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How Do You Make #Blogging Friends?

By 09/02/2014writing

Blogging friends are made through blogs. Simple, right?

But I think like all human relationships—- making blogging friends take one thing, an investment in time. I met most of my blog friends because I took care to get to know them.

Team Damyanti: Working together to make a better A to Z Challenge

Team Damyanti: Working together to make a better A to Z Challenge

I was a compulsive lurker before– I visited blogs without making comments, but over the years, I changed that, took some time to have some conversations– not just via the blogs, but via FB and Twitter. I talk about cross connection on social media in this post on the A to Z Blogging Challenge blog. Go check it out if you want more followers on social media. (Sign up for the challenge now if you haven’t yet– we’ve hit 600 bloggers already!)

Today, I announced my A to Z Blogging Challenge team  (please go check them out and leave them some comment love)–and I’ve had an association, long or short, with all these ladies. Most of them through the challenge, and I love Lee for setting it up and my co-hosts (Lee, Alex, Tina, Jeremy, Nicole, Stephen, Heather, AJ, MJ and Pam) for helping organize it. If you read the #TeamDamyanti bios, you’ll find they are a diverse, very intelligent and creative team– and in working with them I’m finding out just how enthusiastic they can be!

I met Anna during the challenge and before, and have also met her in person when I went to Malaysia. I met Guilie over my flash fiction, and we’ve always kept in touch on Twitter. I met Vidya via the challenge, and have kept in touch over Twitter and FB. I met Jemima over her books, while hosting her last year, I met Csenge while doing my AZ rounds last year– I met Mary aka Viola Fury on a discussion via this blog. I met Samantha while participating in her music-fiction collaboration projects.

Long and short of it– I spent time with each of them, and they with me, so when I asked for a team to help me out with the A to Z Challenge, and they responded, I was over the moon. This is a great bunch of ladies spending time together, helping build a community, sharing their lives, their interests, and their time with each other.

Imho, making blogging friends is all about taking the time out to meet other bloggers and spending time with them, the way Lee has done with the A to Z Challenge, Alex with the Insecure Writers Support Group and DL with the Blitz. Join all of these if you’re a new blogger, and you’re guaranteed a way to make new friends, and your own blogging family!

—-

How do you make blogging friends? Do you interact with your blog friends on social media? Have you started or taking part in a blogging support community that we should know about?

Damyanti Biswas

Damyanti Biswas is the author of You Beneath Your Skin and numerous short stories that have been published in magazines and anthologies in the US, the UK, and Asia. She has been shortlisted for Best Small Fictions and Bath Novel Awards and is co-editor of the Forge Literary Magazine. Her literary crime thriller series, the Blue Mumbai, is represented by Lucienne Diver from The Knight Agency. Both The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon were published in 2023.

I appreciate comments, and I always visit back. If you're having trouble commenting, let me know via the contact form, or tweet me up @damyantig !

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177 Comments

  • Navin Rao says:

    Great Post, people might think its difficult and time consuming, but completely worth spending to reach the new heights…. Certainly its always great to connect and engage with the like minded folks, such blogging advices always works.

    Have a great day ahead!

  • Lauren Cribb says:

    I’m a new blogger. I avoided personal social media and such for a very long time, but now that I am writing a book I figured I needed a better presence on social media. I am awful at this. I have no idea how to gain followers for my blog http://www.independentlycommitted.com .

    I’m trying to make friends and I think by reading this article and continuing to reach out to others I’m hoping this can help. Anyone else feel that it can be a full time job just trying to get people to notice you and talk to you via web? There’s so much great content out there so how do you get yours to stand out? Really enjoy following this blog so far.

  • I’m new to this so I can’t say that I have made “real” blogging friends yet. We are friends here but I have not got to the point where we have exchanged emails and decided to meet wherever they are in the world.. I would love that though.

    I make it a point to leave short comments or one-liners but I am one honest person and I cannot even press the “like” button if I don’t really like the post.

    <3 BP

  • jade0207 says:

    Hey! I am not on Instagram through the blog and wouldn’t like sharing my personal social network sites here…could you help me out please?

  • Victoria says:

    It actually has taken me a while to figure this one out. I too, was a lurker and only recently have I been showing my engagement more and using my social media (that was once dormant) to interact with other bloggers and readers. It really boils down to how much effort you put in.

    Victoria

    • Lauren Cribb says:

      Hi victoria, I agree- it is about how much effort- but I feel sometimes I spend so many hours just researching and reading that I feel like it’s content overload. Any tips on managing interactions successfully? I want to gain a good group of followers and of course have started to follow some great blogs myself.

  • ania82 says:

    Thank you for posting this. It really helped. I am a new blogger. I started in 2012 – one post, 2013 – one post.:) and then I ma back again, hoping that there is someone out there who would find it interesting:)

  • Ramu says:

    Blogging is all about making online communities, I like blogging and visit all my bloggers who i follow and appreciate them when they write an interesting article, I visited your blog today from one of my friend. I have already started liking the articles posted by you. Great work done.Keep it up. 🙂

  • Teresina says:

    I tend to be a lurker, but it’s impossible for me to stay quiet forever. I’ve been looking for new blogs to read and new blogging friends, but sometimes it’s hard to stumble on them. I’m glad I stumbled on this blog. 🙂

  • I make blogging friends by regularly engaging through comments and follow-up on their blogs. Thanks.

  • ajaysharda59 says:

    Interesting

  • Sometimes when I read posts like yours… I have gone through some just now, I feel an underachiever….meaning, how am I going to write AND be a techie type person who can do all these amazing things these people do? But never mind, I CAN admire and I do like what you are saying. I’ll do first things first and keep reading posts like yours to feel the vibrancy of the blogoshere. Nice to meet you Damyanti….

  • lovertariq says:

    nice sharing
    keep it up
    i dont know seo mostly people say to me without “SEO” your blogger is useless
    is it true
    what should i do to improve my blog

  • rexmarriott says:

    I’m just starting out as a blogger, and finding much of interest in your blog, Damyanti. I’m torn about how to approach the issue of traffic. My gut tells me to put as much focus as I can into content. I’m certainly going to consider the A-Z Challenge and the Blitz.

  • eilynash says:

    Hi Damyanti, I enjoyed your post as a newbie on WordPress this was hugely interesting to me. Thanks. Kind regard Eily

  • Great post. I often meet people who tell me they love my blog yet I get very few comments. I do now make time to read more blogs and comment. It’s really just polite to leave a quick message. We wouldn’t go and visit someone’s home and leave without saying “Hello.” xx

  • geogee says:

    This is a very enlightening and true post. I’ve have met many wonderful people via of blogging and gained a plethora of priceless knowledge from their writings, and our conversations together. Bloggers are also some of the most supportive, and motivational people you’re going to encounter online.

  • I started blogging way back in 2000 or 2001 on a site called opendiary. They’ve recently shut down permanently, but I learned much there. I met people and made lifelong friendships with people all over the world. Some of the best friends I have came from that site. One in particular, which has a fantastically interesting story, is a gentleman a few years younger than myself named Nick. At the time I “met” him on opendiary, he was a weather observer in Antarctica. He had been in the military (poor kid with no options), been all over the world by the time he was 25, and went on to spend seven seasons in Antarctica. I finally met him in 2005 when he came to visit me in Arizona. He pretended to be gay because my ex-husband was a jealous, paranoid man. After a week of pretending, and convincingly at that, to be gay, I snuck him on a trip to Mexico that my ex-husband refused to go on for a close friend’s wedding. He got to go to a country he’d never seen and take a fantastic vacation, two weeks in all, with someone he’d never met in person until I picked him up at the airport. I consider him a brother and love him a great deal. He’s been around longer than my ex ended up being. There are many others that I met this same way, a lawyer that worked in D.C. and walked the halls of Congress, artists from California, and a transgendered man from Texas. I value these relationships a great deal. Often the people I know online are around for more than the people I know from “real life.” I had to relocate to a completely unfamiliar city after I was divorced. The only person I knew here was my mother and she’d only come here because of her job. I still want and need the support of friends, so those I’ve met online have became even more important when I found myself in an unfamiliar place surrounded by strangers.

    I made these friends by reading their blogs (or diaries), often reading everything they had posted, and commenting. Some found me and did the same. Either way, comments lead to acquaintances, which lead to reading current events in their lives and becoming invested, which lead to being friends. There were instances where someone ended up being fake and it hurt to know you’d played into their story, but that was and is rare. Even with that happening occasionally, it is still worth it. I wouldn’t trade my friends for anything.

  • Spaz says:

    Hi! I really enjoy your blog. It’s very diverse. Thanks so for choosing to follow *Spaz*Head* 😀

  • Hi Damyanti,
    To be honest with you if you didn’t follow my blog which I opened in wordpress.com probably about a week ago, I will never know that you exist. If you can call that honesty, that’s just my mind pouring out the truth. I lurked at a few site that I’ve decided to follow, took me awhile to leave my first comment. SCARED? Yes, I don’t have that much confidence that they will like me. I’m just a mother and what do I know about blogging and marketing. My life centered only with my children and my garden..no one will be interested. And yet here I am now, typing my message to the fifth(5) follower of my blog. Thank you for doing so. And yes, thank you for welcoming me.

  • cottonson says:

    «compulsive lurker» … Good one! 🙂
    It sure takes investment in time, that’s for sure, so one has to choose carefully, if one wants it to become a meaningful blogging experience. When I first started [I’ve had another blog before this], I subscribed to too many, and it would have become a full time job if I’d wanted to interact with all of them. I lurk a little at first … read to see if there could possibly be a common denominator.

  • mikerana says:

    I wonder if this comment of mine reached you Damyanti. if you use another template, it will be possible for the latest post to appear at the top and since your comments list is too long, it will help us to comment quickly on the top … You liked my post about Elections, but did not leave a comment or your view about democracy

  • S dot Love says:

    I finally decided to get my butt in gear and make my blog yesterday and I am so grateful that I have found out about this. I never really looked at blogging as a way of becoming part of a community, but after reading this post, I am beyond excited for April to just get here already!

  • zenkatwrites says:

    I am doing the a to z challenge this year; explain about the teams? I am finding, SO SURPRISINGLY, that I am making friends through the internet. Omigoddess! So I loved this post. And yes, putting time in and giving a crap about them is important.

  • akaimiko says:

    Wow! I have been trying to blog on a consistent basis for a while, but it’s been so hard to really get into it. I think having a network of fellow bloggers is exactly what i need to stay motivated, supported, and inspired!

  • This was really nice to read specially because before I never had the courage to post any comments. Its nice to know that other people know what it is like. Now, I am much better about commenting and replying to people.
    Blogging is a way for people to connect over common things over the internet

  • C. M. Ruffin says:

    Oh no! I’m a lurker, lol! I so enjoyed reading this post. I JUST decided I would try welcoming new followers and commenting on other blogs in hopes it would help me build followers. Wish me luck:)

  • Word Press has been a great place to meet friends. I haven’t had the chance to meet them in person, but we have plan to.

  • Amazed that people even bother to read my crap, I’ve found that this instant sense of community draws you in and makes you want to participate. I find myself reading more and exploring more, picking tags at random to muddle through when I find 10-20 minutes. It’s not only healthier for your mind, its healthier for the idea of community (which I always understood to be a group working for the common good of all) and if you can find someone who really looks like they need a kind word, or some encouragement, its your duty as a citizen of the community to speak up, to engage, and who knows, you might just learn something.

    • dweezer19 says:

      This is so true. Communication with others opens up minds, hearts, and understanding. You are right, that is what community should mean.

  • Errol says:

    Beautiful post. I find blogging is similar to building relationships outside of the internet. Imagine being in a classroom and it’s the middle of the semester, where a new student suddenly walks in. They feel completely out of place because well, it’s the middle of the semester and they know no one. I introduce myself and make them feel welcome. Eventually, their sense of newness disappears because of this. We are a community no different than a classroom.

    We may have different content but classrooms have different students. However, their purpose is the same; graduating. Our purpose is to write. I like what this post mentioned, and though I’m new, I try to both like and comment whenever I sign on.

    Great post.

  • Interesting post. Although I do occasionally comment on blogs, the idea of a support group/community never occurred to me, perhaps also because my visits to WordPress are not too frequent, so I don’t get a chance to read my fellow bloggers’ posts as much as I would like to. But when a conversation does happen, it is always so engaging. Thanks for following, and looking forward to reading more of your posts. 🙂

  • Krishna Dev says:

    Hey Damyanti, I followed some of your writings through your blogspot blog and I wrote you an email to connect with you, but never got a reply back 🙁

    • Damyanti says:

      Not sure when that was. I don’t remember an email from you. That said, I do receive a truckload of emails, especially due to the AZ challenge, so I might have missed yours. Sorry about that.

  • zacknmack says:

    As we are just a two-headed turtle, all of this is very new to us. But we are following what is beign said here and have tentatively reached out a foot to test the water. Got any worms?

  • Good post.. 😉

  • pvariel says:

    Hi Daya.
    I posted my comment at G+ but Alas! its not showing here. Thus this comment.
    Indeed a wonderful and amazing team here. Thanks for sharing this info about
    your lovely team. Have a wonderful time of fellowship in blogging.
    Great time ahead at a to z pages.
    Season’s Greetings to All.
    Have a Lovely Day!
    Phil and Associates

  • FreeRangeCow says:

    I could not agree more about making time to get to know people. Huzzah! I have had my life nothing but enriched since I started regularly blogging (and thank goodness, knock on wood, no trolls, yet).

  • Nin says:

    I’ve been blogging since 2005; at first I didn’t know how to ‘play’ it and because I also have a day job, I never took blogging seriously. To me blogging was my outlet as a bachelor expat to reach out to my dad, who has no internet connection (thus no way to see my journal).
    It was only the last 2 years that I started to respond and connect with other blogger. However, I still have problem of engaging my reader and other blogger:
    1. I still have a demanding day job which totally different from blogging or writing
    2. I am confuse which reader should I focus to, as you know I am Indonesian and most Indonesian prefer to read in Indonesian language rather than English. however, those who respond to my blog are the English reader, as the nature of my blog make more sense to the Indonesian reader.
    3. I am in the ‘older’ age group blogger, where not many of them are also blogging, thus my circle of friends are not appreciating my blog and not understanding what am I doing (they don’t even got an email address… )
    4. Location wise, I am in Qatar: limited blogger that I can interact with…..
    I guess I did something wrong here… ? I always wanted to share my blogging passion with others what I can physically connect with, not only thru the cyberworld. Any idea?

  • missL says:

    I just started blogging and have already met some great people by commenting and starting conversation on other posts. Thanks for the follow! Hope we can become bloggy friends!

  • johnrknotts says:

    I find that most of the people who read my blogs comment on either Facebook or LinkedIn instead of on the blog itself. Also, because my blogs post automagically to Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, people follow there and don’t follow my blog. I interact with them in their channel of choice, but it looks like barely anyone is reading and following my daily blog. Do you have suggestions there?

  • Daylightfire says:

    This sounds ideal to me, I’m always looking for more ways to communicate with people outside of my current circles..
    My new blog is pretty much not going to be seen by people who know me and have already formed an opinion of me, but more by those who will come to know me via the blog itself.
    If that makes sense??

    • dweezer19 says:

      Hi, it was the same for me. Most of my family and friends dont really enter my blogging world. I have met so many interesting and fun people since I began a year ago; and thanks to this wonderful post I have a had a surge in comments and making new friends. Thanks so much Damyanti!

  • duaimei says:

    I make blogging friends the same way I make real friends: showing genuine interest in what they’re doing. I lose blogging friends the same way that I lose real friends: radio silence.

  • Paula Kaye says:

    First time visitor here. Hoping to make some new friends through A To Z Challenge

  • Lisa U says:

    Thank you so much for the useful advice. I am brand new to blogging, but I would have started much sooner if I’d had any idea that there was such a creative and supportive community behind it! I look forward to reading more of your work soon. 🙂

  • Excellent advice, Thanks!!

  • amngilbert says:

    Hi, thanks for following my blog! I hope you find it helpful. I’m always interested in the different types of readers I get. I wonder what brings them there? Do you think the same thing about your blog?

  • Alright, Damyanti, you convinced me to participate. I can’t guarantee a good post every day though. And I’ll look for you on Facebook. If you reject my friendship, my H-post will be about heartbreak 🙂

  • Hi. I’ve gathered hundreds of followers, but almost never interact with them. They don’t leave comments, generally. I visit their sites and sometimes comment. I’d like to get to know bloggers more, especially those who follow me here on WP. Any ideas? Thanks!

    • dweezer19 says:

      I love your blog, Scott! It is very diverse and has all the creative areas of my own interest. I plan to follow you as well. But, hey, I didn’t really see where to post a comment. Did I just miss it or something?

      • Hi! I notice you liked some pages on Ray’s Road Review’s site. I’m not sure if comments are enabled on that site or not. They should be on my personal site — hankrules2011. Thanks for the follow! I’m going to go read your blog right now.

        • dweezer19 says:

          Great I’ll check it out. Thanks for looking at my page. And thanks so much Damyanti for this truly amazing chance to connect with other bloggers.

  • It is so important to get to know other bloggers by visiting their blogs and joining in a conversation by commenting. I am looking forward to the A-Z challenge this year. This will be my third year of it. ♥

  • OMG. I had to scroll to the bottom to comment; can you put new comments on the top?

    I am very social on social media; I’ve made great blogger friends on different levels. It’s amazing some really cool people out there.

  • lovely to meet you… thanks for coming to my blog… I agree commenting is the only way to make friends and get to know people… you are creating a wonderful blog… IAM sure we are going to enjoy each others journeys… Barbara

  • Reblogged this on Patrick Solere and commented:
    Le mois du re-blog
    Je me suis amusé à lire vos blogs en entier et y découvert des pépites, je vous propose de les faire (re)découvrir ainsi que vos nouveautés.

  • marlainagray says:

    Hi Damyanti — I like this post and I’m going to try to live up to it — I haven’t always visited/commented on other blogs as much as I should. Thanks!

  • Thank you so much for this post! As a blogger who took a 8 year hiatus, this sure helps!

  • Onimaru says:

    Just wanted to let you know that you’ve been nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award 😀

    Peace!

  • tanicr says:

    I think this is great advice, thank you! I know what you mean about leaving comments it’s the best way of getting to know people.

  • mmacro says:

    I hadn’t thought of this before. Thanks for a great post and here’s to friendships in the blogging sphere!

  • M T McGuire says:

    I really enjoy blogging and yes, I’ve met some lovely folks who I’d definitely call friends. I have very, very little time, though so my circle of friends is small (but beautifully formed).

    Cheers

    MTM

  • Nicole Emily says:

    As a brand new baby blogger, this post is a perfect place for me to start learning how to make friends! Often one feels like one is shouting into oblivion when it comes to this kind of social media!

  • writenote1 says:

    When I started blogging I had no idea of the “community” of book bloggers out there. I’ve made some lovely friends, too.

  • Jenny Hansen says:

    I adore the A-Z challenge! I do it every year on More Cowbell and it really makes me stretch. Thanks for helping keep the challenge going. 🙂

  • Hammlington says:

    I’ve never really been into facebook, twitter, and the like — but I’ve found a love for blogs and blogging. This “A to Z” idea sounds like a fantastic challenge! I think it will really help me find my blogging rhythm, and hopefully find some friends along the way. Thank you for the follow, and for the great tips! I really appreciate it.

  • alexwalborn says:

    Nice post! I’m trying to be more consistent with my blogging lately, and building a network of blog friends is definitely a personal aspiration as well!

  • I’ve nominated you for the Liebster Award. Please have a look at this post for details…you don’t have to join, its up to you 🙂

  • I love to feel like I am meeting people and making friends through blogging and social media. Mainly because I have so few people in real life who share my interests, especially reading and cooking.

  • I absolutely love the rapport that blogging brings, the gradual friendship you build up, the encouragement fellow bloggers give you. Links/blog hops, call them what you will, have helped me to make great blogger friends. As the linky begins, you generally see the same people joining in – we all bounce off each other and get to know each other. As the linky grows, the ‘old timers’ welcome and comment on the new faces… The community, of blogging is incredible and when you find a new blogging friend, it’s a seriously fun thing to do.

  • I met most of my blogging friends through blogs – mine, theirs or someone else’s, and we’d engage in coneversation and then over time, we became friends. My blogging friends have been very good to me – very supportive of my writing and blogging endeavours, but sometimes also through real life challenges. They are what makes blogging worthwhile for me.

  • savannajames says:

    I just read up on the A-Z challenge and absolutely love the idea. It is a great way to connect with like minded people and possibly build an audience. Especially for someone like me who has to keep my blogging and writing separate from my personal life. I think one of the main tools to connect and make friends is to support each other and leave comments when we can. Bloggers write for various reasons. Some to build an audience for a larger dream, others to get things off their chests. But at the end of the day, we all want to feel as if our effort mattered to someone. I know I get a personal high when I get a “like” or receive a new follower who isn’t a family member or a friend. Thank you for your post.

  • blotboxer says:

    Being new to blogging your post is really helpful, this takes off some of my insecurities in commenting, liking and connecting with other bloggers. Looking forward to make blogging friends. Excellent post 🙂

  • Like you I was a lurker, reading and enjoying posts, but never interacting. But now I’m slowly coming out of my shell and emerging into the blogging world proper 🙂

  • J.R.Barker says:

    I’m a blog dabbler, I should probably interact more, but I seem to run out of time.

  • Tate Simba says:

    I agree with everything here, but I personally find that some things are easier said than done especially when it comes ti doing it person. I come off as a shy person but oh my goodness I love to take haha looking at other people’s blogs make it easier to understand how other people think. I can definitely relate

  • Being an introvert and shy person, I only understood this with experience when I actually started my own blog and when no one read my blogs.

  • Great post. Looks like you’ve got a fabulous team working with you this year. I’ve been working on my posts so this year I hope to have more time to meander along the list chatting as I go.
    Here’s to a busy, comment filled, April. Looking forward to it. Lynne

    For anyone still undecided, the atoz is a wonderful blogging challenge, come join us!

  • Hilary says:

    Hi Damyanti .. excellent post and thoughts … I don’t do social media, but have been fortunate enough to make some great blogging friends over the years … and one also gets a feel of others, such as you, who perhaps we don’t know so well – but who we see around the blogosphere … the A-Z is a great place to meet and connect.

    I love the way you’ve set out your team for us all to see …

    Time is the element … however all friends and support are worth it .. enjoy this year and have a great week, though you’re a day ahead!! Cheers Hilary

  • Margo Kelly says:

    It takes a great amount of time to keep up with all of my great blogging friends. I wish I was better at it. I wish I had more time to keep up. 🙂

  • Great post. Thanks for visiting my blog and living what you posted today.

  • Kevin Powley says:

    Most excellent post and some great advice as well. Being as new to this writing gig as I am, I know how excited I get when my smartphone chimes to alert me that someone new has deemed my writing worthy of following. I love seeing the ticker rise for amount of views. I would love to be a fly on the wall as people read my works. It shows(to me at least) how important comments and connections can be. Cheers!

  • What an amazing group, Damyanti. Congrats on getting this going.

  • Nawfal says:

    Very True! I’ve been blogging for nine years, but it wasn’t until the last couple of years that I really invested time to meet other bloggers, “Like” and “Comment” and show a true interest in what they care about also, then you make connections. Good Post. You have wisdom.

  • It can indeed be hard to make blogging friends, but I’m fortunate that I know a few local people who happen to be on this site.

    Fresh content is also important, and I receive a weekly e-mail from WordPress telling me to pull my finger out.

  • I agree with pretty much everything that has already been said. I have been very fortunate to have ‘met’ some pretty amazing minds in what I call the blog-o-sphere. Although, I have also been witness to two unfortunate situations that made me realize that there are friends, and then there are friends. I wrote a short post about that recently, (Beware of Bloggers…). I haven’t met anyone in person yet, but there are a few I hope to some day. Great talking point. Thanks!

  • After 8 years of blogging, I’ve seen a lot of friends come and go. It was harder to stay connected in the beginning – harder to ‘follow.’ Once it became easier to return to blogs we enjoyed, I started making friends. I’ve had the delight of meeting several blogger friends in person.

  • I’ve attempted blogging like 4 times now! I’ve failed to get readers until now but i think this may hlep me get even more! I look forward to reading your stuff all the time and now i’m excited to see what this now your talking about! thanks!

  • percy4d says:

    Some blogs feel as though they mainly dish out content. I am very reluctant to make comments as it feels like talking to myself in an empty room. But this post is very encouraging.

  • liznoir says:

    great advice, ill be sure to check your links out! thanks

  • dweezer19 says:

    You know, as I am reading a lot of the comments here regrding making comments on blogs, I am amazed to discover many people not feeling comfortable with leaving comments. On my blog I have felt so often that what I was doing just wasnt quite goode nough because, although some would Like, still there were few comments. I see so many that seem to have endless comments. I have myself begun to comment more just because I dont want someone else to feel this way.

  • Elle Knowles says:

    I was a little insecure in making comments when I first started blogging. Now its been a year and I have reallized that it wasn’t so hard after all. Its all about the interaction. Bloggers have a deeply rooted sense of helping out others. I’ve accquired many new ‘friendships’ through blogging. I always know which of my readers will comment or like and who will be there for me if I have a problem. It’s kinda like having our own little community with the door wide open inviting others in.

  • I like a lot this post. I’m new to blogging and learning a lot. Thank you!

  • jaime tong says:

    I tend to be a lurker, and even though I blog, I guess I haven’t taken the step of making myself visible by commenting and creating connections when other bloggers. I know part of the reason is that I sometimes read blogs through apps like Feedly or Flipboard, which provide a more passive experience. I think this year, one of my blogging goals will be to leave comments on blogs.

    Thanks for writing about this topic.

  • cgbalu says:

    Really it would be nice to intetact with fellow bloggers. Nice to come over here.

  • lexacain says:

    I think about three quarters of my bloggy friends I met through their blogs and about a quarter I knew already from online forums, and I also really enjoy the people I’ve met on Facebook. I’ve never met anyone in person, and I don’t tweet, but I still feel I know them! Big thanks to you for the work you do with the A-Z and to your team! 🙂

  • Cimmorene says:

    I’ve made my blogging friends probably the same way you did. By spreading around some comment love. I’m given to understand that some think leaving a “like” is sufficient. I like “likes,” don’t get me wrong, but I don’t really think of them as comments. I love the conversation aspect you get from a comment. You don’t get that from “likes.” They’re too impersonal for that.

  • Lyle Tanner says:

    I know I’m a bit of a lurker on blogs and it’s a habit I really need to break. I’m never really sure how to start the conversation in terms of these blogs, so I stay in my own little corner and write my own posts and expect people to come say hi to me instead, which has not worked out so well so far. Maybe a better new years resolution would be to try and comment regularly on other blogs than to blog more myself.

  • Although I have been blogging since late 2006, it has always been, as much as anything else, a diary; possibly somewhat dry at that. I have never been given to commenting on others’ blogs, being unconvinced that I have anything of value to say. However, as I approach my 65th birthday, I am doing a little repurposing, and trying my hand at some fiction writing – just started a course – so probably need to man up and join in. Here goes nothing!

  • Every relationship needs time, be it an online relation or an offline relation. Without giving time, nothing can be a success. Thanks for sharing about your friends.

  • dweezer19 says:

    This is so true. I have been slow in “getting out there” only because this is my way normally. I tend to dip my toes in the water first. There seem to be enough people manically hitting like buttons; and while the numbers may look great, I want my own contributions to be in earnest. I posted this article to g+ where I know it will be appreciated there as well. Thank you for visiting my blog. I love what you do here.

  • It’s true, you get out of a relationship only what you put in – most of the time. 🙂
    Susan x

  • I love blogging. I interact with my blog friends through my own blog and theirs and also on Twitter if they have it. Twitter tends to be my social network of choice if time is low. I have made many friends and these have turned into real life friendships at things such as writing festivals.

  • Matthew says:

    I agree. If you are not proactive in finding people and making friends then less people will find your blog. It also applies well to Twitter.

  • jessetr says:

    My blog is just a way of posting the evolution of my creative projects. So visiting others and ‘liking’ their posts is one way to connect. Haven’t really met anyone in person though.

  • Dan Antion says:

    I have made friends through social media, and ended up following their blog, and I have recently begun interacting in social media with some of the people who follow my blog / whose blog I follow. I think the longer format of a few blog posts gives me a good indication that I will want to follow someone on Twitter, while a few random tweets doesn’t usually paint a complete picture. As in person, I’m a little slow to reach out to people, but I warm up quickly once I get to “know” someone.

    • Damyanti says:

      I’m the same. I take it slow, in life, and on the net. If you check my blog 3 years back, you’d notice the chirping crickets. 😉

      I’m thinking of creating a small community of fellow bloggers, so we can all support each others’ work through a group/ or events. Interested in joining the discussion?

      • Dan Antion says:

        That sounds interesting. Most of the bloggers I am in touch with on a regular basis are related to my technical blog. This is a new adventure for me and it might be nice to have people to share some thoughts with that don’t fit well into comments. Keep me informed. Thanks!

  • Thanks so much for this post, I’m definitely signing up and hopefully will make some blogging friends too! 🙂 x

  • toconnell88 says:

    Wonderful reflection and some great tips to make the most of blogging. I’ve made exactly two blogging friends, but that’s okay for now — it’s not about numbers. I would say I genuinely care about these bloggers and their projects. Have bought and spruiked their books. Sometimes we even workshop each other’s stuff.

  • Merita King says:

    It’s hard to find blogging friends. People just don’t tend to bother to comment, even though many may read.

  • Thanks for this! I’m another person who’s new to blogging. After finally having one of my short stories accepted by a major print magazine (I have a stack of past rejection slips from them), I decided it was about time to start a blog to connect with potential readers. It started as a duty, but I’m getting into it more than I thought I would!

    • Damyanti says:

      Blogging is never a duty, always a pleasure, at least for me. When I don’t feel like blogging, I take a hiatus!

  • Peter Nena says:

    Leaving a comment part is challenging to me. I read several blogs and I do ‘like’ and ‘follow’. Yet, sometimes, I don’t know what to say. To say ‘great post’ or ‘nice post’ is a cliche and doesn’t really reveal much to the author. But I must take in your advice and become friendlier and more genial. Thanks, Damyanti.

  • My goodness this is amazing! I’ll surely participate in this lovely activity 🙂

  • It seems the only appropriate response to this post is to leave a comment. Thanks for the advice, I’m still getting to grips with this blogging business.

  • Last year i came across A to Z at the end of March and was not aware of any build-up to it. This year I am impressed by the hard work of all the co-hosts and their teams. I have been blogging for 18 months and have made a few blogging friends. I miss them when they do not have time to blog and comment. Twitter is also a good place to make connections and build up on-line friendships. Sue

  • Adi says:

    Thanks for the tips! I think more than anything it takes patience to build your blog too. If you can write sometime about how do you go about finding what to blog about, I would like to hear that. If its an old post, let me know.

    Ohh and I’m registering in the A to Z Challenge, sounds like fun! 😉

    • Damyanti says:

      Adi, I never blog when I don’t have stuff to blog about. As a writer, I’ve now learned to recognize my inner voice, and listen to it when it tells me to blog about something.

      I do make notes of things i wonder about, and I ask my readers what they think. I’m more interested in other people’s opinions than in my own, and that makes it easier to blog, imho.

      Welcome on board the challenge– and if you’re thinking of a theme, sign up for the Theme Reveal Blogfest!

  • SheilaDeeth says:

    I’m working on the being sociable bit. Sometimes I just click like because I can’t think of anything to say. Nice to meet you, and nice to be encouraged by you.

    • Damyanti says:

      Clicking like is fine, too. I do that when I’m rushed for time or am reading posts on my phone in the train.

  • rbbjr says:

    Reblogged this on R.B.Bailey Jr.

  • Vidya Sury says:

    I have found that interaction is the no.1 way to create community. There’s a caveat though – some people may not reciprocate, but personally, if I enjoy a blog enough, that does not bother me. Not expecting something in return is very liberating – and makes it easy – takes the pressure off, you know. I’ve found that almost always they do notice and suddenly, great bonds are formed. Also, commenting gets us noticed and not necessarily by the blog on which we comment. 😀

    I am privileged to be on your team, Damyanti. Last year this time, I fondly remember how you tweeted to me about the AtoZ Challenge and I was so excited. This year, the excitement has trebled.!

    Thank you

    • Damyanti says:

      Vidya, you echoed exactly what I feel about commenting. I feel a post coming on :).

      I’m the one privileged to have you on my team– we’ll have loads of fun together, the 8 of us!

  • Sajeevs blog says:

    Congrats on your initiative to make friends through blogging:)

  • Yes…blog buddy is the truth…friends to the end.

  • Gaurab says:

    Nice post. I always find something really interesting to read here 🙂 😀

  • lumar1298 says:

    Thank you for the advice… I’m a bit insecure about leaving comments, but I’ve been trying it out more… I just wish I would get a response back once in a while…

    • Damyanti says:

      Try commenting more often, and you’ll get more responses. I often can’t make time to respond, but I try to always visit back 🙂

  • nicolepyles says:

    I have definitely made blogging friends although I’ve noticed that they tend to come and go. But it’s important to make them because it make blogging friends as it makes the experience better!

    • Damyanti says:

      I have blogging friends I’ve lost touch with, but we remember each other when we reconnect. It is just like offline life.

  • Reblogged this on "CommuniCATE" Resources for Writers and commented:
    A great post. Join the A-Z blogging challenge, it’s a great initiative!

  • That’s a fantastic way to connect.

  • Great post. As a new blogger myself i am still learning my way around the blogging world and i am yet to partake in a blogging support community (does the Daily Post count?) or making friends for that matter. But i’ll be sure to check out the ones you have mentioned. I am particularly looking forward to the A-Z challenge ?

  • Making friends is what it’s all about. I still have really great blogger buddies from that first A to Z Challenge four years ago.

  • Reblogged this on .

  • nerdycanuck says:

    I have made friends through sites like Youtube and blogging so it’s a great way to connect and network with people. It’s a good way to collaborate and combine skills with guest blogging. Great Post.

  • Joseph Nebus says:

    I confess I haven’t much idea how to just be sociable while blogging. I know that in principle what’s needed is mostly just talking more, but I worry that anything I might say is too trivial to bother with, so, off I go without making any impression. It’s a difficult mindset to break.

    • Damyanti says:

      Being an introvert myself, I get what you’re saying. But it is easier to come out of the shell online than offline.

  • Miriam says:

    I just hit 200 followers for my blog, which may be quite small for some bloggers but feels like quite an accomplishment for me. A friend said “wow, 200 followers!” and I replied that I felt I’d actually worked pretty hard to get that many. Seeking out blogs that I liked, commenting, building relationships. I care more about quality than quantity (I don’t even read the “big” blogs because it feels too impersonal) so I’m pretty thrilled to have a few blogs that I like and a few people that like mine. But for me, it didn’t just happen, I had to make it happen. I also wanted to remain true to the type of writing I like doing, rather than looking at formulas for more successful blogs and trying to copy them. At this point I’m glad that I’ve stuck to my own ideas instead of getting too caught up in thinking about what people want. The truth is that only a very few out of the many blogs that are out there appeal to me, so I think having a tiny niche is okay.

    • Very well put. Fully agree that a genuine connection with a smaller number of like minded blogs/bloggers is far preferable to trying to follow and interact with an impossibly large number.

    • Damyanti says:

      Miriam, absolutely agree with you there. Quality is always better than quantity.

  • Great post! I was just thinking about blogging friends because one of the students I work with met hers in person. They both used a music app and collaborated on songs. They decided to meet up for the first time last week. Both were giddy about building a friendship outside of the virtual world. It’s wonderful to know that blogging friends can become true friends. 🙂

  • I made a handful of blogging friends my first year here, but then fell out of blogging for many months and found myself with a somewhat reworked community. It was sad to feel a little distanced from my initial community, but it also inspired me to start checking in with others and finding new blogs to inspire me.

    When I take time away from blogging, I’m always surprised how good it feels to come back. Without blogs, I tend to fall into seeing things one way . . . the way most comfortable to me. With this blog community, I’m challenged to see things from other perspectives. I love it, although that doesn’t necessarily mean I allow all challenging comments to stand on my own blog! :p

    • Damyanti says:

      Seeing things from a different perspective is definitely interesting– and yes, it always feels good to be back on your blog. It is an internet home of sorts.

  • Thanks for posting :). I would love to take part in the challenge and meet different bloggers with different backgrounds. There is a beauty and peace in meeting and conversing with new people. The art of always learning something new is what I yearn for.

    So thank you and I will surely follow you on your other social media sites.

  • Ryan says:

    I´ve made a bunch. Great article!

  • I agree with everything you say here. Talking to people and getting to know them through these comments is the thing which makes blogging so enjoyable. When I see some people have commented I know I am going to leave the comment with a smile on my face, others are a real support for me and I for them in our similar pursuits and others I value for enjoying their work and they mine. Time is the big enemy and sometimes I just don’t have the time to get around everybody (although I always reply to a comment if I receive one). I would really like to visit those I follow daily but it just isn’t possible at the moment. I have a twitter account but haven’t a clue how I am supposed to use it and also a Facebook account but I haven’t started using it for blogging friends as yet. I’ll sign up – I’m relatively new to blogging and there is heaps I don’t know.

    • Damyanti says:

      As you read more you’ll find out. You can use Twitter and FB to spread the word about other bloggers and their work, that really helps build community and of course brings in the joy of giving. Google up articles on Twitter and Fb for bloggers and you’ll find a ton of info. All the best on your blogging adventure!

  • Great post. It’s certainly struck a chord and got me thinking. I’ve not really been blogging regularly long enough to form many blogging friends, but certainly a couple. One of the nicest things I’ve discovered is all the mutual help and support among the blogging community, of which you are great example. Thanks for posting…

    • Damyanti says:

      Yep, we bloggers stick together :). It’s a give and take, and it helps if all of us just worry about the ‘give’, the ‘take’ will take care of itself 🙂

      • And I hope another anthology emerges from this year’s challenge. If so I’ll be sure to read/review it again, so good luck with it…

  • I think that this is extremely useful for someone new to blogging, like myself. I think that the best way to become known among bloggers is to make a one on one connection and really put in the time amongst your peers. Great advice and I will check out the pages that you have linked here.

    • Damyanti says:

      Great Brendan, I hope you make a boat load of bloggy friends soon 🙂

    • phillipnb says:

      “…the best way to become known among bloggers is to make a one on one connection and really put in the time amongst your peers”

      Sounds good to me.

    • Rae Myst says:

      I am very shy about commenting on others blogs but it is a good way to make connections and network. I try to keep in touch with the bloggers that follow up and it has been very helpful. Thanks for following!!!