Darren is a Rock Star. OK, I am a total loser and don't get out much.

Darren Rowse from ProBlogger recently posted a writing challenge for bloggers. In case you live under a rock or are not a blogger, Darren is a ROCK STAR in the blogging world. Once I decided to start a blog, I bought his book and subscribed to his blog. I probably read content from his site 5 days a week. He is simply the most informative blogging coach on the planet. OK, now that I have totally embarrassed myself with my Darren obsession, here’s what we were given as an assignment:

“The idea is to publish a post that is a list of 7 links to posts that you and others have written that respond to the following 7 categories.”

Your links should be to:

Your first post

As I state in the opening paragraph of my first blog post, what I wrote about was unexpected. What I am learning by writing regularly is that the story within me sometimes dictates what I write.

A post you enjoyed writing the most

Writing something fun and silly was enjoyable. I am often writing about my divorce and how I am coping in this process. To take a TV Challenge with other bloggers and write with a bit of self-deprecating humor has been fun. I have enjoyed writing each TV Challenge post, but I am linking back to the first post related to the challenge.

A post which had a great discussion

One morning I woke up to a large spike in visits to my site. Quickly assessing Google Analytics, I realized most of the traffic was coming from the SITS site. The wonderful women who run that blog had featured me in Potluck Friday.

This post, titled I am Ready to Swim, was a chosen piece to highlight. The dialog in the comments section lifted me up on a very difficult day. I was scheduled for a  1/2 day mediation session that day. These positive, supportive comments were pouring in at a time I really needed to feel I had support. There are so many benefits to blogging, but this will be an example that stays with me for many years. This love was delivered at a time when I needed it most.

A post on someone else’s blog that you wish you’d written

Papoe wrote a hilarious letter to her daughters. Many mommy bloggers write similar letters on a child’s birthday or for a particular milestone. Papoe wrote an honest, uncensored letter to her girls. Motherhood is not rainbows, sunshine, and perfection. Thanks Papoe, for saying what so many of us are thinking; there aren’t enough hours in the day to be a perfect mom and none of us have perfect children.

Hyla Molander wrote a piece that moved me. Simply stated, it is beautifully written. There is also a message conveyed that we can all benefit from reading. Get out some tissues and read this piece.

Your most helpful post

Based on reader comments, my post on how I create a summer activity list with my kids was most helpful.

A post with a title that you are proud of

Free to be You and Me is my favorite title. The story about my son was what I felt compelled to write about, but upon reflection, realized something about myself as well. I rediscovered something from my past as a result of contemplating what my son had said to me. Then, when I finished writing the piece, I realized this had to be the title.

A post that you wish more people had read

My first six weeks of blogging was done without any promotion of my site. I wanted to build up some content while also working on the design. As a result, some earlier pieces have not been read by many. I try to link back to earlier pieces, which has been helpful in gaining greater exposure. This post, however, I have not linked back to and has the least amount of traffic. It is a short piece about my kids.

I hope you have enjoyed perusing through these posts. If you are interested in participating, here’s the link directly to the writing challenge post on Darren’s site.