Prolific Blogger Award

My blog began in August 2008 with the goal to build its readership at a steady, organic rate, which meant I didn’t want to do heavy promotions or use other guaranteed traffic magnets. I wanted people to discover Unleash the Flying Monkeys! because of its content and not because of my marketing abilities.

Along the way, there’s been lessons in proper blog etiquette, learning the balance between my blog and my fiction, and sticking to the promise I made to blog on a somewhat regular basis but always with 100% honesty.

Readers of my blog receive the real me — straight up and uncensored. My name, my face, my dreams, my failures, and my heart are all here for the world to see. I knew some would get me and others wouldn’t. Plus, my blog is not focused on one specific purpose other than to chronicle my journey through life, so I knew that might affect the number of readers in the beginning.

During the first six months or so, I wasn’t sure going organic was the right decision. The daily hit counter seemed to be broken – tapping it with my finger didn’t jump start it either – and there were hardly any comments on my posts.

If you write it, they will come.

Then, in the first quarter of 2009, the stats began to increase at a steady pace. There were large jumps in traffic on a daily basis, visitors subscribed via e-mail, and more readers left comments.

Laura Best was one of the first visitors to my blog and the one visitor I knew I could count on to leave a comment. The funny thing is, she probably wouldn’t go out of her way to watch a horror movie or read a horror book. However, she must’ve connected with something on my blog because she stuck around. Her words of encouragement pushed me forward when I had moments of doubt. For that reason, being a recipient of the Prolific Blogger Award means so much more because she was the one who nominated me. Laura’s definitely good people.

Now, with great rewards come great responsibilities. Every winner is expected to:

1. Pay it forward and give the award to seven other prolific bloggers who deserve some recognition and a little boost in traffic;
2. Link to the blog from which he or she received the award (Laura’s blog);
3. Link to the award’s creator at Advance Booking;
4. And, visit the Advance Booking web site to add your blog to the ongoing list of award recipients.

I’ve complied with numbers two through four, so all that remains is to name my seven nominations for the Prolific Blogger Award. Here’s my diverse Top 7 in no particular order:

1. Susan R. Mills – A Walk In My Shoes
2. Selina Jane Eckersall – Lingo Slinger
3. Ree Drummond – The Pioneer Woman
4. John Cozzoli – Zombos’ Closet of Horror
5. Heidi Martinuzzi – Pretty/Scary
6. Wednesday’s Child – In It For The Kills
7. Bloofer Lady – Horror Crypt

Do you have a favorite blog you want the world to know about?

Please share! I love exploring the blogosphere for new treasures.