Thursday, April 21, 2011

Thursday's Thought: What makes a successful blog?

I don't usually post on Thursdays, but I am breaking with tradition because my query is up for review today at Matthew MacNish's The Quintessentially Questionable Query Experiment. So I want to say "hi" and give a warm welcome to anyone who pops over from Matt's to check out my blog furniture and see if there's anything good to eat.

Well, whadda ya know! Help yourself.


Mmm. Just licking a frosted flower from my fingers. Gosh, those are delicious!

Which leads me to my question of the day: what do you think makes a deliciously successful blog?

Right off the top of my head, I'd say:
  • Personality: You get a sense that the blogger's an interesting person (and, for me, the addition is "nice" person. Trainwreck types can be "interesting," but I've only got so much patience for neuroses.)
  • Writing Style: Someone who has a way with words and who knows the value of writing concisely.
  • Content: Pretty self-explanatory. I'll probably be interested in a blogger who blogs about the endlessly fascinating subject of writing. But the wonderful thing about the blogosphere is that there's something for everyone. There's probably even a blog in which someone's Aunt Nellie lavishes her attention on the breeding of Afghan hounds. So if Afghan hounds are your thing, Aunt Nellie's your woman.
  • Frequency of posting: Once I go all starry-eyed over a blog, I need my insatiable hunger to be fed. So, if my new blog-crush only posts when the moon is blue, I'm going to lose interest--and probably wave a sad goodbye.
Anything else I've missed? If you want to see all the blogs I swoon over (three of them are by my wonderful and talented wife, Every Day is A Miracle, Marie's Book Garden, and One Year to an Organized Life), they're on my sidebar.

The QQQE is definitely another swoon-worthy one. Matt is all-of-the-above-awesome, as well as being one of the most supportive people in the whole wide world.

Thanks for stopping by! Another cupcake before you go?

13 comments:

  1. I think everything you mentioned will bring me back to a blog. But my top 3 are content, personality and then the look and ease of the blog.

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  2. ACKK...get away, you cupcake, you.

    But I digress. Excellent post and one cool blog.

    Consider me a 'popper' today but as Aaaanold says, "I'll be back."

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  3. I'd vote interesting content above all, but cheat by calling writing style and personality an aspect of content :).

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  4. Hey Michael! Coming over from Matthew's site. I'm a published author, but sorry, you won't find a lot of writing stuff on my blog. I'm a science fiction writer so there's a lot of geek stuff instead.

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  5. are those cupcakes an incentive
    -a bribe?
    an offer we can't refuse.....?

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  6. It's like you went to my blog and then described the perfect blog! Also should add pictures of cupcakes to criterion.

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  7. To Chris Phillips: Busted!

    Thanks for all the comments, folks. I'll try and do a Matt and visit you on your blogs/e-mail as soon as I can (after I get the kids off to school!)

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  8. Thanks Mike, you're too kind!

    For me it's all about a few key things.

    Humor: nothing beats Hyperbole and a Half, or The Rejectionist, and any blog that can make me laugh will have me coming back like a junkie.

    Information: Anything that can educate me every day, like Nathan Bransford's blog, is a winner.

    Writing: like any art beautiful writing is fascinating, and certainly will keep my attention. Bryan Russell's The Alchemy of Writing is a great example of this.

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  9. MacNish sent me. You have a blog made of awesomeness. I will follow the MG one too, since that's what I write. :-)

    PS - Plot and Structure is one of the best books on our craft.

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  10. Nice cupcakes. I want one. Or two. And I agree--Matt's blog is awesome. For writing advice, there are few better than Janice Hardy's blog. I also love Lydia Kang's (no one knows how to be concise yet useful like she does, except for maybe Elana Johnson, whose blog is also excellent). Being concise is a daily struggle for me and I'm constantly worried about the length of my posts, so I totally agree with that criterion. But I'm honored you've found my blog worthy of your sidebar anyway. I appreciate it!

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  11. Stopping by at Matt's request. :D

    Thanks for the cupcakes. I think part of blogging is giving and a dose of sincerity.

    Nice bumping into you.

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  12. Mmmm....cupcakes... *wipes away drool* Matthew sent me your way. :)

    Personality, humor, consistency, deft writing, and just a blog/blogger that makes me smile will keep me coming back.

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  13. Everything you said...ditto. I do follow some blogs that aren't about writing, but the vast majority are writing blogs. I feel like a fish out of water this month because for the A to Z Challenge I chose a theme, and it has nothing to do with writing! I'll know better next year. :)

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