Blogger Recognition Award

Claudia from Do What You Love was kind enough to nominate me for the Blogger Recognition Award, which carries with it a certain set of responsibilities that I will endeavor to satisfy below.

Rule 1.- Write a post to show your award.

Ummmm … you’re reading it now.

Rule 2.- Acknowledge the blogger who nominated you.

Thanks much, Claudia! And while this is more of a Rule 5 thing, she’s a good Twitter follow over at @CPFalcone.

Rule 3.- Give a brief story of why you started your blog.

I wrote about it at more length here, but it’s a means to express myself, to create something, to keep the part of my mind which likes to find stories and try to tell them active.

Plus, I’m a terrible shutterbug whose camera (also known as his iPhone) is always at hand.

Plus, my wife Suzi shouldn’t be the only to hear what’s clattering around in my head, right?

Right?

I don’t have a “niche” in terms of what you usually think of as niches — travel, beauty (because no one needs that), food, etc. — unless “stuff I notice in my life” can be considered a niche. It’s pretty much the only subject on which I’m an expert!

For example, I write a lot about traveling — my latest trip was Oregon — but not in the style I see a lot of “things you can do in (insert place name here)” but more observations or things I did.

Hopefully, people enjoy it.

Rule 4.- Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers.

Tip 1: Write.

Write more.

There is a good chance it will suck.

It doesn’t matter.

Keep writing.

The only way to get better at writing is to write. I get that it’s self-explanatory, but the more you write, the more you’ll figure out what works and doesn’t work for you, the devices you can use to tell your stories.

In the same vein, read other people’s stuff. They’ll give you stuff to respond to, but you’ll also see their techniques that you can try in your own writing.

Tip 2: Make friends.

I somehow have pulled together or wandered into a little group of blogging buddies. At first, it was because I liked their stuff, but over time, I started interacting with them … and it’s fun!

From that beginning of just seeing stuff of theirs that I liked came of group of people whose stuff I always try to support, and they support mine.

For instance, Claudia from Do What You Love. You’re about to see a bunch of others.

This blogging stuff can be lonely at times. It’s good to know people are in your corner, and fun to be in theirs.

A good way to find friends is to follow RT accounts on Twitter. They’ll share your stuff, and you’ll see lots of stuff from other people.

Rule 5.- Nominate 10 bloggers who deserve the award.

They’ve probably all been nominated before, but deserve your time and attention.

@NelsoSav

@RosieCulture

@KsAndSprinkles

@renataoleo

@sara_uzer

@BumblingD

@EdnaMilly (She’s new. Go follow her!)

@comeandread

@LovePopcorn6

@MeditativeO