Technorati and Google

There are two things that people recommend I do about which I’m highly negligent — checking my Technorati profile to see who is linking to Creative Ink and performing a Google search on my name.

I’m often asked the question, “Who reads your blog?” The short answer is, aside from my family and a handful of friends, I haven’t a clue. People must be reading because since I’ve activated comments on my blog, I’ve heard from people I never knew were reading. I’ve embraced this comment tool and I highly recommend it to anyone who blogs.

It’s fascinating how people find you. For example, I once received a comment from a Jonathon Hoke. I have a nephew named Jonathon and assumed it was from him. Lo and behold, it was from a man in New York City who I’m assuming found Creative Ink by Googling Hoke.

There are many kind people who include a link on their site, including Mahangu, a “writer, hacker and sidewalk philosopher living in sunny Sri Lanka,” and one of my favorite bloggers, Sandy Piderit at CWRU Weatherhead School. She’s a fellow mom and often relates to my mom posts.

And then there’s Jeff Hess, whom I know I’ve met before and hope to run into again soon. He’s a regular reader and commentator. So thanks for reading, Jeff.

I do not know who Prince Ali is, but he has seen fit to include Creative Ink on his Fellow Bloggers, Faves and Friends Roll. I do know Lori Kozey very well. We went to Berea High School together and are now nearly neighbors, getting together frequently for coffee.

Jerry and Martha at Red Wheelbarrow have been kind to me in the past and added Creative Ink to their Ohioan Blogroll. So thank you for your support and links. And I’m equally grateful to Collision Bend for adding CI to the blogroll.

My good friend, Jim Kukral has been a more-than-enthusiastic supporter over the (almost) year Creative Ink has been live. And George Nemeth has been equally encouraging and supportive.

If I could only figure out how to get my links back on my blog page, I'd be sure to link to all of you as well. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get the links to work. In the beginning of CI, I had a killer links section. Someday, when deadlines subside, I'll figure out how to do so again.

But I’ll have to reserve my greatest thanks to the first person to read Creative Ink. John Ettorre, my very good pal and fellow writer provided the earliest guidance and inspiration for Creative Ink. Throughout the (almost) year CI has been live, he continues to nudge and encourage and for that I am truly thankful.

Have you Googled yourself lately?
No, I hadn’t Googled myself. But I was encouraged by a fellow book reviewer to do so regularly. “You never know who is picking up your stuff,” he told me.

And he’s right. What an eye-opener that was! Here’s a review from last summer that found its way onto the book’s home page, smack dab in between reviews by Publisher’s Weekly and Amazon. Wow!

Whenever you comment on a blog or site, it pops up on Google. I’ve been known to chime in to discussions on BFD and Poynter. In my role as co-chair of SPJ’s National Freelance Committee, I’m occasionally called by trades for comment on issues relating to freelance journalism. I had completely forgotten about this piece in the Student Law Press Center Report.

The one that kicked me in the behind was this post found on Jay Rosen’s Press Think, which I read often. I’m a huge fan of Jay’s, even as I find his posting a bit loquacious.

And I smiled when I read this post by Professor Crispin Maslog, a participant in the East Asia Journalism Forum in Korea who wrote of our own version of Korean Idol: There were a few surprises, like the singing and dancing talents of the American girls (Sonia Smith, Susan Kreifels, Wendy Hoke and Ann Augherton), who tried to bribe the judge with kisses. I love that he called us girls when our median age was 38. Good times, good times.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, “thank you,” to those of you who have found my blog remotely worth reading including my very dear friend, Jill Miller Zimon, who must have been my sister in a past life.

And to the flamer who called me a wannabe journalist without giving me a method for responding to his e-mail, I have two words for you: Google me!