Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Aussiejourno's Weekly Blog Awards

Let's Take The Next Step Together

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON


In just over 24 hours my second novel, Muskoka Maharani, will have been handed over to Penguin. Then I'll be visiting your blogs with my customary frequency and I'm really looking forward to catching up with all of you again.

In the next few days I'll be resuming my Post Of The Day segments, highlighting the work that catches my eye. I often get comments from people whose work is featured in these daily segments, thanking me for the extra traffic, so it's great to know that people are following the links.

I am also planning a big change to the way Aussiejourno's Weekly Blog Awards are judged. In the past, I have always judged blogs on fairly wide criteria: quality of a post, the layout or look of the blog, the way a post is illustrated, the quality or effectiveness of the title, the appeal of a post, the way links are provided by the author, while I also took into account any X-factors - humour, a great angle, special relevance, a one-off inspiration as well as responses to comments.

I used to list the top 50 blogs, followed by the wildcard category, and finally the honourable mentions as well. I have a few alterations in mind but I'd like to know if you have any suggestions.

34 comments:

imac said...

Hi David. 1st congrats on the book, sounds interesting.
The colour combination of your shot is Magnifico, I love the way you took it and framed it.

All I can tell you bout my photo is I had it on Auto, !/125sec F stop 4.o.

Anonymous said...

david,
congrats on completing MM. looking forward to reading it with a hot cuppa coffee soon.
and have a great time blogging!
will be taking a blog hiatus by this weekend.
take care and best wishes
regards
rk

Amrita said...

You 're great David.i 'm scared of you reading my blog. LOL

My filmaker cousin 's website is
www.littleboxofsweets.com.
I will link it on my site.

I have to see if I can get your book here.

Unknown said...

Congrats on the completion of your book. I am going to give myself a try at nanowrimo this year....always wanted to write as I was growing up figure it might be the time to try.
I love your site, you are a very encouraging person, and I plan to try to find your books here in the States.

Stacy said...

Congratulations, David!

Suggestion for weekly blog awards:
I would have fewer blogs, but maybe add categories like "Top 10 Newer to Authorblog" blogs to showcase new blogs.

I'm looking forward to reading Post of the Day again!

Pijush said...

Dear David,

I am happy that you are going to write something again on Indian Culture.(Its my guess as "Maharani" stands for Indian Queen) But “Muskoka” is a place in Canada which is called land of lakes. So again my wild guess is this one will be on cross-cultural intricacies and delicacies. Wish you all the best for this Novel.

I have tagged you in my blog today, please check once. After coming to India I found you in Sunday Telegraph Grapity with some interesting photos.

Regarding the Aussiejourno's Weekly Blog Awards, I have one simple suggestion. A weekly pole (as an additional parameter) can make it more interesting and others can participate in the judgments also.

Keep smiling and stay well.

Cheers,
Pijush

i beati said...

I love the contrast of the old, intricate, flowers peeking .. magnifico

Cynthia said...

Hey congratulations on the book! Looking forward to having you around the blogosphere again!

Shrink Wrapped Scream said...

Oh that truly is wonderful news about the book David, many, many congratulations, my friend.

Yes, I do feel for one person to manage to get around and to read every blog out here has grown far too large for any one person to handle on their own, even someone paid to work full-time on this would not be enough. You have established a very popular and excellent way of putting us fellow bloggers in touch with each other, but the list is growing daily, isn't it? Perhaps some form of a poll would be the next step. Selfishly, I think it would not be so much fun as the present set up is, but for it to survive in the long term, I realise some alternatives probably will need to be found.

Luke Dockery said...

Congratulations on the completion of your second novel. Here's hoping it finds its way to the Bestseller list as well.

DeeMom said...

Congratulations on the second book…
The picture is enchanting…the colors are so vibrant…make me want to sit there with a cup of tea…or a
Cappuccino

;)

Ummm Now to look for your first book…

Anonymous said...

Congratulations my man! Woo-Hoo!

I look forward to the return of "Post of the Day".

As Carol suggests for the weekly blog roll, perhaps a poll?

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on the new book David. One day you'll have to tell us the secret to getting the peace and quiet and time to finish writing a novel. If it were me trying to finsh one i fear i'd end up like the unabomber in a cabin in the woods.

mrsnesbitt said...

I will be keen to see what your new plans are....as a tester really, then we could go from there.

Les Becker said...

Congratulations, David! I'm looking forward to holding that book in my hands (I'm also looking forward to holding your first, to tell the truth, but I'm getting closer to it).

Suggestions? I'm just glad you're managing to keep the Awards going at all, with your kind of schedule!

~**Dawn**~ said...

I can't wait to see how you change up your Weekly Awards. I don't have any suggestions, but I know that I have found some wonderful new blogs to enjoy.

JP (mom) said...

Congratulations on the birth of another book! Wonderful photo. Peace, JP/deb

savannah said...

congratulations on the new book and i wish you well, sugar!

Anonymous said...

I am very glad you came to my blog. I am honoured too! I have read 'Vegemite Vindaloo' and thoroughly enjoyed it. One of these days I will write a review too and post it on my reading room blog (Just click on my name) if you don't mind.

I look forward to reading Muskoka Maharani!!

K M F said...

nice

The Egel Nest said...

Yes...congrats on finishing your book...my mom and I looked up your first book online and though it is listed as fiction...it seems to parallel your life a bit :)

Write what you know...I always was told that!

I always look at your posts of the day segment because I respect your opinion...keep em coming :)

Bradley
The Egel Nest

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

The relief you must be feeling! So happy we're going to have you back in full force soon.

none said...

Glad you got finished before the deadline.

Congrats!

Corey~living and loving said...

Congrats on the book. :) woo hoo...
can't wait to someday maybe make the list of awards. :)

Anonymous said...

Brilliant photograph and hope to see more posts from you every day. Hope to hear from you soon.
Warm regards,
Mathures

KaiBlue said...

congraddies on completion!! I'll be looking for it in print to read.. can you post the ISBN? thankie mucho.

I love the shot of indian wares, it's lovely..
PEace, Kai

Colleen said...

So exciting about the new book David! Very curious about the new way you plan on doing the weekly blog awards! I've enjoyed the way I've met others through your blog=)
Let the fun continue!

Oswegan said...

Very cool David. Good luck in this venture. I wish you great success.

~Oswegan

Suzi-k said...

hey David, well done on the book. How long does it take in the pipeline now, to get all the editing and proof reading etc done, before it appears on the shelves?
Re the merit lists, I find a long list a bit intimidating, I will never have time to visit so many, so i sort of give up before I start. What about shorter lists, say top 10 or top 20, but in Categories, (perhaps something like: general day in the life, political, photographic, predominantly specific interests such as travel, cars, technical advice etc)so a visitor wanting to browse through some of them has an idea of how to get to a quick shortlist?

indicaspecies said...

Hi David,

I'd suggest a shorter list too.

The top 10 or best 20 bloggers would be a reasonable list to browse through for the week. Of course, through those blogs, I always end up reaching other interesting bloggers.

I miss your 'posts of the day' and can't wait for you to start that again.

Congratulations on the completion of MM.

celine

little things said...

CONGRATULATIONS! WOW!

Lin said...

What as thrill to complete your book and have it on its way - congratulations!!!

How about expanding your list to 100 but have it only come out once a month? Maybe "Post of the week" instead of "Post of the day"? I would disappear overnight if you went to a poll format since I don't do market-building networking and my journal is only appealing to those who fancy a remote solitude within nature. Very few of your readers come to visit and even fewer return but maybe that confirms something very important to me.

karoline in the morning said...

yayyyyydavid!!

congratulations...

as for weekly blog awards..i really don't know where you found the time to investigate each blog that you did..you did a marvelous job and i leave the hows, why's and wherefores solely in your talented hands..

k:))

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.