Comments on: Seven Lessons from a Blogging Year

By: John Snider

John Snider — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 15:16:41 +0000

We have been following your success with ibterest and have sarted to think, well, maybe we could enter the blogosphere ourselves, but to daye the workload just won’t permit. it will have to wait for someone with passion, but that will come.

By: Bob Glaza

Bob Glaza — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 18:26:02 +0000

inspired me to reflect and post Ann - thank you http://onereaderatatime.blogspot.com/2007/01/seven-lessons-in-seven-months.html

By: Jonathan Kantor

Jonathan Kantor — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 14:57:38 +0000

Anne,
A very good post.
I think that blogs work because they are the new version of the newsletter, only doled out in small pieces a day at a time.
It’s amazing to me how connections are made across a wide variety of other blogs as a result of someone who has either seen a link or a made a post to your blog.

By: Ann Handley

Ann Handley — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 13:58:50 +0000

Patsi — “content-antennae”: I love it!

By: Patsi M. Krakoff

Patsi M. Krakoff — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 13:09:13 +0000

Like Paul, I especially liked #7, Ann. Blogging makes you grow ‘content-antennae’ and see the world in a new light, one that gets shared. For commenter Kim Klaver, we also help entrepreneurs with biz blogging; I invite you over to our blog.

By: David Armano

David Armano — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 05:09:53 +0000

Well put Ann,
And what a year it was–you’ve helped to create a fine community of people who like to dabble in this whole marketing thing. Thanks for letting us tag along.

By: Eric Kintz

Eric Kintz — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 22:23:53 +0000

Congrats Ann for this year of blogging and thanks for the pony!
Eric

By: Ann Handley

Ann Handley — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 16:24:35 +0000

Michael — you are too kind. As I said over at your blog, a blogging year is a little like a dog year — so blogging newbies don’t stay newbies for long.
Thanks for picking up the post — I am both flattered and embarrassed by the “blogging queen” moniker! LOL….

By: Michael Stelzner

Michael Stelzner — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 15:59:53 +0000

Ann;
Very awesome! This great reflection inspired a post over at my blog.
See
http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/01/06/lessons-from-a-marketing-blog-queen/
Mike

By: Ann Handley

Ann Handley — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 23:06:55 +0000

Kim– I would think many on the DF contributor list would be wonderful — BL Ochman, CK, Mack Collier, Lewis Green, Toby Bloomberg come to mind immediately. Anyone else — chime in!

By: Kim Klaver

Kim Klaver — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 06:36:05 +0000

Ann–
Do you know anyone who is good at showing entrepreneurs how to blog for their business? Independent folks, not grown up companies.
I have several hundred folks who are customers of mine, like that, who’d like to learn how to blog for their business, and wonder if you know folks who specialize in that kind of business blogging.
E.g. someone with a catering business, or a nutritional supplement business who wants to start a blog.
Kim

By: Ann Handley

Ann Handley — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 04:05:49 +0000

Thanks for the comments, Mindblob, Tammy, Dave, Jim and Paul.
Lewis: Millions backatcha. : )
Mack: You are too kind, bro. (And your check is in the mail.)
Tim: I do believe you’ve coined a new nickname for me…. “Ann-Freakin’-Handley.” I kinda like it.
Seriously, gang…much appreciated. Blogging really does have a way of getting under your skin and becoming part of your DNA. I sincerely thank every one of you for being part of this blog, and for all the work you do on your own sites, too.
Cheers all around….

By: Paul McEnany

Paul McEnany — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 03:47:46 +0000

Ann, great post! I especially like number 7. While dissecting every little thing that happens can seem inane to some people, it definitely has a way of always keeping you aware and on your toes. I’ve already noticed how much more quickly I notice little things these days.
Anyway, it’s been a fun year, and I get the feeling that 2007 will be even better.

By: Jim Kukral

Jim Kukral — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 02:03:52 +0000

I’ve been blogging since Aug 2001 on 20 something different blogs or more. Everything you say it true.

By: Dave Conrey

Dave Conrey — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 20:23:43 +0000

Ann,
Great piece. I really enjoyed reading about your discovery. Being a newbie blogger, I’m glad to read about the experiences of others and yours lends a straightforward perspective. Thanks.

By: Tim Jackson

Tim Jackson — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 19:42:30 +0000

Ann-freakin-Handley,
You rock girl! Seriously. You call me the “group hug guy” and then YOU come here and essentially throw out a nice big group hug too. I’m feeling pretty loved-up right about now…
You have done a fantastic job of building a strong and vibrant community here. As one of your “authors” here, I am always so happy to see my name in the list of contributors here. It’s pretty cool and is a reflection of the work you have done here.
1) Yes, it’s a high. BIG TIME… I just feel so much more connected and like I am learning all the time.
2) It’s work… yes. Still, it is such rewarding work and the feedback is what really makes me happy. I’d do it all for my own benefit now, but having a community that engages me thrills me.
3)That is the thing, right there… the people. I love my people. I love that I have so many people I consider friends now that I have met through this medium.
4)The readers are awesome. I love the dialogs that take place here and all the places I go to visit or that I write in/ for.
5) Amen sister Ann! Yes, I have been able to refocus my bike nerd nuts-n-blots brain back into words and ideas by blogging. AND as a byproduct I have even done more writing off the blogs. That’s good…
6) Yes again. I frequently find myself analyzing everything, often asking “is this blog worthy?” Hell, nearly everybody I know asks if I’m going to be “blogging this”.
7) Really? Hmmm pages of rambling text don’t work? (DAMN!)

By: Tammy Strnatka

Tammy Strnatka — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 17:10:38 +0000

Ann, I wanted to tell you how sorry I was to hear about your Aunt Mary. I read your post and I just went off thinking about all the great women in my family and those that aren’t but that I truly admire.
I admire you! You obviously took a risk in diving in to your position at MPROFS. I know you’re a mom like me and working with a child is necessary, rewarding, challenging, and just plain hard. Like I said before, you write like your smiling. You exude honesty and fun and I look forward to your posts.
“Every writer needs inspiration, and for many of us you serve as a Muse.” (Cool line Lewis)
I hope you reread this post and give yourself a big dose of self-love and satisfaction.
What a great accomplishment!
You Go Girl!
P.S. I have never met you but I feel I can say this to you. (blushing emoticon)

By: Mack Collier

Mack Collier — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 14:51:45 +0000

“The truth is: Blogs really aren’t widely read by marketers. At least, the marketers who subscribe to MarketingProfs. That’s changing quickly as blogs gain credibility and exposure, but it’s slow going.”
This is one of the reasons why I love writing here, and a big reason why DF is growing, because Ann has been smart enough to aim DF at bloggers, but to also attempt to bring marketers that aren’t yet wired into the possibilities of social media, into the fold. I think it’s very valuable to get ‘new blood’ in the blogging community, and I think that blogging teaches us many important lessons that can benefit mainstream marketers, and I’m proud of Ann for attempting to bridge that gap.

By: mindblob

mindblob — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 13:37:19 +0000

Ann,
Enjoyed reading your bullet points, really. I wanted to say thank you for the tremendous work and efforts you put in MPDf. Plus your posts are always full of insights and pleasant to read.
MPDf is the nucleus of a great community full of committed and talented professionals and thinkers. But there is more than that… respect and fantastic human values, which is imho, one of the most valuable key of successful marketing and communication.

By: Lewis Green

Lewis Green — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 13:02:37 +0000

Ann,
Every writer needs inspiration, and for many of us you serve as a Muse. As one of your writers, a “million thanks” for sharing this forum. And, most of all, for becoming a friend.