ON BLOGGING ~ That's What Friends Are For...

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Welcome to our weekly BlogAnon meeting where we confess a particular blogging sin and turn to you for support, suggestions and that blogging bond so we know we're not all alone. Don't be shy. Read along and let us know if you identify with us this week.

A couple of months ago, I cried out for a Blog Buddy, because I needed a boost. And the first to answer my call was Jehara. So when you see me refer to "my Blog Buddy, Jehara" I am not using the term just in the sense of an online friend. I am using her official title. She is responsible for keeping me accountable to my self-professed blogging goals. And that is no easy task.

Every two weeks, we meet online via Google Chat and share, complain, learn and energize. We can also spend our time just talking about family, friends and fun - but before we sign off we each must tell the other a goal we have set for ourselves to be accomplished by the next time we meet. Sometimes they are big goals - the announcement of a grand idea - that by verbalizing it, it will make it a reality. Forcing action. Sometimes they are simple but tedious - organization, purging, implementing a tool. But they are always goals. To keep us thinking, active and improving.

We don't always meet our goals. Sometimes they are abandoned - with reasons given. Other times they evolve. I may struggle with why a certain concept didn't go as planned, and Jehara will provide input that adds a different perspective, opening a door to an even better idea. Or I might share information with Jehara that leads her to a different conclusion - contrary to the originally stated goal. But always, we encourage each other in our goal's pursuit. Jehara has talked me into sticking with a concept that I thought had run its course. Without her Blog Buddy role, I would have abandoned it long ago. She has also taught me that goals should be manageable - not unrealistic pages full of ideas to try and cram into a short window of time. Baby steps lead to less discouragement.

We both look forward to our chats. It is nice to have another person to talk to on a regular basis who "gets" the blogging world. Holding each other accountable for goals is our main job. But building a friendship across time zones is the bonus. Before signing on to be each others Blog Buddy, we didn't know each other well. Now we keep each others secrets before the big reveals. I know what she's hoped and worked for before it ever appears in the blogosphere. And the same is true of me to her. And we also know those things that never see the light of day.

I highly recommend that every blogger find a Blog Buddy. We've talked blog design, technical issues, functional improvements, organizational tasks, post ideas, networking, concepts, focused ideas for the future, traffic, names and logos. And we've also talked TV, movies, books, weather, mottoes and spirit. We laugh, get tough and whine. And we always keep our dates. That's the best part of all. Someone on the other end to count on, no matter what.

Do you have a blogger that you enjoy reading? Or one that you have chatted with directly before? Why not reach out to them and create an official Blog Buddy arrangement? Do you think it would be better to have a Blog Buddy you already know well or someone you don't have much of a relationship with first? What is stopping you from having a Blog Buddy? Pair up with someone here in the comments, in Bumble Town or send me an e-mail if you are too shy and I'll do my best to match you up with someone.