Monday, 21 April 2014

May 12 Blog Bomb?

An idea for all ME, CFS, Fibro, MCS & Lyme BLOGGERS.

Edit: Links to the blog posts written in 2014 for this initiative
2015: This is the 2015 Call to All Bloggers!

What about a mass release of blog posts - a sort of "blog bomb" to coincide with May 12th - International ME/CFS & FM Awareness Day?

If each participant did a short post describing their own story, and how illness has impacted on their ability to function in society (or, if preferred, another illness related topic)......

...and if these were all written in good time and scheduled to be released on May 12th then we could make a huge impact on the day.

I'm suggesting the hashtag #May12BlogBomb for sharing, so that these posts can then be found and shared widely on FB, Twitter, Google etc. (Just add the tag to your FB and Twitter posts promoting your blog post so that others can find it more easily.)

This image created by @Fibromodem is for promoting the event.  Feel free to use it to share the idea forwards.


If you would like to write a post but don't have a blog, I will happily publish here (subject to approval of course).  Just send your contribution (max 800 words please) to keelatoo@live.co.uk (by May 10th) along with a picture or two if you can, and I will post if for you and also email you a link to share.

Please state at the end of your post that it was written for #May12BlogBomb 

I have now created a Blog Bomb Links post, which is scheduled for release on May12th
http://sallyjustme.blogspot.com/2014/05/May12BlogBombLinks.html
If you want to include this link on your blog, feel free to do so.

 I will add links to posts tagged with #May12BlogBomb as I find them.
Perhaps, if you already know the address of your post you could email it to me at keelatoo@live.co.uk so that I can start compiling the links in advance. Thank you.

So now, I really hope other ME and Fibro Bloggers will dive in and write even a short piece for mass release on the day.

Who's in?
***


PS  Please also check out these two Blogs Events for May 2014 and support them however you can:

Get Up and Go Guru is running a Blog Chain event.  Louise has suggested a standard set of questions to be answered by bloggers. These should be shared using the #ThisisME tag.  She has already answered these herself, and her responses and more information can be found here:
http://www.getupandgoguru.com/m-e-mecfsfibro-awareness-day-2014-blog-chain/

 My own post for #ThisisME: 
Just ME: A Post for #ThisisME

Kealie Mardell has offered to host posts throughout ME Awareness month. This seems to be a lively blog, written by a young ME sufferer.  The blog is not just about ME, but Kealie is intending to focus on ME #SeeME for the month of May to raise awareness.
You can check up on the action at this link:
http://www.kealiemardell.co.uk/

And my contribution here:
The Power of Blogging for Awareness



Posted by at

44 comments:

  1. Sue Jackson21 April 2014 at 21:35

    Sounds like a great idea! My problem - every year - is the timing of ME/CFS Awareness Day on May 12 - it's always right near (or on) Mother's Day, plus my mom's birthday is May 11 - we always travel to spend the weekend with my mom. This year, in addition to that, my husband is having eye surgery on May 12. So, I may have trouble finding time to blog on that day! But I am willing to try - I usually do something, even if it is just a repost from a previous Awareness Day. I always try to post about ways that people can help. For example, here is what I posted last year: http://livewithcfs.blogspot.com/2013/05/international-mecfs-awareness-day-2013.html

    Sue

    Live with CFS

    Learning to Live with CFS is now on Facebook!

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    1. Sally Burch21 April 2014 at 22:48

      Apparently some blog software lets you write in advance and set a publication date. I've still to investigate that, but it sounds like a good idea. Thanks for joining in. :D

      Delete
  2. Unknown21 April 2014 at 23:20

    Great idea. Some people on team Princess have already started sharing their stories or provided links to former posts describing their story. But we definitely plan to release more and will share as much as possible on May 12th and the following week.
    Will use the hashtag when they are reshared. Pop a link to your blog piece on our facebook page too.
    Us patients are working so hard. It's very humbling to be fighting with such brave and lovely people.

    Sian

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    1. Sally Burch22 April 2014 at 07:06

      Team Princess are doing an amazing bit of awareness raising. I'm delighted you will all use the #May12BlogBomb tag for your posts. Thank you for joining in with this venture. :D

      Delete
  3. ME CFS Self-help Guru22 April 2014 at 09:32

    I'm very interested Sally. I had other ideas for May 12th but a joint venture is always powerful!

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    1. Sally Burch22 April 2014 at 12:57

      I think any blog posts going out on the day about ME or Fibro could carry the #May12BlogBomb tag.

      I'm wondering now whether the topic should be only a suggested one - because others might prefer other angles. Really it's just getting posts OUT on the day that can be recirculated is the plan. Thanks for the support. :D

      Delete
  4. Anonymous22 April 2014 at 13:54

    Excellent idea. I will be joining in. I use Wordpress and they allow you to schedule posts, so I will prepare one in advance.

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  5. Anonymous22 April 2014 at 13:55

    Sounds like a great idea. I'll need to make a reminder. I haven't touched my blog in awhile so this will be good to get going again! I will do my best to try!
    Anyone have a May 12 Fibromyalgia Awareness image that I can also use?
    Good luck with the #blogbomb !

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    1. Anonymous22 April 2014 at 19:31

      Free badges for blogging can be found here: http://meaware.wordpress.com/badges/

      Delete
  6. Anonymous22 April 2014 at 22:57

    Im in! I run 2 blogs that will feature Fibro. Im also organising an awareness day event in my local area :)

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  7. Lainey D23 April 2014 at 10:26

    I,m in,, should Be able to write draft and publish it on May 12th on blogger

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  8. Sally Burch24 April 2014 at 18:25

    This is a fantastic response! I am so delighted that folk think it a good idea.... so let's see how much noise we can make!! :D

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  9. Anonymous25 April 2014 at 09:27

    I'm in! I'll work up a draft and scheduled it for that date so I have it all set for me to work on. Awesome idea! I have not seen any blog campaigns this year for the whole month which is a pity... I really enjoy those. So this is a great idea.

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    1. Sally Burch25 April 2014 at 11:17

      Delighted you are in and that you like the idea! :D (Better start on mine!)

      Delete
  10. Unknown25 April 2014 at 11:07

    Sally I'm busy writing an article about ME at them moment - I'll add this in!

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    1. Sally Burch25 April 2014 at 11:15

      That would be wonderful Penny! Thanks for your support.

      Delete
  11. Shannon27 April 2014 at 02:02

    Hey Sally, I'm in. It's sooo easy to write something before May 12 and either take 5 mins to post it on the date or auto-schedule it if you are using WordPress (and if you aren't using WP, you should!, Just sayin).

    I think this is a fantastic idea. But I would go a step further and add a list of all the participating sites on THIS post (or one you make for May 12th). Kind of like a Linky party - but please let's not use Linky or anything like it. A list of participating blogs to share link love would be fine. Maybe by country categories to make it easier to read.

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    1. Sally Burch27 April 2014 at 05:43

      Hi Shannon - That's a great idea. I'll see what I can do. :D

      Delete
    2. Shannon8 May 2014 at 22:15

      Sally, I have a post ready to publish on May 12, 2014 at 7am EST on http://www.livingwithfibromyalgia.ca :)

      Delete
    3. Sally Burch8 May 2014 at 22:20

      That's Great Shannon. Will add link to your blog now, and then grab link to actual post once it's live. :D

      Delete
  12. Unknown27 April 2014 at 02:14

    I too blog but I'm not sure what you mean by using the hash tag... I'm a little blog illiterate. :)
    Please let me know how to use the hash tag and I'm all in.
    Thanks

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    1. Sally Burch27 April 2014 at 05:44

      Hi Tabitha - Good question!

      When you share your post on Twitter or FB you can add #May12BlogBomb to the post with your link in it. Then the hashtag also becomes a link that finds all other open posts using the same tag. This way you (and others) can find other posts carrying that tag that are made by people not on your friends list.

      It is a way of searching for all the stories out there. Hope that helps. :D

      Delete
    2. Sally Burch27 April 2014 at 05:51

      If you're not on FB or Twitter, then email me the link to your blog post and I'll Tweet if for you and also add it to a post listing the participating blogs that I hope to create after the event.

      Delete
    3. Unknown28 April 2014 at 00:40

      Hi Sally,
      I'm really being dense... fibro fog much.
      So I write my blog and then share it on facebook? Do I just put the hashtag in the comment of my facebook post?
      Ugh... I'm sorry I'm not getting this.

      Delete
    4. Chronic Chronicles28 April 2014 at 06:02

      Yes, Tabitha - write your blog post, the share it on twitter/Facebook with the hashtag.

      Delete
    5. Sally Burch28 April 2014 at 09:07

      Yes Tabitha - You've got it now :) Try typing #May12BlogBomb into the search box of either Twitter of FB now and (hopefully) a few links to this post should appear in comments that carry that tag.

      This is what I am hoping for all the blog posts. Meaning that if you want to find and read what others have written, you don't need to be following them to find their blogs. The tag will search for you!

      Hopefully it will also help lesser known bloggers get some new readers - and I'm hoping to find some new blogs to follow too. xx

      Delete
  13. Sisty27 April 2014 at 09:05

    Great idea Sally!
    I was planning a post on ME for my blog so will try and get one ready for then and then publish on the day :-)

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  14. Jenny Barber27 April 2014 at 09:26

    This is a great idea, I'm going to start preparing one now and have shared this post to try and spread the word. :)

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  15. Invisible Pagan27 April 2014 at 10:37

    Brilliant idea Sally, I'm definitely in :) xx

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  16. Sally Burch27 April 2014 at 20:04

    Thank you Sisty, Jenny and Tanya. I look forward to reading all these... :D

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  17. Nell29 April 2014 at 15:09

    I'll join in Sally. It's way too long since my last fibro blog post x

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    1. Sally Burch29 April 2014 at 20:21

      That's great Nell... Thanks for your support. Hope you're keeping well. xx

      Delete
  18. hayleyeszti30 April 2014 at 00:56

    Hi Sally, you tweeted me about this and it read it in a brain fog filled state and made a mental note to comment when I had the energy, which I forgot to do! I think this is a great idea, from what I remember last year, all of the chronic illness blogs I follow on my feed were taking over the place with awareness posts! I just hope enough of them reach people outside of our community, so doing a blogbomb would hopefully draw some attention, I'll be getting involved, I already have one or two awareness posts planned which I'm looking forward to doing :)

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    1. Sally Burch30 April 2014 at 20:06

      Excellent! Delighted you will be joining! :D

      Delete
  19. Unknown1 May 2014 at 16:41

    Great idea I'm in hopefully I cando it right.as I jusy started a blog.

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    1. Sally Burch3 May 2014 at 14:24

      Wonderful! I look forward to reading your blog. :D

      Delete
  20. Unknown4 May 2014 at 20:25

    Great idea! It is thoughtful of you to offer to share posts for those of us who do not blog as well. I have written some Facebook posts for May 12th. I will see if I can edit and send.

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    1. Sally Burch7 May 2014 at 08:00

      Thanks for your post Holly. Now scheduled to go out at early o'clock on May 12th!!

      Delete
  21. Gab & Goose7 May 2014 at 07:47

    Hi Sally,

    I just found your blog through Meg Says, but I will definitely be joining in! Will there be any problems with the time differences, since most of you are in the UK and I am in the US? This is such a great idea!!

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    1. Sally Burch7 May 2014 at 08:05

      Great Gabbi - I'm delighted you will be participating.

      No worries about the time thing. If you send me the link to your scheduled post in advance, then just let me know what time it is due for release. Then, I can include the UK release time when I add the link to the list.

      Lots of interest so far. I'm looking forward to seeing all the posts on the day. :D

      Delete
  22. Pamela 9 May 2014 at 00:27

    I don't have M.E myself, but a friend does, so I wrote about her instead. I spotted the blog bomb! on a facebook page, so I hope I didn't step on any toes! I've updated my post to include a link to here... manners n all that. I, myself have spina bifida occulta, I dont have the exact date of an awareness day or week for it, I think its near my birthday (september) ...I'd love it if a few people got behind me for that. or tell me to shoo for being cheeky! xx

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    1. Sally Burch9 May 2014 at 08:52

      Not cheeky at all - awareness is all about getting a message out there and read by others.

      And thank you so much for writing about ME (I'm sure you're friend is well pleased) and for sharing via the blog bomb (if you want to send me a link to your post I'll list it with the others).

      Also if you want to pop back with details of your own awareness day, I'll happily give it a shout out on Twitter, FB and so on.... I think we can all work together and help each other this way . :D

      Delete
    2. Unknown9 May 2014 at 10:06

      Sorry to butt in Sally. Veg*n Kitten I'd be interested in blogging about spina bifida in September or hosting a guest blog.

      Delete
    3. Sheana Ochoa11 May 2015 at 09:04

      Just finished my #May12BlogBomb post at http://wp.me/p5XkZf-3w which plays with the metaphor of taming your dragon as opposed to fighting a battle, which I find stale, militaristic and patriarchal.

      Delete

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