For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a bloggy-life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week, I offer this BloggingHypotheticality.
Here you go. . . .
You receive an email that reads like this–only yours is from a real domain name.
Dear Sir/Madam:
Would you like to link to us?
Website: http://www.ilinkwithstrangers.com
Thank you very much.
What’s your opinion of this practice?
–ME “Liz” Strauss
There’s a new Be a Guest Writer page in the sidebar. Here’s what it says.
Successful-Blog is community in conversation. That’s why the header says Successful and Oustanding Bloggers. Bloggers are constantly talking and trading techniques and strategies for how we keep our blogs and our businesses growing. . . . When we find one, it’s hard to keep quiet. We want to know if someone else knows more about it than we do. . . . Imagine the benefits of a community thinking and talking together–a wealth of resources right here. Not to mention the friendships made. –ME Strauss
Have stories to swap or ideas to add to the conversation?
Write your submission in your own words.
E-mail it Liz at lizsun2@gmail.com.
No attachments please. Thanks. Feel free to ask as many questions as you like.
Know that I write and edit for a living and that people which means, I might make minor changes in what you write. It’s the editor’s curse. We can’t help it. You can take heart that professional editors don’t change meaning without talking about it, nor do we make writers look bad in print.
Got a post filled with fresh, relevant content that readers here would enjoy? Something that adds to the conversation?
Read your post over. Dust it off to make sure it’s still current. Write a brief description and send that description and a link to Liz at lizsun2@gmail.com. Please don’t send the post text. No attachments please. Thanks. You’re welcome to ask questions first if you have any.
Again, that I write and edit for a living and that people which means, I might make minor changes in what you write. It’s the editor’s curse. We can’t help it. You can take heart that professional editors don’t change meaning without talking about it, nor do we make writers look bad in print.
I’m delighted to share the space with a well-voiced article on a topic appropriate for Successful-Blog readers. I’m ooking forward to adding your voice to the Successful-Blog list of Guest Writers.
Most articles appear on the front within days of when I first read them. When will your article be in Successful-Blog?
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Whenever I give myself room to breathe, everyone around me gets nicer.
It’s an odd thing to write under the masthead Successful Blog. It’s such an opportunity, such an “Okay, Big Shot,” moment. It’s a chance to model best practices, not just write about them.
The writer’s credo is Don’t tell, show. How much closer to that could I get than this?
I can talk about building community by answering comments relentlessly, but it’s so much more powerful when I do it and my readers actually experience how it feels. I can explain how to correct your public mistakes, but again how much greater impact it has when I actually do what I say. If I do this job right, everything I do has the potential to have a tiny positive effect on the blogosphere.
So I share with you my learning curve at the end of one month. I’ve learned.
In 1972, a friend said to me “You always leave the other guy a place to stand.”
That advice has served me every day since. It works with everyone from 6 to 106. We all need a place to stand–no matter how scary we look. It can be the smallest thing. Here’s a fun read about Giving the Other Guy a Place to Stand that explains what I’m talking about.
If I could choose one best practice to pass on, that would be the one–that everyone in the blogosphere leaves lots more room for the other guy to stand.
–ME “Liz” Strauss
It may not seem so when you watch me blog, but I have a big self-conscious streak. I don’t mind people looking at my work, but I get a bit shy when they’re looking at me. It’s been a problem since I was short and small. I have to look past that to write this post. I have something important to say.
Today is November 24. It’s one month since the day I met all of you at Successful Blog.
You have been the best friends, readers, and colleagues a blogger could hope for. You’ve given me time to adjust to the culture. You’ve shown me the most enthusiastic support. I’m proud to be working with you, learning with you, and doing whatever it is that we do here.
I 
the readers of Successful Blog.
Thank you. I mean it. Thank you.
–ME “Liz” Strauss
That heart still isn’t big enough.
Week 4 is gone! Seems a good time to stop and take inventory.
On my first day at Successful Blog I said,
I’ll be constantly asking you to be part of the discussion. The more I know about you, the more I can do to help you build that Successful Blog.
I’d like to take myself up on that and open a discussion.
This is your blog too. Now that we’ve shared some posts and comments, maybe we can make some tweaks. I’m asking three questions about this blog and leaving the answers to you.
Here are the rules. There aren’t many.
1. Please comment truthfully with constructive feedback.
2. Specifics would be wonderful, and what ifs are also welcome.
3. If you wish use a pseudonym, I’ll let through all valid comments.
4. Allow some room for give after all, we are just starting.
From a meaningful discussion, we can build one special blog.
QUESTION 1:
What did you hope to find here that you haven’t seen yet?
or
What is the one thing that you want me to know?
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Armed with your thoughtful comments, I won’t be shooting in the dark.
QUESTION 2:
Are the interviews too long, too light? Is anything too anything?
–ME “Liz” Strauss