Nominate?

Action, Blogging 4 Minutes

Many thanks to Chen Song Ping, who nominated me for the The Golden Bloggerz Award! I’m humbled and honored! Serena Chen is a nurse and the caretaker of a child with a mental disorder, and she shares insightful life experiences. Serena asked me a series of questions, and my answers are sprinkled throughout this post.

I’m going on my fourth year of catapulting my ideas into the blogosphere, but I still remember what it was like in the beginning to have like three followers and no idea how to find other good blogs. [Stage left. Enter the awards.] The awards, no matter which one, are all about promoting other bloggers’ blogs and helping them be part of the community. If you’re new to blogging (or not), here are some of my best tips:

  1. Read other blogs.
    • Of course, you can keep up with the blogs you follow in Reader.
    • There is also a tab you can click at the top of Reader to Discover new blogs, and you can search by key words according to your interests.
    • You could search for Awards (or maybe Award), and you will most likely find lists of bloggers that other people like inside those posts despite your interest in their questions and answers.
    • Read comments in other posts to see who responds in a way you like. Then pay that person a visit. If a person cares enough to leave a nice comment, that person might care enough to support your blog.
  2. Write something compelling.
    • I taught high school English for twenty years. I used to tell my students, “I have one hundred and fifty essays to grade. Make me laugh or make me cry.” As far as blogs go, people have so many choices. Compel readers to return.  
    • The same advice applies to your comments. If you just hit the little star on the post, you may or may not receive a return visit. If you leave a likeable comment, you are more likely to receive a visit.
    • When I write about anything, I try to reveal a deeper meaning or a bigger lesson without preaching. I personally don’t like to be told what to do in life and especially during my free time.
  3. Final thoughts.
    • One big DO NOT. Too often a star-happy blogger comes along, clicking star after star on my site without any time in between clicks. Knowing the reader isn’t a reader makes for a pointless visit, and I feel no obligation to check out that site.
    • In connection to awards, some people thrive on recognition. Others do not. Considering my own time restraints, I wouldn’t want anyone to feel pressure to respond. Rules are arbitrary, and I tend to circumvent them. I also reserve the right to decline.
    • Remember to update your About page. Check what other bloggers say on their pages for ideas.
    • Blogging should be fun and guilt free. If it ever feels otherwise, step away. People understand, and if they don’t, well…
    • Show your readers gratitude. I appreciate you for reading today, and I know you have a million and one other things you could be doing.  

It’s so hard to narrow down my list of amazing bloggers, and so I’m choosing nominees under the 900 follower mark, who deserve so many more. When you have extra time, check them out. Without further ado, I would like to Nominate the following Golden Bloggerz:

With over twenty years of experience, Tiffany Arp-Daleo has developed a unique painting style described as Bohemian Abstract. All her creations are original, derived from the heart, and born out of a need to consistently create and to explore the unknown.

My friend Keith at Terrified Amateur is actually a Bold Expert in the kitchen. His cheeky sense of humor and adventurous culinary spirit never fail to deliver fantastic posts.   

By day, Gr8ful Collette helps pregnant and parenting teens beat the odds and earn their high school diplomas. Over at her Wine 2 Water blog, she pens her experience of finding peace and meaning through sobriety.

From Faded Jeans Living, Dwight Hyde writes about finding happiness, comeback stories, and growing and learning along the way. I love how he keeps it simple and real.

From the land down under, Perth Girl at The “F” Word blogs about faith, family, and food. She enlightens me with her spiritual insights time and again.  

The David from David’s Daily Dose is just a regular guy, who was tempted to lose all hope but didn’t. It was God who made the difference, but he isn’t preachy about it.

Bosssy Babe shares her journey through life as an imperfect human trying to balance marriage, motherhood, work, and her many passions. She is proud of being loud and feels no shame about having unpopular opinions. 

H. Davey Thoreau claims to have succumbed to a spell for the first forty years of life before undergoing a spiritual awakening. At Words from Walden, he writes of how our friendly universe is full of possibility.

Jen Knapp at Life, Love, and Sentences is a former high school English teacher who scooped up her family and moved to Quito, Ecuador. Her blogs are part literary analysis, part life analysis, all in the in the hopes of doing some good.

Bryan Wagner blogs at Visions of a People’s Dharma. He believes that we can all have our own paths and still interact with compassion, intelligence, and caring for others. I love his philosophy: “Do unto others as you would have done unto you and expect nothing in return.”

For my nominees, I have one question should you choose to respond. No sweat off my back either way.

What is your all-time favorite post, the one that makes you laugh or cry or most proud of your own writing?

If you have a spare moment, please reblog your favorite one. I would love to read it.

Published by Crystal Byers

When I was young, my dad would always say, "Crystal, you can choose your attitude." One day I chose to believe him.

Published

40 thoughts on “Nominate?”

  1. Congrats on your award!! Wow, I was reading your tips and your blog recommendations, and I genuinely didn’t expect to see my name so I’m surprised but soo incredibly honoured and grateful that you even took the time to read and comment on my posts, let alone recommend my blog! Thank you so much! 🙂

    Great tips by the way, I completely agree with being more engaging in the blogosphere community. When I started blogging many years ago I was a star-liker but only bc I didn’t have much that I felt I could blog about and didn’t feel my comments/voice/opinions mattered to anyone. Now I feel more free (maybe it’s age?) to express exactly how I feel and what I’m going through hoping others will connect on some level as well! 🙂

    So I wasn’t sure if you meant fave post of yours, mine or someone else’s so I did all three lol… Hope that’s okay!

    Fave post of yours because forgiveness is a major player in my life and this post of yours really resonated with me. I have learned to forgive people in my life that have failed me and I’ve learned to forgive my own mistakes. | https://wp.me/p9aV6R-13k

    Fave post of mine because it conjures up hope for me when I reread it. It lets me see my journey and that I’ll make it through anything. | https://bosssybabe.wordpress.com/2021/03/03/international-womens-day/

    Fave post from another blogger simply because this one made me laugh out loud. He speaks the honest truth and the humour in it is fantastic! | https://wp.me/p4spBf-Ns

    Thanks again Crystal ❤️😊

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Thank you, BB! And congrats to you! I realized what I was saying might be unclear. I meant the post you are most proud of, but thanks for the others! I’m going back to edit my post and take a read of yours. Have a great day! Keep being awesome! ❤️

      Liked by 2 people

  2. Congratulations! Well deserved in my humble opinion and I definitely will check out those you have mentioned. I try to comment on the blogs that really get my attention and touch me in some way. I have opened my email to see notifications where there may be a fifteen long list of likes on blogs from someone that you know there is no way they read that many that quickly. Personally, I would rather have a few who actually read, than a hundred who merely hit that like button.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Congratulations! Great tips that you shared. I liked what you said to your students about grading the essays! And I definitely know what you mean about someone clicking like too quickly through a bunch of posts.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Your tips to bloggers are spot on. Some time ago, I opted for an award-free blog because I don’t have the time to respond as required. Love the way you introduced each of your nominees 🙂

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  7. Congratulations on your nomination, Crystal! Although I’ve not know you long on WordPress, I do recall reading your blog recommendations. I learned a lot. I realized I didn’t need to “make a show” but simply pretend I was still working for the local paper, writing feature stories, using fiction techniques. Less stilted, that way, and I can relax and allow my stream-of-consciousness flow through my fingers. You helped me make this process loads of fun! Thanks a bunch of — yellow tulips!

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Congrats and thank you for nominating me. I have to think about a post of mine. I have had a few full on days and my brain is not functioning at capacity so I will have to get back to you on that.

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  10. Thank you so much for the nomination and for mentioning my blog, Crystal!! Your posts are always fun and positive, and these are some great tips, you totally deserve the nomination! I’m really not much a writer as I express myself through my paintings, and I just can’t pick one post, but again, thank you for the shout-out! 🥰🙏💕🎨

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  11. Congrats, Crystal! As you know, I love you and your blog and you deserve this honor and more. I’ve been thinking lately that I ought to find some new blogs to follow, and I appreciate you giving us all some recommendations!

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  12. Congratulations Crystal! A well-deserved award, there is nothing more interesting than a good story, and one that comes with hard-earned life lessons! You knock it out of the park every time! Warmly, C

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  13. Congrats on the recognition, Crystal! Of course, much like your upcoming degree, the nomination merely formalizes what you already have accomplished for years.

    As bloggers, we all start at the same place, with zero followers and, in fact, with no readers. From that place, look where you’ve brought this blog. At where you’ve brought us. This is what numbers you among the Golden Bloggerz.

    Many thanks on nominating me, in turn. Can’t say I’m averse to recognition! As for my favorite post, would you believe it doesn’t exist yet? It’s true – anticipating future posts really has me jazzed. I look forward especially to your responses. The best definitely awaits!

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