Shear force of personality

A while back, I co started a writers group. Which is a horrible idea, because it makes people think I know what I'm doing. Also because its putting me in charge of things (namely people) and stuff. Surprisingly, its going well so far (I judge this by the fact people are still showing up and not dying in my company, which is also, ironically the same standard I use when teaching). At the start of this past meeting, or somewhere near the start, or the end, we aren't very official about these things, someone congratulated me on reaching 100 followers (which I'm still doing a happy dance about).

This prompted one of our junior members(he's junior cause he's seven years younger than me, not because he is less important or something) to ask me how I get people to read/follow my blog. My normal answer to that is trickery and deceit, but since he was asking for legitimate reasons (he is thinking about starting a blog), I decided I'd give him a more thoughtful answer, or at least an explanation of how I use trickery and deceit to get people to follow my blog. Of course at the same time as this was all happening, I was leaving a comment on another blog. Specifically Michael J Sullivan's blog, on a post Query letters, Parrots and the Wisdom of Chipmunks.

My comment was of course "An entertaining way of explaining query letters. Stop drinking before you blog. That's all. "

My first bit of advice was to be active in the blogosphere, and by this I mean leave comments, and then I told him about the comment I just left, and the fact that if someone else thought my thoughts were funny, or good, they could click on my name/link within the comment or whatever, and be redirected to my blog. Awesome right?

Another friend, and fellow blogger, Jess Stork at Ink Spot Plot then said, "Sara gets followers from shear force of personality" So, I had to wonder if this is true. I mean, I've always considered myself to be a bit of an introvert. I was a pretty ridiculously shy child, I once went two days without eating because I wouldn't talk to strangers (my parents were trying to force me to not be so shy). All through college I believed myself to be an introvert. I certainly don't like being the center of attention, or at least, I don't think I do. I get a little nervous speaking in front of large groups of middle schoolers

I of course also told my writers group friend, that he should read other blogs, and follow other blogs, and join blog rolls and stuff...but I couldn't help but wonder, what is it that makes you follow a blog?