquired from the process with other aspiring authors, and as a platform to demonstrate my writing skills through blog posts, short stories, and poetry.
My hope, in turn, is to inspire others to spit in the eye of procrastination and pursue their own dreams.
Michael A. Walker
Defying Procrastination
www.want2bwriter.com
Hi Michael!
Thanks so much. Glad you're enjoying the blog. I totally understand your procrastination demon. I deal with that myself. Notorious for it, actually. I'm definitely going to check out your blog. Thanks so much!
Hi Stacy. I found you on She Writes. When I saw the name of your blog I didn't first think of Bob Seger (although I love the song). I thought of it in relation to my own blog title, "Traveling Through." Mine was started as a travel blog, but when I'm not traveling it's about traveling through this second half of my adulthood (post-kids). I thought your title was about turning the page on a chapter of your life as well.
Stacy,
I'm so honored to be included in the list of cool blog names!!
I'm with Catie - I've always thought your blog was named after the Bob Seger song but that story is amazing. What a tribute to your honey!
The story behind More Cowbell happened in a Kristen Lamb class. (*waving to Julie Glover who will relate to this story*)
I was in there with my WANA posse (Kristen said she got the idea for creating a hashtag from our class...the name was all her.) :-)
We were going back and forth about blog titles and everyone was coming up with fantastic ones:
Amy Shojai: Bling, Bitches & Blood
Sharon Louise: Travel, Spies & Sexy Guys
Tiffany White: The Ooo Factor
Danielle Meitiv's Barefoot Blog
These are just a few examples - everyone was ON FIRE. So, I'm dealing with all these cool taglines and all my names SUCKED.
So I was conversing with Kristen one day and started my email with a line like, "could I have a little More Cowbell on that please."
She turned around and wrote a post called More Blogging Cowbell and we just started kicking it around as a title for me. I was actually a resistant on the idea at first but she sold me on it. (I was afraid I couldn't live up to such a cool name. Seriously.) As usual, she was right and it is a good fit for my voice.
My masthead is a line from the SNL skit and I'm actually planning to rotate it to a different line every few months. It's really fun.
Dang, dude...I saw how long that comment is and freaked. I so didn't mean to go on that long. I need to NOT comment when I'm tired!!
Julie
That's a good assumption. It's a play on the song, but it does reference turning the page on my life. By committing to writing, I made a major change. I like the title of your blog - it represents what you're doing in both a big picture and everyday sort of way. Thanks!
Jenny
First off, don't worry about a long response, lol. Love them. Those are great blog names you shared. Your blog always sticks out to me because our hockey team uses cowbells as a way to get the crowd going.
More Cowbell is one of the funniest SNL skits I've seen. I had no idea that's where the saying came from until hubby showed to me. And More Cowbell is definitely a great fit for your voice.
Thanks for stopping by!
I actually said "Awww" when I read your post. I agree that More Cowbell is a gut buster. My blog is called "Yes, This Will Be on the Test," because my students for years pipe up with that question over and over and over and over...
Leslie
Thanks. I love your blog name! What a testament to you. Thanks for stopping by.
Stacy - look at all of these comments!
Thank you for the blog love - what's in my name? When I first started the social media class with Kristen Lamb, I didn't have a clue what to write about other than television, movies, books, sports, food, and travel - my favorite things to do in my spare time. Thankfully, Kristen helped me with the title - The Ooo Factor. With this title, I could write about anything that grabs my fancy and not be limited to a writer's blog or something like that...especially since I'm not an expert at anything. Well, except maybe TV watching. HeeHee
Great post!
I love all the different blog names.. and actually, as I troll for new blogs to read.. my interest is piqued or not piqued by the title. My blog name is:
Darlene Steelman
Sober Living – Life At Full Throttle
I chose this because I have been sober for over five years now and it has been a hell of a wonderful ride. Full throttle? I ride a motorcycle! I would have nothing without my sobriety. I should probably blog about it a little more.
I was in Kristen's class too.. and I remember the "blog name chapter". It was so much fun reading everyone's blog names.. :)
Great topic! I named my blog There's More Where that Came From because, as my husband said, while he patted my then-pregnant belly, "Baby, there's more where that came from.."
Tiffany
You're welcome! And I'm thrilled about the comments. Didn't expect this kind of a response. Your blog name fits perfectly. Kristen hit the nail on the head with that one. I love how you can pretty much talk about anything and still be true to the blog. Thanks for commenting!
Ninja
Good for you for being sober for five years! That's a great accomplishment. Love your blog name. What a brave thing to put out there, and very cool you incorporated your love of motorcycles into the name. I'm the same - a great name will definitely draw me to the blog. Thanks!
Paige
Thanks! I LOVE the story behind your blog name. So sweet and cute:)
It took me a while to read this. Glad I did. So cute.
Thanks so much, Stacy. Glad you enjoyed it!
There's a good story behind everything, isn't there? I see lots of good names and stories here, so I'll be brief with mine. Against the Odds is exactly what it sounds. I'm gonna make it one day, odds-shmodds. That's all. :P
Good for you, Lyn. Your positive attitude is inspiring. Thanks for sharing!
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