Tuesday, September 13, 2011

The Follower Project

I have a silly goal.

I would like to try to reach 1000 followers before I start querying.

Hopefully this year.

That's an arbitrary number, and I know agents really don't care how popular your blog is, but it's just something fun to think about while I do my best at this networking with other writers thing.

Lately the growth of my follower count has been stagnant. Don't worry, I know why. It's because I haven't been discovering many new blogs lately.

I'm an extremely prolific blog reader, and a very loyal visitor to blogs I like (as many of you know), but one thing I don't do (which I probably should) is poach followers. If you don't know what that means, don't worry, it's not as bad as it sounds. Poaching followers is basically just visiting the blogs of people you see commenting on blogs you read.

You visit their blog, follow it, comment about it, say hello, and hope they'll do the same for you. I'm not saying I've never done it, because I have, but I don't do it often, mostly because I'm just lazy.

So anyway, I had an idea. If I was smart, like Alex, I probably would have planned ahead and made this into a blog fest, but no one's ever accused me of being smart. So I'm just going to do it today, and see what happens. The thing about blogging is that there's so much out there. So much content, and so many bloggers, it's hard to know who to follow. It's not all about who will follow back, because that's just selfish, but that is part of it. Mostly (at least for me) it's about how do I find blogs to connect with that have interesting content, which is actually relevant to what I'm trying to accomplish?

Well. I'll tell you how. You ask your friends. The people who run the blogs you already know and love. Chances are they read some great blogs you've never heard of.

So what I'm going to do, right now, is point you all to five blogs I love, that I think might be flying under your radar. They'll all be people I've never blogged about before (or at least not for a long time). I'll list them here, then you will go follow them, and tell them I told you to. That will make them like me even more than they already do (which is a lot).

Before I get to what I want you to do, I'll list the blogs. Here:

Micahel Offut - Micheal runs slckismet, and he's an interesting guy. He talks about books, and publishing, and his honesty is refreshing.

Adam Heine - Adam has an awesome last name. Add a -ken and he'd be a great beer. He also runs Author's Echo. Adam blogs about writing too, but he also loves Anime and Manga, and knows more about board games than anyone I know.

Sarah Ahiers (Falen) - Sarah runs Falen Formulates Fiction. She's a writer too, and knows the second most about board games of anyone I know. Her dog, Yvie, also writes the funniest Friday Funny posts.

Hannah Kincade (Palindrome) - Runs Musings of a Palindrome, and like Sarah, she's one of my Minnesota peeps! She also blogs about writing and publishing, and always finds the most interesting inspirational pictures (not inspirational like that, I mean as in inspiring you to write, duh). She also just got back to blogging, and we missed her so!

And here's one I know most of you don't know about, because it's nearly brand new. YA Confidential is run by some of the dopest ladies out there. Yes, it's a group blog, and I don't know if they have a follow back account, but this one is worth it for the fun design alone.

So. There's five blogs you should be reading and following. You know the rules. Go visit those links, follow the blogs, and told them I sent you.

Now here comes the important part. I don't want to just poach your followers, the people commenting on all of your lovely blogs. I want you guys to tell me who to go follow. Not just because they'll follow back (although that would be cool), but because you think I'd enjoy their blog, and you have an inkling that I might not already be aware of it.

You don't have to give me five, but please give me at least one blog you read in the comments, that you think I would like, and might not know about. You don't have to go through all the work to code the html. Just give me the link, I can copy and paste it into my browser.

Oh, and if you follow me, and lurk, and I haven't visited your blog to follow back, shame on me. Please tell me so in the comments, and I'll remedy that right now.

I don't expect this to astronomically improve my followers in one day, but it may be a repetetive theme for me, and if I get to 900 this year, I'll hold an awesome contest to get to 1000, and give a bunch of cool shit away.

NOTE: Google Friend Connect and Blogger have really been effing up the widget lately. If you visit a blog, and can't find the follower widget, hit F5 on your keyboard, to refresh the page, and it should come up.

ANOTHER NOTE: For the love of all things holy, if you run a blog, and your follower widget isn't right at the top, like mine, what are you thinking? Are you trying to make it hard for people to follow you?

85 comments:

Harvee said...

Thanks for the follower tips. I already follow you and hope you'll visit me at my own favorite blog: Book Dilettante

Jessica Bell said...

LOL. Okay ... I'm really not sure about who to link you to because I think we pretty much read in the same circles ... hmmm ... Let me have a look and I'll be back with a link. Good luck. I'm afraid to poach. It means more obligations! :-/

S.A. Larsenッ said...

Great post, Matt. So much of this is true. You and I are on such a similar path--both deciding to take a hiatus this summer and then contemplating followers and our purpose for each. I've been doing just that. The two months before I took my hiatus, my blog was a flurry of new followers. Like you, the summer kind of made it stagnant. I'd so be in a joint blogfest in appreciation to other bloggers. You might remember I did one last year: The "I Got U" Blogfest. Me thinkist the need to do that is here again. :)

Jessica Bell said...

Do you follow Glynis? GREAT friend of mine and lives quite close to me! :o)

Jessica Bell said...

whoops. links would be good: http://www.glynissmy.com

Laura Pauling said...

Good luck on your quest. I find that followers ebb and flow. Sometimes there is a lot of fast growth and then not so much. On Friday, I'm listing several new blogs (mostly group ones) that are new, including YA confidential, which got at least 100 followers the first day they went live!

Jess said...

Good luck with 1000 followers! I'm not really sure what sort of blogs you like to read, but this is a good one that I love and I think she's a newer blogger too! http://jessica-therrien.blogspot.com/

And my blog is http://writeskatedream-jmckendry.blogspot.com/

Thanks!

B.E. Sanderson said...

You're already following me and I'm following you, so it's all good. I'd suggest a blog, but every time I think of one I can suggest, you've commented on it - I think. You're everywhere, man. How about The League of Extraordinary Writers (http://leaguewriters.blogspot.com/)? Is that new for you?

Shain Brown said...

Matt, I wish you luck on accomplishing your goal. You have done so much in helping me learn about proper techniques of querying that I'd be glad to do anything I can to help. Besides a chance to find some new interesting people, well, I'm on it.

Stephanie Lorée said...

Good choices, Matt. I've already started following some of them. :)

I'd like to recommend my critique group's blogs:

Elena Solodow - writer, blogger, filmmaker - elenasolodow.blogspot.com

Justin Parente - writer, blogger, illustrator - jwparente.blogspot.com

Jodi Henry - writer, blogger, dirty-thinker - jodilhenry.blogspot.com

Kelly Polark said...

I hope you get to 1000, Matthew!
YA Confidential is a great idea. I visited yesterday.
Hmmm, we run in a similar blog circle, and I can't think of one that you may not know! I'll be back if I can think of one.

Karen Baldwin said...

I admire your efforts. I do want more followers, but always get waylaid by something or other. I do try and follow back all those that follow me, but's kind of like blog incest isn't it? I a few NEW babies. Thanks for the links.

Susan Kaye Quinn said...

Thinking hard to find a blog a follow that you don't already know...You follow Lisa Gail Green, right? And Anne R. Allen is a recent find...and OH, my group blog - lots of cool writers there. And a new fav, Angela Brown. Ok, I'm done. :)

Old Kitty said...

Virtual poaching exists!??! Wow. That's a new one on me! Oh dear!

I just know you'll hit that magical 1000 followers soon!

I recommend all my lovely bloggie friends including the canine and feline ones! Yay!

Good luck!!

Take care
x

kah said...

Dude, you rock. Thanks for mentioning YA Confidential! We are so excited about all the great stuff we have coming up.

Obviously, be sure to follow all of our members and our teen spies who are on the web. ;)

You'll 1000 followers with no prob!

Hannah said...

Thanks, Matt!! With your 1000 followers, I feel like maybe one day I'll be famous too! ;) We MN peeps have to stick together...or we just stick together because it was cold and we were hugging and got stuck together...I must ponder this.

vic caswell said...

i'm really not sure who you follow at this point... it seems like everyone!
but here's a couple i don't THINK you follow.
anna writes screen plays. she doesn't post often, but she's quite entertaining when she does:
http://downwithsquirrels.blogspot.com/

and then this one, i believe you will have deep, deep guy-love for... but you may already follow him, i'm not sure:
http://vivelenerd.blogspot.com/

J.B. Chicoine said...

I wish I could make a ground-breaking recommendation, but I think you're already following all the blogs I really like! Perhaps I ought to extend the list of blogs I follow!

I think I'll peruse the forgoing comments...not that I'm going to poach or anything...

Glynis Peters said...

Hi, thanks for dropping by and becoming an Important One! I see in the comments who sent you my way. Dear Jessica from across the water!

Adding to your goal...Number 758 checking in!

Talli Roland said...

That's not silly at all! I follow the ones you've mentioned already, but I'll try to remember to give you a shout-out on my blog this week... or maybe next, when my launch is out of the way. Go Matt go!

Talli Roland said...

Oh, and to give you a blog, try Laura at the Daily Dodo - http://dailydodo.blogspot.com/

Sarah Ahiers said...

you're right. This totally made me like you even more, and i like you a lot. true story.
I'm off to check out Adam's and Michael's blogs, which i was unfamiliar with.
I was going to suggest Sometimes, the wheel is on fire, but then i remembered that you're already a follower. Let me peek at my google reader and get back to you.

WAIT! I just thought of someone. TL Conway is another MN blogger writer/blogger.

I don't see you having any troubles reaching 1000 followers

Unknown said...

I have found myself hitting the "Next Blog" button from time to time, and usually regretting it...

Good luck on the 4 figures. I'm stalling too... Maybe there's just something in the water?

Laura said...

Hello! Thanks for popping over to Daily Dodo! i'm already a lurker of yours, so unfortunately can't add to your follow count...

I'll nip back a bit later with some suggestions for you, but nice to properly meet you :)
Lx

Laura said...

oh... here's a great one I couldn't find on your list... Susan at http://thecontemplativecat.blogspot.com/

Off to check out your lot now
Lx

J.C. Martin said...

Cool idea! Good luck with the follower hunt! A few of the blogs I was going to recommend have already been recommended by the others, but here are a few of my favourite. It's no coincidence that they are also my co-hosts for the Rule of 3 Blogfest (which you should check out!)

Damyanti has two blogs: http://damyantiwrites.wordpress.comand http://amloki.blogspot.com

Stuart @ http://talespinning.blogspot.com

Li @ http://lisavooght.blogspot.com

Matthew MacNish said...

Thanks JC! I'm on my way to check those out.

Sara {Rhapsody and Chaos} said...

I love Liz's blog: http://www.lizwritesbooks.com/

and

Alison Miller: http://alisonmiller20.blogspot.com/

You'll hit 1000 in no time, you have a fabulous blog :)

Emily White said...

Thank you for the suggestions!

I don't know if you already follow her, but Kate Ellison at http://thesouthernscrawl.blogspot.com/
is sooo funny and adorable. I think you would really like her blog.

Good luck reaching 1000!

Angela Brown said...

Hello Matt. Following back, even if it's just for the vain desire of visiting someone cool enough to have Yoda for their pic :-)

Thank you soooo much for stopping by my blog. I look forward to viewing your posts. And the biggest hug EVER to Susan for sending you my way.

Ted Cross said...

I think you already follow most of mine (and you are WAY ahead on followers), but how about this one that always has fantastic writing commentary: http://moodywriting.blogspot.com/

Donna K. Weaver said...

I've found some great blogs by visiting the blogs of people who visit the blogs I visit. O_o

That really did make sense in an obtuse sort of way. I think yours was one of them.

Good luck on hitting 1,000.

Ann said...

You have so many followers....I can't figure out who to suggest. So by all means if you check out my blog feel free to poach!!!

Anyway I will most certainly check out the blogs above I am not following at the moment. Always glad to discover new blog writers. I am on my way to 400 followers. And like you my follower base ebbs and flows.

Nice to meet you Matt.

Shannon said...

Dude, we have all of the same blogging friends. In fact, you know more people than me. I'll see if I can get some of my non-bloggerly friends to get more involved.

Hugs n shit,
Shan

A Daft Scots Lass said...

its taken me four years to rack up what I currently have. I'm in no rush to get more. I already read 200 odd blogs and I won't be able to return the favour if I get more. I know I could update my list but I work full time and I don't really have the time.

Good luck with yer Follower Quest.

Lisa Gail Green said...

I'm pretty sure you know just about everyone I do. :P Though, ironically the only blog above I know is the one you didn't think I would. He he. This is too confusing before coffee... Do you know Ebony McKenna? http://ejmckennablog.blogspot.com/ She's a very funny writer. I'm sure you know Laura Pauling. http://ejmckennablog.blogspot.com/

Angela Ackerman said...

Matty, you are the best. You deserve 10K of followers!

I think we follow a lot of the same folks. Here are a few ones that might not already be on your Radar of Awesome:

Mary @ http://witzl.blogspot.com/ (a writer with the best 'life stories')

Ava @ http://avajae.blogspot.com/ (a writer with good insight & content)

Clarissa @ http://clarissadraper.blogspot.com/ (savvy writer who knows a ton about forensics & mystery)

Susan @ http://harrypotterforwriters.blogspot.com/ (I hope you're following this one...if not, get on it--amazing stuff!)

Debbie @ http://writingwhilethericeboils.blogspot.com/ (a writer with strong writing content and instinct)

Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse

Michael G-G said...

May the force--and the followers--be with you.

TL Conway said...

Thanks, Sarah, for pointing Matt my way!

Matt, I've visited (read: lurked) on your blog for months now, going back to your blog "The Sound of One Hand Clapping." How I haven't actually followed is WELL beyond me... Consider this rectified!

Creepy Query Girl said...

I prefer to call it 'fishing for followers' but that's just me. lol. I made myself a resolution when the girls went back to school that while I'm not working, I needed to get my butt in gear and up blogging presence which has been stagnant for at least six months along with my follower number. As bland as it sounds to click and read and follow, I've actually discovered SO many interesting people and blogs this way. So I'll give one of my new favorites:

Team Un-pubbed

http://elizabethreinhardt.blogspot.com/

Marsha Sigman said...

I was all hey this is cool let me see who we both follow because I know of some really great blogs. Then I realized...you are not following ME!

What the hell, Matt?

You're a busy guy so I'll cut you some slack. These are great blogs too:

http://brycedaniels.blogspot.com/
Bryce is hilarious and I think suffers from a multiple personality disorder. He's quite mad but I'll tell you a secret...all the best people are.

http://aclairedawn.blogspot.com/

Claire is from Barbados but currently teaching in Japan and has some really awesome posts.

kjmckendry said...

Good luck on getting to 1000! I've moved you up by one. :) I'm over at
http://imagine-today1.blogspot.com/

Kathy

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

Thanks for the shout out Matt. 1000 followers is easily doable with your following. Something that might help though may be a blogfest or two. Sommer Leigh is running a monster mash thing (I know I didn't get the title right) on her blog for October that I'm probably going to join simply cause it sounds fun. And then there's the Insecure Writer's Group that Alex Cavanaugh runs. Rach just closed the entries for her campaign crusade otherwise I would suggest that cause her following frickin' exploded. I remember when she had like 300 in February and now has like 1200 people following her.

Matthew MacNish said...

@ TL - no worries. Comments are certainly preferred, but lurking, while only grudgingly, IS allowed.

Debbie Maxwell Allen said...

Definitely some great blogs to check out, especially the new YA one. And I'm following, too!

~Debbie

Kristen Wixted said...

I think you poached me from Michael the middle grade mafioso. All good though--and I would do this but I only have 21 followers and I think they all (except my husband and he only created a blog so I could have a follower) already follow you.
I'll look forward to updates on this, tho!

Charlie Pulsipher said...

May followers rain down upon you like thick hail...without the hurting...

K. M. Walton said...

Not sure if you follow Joanne Fritz at MY BRAIN ON BOOKS. She works at Chester County Book and Music Company (my favorite indie book store & where I'll have my launch) and blogs about her favorite reads as well as other interesting things.

And she's just about as kind and genuine a human being as you'll ever find.

http://mybrainonbooks.blogspot.com/

L. Diane Wolfe said...

LOL! That last comment made me laugh.
I'd recommend Elizabeth Spann Craig's blog, Mystery Writing is Murder, if you don't already follow it.

bdub said...

hi Matt, thanks for following my blog. I am now following you as well. A blog I read often is Collecting Children's Books. Peter Sieruta has more info on the history of children's books than any other blog I read.

http://collectingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/

(I just noticed he doesn't have follower-widget installed, however.)

Sean

Alison Miller said...

Thank you for listing YA Confidential as a blog to follow! And thanks for stopping by mine!

Here are some I love (you probably already know about them)

JESSICA LOVE WRITES
Katy Upperman
Audiobook Addict
Rebecca Behrens
Slice of the Blog Pie

Good luck with querying!!!

Matthew MacNish said...

Sean, just FYI, you can still follow if it's a blogspot blog. There's a toolbar across the very top. Following that will add the blog to your dashboard list. I don't know about Google Reader, though.

Unknown said...

Good post. Great suggestions. Going to check these blogs out and give them a follow. I am already following a couple like Hannah and YA Confidential.

Lola Sharp said...

Dude, you and I have all the same friends, thus I don't know who I could recommend.

But, I am 100% confident that you'll have your 1,000+ followers in a matter of days/weeks. :)

Huggles,
Lola

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I don't know about 'smart' - I just dig blogfests!
I bet you hit a thousand. (Although as I'm getting closer, it's become a bit daunting.) Feel free to poach any from the support group as well.

Bryan Russell said...

I also have a written test, a labyrinth, and an obstacle course for would-be followers to complete. I want them to feel they have earned that widget button.

Copyboy said...

Nice blog reccos! I'll check 'em out!

Eric W. Trant said...

We're probably following the same blogs (or at least I have a subset) since I already have yours on my list and I actively poach your commentators.

In fact, I see most of my suggestions in your comment blocks.

Dang, man, it's a small blogosphere.

How about this one:
http://quietcommotion.blogspot.com/
http://participationmayvaryla.blogspot.com/

They are two of my favorite personality blogs. They're poets, not much about writing, but they put up heartfelt blogs that are a nice step away from writing when you want it.

Of course you probably have them already.

- Eric

Jessica Silva said...

Great recs! Here's one you might enjoy: Not an Editor. Her posts are always super timely, and she has some great advice for critiquing :)

Liz Reinhardt said...

Matt! We're both transplanted GA writers with gorgeous daughters and dogs! Cheers to us, and thank you for commenting on my blog, which let me find yours. You are a blog rockstar already, but I predict rock stardom in all life areas very, very soon!

Susan Kane said...

I look forward to seeing your blog! Is that you with the sweet little girl? You are so blessed to have such a daughter, if so!

Sarah Tokeley said...

Do you follow Jamie at Mithril Wisdom?

Sarah Tokeley said...

Sorry, http://mithrilwisdom.blogspot.com/

Steve MC said...

Wherever I go, you're already there.

Now off to put that to music...

Elana Johnson said...

You = awesome. This is a fabulous goal! There are tons to poach from on Rachael Harrie's blog. She's got the whole campaign going on, and there are TONS of people there with blogs to follow!

Jenny S. Morris said...

If you are not already following David Powers King he has a great blog-http://davidpowersking.blogspot.com/

Oh, I don't think you stop by my blog. I only say this because you asked. ;0)

Paul Joseph said...

There is a good chance you know these guys already, but if you don't, I think you will hit it off well with each of them:

Bane's Blogging Blues:
banbloblu.blogspot.com

The Twisted Piece:
stevewhibley.blogspot.com

The Corner:
wahoocorner.blogspot.com

Thinking Out Loud:
michaeldlockhart.blogpost.com

Good luck on 1000!

Stina said...

I think 1000 followers is an awesome goal. :D

Thanks for the list. I know a few of those bloggers. Now to check out YA confidential.

Caryn Caldwell said...

I have lots of favorite blogs, but I haven't read any of the five you listed, so thanks for sharing! I hadn't read yours yet until today, either, so I'm definitely expanding my repertoire.

Since you're about to start querying, here are a few of my favorite publishing blogs:

http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/
http://fallingleaflets.blogspot.com/
http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents
http://caseylmccormick.blogspot.com/
http://motherwrite.blogspot.com/

Jemi Fraser said...

You have the best ideas! Love it :)

I don't know if you've met Cat yet - here's her link
http://catwoods.wordpress.com/

And Mindy (aka BBC)
http://writerwriterpantsonfire.blogspot.com/

They're FABULOUS people :)

Adam Heine said...

Thanks for the shout-out! (Sorry for the lateness of my reply. I was sleeping when you shouted.)

I have no doubt you already follow all of these blogs, but I can't take the chance that you don't:

C'MERE, the internationally famous "drawg" by K. Marie Criddle.

Ink Spells, about writing and kids and science geekery, by Susan Kaye Quinn.

And one I recently discovered: Mother. Write. (Repeat.), on writing and parenting and the occasional secret agent contest, by Krista V. (who, I've learned, is at the exact same place as me in the query trenches).

As for the followers widget, mine's not at the top because I keep my sidebar widgets more or less in order of importance: (1) Me, (2) Subscribing to me, (3) posts I wrote, (4) more posts I wrote, (5) search for posts I wrote, and (6) archives of posts I wrote/followers widget.

Seriously, though, I know not everybody uses the followers widget to actually keep up with blogs (I don't). That's what the subscribe bit's for, to let people keep up with it in whatever way is most convenient for them.

Joshua McCune said...

Hey Matt, I think if I'd waited until I reached 1000 (ha, maybe 100), I'd have to be sent to the cryofreezer.

Paul, thanks for the shout out -- I am a bad blogger at times, often b/c I find that people who've been mentioned here tend to post more eloquently/efficiently than I do (that, or I tend to rant, and that's not so kosher anymore :).

Good luck on the 1,000. Twitter's hard enough, but blog 1000s are a special stratosphere. I should have added my tick long ago, and have no excuse.

Charlie Pulsipher said...

Just over two hundred to go now. Yeah...you are totally my hero now.

Zade Forrest said...

Coincidentally, I was just searching through my buddies' buddies', and their buddies', and THEIR buddies, and I found you. How interesting...

Bryce Daniels. You can find this rather intriguing fellow here: http://brycedaniels.blogspot.com/

Nate Wilson is another, and he is here: http://wheelisonfire.blogspot.com/

They're both good about getting out there and responding to crap, so check them out. (Sorry I don't have more suggestions, I'm somewhat new to this realm. Thank you for your patience. Have a nice day.)
~Z.F.

Jamie Gibbs said...

This is a damn good idea. Thanks for the links to the others - I'm only following one of those so I'll pop over and say hi to the rest :D

A great up-and-coming fantasy book blog is http://fantasynibbles.blogspot.com. It's fairly new but I reckon it'll get pretty damn popular :D

Ebony McKenna. said...

OK, I'm intrigued . . . why are you waiting for 1,000 followers? Is it because you like arbitrary deadlines and once you've publicly stated you'll start querying at x number you have to follow through . . .

I do that. I feel publicly stating things makes me more honest. At least for a few days.

I blogged that I was writing the trequel to my novels but got a bit sidetracked . . .

Christina Lee said...

Wow, what a goal-- the idea of it exhausts me (I'm easily overwhelemd that way) but I have no doubt you'll meet it!! xo

Sommer Leigh said...

Oh no! I missed your post yesterday (I missed everybody's posts yesterday. I was a bad blogger.) This is a great post! Good luck with the 1000 follower mark. I know follower numbers don't necessarily mean something, but out here, floating in space, it is one of the only measures of meaningfulness we have. Who is listening? Who are we reaching? I think it can be a very good measuring stick for our goals so we always have something that forces us to do better, go farther.

Ok, enough rambling. A great blog! I've got two of them for you. The first is Claudie A. http://claudiea.blogspot.com/ whose posts I love because she's beocming a biochemist and a writer, so her posts could be about viruses, monsters, or editing, and they all kind of work well together.

Second is Jennifer Burke, a writer, but she's got one of the most wonderful voices. I absolutely adore her and her crazy thoughts! http://jennifer-burke.blogspot.com/

Andrea Mack said...

Awesome goal, Matt! Thanks for drawing my attention to some more interesting blogs. You probably know about these, but here's a couple of the many blogs I check in with:

Christina Farley: http://christinafarley.blogspot.com

Jess at Falling Leaflets:
http://fallingleaflets.blogspot.com

Teaching Authors - Six Authors Who Also Teach Writing
http://www.teachingauthors.com/

Good luck with your goal (not that you need much luck).

Janet Johnson said...

I was wondering why the follow widget hasn't been coming up for me! Thanks for the clue in.

One blog I like because I think she's fun is Jessie Oliveros's blog, Louder than Noise:

http://louderthannoise.blogspot.com/

Claire Hennessy said...

Hi Matthew (or should I call you Matt?), thanks for visiting and following my blog and I'm delighted to return the favour. Yours looks like an excellent one to follow. I'm a very new blogger as you can probably tell, but loving it so far. Who knew there was this huge community and so much to do! Anyway, don't know anyone's blog that well, but I'm joining Kerri on a blog hop she's organising and it's been fun so far: http://kerricuevas.blogspot.com/
I will check out the ones you recommend :)

LTM said...

omg, I'm SO with you on the whole hiding the followers bar. What UP with that??? And I poach followers all the time. How do you think I found YOU? Nerd.

But I just realized I WASN'T following Sarah... dang Google Reader. Have you ever noticed in Blogfests, sometimes it doesn't seem to "remember" you followed someone? Or maybe I'm suffering from Old Lady Brain again. But I also added Hannah. VERY cool! Thanks~ :o)

Slamdunk said...

I just read your most recent post on GoogleConnect and had to go back and read this one.

Excellent advice and I'll be interested in hearing more.

Off to follow some of your recommended bloggers.

Ishta Mercurio said...

Neat idea! The hard part for me is figuring out which blogs out there are really great blogs, and which ones I can just visit once in a while. Because I have such limited time, you know?

(On a side note, I know a woman who is a security guard at a gated community. She sits for 8 hours at a time in a locked closet with windows. Overnight, so there aren't that many people going in-and-out. I would give almost anything for that kind of uninterrupted blog-reading time.)

One blog I really like is Lindsey Carmichael's blog at http://10storiesup.blogspot.com/

She does book reviews and author interviews, she's one of my CPs, and she's awesome in a million ways. Go follow her.

And I hope you hit 1000! Your blog deserves it.

Jessica Love said...

Hi! I'm a new follower. :-)