Finding my blogging friends

When I first set up my blog and started posting on a regular basis, I was excited about the opportunity to write about the thoughts and ideas that raced around in my head. I couldn’t wait to start writing about experiences that I’ve had over the years and how they shaped me.

I knew from my past communications jobs that the toughest part was just getting started. Once I broke through the chain of inertia and committed to a writing schedule, the creativity and energy would start to feed itself and would take me to new places.

And I was right. Once I got going, I couldn’t wait to post again and again. (I’ll celebrate 10-years blogging in September.)

Feeding the beast

I would excitedly tell my “real life friends” — co-workers, friends and family members — that I had created a new blogging site. We would go to a family party or wave hello to friends and I would casually let them know about the blog. “Hey I have a blog now. You should check it out.”

Oh, I was annoying as hell, but it was fun to see the look on my friend’s faces. Oh, the strange long-ass name of my blog — Writing from the Heart with Brian — struck people as odd. The non-writers in the bunch always wanted to know what “writing from the heart” meant. A few friends even suggested changing the name, but that’s a story for another day.

Stepping up my game

As time wore on, I took the promotion to new levels. I would causally ask friends if they read my latest post. I would attach a link to my posts on my Facebook page and other social media accounts. I was like a newsboy on the street hawking my blog to whoever would listen.

“Extra, extra, read all about it!”

Some of my Real Life Friends started to follow my blog and would occasionally inquire about something I had written. Let’s be real though. Many didn’t and that was fine too. Oh, I love my real life friends and family. Yet, I learned something interesting though from the process. I found that the blog had opened up a new community to me.

By the numbers

According to Web Tribunal, there are more than 600 million blogs in the world in 2025. There are also between 6 and 7 million blog posts published each day. In total, WordPress Users produce about 70 million new posts and 77 million new comments each month.

What happens with all that content?

Over 409 million people view more than 20 billion pages each month on WordPress. It’s not just WordPress. A recent survey by Hubspot found that over 60% of all internet users read blogs. Another survey revealed that 77% of internet users read blogs daily. That’s over 4 billion readers. It’s not just older internet users either. Statista found that the percentage of young people in the UK reading blogs has grown since 2010. 

So yes, the blogging community is very much that, a large tight-knit community.

Getting floored

I never expected that I would find a community and friendship with other WordPress readers like I have. When I’ve been frustrated or have struggled with my writing, I turn less and less to my Real Life Friends. Instead, I look to the WP community.

They’ve given me immediate feedback. They’ve offered story suggestions. They tell me when something works and when it doesn’t. And they’ve offered generous words of kindness and encouragement. Most important, they’ve listened to me and taught me much about story telling and the human condition.

For example, when fellow bloggers Wynne Leon (Blog: Surprised by Joy) and Vicki Atkinson (Blog: Victoria Ponders) asked me to write for The Heart of the Matter, I nearly passed up the opportunity. I remember telling myself: “Oh, I have too much going on. I don’t have the time.” Oh, how silly of me.

I’m glad I came to my senses. Yes, it’s meant an extra blog or two a month. However, it’s also opened my eyes. In many ways, it has spurred on the creativity inside of me.

Yes Brian, but are they real?

My family likes to tease me about my blogging friends. They ask how you all — my imaginary friends — are doing. When I tell them, they joke if it’s real or just happening in my thoughts. Oh, my family is a funny bunch! They know though that I may not see my blogging friends in person, but I check up each day community. In fact, I know more about what’s going in the lives of my blogger friends than I do some of the lives of my real life friends.

I laughed last Friday with Wynne and Vicki when they put Wynne’s son Mr. D on The Heart of the Matter podcast. I laughed again when Wynne and Cindy Georgakis both wrote about meeting up when Cindy traveled to the Seattle area. Yes, my blogging friends are real.

I’m convinced that the rest of the world, the real life world to be exact, would be better off if it acted more like the WordPress community. Who’s with me?