Blogging Dojo Update..Journey, Discover, Affirm, Share

When I first posted about the idea of my Blogging Dojo earlier this year, I didn’t imagine for a moment that it would be much more than a single blog post, albeit one that I intended to update, and support with some space on my own blogroll.

However, my friend and cohort, Chris Hinton had other ideas.

Taking a lead from that initial post, we have started to work together on a new and separate site to focus on the Blogging Dojo journey. It’s early days, and very much an embryonic  work in progress.

It’s a site that will be affirming and collaborative, and will provide a space for fellow bloggers to share stories about who is influencing their blog for the good.

Visit the Blogging Dojo…Journey, Discover, Affirm, Share

So, bearing all of that in mind, here’s an update to my original Blogging Dojo:

Chris Brogan

Chris Brogan has had several mentions on johnnylaird.net in recent days, so it’s obvious to me that he’s a guy who’s having a positive influence on my blogging. As I said in one of those posts, Chris is a heavy hitter with a reach that extends beyond the blogging world. If you’re already blogging, there’s a good chance you know of Chris’ work already.

Chris Garrett

I had bracketed Chris Garrett with his namesake, Mr Brogan in the “Bring out the big guns: Chris to the power of 2 post, but he’s definitely a stand out on his own merit. It’s helpful to me too that ChrisG is essentially a UK based blogger. Much as I believe in and celebrate the borderless nature of blogging, once in a while it is helpgul to have a point of resource that is based in the same place as you.

Copyblogger

Brian Clark’s Copyblogger get’s in because content and writing more generally matters – big time!  It’s that simple.

Freelance Advisor

Freelance Advisor is a great site – particularly if you are in the UK – for resources if you’ve ever made the move from the corporate office to the Small Office Home Office

Geek-Speak

Chris is my partner at the new Blogging Dojo site, and the chief initiator of the plan to create an site focussed on this project. That alone makes him more than worthy of a place in my Blogging Dojo, even without all the ongoing encouragement and support he sends my way.

Mike’s Life

In my experience Mike Cliffe-Jones is one of the bloggers making a living from it who is most extravagantly willing to share what he knows about blogging with his readers. He scores high with me because he engages in dialog freely, and will comment on your blog as well as your own, which to me seems to be the thoroughly decent thing to do.

Problogger

Darren Rowse, for me, is the granddaddy of all the bloggers. You don’t have to take my word for it. Almost anyone who takes their blogging remotely seriously will know who Darren is, and what he’s achieved with his Problogger empire. On top of that, he’s a dude who is generous with what he knows. This guy is the blogging Yoda, and Problogger is a hub for all the other bloggers who know what they are talking about. Darren sets the bar!

Ragamuffin Soul

Let me share a recent Tweet  of mine with you:

“Once in a while, I wrestle with the thought that there might be no better #blogger out there than @loswhit”

That’s quite a claim, as especially Carlos Whittaker AKA Ragamuffin Soul rarely if ever blogs about blogging. That said, he produces fabulous thought provoking content, amazing original photographs and he goes to places in his disarmingly honest and personal blog where others fear to tread.  Los is a worthy member of my Blogging Dojo.

RobbSutton

I became aware of Robb through the Problogger site. He scores high for me because he’s a top line blogger who genuinely interacts with his readers – in much the same way as Mike Cliffe-Jones at Mike’s Life.

There are a ton of good resources on his site, which deserve kudos because they are also pretty elegant.

Scott Gould

I don’t think Scott Gould could strictly be described as a blogger. Blogging is just one part of a portfolio of projects and initiatives Scott is involved in, but there is more than enough to commend his work in building and fostering connections and merit a place in my Blogging Dojo. If you check out Scott, you also need to check out Likeminds. Do it.

ViperChill

Glen Allsopp is staggeringly young whizz kid blogging at ViperChill , who I found through an article in The Guardian entitled “The escapees travelling the world while working online”

The title was enough to grab me, and I’m glad it did. I guess what draws me to Glen’s site is its sheer audacity and fearlessness. It’s probably a little more focussed on bringing in the cash than I am comfortable with, but this old Silverback is quite willing to listen to lessons from a young gun like Glen

(Since writing the original post I confess to visiting Viper Chill a little less than I used to. It’s no less powerful as a site, but the volume of the content, and the sheer quantity of the responses Glen receives make it a site that demands a lot of your time and attention. That’s not a criticism, but rather a way of saying my schedule copes better with the more concise content of the bloggers in the rest of the Dojo)

My personal Dojo:

• Chris Brogan
• Chris Garrett
• Chris Hinton
• Copyblogger
• Freelance Advisor
• Mike’s Life
• Problogger
• Ragamuffin Soul
• Robb Sutton
• Scott Gould
• Viper Chill

Special shout outs too to the “champions” of my site, who comment, RT, have provided tech support and all that good stuff

Visit the Blogging Dojo…Journey, Discover, Affirm, Share

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HT to Guiafitness for the image