This is Day 15 of 31 Days to Build a Better Blog, a group project 60+ of us bloggers are doing together in an effort to help each other become better bloggers. You can read an overview here.
One of the hardest things that I’ve ever done was to blog in a silo. Well… not a literal, physical silo, but a figurative one. That was back in my early blogging days, and I struggled quite a bit with whether what I was doing was making any difference. I frequently got discouraged because I wasn’t sure if anyone cared, or if they were even listening.
What I needed most during that time was someone that could tell me if I was hitting the mark, or if I was off my rocker.
Today’s assignment deals with this very issue. Our task is to find a blog buddy. A blog buddy is someone that you can share ideas with, get feedback from, and work on projects with. Essentially, you have someone to partner with in a way that helps you both to improve your blogs.
Darren Rowse shares this advice to consider (with my commentary) when looking for a blog buddy:
- Make it mutually beneficial – As with real-life relationships, it’s never about how much you can take. So make sure you think about what you have to offer the other person (in addition to how they can help you).
- Attempt to find a blogger in a similar niche – This whole blog buddy concept works best when you and your buddy can compliment each other, especially if you decide to do projects with or guest posting for each other.
- Find other bloggers on your level – Would a first-grader be lost trying to study with a high-schooler? You bet. There’s a reason why our education system groups people based on their learning-levels.
- Make each other’s blog better – If you put a good deal of effort into building someone else up, you’ll usually find that it comes back to you. Do what you can to bless your blog buddy.
One of the best things that I’ve done as a blogger was to join the HighCallingBlogs.com network, and it is for this very reason. I’ve looked in lots of places to find somewhere that I can connect, and I’ve had limited success. However, it wasn’t until I joined this network that I discovered a whole crew of like-minded bloggers at all different levels that I could connect with. Now I have several great blogging buddies that I get to work with.
The truth is (unless you are genetically predisposed to blogging) that you cannot do this alone. None of us can. In fact, God didn’t create us to do life (and that includes blogging) alone. Find a buddy.
As iron sharpens iron, so one blogger sharpens another.
Discussion
- Have you struggled with blogging in a silo? If so, how does it make you feel?
- If you already have a blog buddy, then what are some of the benefits that you’ve discovered in that relationship?
- Are there places (like HighCallingblogs.com) that you’ve found valuable connections that help you become a better blogger?
The Extra Mile
A few other things you can do to take your blog, other bloggers, and this project even further today…
- Reply & give other bloggers feedback on the little things they do.
- When other bloggers include a link to a new article they’ve posted today, click, read, and comment on it.
- Check previous posts in the series for new comments.
- Tweet, share, & bookmark this post.
- So, please review Stuart Dyckhoff’s blog, ChurchTechy, and give him some feedback.
Dan King is… Christ-follower. husband. father. corporate training development guru. bible college instructor. blogger at bibledude.net. social media editor for highcallingblogs.com. occasional contributor for the 8-BIT network.
85 Comments
So far I have found some bloggers I've worked with on some projects on Twitter. I just joined highcallingblogs.com and haven't been active long enough on the forums I joined to see who I can work with there. I've also found some new friends here! I need some people to come alongside and help me, and I'm working on building those connections. Thanks for your article, Dan!
My post today is a book review, and I'm also giving away a copy of the book! Enter to win! http://jenniferjanes.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/boo…
Give aways, good way to get readers! Keep building connections, gotta go read what you said now!
You should try to connect with Laura Boggess at HighCallingBlogs.com. She usually posts on Mondays, and leads lots of great book projects. Since you do book reviews on your blog, then you would probably benefit a great deal from participating in some of those projects… you'll certainly make some new blog buddies doing that!
Thanks! I'll do that. I appreciate you letting me know and giving me some guidance that direction. It might have taken me a while to find her otherwise.
~Jennifer
I started blogging and a few days later this project started. So I haven't struggled with blogging in a silo yet. And the days that I don't post for one reason or another are maybe because I just need a break or feel that yesterday's stuff should be up a day longer before moving on.
I have a few friends that helped me start my blog, have lots of blogs I read daily through rss, I don't specifically have a "blog buddy" yet but I have people who would probably encourage me to start blogging again.
I'm still finding my niche and it may take awhile. Tried to join highcallings but my blog doesn't fit any of their categories. I blog about too many areas instead of one specific thing. I guess the things that have helped me become a better blogger are just reading other blogs and paying attention.
Post for today –http://tijuanabecky.wordpress.com/2010/05/21/blog…
Well, keep doing what you are doing! I think that you are on the right track!
If you want to try HighCallingBlogs.com, I would probably recommend the Faith category. I think that would be the best fit for what I'v e seen of you blog so far.
I was also just checking out your About page, and I see that you are an online volunteer for Healing Place Church. I'm a big fan of Dan Ohlerking… we've worked together on some online stuff in the past, and I love the work that he's doing online with that church.
Dan, you nailed the central problem with blogging. It is disembodied. As such, the feelings of isolation can be even more powerful than they are in regular workplace where many of us already tend to feel isolated–even while we are surrounded by people!
I'm so glad that HighCallingBlogs.com has been a good experience for you. We certainly love having you on board.
Thanks Marcus! You are right that even in the workplace today we can feel isolated. I see people all the time IM'ing and emailing each other from one and two cubicles apart. Sad really… But this lack of connectedness can easily be exaggerated in a purely online environment like blogging. That makes doing the right things to stay connected much more important.
Hi…My name is Ray..and I feel like a stranger around here.
What can I say this week hit me hard.
I was able to read these during the week and write a blog or two…but didn't have the time to post comments to everyones blog.
I have been trying to keep up with everyones posts…
Is there a day when we talk about maintaining a fulltime job raising 5 kids…taking care of family members…helping out your church…post a blog and stay 'in touch' with all your blogger buddies? : )
You guys all rock though!
Love it Ray, glad you are back. I think part of what scheduled blogging is for is so you can write posts ahead of time and they will automatically go out at the time you set. As for commenting and participating that unfortunatly can't be automatic. Glad you are back.
Hi Ray, it's tough to keep up with blogging when there are so many other things in life that take priority, isn't it? I'm having the same problem.
Maybe we need to add a Day 32 to make sure that happens bro! I am with you…my blog and connections have sucked this week.
hang in there, I know it's tough I have a one month old,a toddler and also a full time job. My wife is in there, but she makes life easy and worthwhile 🙂 I am not saying I have it as hard, but I know what you mean. It's about finding balance and sometimes it's ok to walk away.
And maybe when times are easy (in finding time to blog) save a few posts for the busy days.
Wish I'ld practice this too.
LOL! It sounds like lots of us are in the same boat, and agree that this one could be a WHOLE extra post (or series… thinking back to Day 11).
The only wisdom that I have on this topic that I try to ensure that my blogging is a natural extension of who I am and the other things that I have going on in my life. This way I don't get myself in a position where coming up with blog posts is a totally separate task that I need to do. I blog about the things that I am already studying, pondering, and living.
I am with you this week. I have had to all day field trips one for each of my kids this week. That takes away from my work in ministry that has to be made up for in the evenings which takes away from by blogging which means I haven't posted twice this week.
THANK YOU for saying this. I'm so glad I'm not the only one, and others of you are saying the same thing. I just sent a lengthy and whiny email to Paul just to say "hey, I'm still in" because I've been so uninvolved. I had a giant (and, frankly, very pointless) project dumped on me at work because I was the only one who could do video editing. I already had another project I was committed to, we had to go out of town last week, I have to go out of town again early next week, and my wife and daughter have been sick all this week.
I'm scratching my head wondering how all of this came together right now….but there it is.
It's good to know I'm not the only one feeling a little overloaded. Community (even virtual community) is a good thing, which is the point of today's post.
I sure have struggled with blogging in a silo. It's lonely and disheartening.When I first started my blog years ago I thought for sure my inspirational stories and poems would touch the hearts of everyone who read them so much that they would feel like they just had to comment and share a similar expereince of their own. Biy was I wrong! I belong to CWHAM and one of the other Christian ladies saw a link to my blog and emailed me to tell me I was doing a great job and just to believe that others like herself were reading, even if they weren't commenting. Boy did that make me feel great. I realize now that I should have stayed in contact with her. She would have made a great blogging buddy!
I am going to joinhttp://highcallingblogs.com/ as soon as I finish this post!
Dan I could not agree more about HCB. I honestly have a sense of real community in my life, since joining. However I know that I get the most out of it when I actively participate and give to other members.
Off to go and consider a few blog buddies….
Ray, you have touched on a point that I really think needs to be addressed somewhere in this series. Its the toughest part of blogging for me.
You bring up a GREAT point Claire! It will be hard to connect with a community like HCB if you are not doing what you can do to engage. Commenting on the site, and other members sites is a great way to begin building those relationships.
I know that there is also quite a bit of chatter on Twitter among members, and it seems pretty easy to jump into that conversation.
The whole reason I joined 31DBBB was because my blog buddy, Jon Reid, invited me. His recommendation won out over my reluctance. I'm very thankful.
I really enjoy my interaction with Jon and am definitely a better blogger because of this relationship.
I got caught up on several reviews I had to write yesterday, but the resource I'd like to point out here is Ed Cyzewski’s new book, A Path to Publishing:http://bit.ly/cyLHTJ Ed talks about the benefits of having s strong social media presence as well as a well maintained blog. He had several great things to share in this resource.
Hey Chad, that's cool that it was Jon who invited you to participate in 31DBBB. We've certainly been blessed to have you both as a part of the project.
A Path to Publishing sounds like a really interesting book. Did you get a free copy to review for your blog? If you did and that opportunity is still available can you point me in the right direction?
Paul, I passed on your email address to Ed. If he is still looking for bloggers, I'm sure he will reach out to you!
Thanks Chad. I appreciate it!
Hey, today's exercise was easy!
I actually had arranged a buddy relationship my first time through 31DBBB. It kind of worked, but eventually we figured out that our approaches (and yes, our theology) were too divergent, and it kind of faded away. So I figured it was time to try again with someone else. The timing of then finding this 31DBBB group was "luck," if you can believe it.
Glad it's worked out, Chad! So far. 😉
I'm glad to hear that you've already experienced the benefits of having a blog buddy.
Ed has been a contributor recently over at HighCallingBlogs.com. Check out his posts here…
Point of No Return? http://highcallingblogs.com/6671/point-of-no-retu…
Hey, That Wasn't on My List http://highcallingblogs.com/7015/hey-that-wasn%E2…
I found this very challenging – writing is so personal, such a vulnerable, almost naked experience, an unveiling of the soul. In my formal book writing my characters became like my children and I wept when I let them face pain or die or whatever. Writing is not a part of me, it is me, my life, my whole being – I despair of ever being published, but thats another story. However, God took me on this journey and led me over an agonizingly long journey that peeled away all my layers so I could write relevant books – to help my books along, I blogged, twittered, face-booked, self-published and wrote more than I can describe. I asked well meaning friends and family to read my works, but got limited support (not because they do not love me, but because life is life). So to now bear my soul to someone else, someone detached from all that went before …. I don't know.
I can totally understand where you are coming from. It is tough to deal with any form of rejection and then expect to find acceptance.
I think that the good news for someone that might be in your same or similar shoes is you don't have to find a new best friend overnight. II think that the important thing is to just be out there and engage other bloggers. It may take a while and a little bit of effort, but I'd be willing to bet that there will eventually be some folks that you feel comfortable opening up to again.
Thanks for your honesty!
I have a couple of like-minded friends with whom I share links and private e-mail. We haven't taken it beyond that, but this is a good idea. We should–maybe I'll start steering more in that direction. Great post, most excellent illustration.
I'd love to see you take those relationships to the next level! And I'd love to hear more about what you decide to do together.
Thanks for the feedback on the post and illustration!
Perhaps this is what I should do …. I have lots (well a few anyway) of "blogging colleagues" but I perhaps need to push myself to do more with / for them.
For example I co-write at ChurchTechMatters with approx 10 bloggers but for whatever reason we just haven't really gelled as a unit of bloggers in getting regular articles out, etc. Now that blog isn't mine so I don't feel its right to 'take it over' but perhaps with the 2 or 3 I have a more regular realtionship with I should do more.
Hmmmm….
One of the things that makes this assignment difficult is because "blogging buddy" is such a vague thing. It reminds me of when I've talked to other guys about becoming accountability partners. It's awkward, like asking someone out on a date.
While I've never had a "blogging buddy" per se, I would think one of the best thing you could do would be to discuss and agree on the expectations. Are you each going to read every post the other person writes? Comment? Tweet? Are you going to guest post for each other on a regular basis? t Is it going to be less formal than that?
good questions.
I think you have lay down the expectations early on.
It could be a group of people that work towards taking each other's blogs to the next level with strategic promotions and even collaborative posting. Or just to retweet, digg and share on facebook every now and again.
Agreed.
Paul's mention of accountability reminds me of a situation in my life when I needed to be accountable. Taking that first step, however 'date like' it appears to be, is the all important one though.
LOL… about the asking out on a date thing! Good analogy and I agree that asking someone to do that with can be awkward. Luckily, I think that this kind of relationship occurs best when it occurs naturally. I have some blog buddies too that I know that I can have some real conversations about blogging with, and we never had to say, "Ummm… do you wanna hang out sometime and talk about our blogs."
But I do think that sometimes it does just take asking the question. Speaking of which, I've been wanting to talk to you about something Paul…. 😉
Ha! Yes – you took the words out of my mouth, on all counts: the awkwardness of popping the question, and the nebulousness of the "blogging buddy" concept for those of us who aren't familiar with the idea already.
Several others were saying that the relationship has to happen naturally, and that seems right to me. But unlike those kinds of relationships, as Phillip says, I think it would be good to have the expectations spelled out.