Thursday, February 5, 2009

Featuring Bloggers like YOU!

So I've been thinking. (I do that too often sometimes.) It's really hard to start a blog, and to gain a loyal following. Much like it's really hard to first break into the publishing world. You're expected to be brilliant, and witty, and funny, and original, and creative... all while being 110 percent appealing. It's only when you've become an established name and presence that you can kind of, well, slack off a bit, and come out with bits of mediocre work occasionally.

Around the YA blogosphere, there are a few bloggers whom everyone knows and everyone follows. These are the lucky few who have insider access to what's being published and when, contacts with exciting authors, and, of course, numerous contests to pique interest.

But what about the rest of us? What about those of us who cannot afford a contest every week, but who still produce great content on their blogs, content that often, sadly, remains unseen by most of the world?

Introducing the latest on my blog: Featuring Bloggers. Where, once every couple of weeks (depending on how free I am), I showcase/interview bloggers who are either just starting out and have great potential, or who write well and deserve to get a little more attention. This isn't a contest; rather, it is based on communication. Leaving comments on one another's work, writing great reviews that actually make me read every word of it... All are ways to catch my attention and thus have the potential to be showcased on my blog.

So how about it?! What do you guys think about this idea? Just start leaving comments (not all of them have to be brilliantly scintillating; God only knows how not up to par I am in my writing sometimes). Just be yourself. I'm always up for promoting the new and the good.

16 comments:

  1. I think it is a fab idea. I read a lot of blogs both popular and new and would love to see some of the newer and less popular ones get more attention.

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  2. Actually I'm fairly new and not all that popular so I guess I fit into that category! :)

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  3. That is a great idea! There are a lot of brilliant blogs out there! :)

    - Jenny

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  4. I love reading blogger profiles and finding and supporting new bloggers so I think this is great. By the way, I tag with the letter D.

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  5. I think this is brilliant. I have only been doing this work about a month but there are so many brilliant bloggers out there that I love reading. And I am always looking for new blogs to read.

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  6. Same here Erika Lynn - I've only been blogging for a few weeks. I love this whole community though!

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  7. I think that's a great idea. It is hard to break into the blogging world and even when you get a little break, it's hard to keep spreading the word. I think book bloggers are the best, so sharing new bloggers with everyone would be great!
    -Sarah

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  9. Hey Steph,

    Great feature. Before I went MIA on my own blog, I had a feature like this called "Plucked." In fact, I was planning on bringing it back and you were on my list. Ah,like minds think alike. Like what you do. I'd love to talk about ways not only to increase readership but community.

    I'm an online vet, over a decade now. I have run a few online communities and now I have my blogs. I rely on interaction not contests. Since plugging into the YA blogs a couple of weeks ago, my numbers have blown up. Ask me how.

    I'm one of those community organizers, a grassroots activist which means I'm big on passion and ideas and I no money. I built a community library collection collecting soda cans so I know how to get what I want with limited resources.

    Love your new pic.

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  10. Arrrg. I hope I didn't imply I don't want to be included among newbies. I do. While I've been online forever, the YA communities are new for me and I want to get connected. :-)

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  11. I think this is a brilliant idea! Definitely go for it :) Share the love.

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  12. Great idea! I'm new to the blogging world too...and trying to update frequently (which is incredibly hard) with interesting things. And I am always up to finding new blogs to follow :)

    cecilia

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  13. I'm all about this. This the reason I find myself following soo many blogs.

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  14. Hi! I came over from Alea's blog because you said you were reading Sunshine. Robin McKinley is my god - I love her, have since I was 12 (which is - *gulp* 20 years now), but I think Sunshine is one of her weaker books. I would love to participate in "Featuring Bloggers" and I also wanted to suggest maybe swapping posts among the folks who want to be involved? Just as a once-every-six-months sort of twist. Or not! I'm rambling! Sorry! Enjoy Charlie's Coffeehouse!

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Hello! I'm so excited to read what you have to say. Due to high amounts of spam, I'm forced to disabled anonymous comments for the time being. Sorry for any inconvenience this causes, and I hope you can understand and still appreciate the content here!

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