What Makes a Great Blogger? Virginia, the HomeRearedChef, is One Year Old Today

Virginia’s, one year anniversary is today. She has been blogging for a year at BlogHer, and has logged over 195 posts. When I say she is amazing, I do not exaggerate. Although I am a little prejudiced, for I am proud to have her as a friend.

What makes Virginia, a.k.a. HomeRearedChef, such a great blogger that people feel they MUST read her blog to make their day complete?

Yes, I’m going to go there.

1.      She is sincere. If Virginia says it, she means it. She is rarely sarcastic. Good grief, a little sarcasm is okay, but aren’t some blogs just swimming in it?

2.      Virginia is funny, but she doesn’t make fun of other people. She may turn her gentle humor on herself, but she doesn’t have anything even close to a mean streak. Again, do we really need more ranting and raving in the world?

3.      She stands up for herself. She can tell about low points in her life, but she doesn’t apologize for being human. She is not afraid to be authentic. You can always tell the post is one of Virginia’s. She has her own voice; you would never mistake her for anyone else.

4.      She is not a girl-scout or too goody-goody to be true. She has made mistakes and had bad times in her life, she writes about them, and readers feel validated and not shamed if they have shared a similar experience.

5.      She is friendly; she is welcoming. Reading her posts makes readers feel like they are sitting at her kitchen table.

6.      She is not afraid to be emotional, but doesn’t overdo it. She knows that some events in life are worth crying about.

7.      She is thoughtful. She learns from others, so that her blog is not a one-way street.

8.      She is modest. She really doesn’t know how good a writer she is.

9.      She praises others even when she disagrees with them. She appreciates her readers.

10.   She has LIVED. She has had a life rich with love, happiness, and sorrow. She lives every day that has been given to her. She writes about it all, the bitter and the better.

I can’t believe how lucky I was to find her kind, compassionate voice. Let’s celebrate a Blogging Queen, Virginia!

To find Virginia, go to BlogHer.com. You can usually find her on the right side under "Most Popular," or you can search for her as HomeRearedChef. She also posts great recipes to the Examiner. Here's her latest: http://www.examiner.com/food-in-san-jose/cheesy-muffaletta-a-la-panini-recipe