View my previous blog here: http://bazzablog-uk.blogspot.com

I reply to all comments except spam, no matter how old!

Please ignore any email address displayed here! My email is shamp123 AT sky.com


Saturday 30 October 2010

How I Blog Now

The Sweet Friends Award


I like the idea of Bloggers generating their own awards and nominating a selection of fellow Bloggers to receive them. Some might think it somewhat incestuous and almost self-congratulatory but it's great way of finding new blogs and hopefully expanding one's readership horizons.
If I enjoy your blog there's a good chance I will also like the blogs you favour!
Joanne Fox, whose writing-based, thoughtful blog is always a worthwhile read has been kind enough to nominate To Discover Ice with a 'Sweet Friends' award which I blushingly accept. (Bazza down on one knee, hand on heart, head bowed). Joanne appears to be aware of the need to make posts of a certain length which maintains the readers interest without having a soporific effect! 
So, one condition of this award is to communicate six facts about 'how I write', (Joanne is a writer). This about how I blog:
1) At this time I have my next four posts already written although order of publication is not yet decided.
2) I don't write much personal stuff, not because I am shy or private but because it bores me and I suppose it would bore you too!
3) I choose a subject or topic that interests me and then I research it. Usually it's a painting, a poem, a book, a person or a website.
4) I always write too much and then pare it down with some ruthless editing. I know attention spans are short these days!
5) I always wait at least two days before publishing something I have written; sometimes when I return to it, I don't like it and have to make changes.
6) If you blog/write for yourself first then others might enjoy it too because it will be sincere.
Here then are my six nominees. I have chosen them because they are blogs I read that I don't think get as much traffic as they deserve:
1) An Evolution of Knowledge Stephen in Sydney, Australia doesn't post often but always says something of interest.
2) The Snee Rebecca(?) puts so much effort into her amusing posts that she must be retired/unemployed!
3) English Buildings Philip Wilkinson is an author specialisng in architecture and writes very informative posts about interesting aspect of buildings in (mainly) the south of England.
4) Sagan's Brain "Skeptically interrogating the universe with a fine understanding of human fallibility". Hundreds of followers, few commenters. Great science blog. You may have to be a nerd!
5) Hedgeland Tales Excellent photos of wild birds (no, Sir Tom!) located in Peterborough, England.
6) Belgian Beers  "All about Belgian Beers. Belgian Beer Bars. Belgian Beer Breweries. A discovery of the many Belgian Beers. In a nutshell Belgium and Belgian Beers. www.belgian-beers.eu Cheers!" Nothing more to say.

26 comments:

John said...

Oh my gosh! Thankyou very much for this award bazza! As I have said before, you say extrememly nice things about my humble blog!
Thanks again,
J
Follow me @ Hedgeland Tales
(You know you want to!)

bazza said...

John: My pleasure sir! I hope more people visit you and appreciate what I enjoy about your blog.

Sir Tom Eagerly said...

Bazza, are you implying that I would have thought you were referring to 'wild birds' of another kind? Heaven forfend!
Nothing could have been further from my mind. In fact most things are far from my mind.
Tally Ho!, old boy.

The Blogger Formerly Known As said...

Congratulations Bazza!

I often wonder if there’s a an award for comments. If there is, Sir Tom definitely deserves it.
The enigmatic, masked blogger

Fickle Cattle said...

#6 is the essence of my writing philosophy actually.

http://ficklecattle.blogspot.com/

bazza said...

Sir Tom: You have a fan! (See the comment immediately after yours.)
You are a rascal and you should start your own blog - as you have been told before.

Masked Lady: Thanks, I'll try not to let it change me.
See my comment to Sir Tom, above.

Fickle Cattle: Welcome, I'm glad someone else feels the same way!
I will pop over to your place soon.

joanne fox said...

Thank you Bazza for your kind comments about my blog.

I am impressed by how organised you are with researching and writing your posts on here. And I do agree that if you write firstly for yourself, then your enthusiasm for that subject will infect others too.

I look forward to checking out the blogs you nominate (tomorrow when my eyes are less tired - been at the day job today.).

Have a good weekend.

bazza said...

joanne fox: I think the general idea of introducing new blogs to others is appealing. I hope some readers will have a look at them; of course they won't all be liked by all visitors but as long as a few do that's OK.
You have a good weekend too!

klahanie said...

Hi bazza,
I guess you might of figured out that I like the idea of generating new awards and sending it out to what I consider, worthy recipients.
I know that once the award I created, left the 'nest' or dog blanket, or whatever, that it would initially acknowledge me and then, hopefully float merrily though the bloggersphere. My goodness, that last sentence was long.
Like you mention, it's a great way to get to discover blogs and for that matter, 'ice'.
Joanne does a wonderful, thoughtful blog, for sure. I can certainly see why she would bestow the 'Sweet Friends Award', upon your good self.
I am very much aware of one of the recipients you have passed this award on to. THE SNEE aka Rebecca, is well worth a read. I shall go and check out the rest, bazza.
And please allow me to inform our 'Masked Friend' that Sir Tom has 'begged' me to set up an award for comments. He made that remark in one of my blogs, recently. Careful, Gary, almost self promotion.
Anyway, bazza, hearty congratulations on receiving the award. Always a pleasure to visit your blog. Enjoy your weekend. And yes, this comment is going to suddenly end. Hardly succinct, was it, old chap? You know what I'm sayin'?
Kind wishes, Gary :-)

THE SNEE said...

Hi Bazza, Congratulations on your award! You are indeed a sweet friend in the land of blog. I also am flattered that you thought of The Snee in your list of blogs that you read. Thank you for making it..well, sneeworthy of the honor. I'm look forward to checking out the other blogs you mention. As you well note, The Snee is a labor of love, but only sometimes, never, eventually do things get posted. Have a fantastic weekend Bazza, and thanks so much for the plug...BTW, are you going to the comment addictions meeting on Tuesday too? Sincerely, The Snee aka Rebecca as I have been dubbed by the multifaceted Gary at Klahanie.

Andreea said...

hi bazza - thank you so much for the mention. and congratulations on the ward. so very well deserved

bazza said...

Andreea: Thanks for visiting and I look forward to more of your reviews of obscure but excellent Belgian Beers!

bazza said...

Gary/Klahanie: I just like the notion of recommending other websites, with or without an award. I can't remember how I found yours but it might have been that way. Also, there is nothing wrong with some self-promotion!

Ms. Snee: You are most welcome.
Comment addiction meeting? Surely you jest? If it's an addiction I don't want to be cured! (Yet).

THE SNEE said...

LOL Bazza, I'm still on line and finally figured out how to link the lovely sweet friends image on my sidebar to your lovely site....phew...as for the jesting....I only jest sometimes, never, eventually, but rarely always.

Kelly said...

The SNEE is a great choice on your list. I'll be sure to check out the others. Your rule #6 is one of my own that I try to adhere to. There was a time, in the early months of my own blog, that I wrote for myself and others. Now, it's just for me.

I agree... The making awards thing that everybody seems to be getting in on these days is a good way to introduce bloggers to each other and to show appreciation for what they offer. Take care.

BTW, I think somebody should make a special award for Sir Tom- but I'm not sure what it should be made of yet.

bazza said...

Ms Snee: Ha! Elusive as ever, I see. Wear your badge with pride.

Kelly: Yes. several commenters have mentioned rule 6. It's obviously key to all sorts of writing. As for Sir Tom he is "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma". (Sir Winston Churchill talking about the Soviet Union in 1939.)
Perhaps we should engrave a citation on an empty whisky bottle.

David said...

Dear bazza,
Congrats on receiving this award. You thoroughly deserve it.
But did I hear words like self-promotion, incestuous and self-congratulatory? Surely not, bazza!
Yours with All the Best,
David.

S Simmonds said...

Thanks for the mention, Bazza.

More on the garden, out now.

Unfortunately, it's been difficult to find time to post; it's especially hard to do proper justice to the indepth subjects (viz genetics).

So I'm going for something lighter. One of my research topics is obscure pop music of the early 70s, and I'm planning a series very soon. I may well challenge your notion that the posts are of interest! Only to a select few...

Sir Tom Eagerly said...

I have a fan bazza? I have thousands! Probably.
Perhaps I should invite Ms Mask round for a few drinks and see if I can get below her surface, if you get my meaning.

The Blogger Formerly Known As said...

I think we get your meaning only too well, Sir Tom. But, despite that, please, click here. I have made you an award you so richly deserve.

bazza said...

David: Yes I have to say I dislike when bloggers (seriously) self-promote themselves. Looking for new readers is rewarding however.
I hereby recommend your blog to all who visit here!

Stephen: G'day (sorry). A rare visit from the great man. I have no doubt you will remain a good read whatever your topic. No pressure there, then. Thanks for looking in.

bazza said...

Sir Tom: You continue to live the role of a cheeky rascal who always just about gets away with saying outrageous things. I envy that!
And check out what Ms. Mask has made for you - she clearly has a good sense of humour!
But will we ever see a blog from you or will you contiue to live here parasitically?

Ms Mask: Metaphorically you have given him the clap that he so richly deserves!

Alex Teachey said...

Hi Bazza,

Thanks for the plug! I'm glad to hear you enjoy reading Sagan's Brain. I look forward to reading your blog in the days to come.

bazza said...

Teachey: Thanks for visiting. I hope some people follow from here to your excellent blog.

joanne said...

yay for linking blogs and introducing people to new people they might never have introduced themselves to had there not been a common connecting thread... thank you for being the thread. I look forward to clicking through :)

bazza said...

joanne: I glad you approve; as you know I have often given your lovely blog a mention!