It’s been another busy week here at BWAB and for me in my real life. As the week comes to a close, it’s time to recap what we’ve learned.

This week’s posts included:

1) A.S.K. Liz – How do You Inspire Your Readers To Join Your Community
2) New Blog Of The Week – Writer Dad
3) Parties, Spam and Hanging Chads
4) Self Promotion From The Archives

Behind the scenes I’ve been experimenting with the following plugins.

1) Liz Strauss’ Comment Count Badge See mine in the right sidebar.

It’s an easy plugin to download, use and configure. For details and screen shots, check out Lorelle’s blog post titled:My Comment Count Is Bigger Than Your Comment Count

2) The What Would Seth Godin Do (WWSGD) plugin is shown on the top of each post.

It’s a typical download, and once activated the message in the rectangular box and easily be changed. To witness how other bloggers are using this plugin, check out Catherine Lawson’s great ideas.

3) Ozh’s Absolute Comments lets you reply to comments directly from your “comments” screen.

With this plugin you can answer one comment at a time. If you choose to answer more than one, the only way I’ve found to accomplish that is by entering your replies directly on the post screen.

To read more on comments, check our Joanna Young’s post titled: 10 Practical Ways To Boost Blog Comments and Conversation

Today’s Assignment

To start off this weeks “Open Mic”, I have two questions for all of you.

1) Are you more apt to read a blog if the RSS feed reader count shows a high number?

2) With the introduction of Liz’s Comment Count Plugin, would the display of comment counts influence you to join in on the conversations?

The floor is yours. You know the rules.

Questions, comments and concerns are welcome.

Have Fun!

Keep it Clean!

And don’t forget to either check the “subscribe to comments on this post” box, or subscribe to my comments RSS feed (upper right sidebar), so you can follow along.

Today as I was digging through my archives, I found many posts I had forgotten about.

Here’s a recap of my favorites in no particular order.

Today’s Lesson In Self Promotion

Funniest Picture In A Post: “Do You Walk Your Talk Or Are You Just Blowing Smoke?”

Most Controversial PostL (Created motivation for other bloggers to write their own posts on freedom of speech) Blog Losses Massive Traffic Due To Profanity

Highly Visited Post: (according to statistics) “Blogging Etiquette – The Unwritten Rules”

Post Receiving The Most Comments (105): :Four Day Open Mic 8/21 to 8/24/08

My Corniest Post (it’s a poem):“I Love To Blog”

My First Post: My Blog Had A Baby”

Most Misleading Title: “Blogger Exposes Herself, Traffic Soars”

Most Gratifying Post: Join Me In Helping A Fellow Blogger

Post With The Most Links: : 1066 Links, Lessons or Tips For Bloggers

Most Educational Series: Interview With Lorelle VanFossen – Part 9 – A Recap Plus A Bonus

Today’s Assignment

Knowing our archives are often forgotten, how do you self promote ensuring your previous articles get more attention?

If you travel through blogosphere, she’s there too.

She’s small in stature, but has a large presence in social networks, as well

In fact, she’s everywhere.

The name of her blog may produce visions of a “mommy blog”, but she rarely writes stories about her kids. Instead, she writes about issues that affect her as a woman, as a mother, as a blogger and as a caring human being, whose children are an important part of her life.

She calls herself the “Queen of Multitasking”, but in her post titled: “Multitasking Reduces Efficiency” she admits she’s trying to change her ways. She writes:

My own first goal would be to sit down with my kids every day when they get back from school and just listen to them, focusing on what they have to say, without attempting to get anything else done at the same time. Unpacking of lunch boxes and washing dishes can be accomplished after I spend at least half an hour, uninterrupted, listening to my kids.

With blogging and commenting often being about self promotion, in “Blogging – Are People Truly Interested In The Discussion, Or Is It All About Self Promotion?”, she observes:

There is a big difference between a community member promoting herself within her community, and an outsider trying to spam the community.

Where she finds them, I don’t know, but she comes up with the funniest “Wordless Wednesdays”. Check these ones out:

Effects of Inflation – $1 Bras
Your Yucky Mommy Body
It’s Never Too Early For Sugary Drinks

You’ve seen her on this blog, you’ve probably seen her on your blog, but for those who aren’t acquainted with her yet, her name is Vered, and her blog is “Momgrind”. She’s a blogger who started blogging in March (2008), but has already made a huge mark in blogosphere.

Everyone, please join me in re-welcoming Vered to the BWAB community, and don’t forget to check out her blog and the posts I’ve highlighted. She’s genuinely appreciative of all of her visitors and would love to see you there.

Hello again Vered!