Things Successful Bloggers Do

Are you ready for installment eight of Things Successful Bloggers Do??

Lets Re-Cap

1. Have a life outside their blog

2. Don't beat a dead horse

3. Go to Blogher

4. Have lots of readers

5. Seem to have it all

6. Swear

7. Make Money

Alright.

Picture it.

Its 4:30 in the afternoon and you have to run to Target to get a few things.  You throw on the kids winter coats over their jammies (because you never changed them out of their pajamas's today), grab your jeans out of the laundry, put on your hubbies oversized faded college sweatshirt, and head out the door. 

At Target you grab the items you need, which may or may not include a Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 3 DVD, some vagasil (for the babies diaper rash of course) and a package of double stuff Oreos that you are eating from as you walk through the store.

All of a sudden someone taps you on the shoulder.

"Um, excuse me... I know this is awkward, but aren't you Amanda?  From  that mommy blog?  I think my neighbor reads you!"

As you nervously start flattening out your hair and sucking black Oreo remnants from your teeth and glancing down at your shirt to make sure there are no visible stains you stammer, "Uh, yes, well, uh, you mean "i am mommy"?  Uh, yes, thats me!"

Now.  This has never happened to me.  (well, the getting noticed part that is)

Which leads us to number eight on our list of

Things Successful Bloggers Do That I Do Not Do

8. Getting Recognized

Thats right.  When you get famous enough through blogging, people recognize you when you go out. 

At least, I have heard that they do. 

I dont actually know from experience or anything.

Blogging is such a unique form of communication! 

When we blog, we talk about our families, our day to day lives, our hopes, our disappointments, our friends and our pets.  And when you have 'readers', those folks know you.   And often times, they look at your picture every single time they pull up your blog!

There is a familiarity from a weekly or daily interaction, from leaving comments, from laughing and crying along with out favorite bloggers when life throws them a curve ball or impossible fast ball that they knock out of the park.

It should be a natural extension of blogging to want to meet in person and to bring those relationships to the next level.  Shouldn't it?

When you get famous enough at blogging, and people do recognize you, is that a wonderful interruption in an otherwise ordinary life, or would it be awkward and uncomfortable? 

And what if you are the one doing the recognizing... do you stop and say hi or maybe leave a comment when you get home?

OR do you send them a twitter, let them know you are standing three aisles over at the grocery store, and would it be ok to come and say hi? 

That might be weird. 

But in this day and age, not completely out of the question!

Where do you stand?  Have you ever seen a famous blogger in real life?  Would you approach them if there was an opportunity? 

Have you ever been 'recognized'?

Comments

[Jenney]

Hmmm, I am SO glad people do not recognize me from my blog! I'd be embarassed if someone in real life recognized me from online! Cause my kids are constantly in pj's and these days hardly anything fits so sweats and oversize clothes are my main attire. I shudder to think anyone would know me...when I see someone I do know I hurry another direction!

[Kate]

I think I would say hello, and let the blogger know how much I enjoy their blog.

If it was YOU however, it might go a little something like this...

OH.MY.WORD!! You're AMANDA!! I love your blog!! Will you autograph my bag of flour??"

;-)

[Tina Fisher]

That might depend on what constitutes famous? :)

I guess I've always been one to say hi to anybody or .

I highly doubt anybody would recognize me....I live in farm country & I doubt anybody travels my gravie roads.

Great topic!

[Tina Fisher]

oppsss....my hmtl code didn't work....

should have said..

That might depend on what is famous....

I guess I've always been one to say hi to anybody or everybody.

I highly doubt anybody would recognize me...I live in farm country & I doubt anybody travels my gravie roads.

Great topic!

[He & Me + 3]

Nope...this girl is not famous at all. That is ok though, but maybe one day someone will recognize this mug. LOL
Your are so funny. LOL about Kate's comment.
Hope your Christmas was fabulous!
Hugs,
mimi

[Michelle]

Hmmm, people who know me and know I have a blog recognize me, but I don't think that counts!

I am so sociably awkward that I don't think I would approach someone one in person if I read their blog - unless it was someone I felt comefortable with. For you or Ruth for example. But someone like Mckmama - I would say no. I would not approach her if I saw her in person.

I do have to admit though, it is a humbling experience to have someone I know only casually come up and say they read my blog and love it. Like people at church, for example. I've had a few people I'm friends with on fb from church say they read my blog. Even that is awkward for me. Especially since I started the blog BECAUSE I'm so unsociable in real life!

AND - I have no doubt in my mind that will happen for you one day. Especially since you'll be on TV tomorrow! I mean, you have an installment about 'not making money' by blogging and now look!

BTW, I was chatting with one of the cashiers at Walmart this week and she mentioned she would love to try to bake but doesn't have any good recipes! Guess where I directed her to? Right Here!

[janis]

Well you know my story - I did talk to this "famous" blogger and it kind of ruined it for me - it was just kind of awkward - particularily since we ran into each other multiple times. It's hard to have a conversation with someone that you seem to know everything about when they know nothing about you! :)

Good luck tomorrow - I will be praying for you as I am driving to WI!

Hope you blog tomorrow night and let me know how it goes! :)

[Julie in WA]

I would absolutely meet a blogger that I follow online. I read only the blogs that inspire me or challenge me, which means those blog writers have an influence in my life. I would want to let her know how much I appreciate her blog!

(I'm actually in Minnesota right now, visiting my parents. We've been "snowed in" for two days! My daughter is so excited to experience a blizzard (or at least blizzard like conditions! I had to show my sister your baking blog, all those beautifully decorated cookies! I will try to catch you on tv in the morning.)

[tracie]

You are going to be on TV tomorrow??????
What channel? I must see this, if possible.

[gianna]

i would so totally say hi and it would so totally be awkward! i did that once. i don't know if you know who efraim smith is (a very well known pastor here in the cities), but he came to my work one day and i hemmed and hahhed about if i should go say hi.
"hi. you are efraim smith right?"
"i am."
"i just wanted to say hi."
"well, thank you."
long long AWKWARD pause.

"well, i'd better get back to work. nice to meet you!"

aaaahhh! how embarrassing!
and i have never been recognized (not that i expect it) except by those who already know me!

[ClassiclyAmber]

I just read your entire series on being a successful blogger and have been cracking UP!! I mean...but it's all so true, too!

And to answer your question here - the closest I've come to being 'recognized' is when I recently went to my step-mom's work, and all the ladies there watched me and my 4 kiddos walk through like we were in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade or something. At least, that's what I felt like. We were walking down the aisle, and they were all leaning coming to the edges of the aisle and smiling and waving. Yes, all 5 of them! ;-) Hehee~!
One came up to me and told me that she's been following my blog (which is somewhat new) and said that she just loved it...and loved my stuff...and the pictures...and that I was going to be famous one day...and that she was glad to know me NOW so that she can SAY that she knew me before I was famous. HAHA!! It was SUPER nice and SUPER generous of her - but I just don't know that my blog will ever go anywhere. It would be nice if it would at least make our house payments for us and help us get out of debt (I'd love to get paid to write!), but...time will tell, eh?

Also, with a couple of other women whom I've talked to - I can sense that sorta awkward feeling that they know more about me than I do of THEM. Whoops... :-( I'm just so OPEN about my thoughts, though... (Can you tell yet? I'll keep going...)

I agree with previous posters that it is all quite the humbling experience to have anyone compliment like that. And - I love to hear the positive feedback! =-D

Amanda - I'd say that you are doing pretty good, though. I've noticed that you've since scored the BlogHer ad up top (does that bring in a lotta moolah, BTW?) - - and you always have many comments on your posts! So peoples are reading and love chatting with ya!

One more thought of mine: if I ever DID run into an uber-famous blogger, then I'd probably act more casual around them than most women...but would also let them know that they were cool and I enjoyed their site (if I did). I know that a lot of women go absolutely crazy for PW, but I think that I'd be so comfortable and down-to-earth around her and not make a big deal about it. Does that make sense?

[Tammy and Parker]

For me to ever be recognized I'd have to actually be able to get out of the house. As a Mom of a medically fragile child with special needs, that doesn't happen often.

Heck, more times than not these days I look in the mirror and don't even recognize myself.

[shannon]

if i recognized someone, i'd totally go up and say hi! sure it might be awkward, but you'd have all sorts to talk about, right? ;) and no way on earth have i ever been recognized by a reader. thank goodness! i'm much cooler online than in real life. haha!

[Amanda Rettke]

Its our local Fox channel, 9. So I am not sure you can get it, but I will try to post a link tomorrow!

[Jessica]

Haha I have never seen one in real life, and I doubt I will ever be one!

[Cop Mama]

Ha ha, love the twitter in the next aisle comment...that is too funny!

I'm sure I would recognize MckMama if I saw her, but the rest of us aren't really front and center on our blogs (especially not me :-) so it might be hard to recognize a fellow mom blogger in real life.

Amanda, I love this series you did. I clicked on some of the other ones last night when I saw you had this posted. Very good points you make!

[Kristin Smith]

I haven't yet met anyone I "follow" in real life...would think it could be a little strange though. I am way shy and meeting new people in person intimidates me to the core! There is something safe about sharing via e-mails I guess! I can be open and honest but don't have to see the person's reaction to me if I sound like a total goob! :)

Hope you had a Merry Christmas. We are still snowed in at our house...missed Christmas with both families with the interstates closing and a blizzard and all! :)

Blessings, Kristin

[Darrin]

I think it would be so very cool to be recognized!! Maybe a bit awkward the 1st time!

[darcie]

Well, this morning our tv was on in the background and we were going about our busy day...I was half watching tv and half cleaning up the house - and I asked my hubs 'Is that gal's name Amanda?' and sure enough - you were on our local news doing a guest spot with all your yummy treats!
I recognized you! xxoo

[Maria Cain]

So, I turened on the morning news and.... "oh my gosh that's AMANDA!" Yes, I recognized you right away, and my husband thought I was a little nuts when I told him I only kinda know you from a blog. You did great by the way :)

[Leah]

This is cool! I just got the email that you were on Channel 9 this morning. I'm going to find the footage. Good for you!

[darcie]

I was so excited to tell you I recognized you from the tv...that I forgot to answer the actual question...
About a year and a half ago we were on a big huge playdate - about 20 of us and our kids...and we recognized Jennifer's MSC - she was pregnant with Stellan at the time - we were all like - um, hey - I know those kids! Of course, back then...we didn't - but now Jennifer is friends with some of our 'group'...
We introduced ourselves to her 'nanny' that morning - she wasn't there as she was having an appt with Stellan - and then she blogged about us later that day, that she wasn't sure if she was glad she missed us or sad she did - we thought it was hilarious!

[Ruth]

Ummm... Well, I don't know really. I mean I don't live anywhere near the people I read so I guess I don't really expect to meet them. But I would probably say HI and tell them I'm a reader. That being said, maybe you should watch what you wear to the store since you are getting more and more famous ;)~

[Jamie @ Six Bricks High]

Nope, never been recognized. Probably will never be since I hardly ever even have a picture of me on my blog. I'm not sure what I would do if I saw a blogger. If it was you I saw, I would definitely say something!

[Londa]

You have the best gift of writing to make me laugh! I did just recognize a blogger friend at a Christmas concert--the friend I was with leaned over and whispered, "The BABY FACTORY is over there!!!" Of course, we both know her name is Katie, but it just seemed so much more exciting by her blog name! After an hour of trying to come up with something smooth to say when we walked by her afterward, I'm sure it just came out all gushy and geeky...oh well, that's how I fly!

[ElizaBeth]

Hey there! If I ran in to you somewhere of course I'd say "hi". (I talk to strangers in the checkout line too.) Me? I have absolutely NO desire to be recognized. I have had "face time" on local and national tv and those experiences have been more than enough for me!!

[Pineapple Princess]

I've never been recognized, but if I saw YOU I would get all freaked out nervous and get clammy hands.

[carma]

I don't think my family even recognizes me.

[Cate O'Malley]

I've never been recognized because my picture isn't on my website, but my son's is, and he's been recognized twice. Totally weirded me out, but I guess given I've been doing it for nearly five years now and there are tons of pictures, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Like you though, totally wasn't prepared for it to actually happen.

[starflower oil]

Hello
This is a good post and I like your unique thinking about bloggers.I think you are doing really a good job.Well I have never seen a famous blogger in real life.Thank you very much for this nice post.

[bridget {bake at 350}]

This post is so funny! My neighbor, yep, We Are THAT Family, told me that 2 of her friends had seen me around town, but didn't say anything. They recognized my son from the blog! So, now I try to wipe the scowl off my face in Wal-Mart and try not to yank my kid so hard by the arm when he is misbehaving. It's kind of scary to think someone might recognize me!

The only person I've recognized was PW...and I was at her book signing. :)

[Angel/TaDa! Creations]

Just found your blog today (through MckMama). This post is so funny! I did recognize a grocery blogger I follow, at Cub Foods, but I didn't say anything to her. Mostly because she has a class that people pay to take, and I just follow her blog and she has never acknowledged any comments I have made, so I felt kind of "unworthy" of talking to her. LOL

Oh and when I met PW at her singing, I was a complete wreck. Could hardly say a thing. I can be super shy in person and can rarely think of anything to say until 15 minutes after-the-fact. So need to fix that about myself.

Anyway, I'm enjoying your blog, off to read some more. :)

[susie]

This is sooo funny! I always said if you don't shower and go to Target you will see everyone! I have worked in a very famous kitchen store for 12 years, I get stopped at the grocery, at church, and yes, at Target. Wish I could hand out blog cards at work and get recognized for that instead! Keep up the good work, after the TV appearance your anonymity will evaporate!

[Andrea]

Hi Amanda,
I've been really enjoying this thread of yours. First off I am getting no where near enough traffic on my blog to get recognized. I mean my own family/friends that read know me when they spot me, but I swear most of them duck and avoid me regardless!
As for me recognizing someone, not sure if I've ever met a "real" celebrity (because that's what I'd based meeting a blogger I recognize on) so can't say if I'd interrupt them. Would depend on the situation, etc., but I think I'd do my best to be a least obtrusive as possible.
Cheers!