To blog successfully one must have passion. One must also love and engage with their audience. A good blogger talks to their readers. A great blogger feels empathy for their reader.

Many blogs come and go. But there is one blog that has lasted and thrived and stuck to its guns. It is a great blog, written by a great blogger who truly adores her readers.

And that blogger is… the special lady of the blogosphere, Liz Strauss of Successful Blog. Her blog turns a year old today - has it been that quick!

Liz has a real passion for writing - she’s been around the block a few times in the publishing industry (or so she tells me and her LinkedIn profile states). She loves to explore new ideas, is creative and offers up throught-provoking posts on a daily basis.

She’s the one following the Net Neutrality issue. She’s the one that everyone at Technorati knows about. She’s the one that started off the SOB meme. She’s the one that started the weekly Mic Night - the post that brings in hundreds of comments and once took down the b5 servers. She’s also the one that repsonds to every comment - she understands the value of readers who take the time to engage.

She now has a weekly column/post over at The Blogging Times. This gal has no limits to her. Whatever she sets her heart to do she’ll do it and do it with flair.

After a shaky early start that involved moving around, she has settled in well at b5media and today continues to blog her heart out.

I see big things for Liz in her second year. It’s time she turned all her successes, friendships and her close-knit group of blog friends into something more. Coaching. Consulting, Author. Speaker. Anything she wants.

Liz … I salute you. I was fortunate enough to have come across your blog early on (no idea how) but I’m glad I did. You’ve made blogging such a pleasure for me and I hope in whatever direction we both may go it continues for many more years.

Big Hug,
Your Aussie friend,
Martin

PS. Sorry Liz, 25 words will not do it justice .. ie: I’m scared you’ll rip it to shreds with your editor’s wand.

PPS. And I’ll hopefully see you next year for lunch - note: I luv seafood.