In the past two weeks or so there have been a number of new followers to BulgingButtons. This makes my little blogger heart happy, since a follow generally indicates that the reader has enjoyed something he has read.

Yes, I used “he” on purpose there. You see, I’m a fat middle-aged American woman writing about earth-shattering topics like cleaning up my house and trying to get healthy. Yes, I also write about education, and you’re a fool if you don’t think that’s an important topic, but generally this is a mostly self-indulgent little blog about me trying to get by in the world, doing the best I can. So why, then, are most of these new followers men?

I’m not sure, to be honest. Maybe they’re all fake; you know, the spambots people are always warning us about? But I’ve gone to their sites, and they look pretty legit. None of them tried to sell me time shares or sign me up as a mail order bride. Maybe, just maybe, they read something they liked?

I do try to follow some of the golden rules of blogging, but I’m not always successful. What I try to do:

1. Provide something of value to the reader. Maybe it’s a good idea I’m sharing, or inspiration, or just the knowledge that the reader is not alone in whatever foolish thing they’ve done.
2. Keep my blog posts easy to read. I know I tend to ramble, so I work to keep it under control. I also use paragraph breaks and lists to help make text easier to get through.
3. Write about things I care about. If I’m inauthentic the reader is going to pick up on it instantly and stop reading. I may sometimes be raw, but at least I’m real.
4. Polish my work. I try to put out blog posts that are carefully checked and as error-free as possible. Yes, sometimes mistakes slip through. When I catch them, I do go back and edit. I think readers deserve to read error-free content.

Still, there must be something. I would love some enlightenment. New followers, you are certainly welcome here. We’ve been doing this thing for about four years now, and we’ve built a terrific little community here. Feel free to join the conversation, and if you’re willing to share, tell us what brought you here in the first place.