Talk of The LexBlog Network : Megan Connolly of the Toronto Estates & Trusts Monitor
For a new blogger, sometimes just getting through the first few months is the biggest challenge. The motivation to consistently write quality content is often driven by the recognition and reception one receives. However, an author has to first write quality content in order to receive recognition from others. Megan Connolly, author of the Toronto Estates & Trusts Monitor, has navigated this “chicken and the egg” challenge superbly.
Connolly, who operates her own Toronto-based estates and trusts law practice, maintains a steady flow of content by sticking to a schedule of posting each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
“It’s a good way of focusing my efforts rather than just saying ‘I won’t do anything until I see something interesting,’” Connolly said. “You do that and suddenly it’s like 8 months go by. Rather than finding something that I find interesting and then deciding to blog, I decide to blog and then I try to find something to blog about.”
As a result, she’s received a remarkable amount of recognition since her blog’s launch in September of last year.
Earlier this week, Connolly was interviewed by The National, Canada’s nightly news broadcast, for her reaction to a recently-released Scotiabank study on Canadians and retirement.
In December, her blog won a Canadian Law Blog Award as one of the best new law blogs of 2010, despite getting it started just three months earlier. Connolly said she appreciates the recognition the blog has garnered.
“It’s exciting and I’m glad to know that I’m not just shouting into the wind, that there are people out there who read it and appreciate it and find it helpful.”
While the blog has received a great deal of attention in the few months since it went live, Connolly hasn’t made any direct overtures to shove her content in front of others.
“I didn’t do it hoping that someone from a news channel would see it, I just wrote about information I found interesting and thought others would as well,” Connolly said.
And who’s found that content interesting? Connolly said her biggest audience is other estate planning professionals, especially lawyers.
“I think the reason that it is engaging is because I’m genuinely interested in what I’m writing about,” Connolly said. “I’m not just putting out blog posts with the hope of attracting attention. I think when people do that it starts to seem very very forced.”
“Because I’m interested in it and I’m engaged in what I’m writing about, other people end up being the same way.”