The other day I attended Federated Media’s Conversational Marketing Summit, which sounds like five words I never ever would have put together in a sentence together a few years back, let alone preceding them with the words “I attended.” My transformation to full-on nerd wearing fake Spock ears and an I heart JarJar Binks tee is nearly complete!
One of the attendees, a nice gentleman with a major online media company was trying to understand who I was, and what I did at Cool Mom Picks, and what I did at Mom-101, and probably, how important I was doing it. Typical network-y stuff.
“So who’s your competition?” he asked.
I hesitated. “My uh…my competition?”
“Yes. Who are your biggest competitors?”
And I realized in any other industry that would be a perfectly reasonable question.
In my capacity as an ad agency type, I could throw out a few other ad agencies we’ve pitched against recently. Prada can cite Chanel, Time can say Newsweek, and Target can tell you about the other guys, the ones who don’t give their employees health insurance.
But a blogger?
“We don’t have competitors,” I said unequivocally. “We have a community.
There’s enough bandwidth to go around.”
This sort of blew his mind.
Last night I was engaged in a Twitter discussion about the illegality of Facebook contests and requiring a “like” of a fan page as an entry. (Yes, even as an “extra entry.” Susan Getgood clarifies it very well here. ) Several bloggers responded that that was frustrating to think of other bloggers doing it if they couldn’t, putting them at a “disadvantage.”
A disadvantage?
This morning I read a post at Blogher by Amanda of “I Am Mommy,” called What no one tells you about blogging. It has a whole lot of great stuff in it, but introduces the line, This is a full-on competition to see who can get most comments, most followers, most page hits, most features, have the most and biggest and best giveaways.
A competition?
I understand feeling frustrated–even envious–when someone else gets recognition or a book deal or a link from Heather Armstrong. I understand feeling competitive. But that’s not the same as blogging being a competition. Is it?
It is entirely possible that I am living in another world than everyone else. It wouldn’t be the first time. Maybe I alone live in a world where I go to lunches like this (also this) and make friends and laugh and trade business ideas and eat too many carbs and walk away feeling anything but competitive.
With new friends from Little Lunalu, Divalysscious Moms, Mamaista, Tada Shop, Planet Awesome Kid, ikidNY, Pistols and Popcorn and The Momtographers, who made these pretty pictures. Hold the competition. I’m on the right in the third photo,
But then, I’ve always believed if you follow your heart, remember why you blog in the first place, and work towards that, you’ll find clarity of purpose and far more joy.
Do you feel it’s a contest? Why do you blog?
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Oh honey, no one hearts Jar Jar Binks!
I must live on the same planet you do, because I don't feel like I'm in competition with anyone else, either. I just don't see the blogging world as either/or – either you like this blog or you like that one, but not both, and you certainly don't comment on both.
If anything, I see “mom blogs” (ugh, for lack of a better term) each as a voice in a chorus and a conversation. Now, let's all hold hands and sing “Kumbaya.”
Amen sistah! I have a private blog, because I don't want to deal with people and I can write whatever I want. But from the perspective of an avid reader of blogs, the simple story is if he/she is a good writer and can hook me in, make me laugh and feel something, I will follow! I follow Dooce, but I also follow many semi-unknown blogs. They could have one commenter or hundreds. Happily, the reader doesn't need to choose only one writer to follow. If your blog can be found and you are good at it, people will come. It's usually obvious when a writer is insecure about their audience and desperate for followers and that is a turn-off. I think the most popular bloggers got that way because they are honest, creative, and interesting, and as a result have many followers; which in turn, makes them more confident and the writing gets even better and they get more followers, rinse, repeat… It isn't about contests (which can be annoying) or popularity (also annoying) and millions of comments (annoying). And I'm sure there is a bit of good, old fashioned luck thrown in with a great talent, which I suppose incites the jealousy. But at some point we grow up and realize not every blogger is going to be Heather Armstrong (not every opera singer is going to be Renee Fleming; not every soccer player is going to be David Beckham…). Just do the best you can, get your name out there, and write.
loved your post! your attitude is inspiring.
We all want people to read our words, but I don't see it as a competition. I blog cause I love to write
I've been following the discussion on blogs here and in references for oh about a year now and it's been interesting to me. I work in a traditional office setting 40+ hour a week career. I blog for personal enjoyment and because it's the quickest way for me to write these days, which I enjoy doing when I have time.
I read blogs because I identify with the writer, not to be pitched a product. If that blogger writes about a personal experience they had or product they used in the normal course of their daily existence, I might look into it because I identify with the person behind the page first. IMHO why is it necessary to use this media outlet to try and earn a living, wasn't that what traditional WEBSITES were designed for? I am 100% of the opinion that if you are writing a blog to earn your living, then disclose it – as well as who's paying you to do it. Then I can at least make the choice on whether I want to read the content knowing that or if I want to completely skip it and go on to someone who I can truly identify with through this medium.
I want the community, if I wanted it corporately I'd head to the branded website and read their material incl. whatever comments are posted by their community of contributors – isn't that a better place for it anyway?
Oh, and isn't there enough competition among mothers these days – does it have to drag into this too? I compete with myself enough, God help me if I start worrying about who actually reads my blog and comments.
people are naturally competitive, but i'd doubt the quality of the content from anyone who blogs to “win” instead of because she loves to write or needs to get her thoughts out there.
I blog for a couple reasons, neither of them competitive. But I am not competitive in ANY area of life…
I blog because I like to write without an editor for once. I can say “gonna” and use sentence fragments and make wild speculations and be overdramatic and it is all in good fun. My place, my voice.
I also blog because I can turn the worst situation into something funny or touching or educational by framing it into a blog post rather than just awful. It's blogging alchemy – the dross of existence into something golden.
@Suebob
The sentence fragments may in fact be the very best part.
Lovely.
First, whenever I let companies know that I'm going to feature them in editorial and ask whether they're interested in pairing a giveaway (totally optional of course, and the ask is made AFTER they know they will be featured), if they come back with entry requirements such as Twitter follows and Facebook likes, I say something along the lines of, “I'm not wild about that method because of the coercion factor. But if you'd like to do it my way [insert details] I'm happy to administer it. Otherwise, no worries, I'll run the editorial on its own.”
And usually they respond back saying, “OK, cool, let's do it your way.”
Which leads me to…
I think the competition factor continues to get fueled by both sides (bloggers and companies) and it's impossible to just will it away (much as I'd like to do that). But I do think that bloggers would find a lot more peace and joy with their process if they did things on their own terms, without worrying that if they don't do X, they will lose out on potential Y and Z down the road. Because that mindset, as far as I have seen, leads to questionable ethical behavior.
I used to live in high pressure competitive worlds — both in my 20 years as a violinist and as an academic. There's very little fun in the creative process when you're bound up in the game of knocking others over to scrabble to the top. I hope eventually the community will rally around the enormous gift that we have — to create what we want, on our own terms, as a community not competitors.
-Christine
Delurking to express how hilarious Meredith Lopez's comment was: “Oh honey, no one hearts Jar Jar Binks!”
I laughed for 10 minutes.
It wasn't.
And then it was.
And then I almost quit.
But I didn't.
And then it wasn't.
And then I helped someone.
I made some friends.
And now it most certainly isn't. Nor will it ever be for me.
I think some people act like it is. Like whoever dies with the most hits per day/comments wins. Sadly I don't think they known what they win though. They don't seem to realize it's just a sample for Swiffer wipes or a little alien toy from Toy Story. No one ever wins the car in the middle of the room, ya know?
I blog for the community. For friends. To get words out of my head that don't need to be there anymore. I try to write what I want and how I want, although I'm now re-thinking it a bit after all the crap I caused last week. Of corse by next week I'm sure I will go back to doing what I do.
I think it's like anything else, it's what you make of it. Those of us who ha e been around long enough know the truth. There is only ever going to be one Dooce. For us there can be a great time and ton of friends to be made, but a hgtv deal or a movie like they are making about Ree? Few and far between.
I think, like anything in life, it can be a competition if you make it one, or you can relax into it and enjoy it. Same as motherhood. Some women make that a competition. Some women make work a competition (and, because it has more “winners” and “losers,” it's easier for that to be a competition. I think some people see their blogs as work and are depending on the income from it, so I can understand how that would end up feeling competitive.
I challenge myself to write better with each passing year. My posting frequency has gone down because I am putting more thought and effort into each post. I feel very competitive with myself to turn out consistently better writing. My naturally competitive personality gave up on making blogging competitive in the “I want to be an A lister” kind of way a few years ago when I realized my writing attracts a rather nichey reader, and I will never appeal to broad swaths of the populace. But I do know who reads my blog, and I have the utmost respect for those readers — it is, in fact, knowing who the readers are that took the keen edge off my feelings of competitiveness.
I do, however, think you can have competition within a community and still have it be a healthy community. Competition doesn't have to be ugly. I've said before that feelings of jealousy can in fact push us to be better — I think they are healthy as long as they don't consume you. So I guess I do see a bit of a competition in terms of attracting readers and keeping them, getting them interested in your other writing projects and being chosen to speak at various conferences, etc. There are only so many spots for those types of things, so there's naturally a bit of competition for them. But I don't think it has to be die-hard and cut-throat — more like a good game of pick-up basketball between old friends.
great sentiment liz. i agree. that's been the most amazing thing about starting biz. the new network of momoguls
my theory is that we're all too busy to be catty and competitive, which leaves room only for being supportive.
It's interesting. This topic has come up in several conversations lately. Personally, I don't feel like blogging is a competition – we are all so different with such different blogs and interests. Then again, as I was sharing with a blogger who recently relocated in New York, there are SO many opportunities here that it is impossible for one blogger to take advantage of all of them. There's just not that feeling of “scarcity of opportunity”.
I would like to think that I would have the same attitude if I lived in an area where there was only a couple of things happening each year and “scores” were kept solely based on what was going on online. I'm not sure though. (I'm more about the social interaction than the page views.)
I write my blogs just to have an outlet to share about my kids & photography – not to make money, not to win anything… I read blogs I find interesting, where I feel like I would be friends with that person or at least really interesting discussions.
Yes, comments are fun – its nice to know someone reads and cares – but its not the point.
Wow what a great word dis-ad-vantage for marketing.
See with the community of blogging not only is there no real competitors there is also the fact that bloggers all advertise to each other. We all travel in various circles and some of those circles have the same marketing.
I read that same post and was a little disturbed that she made blogging sound like a competition. I never felt that way. I blog because I like to. I have an awesome community of blogger that I read and follow. I am friends with people from around the world, I would never have meet if it was not for blogging.
I have learned so much from the community of people I read, from photography, to sewing, to recipes, to parenting, to the fact that I am not alone in the fact that my baby NEVER slept through the night, etc.
I must be living in your world because I see it your way.
yes, I'm training for the Blogging Olympics and will crush all competitors. Or I would if I were more motivated. Maybe it'll be enough if I just take blogging steroids?
Interesting post. We have colleagues, not competitors.
Thanks for posting this. I think the competitiveness of blogging is cray-cray!
I blog because I have a voice — and my mission is to speak out about autism. I don't make any money blogging, although I should — it is not why I started.
When my daughter was diagnosed my world came crashing down. To keep my sanity, I started to blog. I wanted friends and family to know my daughter's struggle – without having to call each and every one of them.
So I reject the concept of competition. Writers write.
I think it is whatever the blogger defines it as- that blogger that says it's a full on competition for comments, followers, etc- that must be what she is in it for. Because if she wasn't, she wouldn't CARE about being “ahead of the competition.”
I am here because it feels good. Blogger was down the other day and I couldn't post and people couldn't comment and many bloggers were complaining and saying “doesn't it make you so mad people can't comment?!” etc etc but I didn't care. I was at the beach with my kids.
One thing I can credit blogging with (and love so much) – my very closest best friends (that live nearby), I met them all through blogging. And no way are any of us in a competition with each other or anyone else.
Steph
Oh, this post is so timely! In the spring I entered a writing contest sponsored by a certain wonderful mom-owned company, with the grand prize a trip to BlogHer 2010 and a “paid” gig writing for their blog for a year. I totally dug the contest prompt, wrote a kick-ass entry, and was named a finalist. And then? When my initial excitement wore off (being a finalist in a contest feels good!), I figured out I was not going to win. Because I am not here to market myself; I do not blog to gain followers (I have a small but mighty group of readers); I am not trying to make money; I cannot make myself morph my blog into anything that isn't pure with my original intentions. I write because it feels good to me, like going for a run feels to me. I write on a blog because it's the first medium that keeps me true and faithful and consistent to my desire to write. I write as a record for my children and my family. I write because it connects me with others. And at the start and the end of the day, my blog is not about business, so I do not have that to offer. I didn't win the contest, but I gained clarity on what the heck I am doing with my writing, and the resolve to keep on doing it. Mostly for me.
I have to disagree with you…nobody would wear a “I heart JarJar Binks” shirt with spock ears. Everyone knows the only fashionable choice to wear with spock ears is an “I Grok Spock” shirt. Duh.
Visit me at my new site, Mom 201, where I talk about this and MORE!
(haven't read all the comments yet)
For myself, I blog to write. I don't run ads, I don't compete. It is for myself, and it is for community that I do it online at all.
That being said, I do see other bloggers being competitive and/or jealous. I think it happens, and I think it's an unfortunate side-effect of the “monetizing” of blogs. That's why I don't do it for the big bucks!
But I'm pretty much on the same page as you.
Oh, geez, pretty much what fer said, only without the contest entry part.
Oh, god. It's so not a competition. And anyone who goes into it believing that it is is going to have a really hard time of it. No one – not Heather Armstrong (who has so graciously acknowledged this, many a time), not anyone – gets ahead here by viewing this as a race or a battle. The blogosphere – the so-called momosphere – is a classic example of a 'rising tide lifts all boats' – we only flourish to the extent that we treat this space, and our peers and friends herein – like the community that it is. We are each others' audience, we are each others' readers, we are each others' consumers, we are each others' friends, and the more we help each other along, the better we all do as a community and as individuals.
That doesn't sound like competition to me.
I ask myself every day why I blog. But your post kind of answered for me. I do it to be part of a community, I do it b/c I love to write. I do it b/c why would I want to earn money writing (like I did for years) when I can do it for free!! And not have anyone read me? Still, I do it. And while I am jealous of people who get tons of followers and comments, while I have virtually NONE — I'm still doing it. And I don't think I'm gonna stop.
I write whatever I want whenever I want (with a few time-restricted reviews here and there). Would it be nice to be as recognized as some of the bigger bloggers? Yes. But I'd never say that this was a competition. I'm not a writer and I've never claimed to be. I want to enjoy blogging and I want to enjoy reading others' blogs. It's that simple.
I don't feel I am in competition with anyone else. But it sometimes is a competition with me…but that's how I operate. Why did I get so many hits on one day and not another…what was better about that blog than this one. But the bottom line is I do it for myself. You talked about clarity and purpose…in 6 months of blogging I have a clearer image of what I want to do…and that is despite the fact that I worry about the number of readers I have…hourly. A dual edged sword.
LOL @ BusyMom
I like feedback, sure. But that's because my posts are geared toward making people think and because I want to know what they think, even when we disagree.
And that's why I blog – not for money or recognition or inbound links.
Exactly! I write because I enjoy it and I love meeting new people. And maybe that's why I've spent years having a “little blog,” but that's fine with me. I guess the more ambitious are free to view blogging as a competition, but I'm happier looking at it as a chance to build a community.
I don't think I am in any competition with the bloggers of the internet. I'm not in a contest. It's not a race to me.
If it were a race, I'd be the kid at the way back of the pack, run-walking the last 200 yards of the 400 meter Presidential Fitness Award race.
Wait…I *was* that kid. And I still am–I blog because it's part of my writing routine. A routine that I mix up a bit sometimes. But ultimately? I. Must. Write. Blogging is a big part of that for me.
I don't fit into the construct–I don't necessarily “know” anyone. I don't pay for my blog space. I'm not a 'big deal'. I'm not a Blogger with a capital B.
I read blogs that make me want to be a better writer. Perhaps that is being competitive, but I see it as more inspirational. And I love the point that you make:
There's enough bandwidth to go around.
Amen.
I'm just happy to have one thing that is just for me that makes me happy. Do I love it when people read? Of course, but even if no one ever did I would still write. I've never had any hobby that I enjoy as much as this one. It is something that I do all for me. And I think of it as a huge bonus that I've been able to make friends through the process.
I suppose the perspective depends entirely on how someone gauges satisfaction and return. Watching things unfold, most heatedly over the last two years I'd say, it's shocking to see the disintegration of purpose for many.
How can someone else's success be a sign of your failure?
How can friendships mean exclusion, isn't it about who and what brings you joy and brings out the best in you?
I wince as some allow blogging to bring out their worst.
I blog. I live. I write. I smile. The yield for me is in the time between having an idea and hitting publish—everything else is icing. And everyone else, well they are entitled to the same joy and I genuinely wish it for them, nothing less.
First, I loved this post.
Second, no one blogs for themselves. The statement “I write for me” is bullshit because if you wrote for you, it would be in a journal or a file on your computer. The fact is, you publish your thoughts online for the world to read.
Maybe it's fair to say that you don't give a shit what other people think, or you write as a brain dump, or that you don't run ads because you could care less about monotizing. That much I can stand behind, but every one of us is boosted by the community reading our thoughts… if you weren't, you would have a private blog like Jo.
Lastly, most of those who are in it to compete are not those who I read. It doesn't need to be a zero sum game, that is to say if Mom 101 wins, I lose. That is bullshit, there are readers who might enjoy us both.
I seem to be drawn to writers moreso than review bloggers or those who (and in most cases this is fairly obvious) are looking to increase their numbers by any means possible. I once took someone off my reader because she went into a rant about how her numbers were so low, why don't people like her, etc… well, what about those who were still reading?
I've found (and maybe this is just my experience) that if you write well and are involved in the community, the numbers will follow.
I have to preface this with I am a very competitive person – I actually really enjoy competition – it pumps me up & motivates me to do my best. I've learned not to keep score when it comes to personal relationships though because I've found that makes everyone lose… and blogging has created some of the most precious relationships I have.
However, when I started video blogging on YouTube in '06 there was a huge competition factor to it all – it was inherently built into the system because of views, daily/weekly/monthly/yearly 'most popular' videos for every category. You needed ratings, comments, and of course lots of views to get featured or to get awards on your videos (and the awards of #1 Top Favorited for the day) really felt like something.
For about a year I spent a lot of energy caring how each video I posted did, and at the time, I was pulling in big numbers so it felt good – it felt rewarding. Then real deals came in and I started getting paid too so it seemed worth it… but it burned me out & I eventually realized it wasn't how I wanted to spend my time because I wasn't an aspiring filmmaker or on-camera personality.
What I really love about blogging is that there isn't a daily/monthly/yearly leaderboard… because if there were I'd feel in competition to be on it – that's just who I am. I think that's one reason I tired so quickly of Foursquare – it's a weekly competition I didn't stand a chance in hell of competing in.
Side note: I do have to say I'm envious of all the talented people who are truly writers and photographers. I know a lot of bloggers are here for the writing but I'm not. It's just a means to an end, which for me is telling stories – whether on my personal site about the journey of life or on SP about the blogging community.
I blog because I'm a doctor.
Huh?
As a doctor, I only get to use the boring, analytical half of my brain. Blogging gives me a chance to use the creative half of my brain. That's it. I don't blog for the wealth or popularity
I'm a doctor who blogs, but I have delusions that I'm a blogger who doctors.
I blog because I love writing.
I tweet because I love talking.
I go to conferences because I love my community.
I speak at conferences because I enjoy speaking, and I want to share my passion.
I do not believe that it is a competition. I've put six years of work into this lifestyle and community, and while it doesn't pay the bills (and probably never will) I love it beyond reason.
And while I'm at it, I love you.
I always miss these memos.
I had no idea we were competing. I'd always thought of this as a community, a cooperative…dear me, even sometimes a COMMUNE.
Maybe it's how I think but I figure that when we all work together it makes something beautiful.
But I grew up in the 70s, sang Kumbaya at camp, braided hair and daisy chains, and thought Coca-Cola wanted to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony.
I think Rita (and you too Liz) nailed it: some people see it as a competition.
When I played on teams or danced in the corps, I considered us a TEAM first and foremost, and I carried this idea into adulthood.
I was confused in childhood when team members sabotaged one another to get ahead…on our team. I was triply confused by this when it happened in adulthood. I get it now, but I don't accept it.
I am an ambitious person. I do compete with myself. I do work to get ahead. I do grab opportunities when and where I find them when they feel like a fit. I make them when I can.
But never do I do it through the deliberate tactic of at the expense of another person.
You said it best, Liz: plenty of bandwidth.
Oh, right ON TOPIC: I blog because I love to write, it's a compulsion, but also because oh my gosh I love to talk, by which I truly mean I love to pontificate. Seriously, true story.
I read blogs because I am voraciously interested in other people, how they live, what they think, what they have to say.
My dream vacation is sitting in a gorgeous place just TALKING and SHARING. About everything.
Anyway blogging saved my marriage, among other benefits, like finding my way slowly but surely to my dream work and incredible experiences and amazing people.
Seriously, true story.
You always have to make us think, don't you?
I blog for myself. I have like 4 readers and I enjoy hearing what they have to say and the camaraderie of the whole blogoshphere.
Would I like more readers? Of course, but I realize that maybe it means I need to improve my writing. Or maybe it means that some people just don't want to hear what I have to say. Who knows?
I know I do not want to force people to friend or follow me.
Just seems disingenuous.
^5, Panic Room!
Beautifully written – I think being aware of what other people in your same industry are doing is healthy and inspiring. It doesn't have be be a competition, it can simply be a coalition. So happy to have met you and find a jackpot of women who seem to share this same attitude.
What a wonderful and timely conversation. I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I have been mostly a “small time” niche blogger but have recently had the heat turned up because The Bloggess listed & linked my post “From Autist to Artist” in her weekly wrap up this past Sunday and I suddenly had a huge swell (for me) of visitors. I was a little freaked by it, because I am not a wide interest blog, and have so far been running mostly under the radar. I started blogging for very personal reasons – my elderly father was dying and the pressures of caring for him and my equally elderly and impaired mother and my two young sons, one of whom is on the autism spectrum, was leading me toward implosion. I couldn’t keep having conversations with people about what was going on and how I was feeling, so I started openly publishing the thoughts I had been quietly writing for myself for years.
Now, Jenny, the Bloggess is amazing and funny, so she has this huge following of people who are mostly looking for more wonderful quirky humor and entertainment, and while I had a huge uptick in visits, it translated into only a handful of new followers and comments. My post does have AUTISM right in the title, but I have to assume a lot of folks automatically clicked it & went “meh, not funny” and moved right along. After a moment of disappointment, I realized I’m really OK with that. I would rather have 20 dedicated readers who truly want to hear what I have to say and want to enter into a fruitful conversation about autism, than entertain a multitude.
By blog is pretty much about special needs parenting and elder care and bereavement. It’s never going to have a huge mass appeal, it’s not much the stuff of big laughs (although there are certainly small funny moments in it). At one point I was feeling a little put off by how serious I am on my blog vs. my somewhat goofy persona in real life, and I started to write a post called “I’m funny, too, really”. I was looking through old posts to corroborate this and realized that I’d made the most jokes in my post called “Who needs toes anyway” about Dad’s foot rotting away … um, I guess I’m really NOT a humor blogger.
So, for me it is definitely about community, and not about competition. Which is not to say I don’t get a little envious when another “Autism Blogger” gets a lot more traffic than I do, but it passes quickly, mostly because I am so eager to read her blog and see all the wonderful blogs of her commenters and continue the leapfrogged connecting that I have found to be the best part of this whole blogosphere thing.
And I ditto what everyone said about this being a community and blogging because they love to write. And I know this comment was way too long, I am always too long-form, it’s just me
I blog because I have mental diarrhea….It's highly unlikely that I'll make more than 23 cents off my blog and that's okay with me. Also, I blog because I truly love to write. And finally, I blog because I have family that's scattered all through the US and I want to share a little of our daily life and pictures with them. I don't do it for the “competition.”
To me, it's not necessarily a competition, but it is a struggle. I'm not in it for the money, but I would love a larger community; some kind of acknowledgement (how pathetic is that?).
I had a similar experience to fer where I realized I was not going to be offered a chance to volunteer @ Blogher because I wasn't a known name. They are a business and I can't really fault them for that, but it's still discouraging.
As much as I enjoy blogging, I sometimes wonder if it's worth even the smaller effort I can put into it because the most hits I get are from people in foreign countries looking for “all the bad words in the world.”
I have a small audience and I truly appreciate them. I would miss them if I stopped writing, but the lack of growth breeds frustration. In much the same way that one often needs money to make money, one seems to need an audience to grow an audience.
It appears that if someone was lucky enough to find an audience in the early days, great, but that window has been closed. Not on purpose, but because people don't have the time or brainspace to follow, let alone comment or link to someone new.
Given that, for people who are blogging as a business, I can't see how it can be anything but a competition.
You appear to be one of the few “big names” that will still assist, educate, and even acknowledge someone you don't already know. I've always appreciated your energy and attitude toward blogging and other, newer, bloggers.
@Lisse: I just wanted to share with you that I don't think that BlogHer only gives volunteerships to 'known' bloggers. I am SO not a 'known name' and I'm not a BlogHer Ads participant. Yet, I applied, and they offered me a volunteer slot for BlogHer10. Don't let thinking that they won't select you because you're small stop you from applying for such opportunities.
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