Thursday, May 31, 2012

Birthday Giveaway! Miniature Tim is 1 Year Old!

1 year ago today I re-entered the blogosphere with Miniature Tim. All short jokes aside, I made a commitment to make this blog a priority for me, posting at least once per week with content that I would actually want to read and hoping that a few folks out there would want to read it as well. I did my research, read articles on how to run a successful blog by successful bloggers, and cannonballed into the deep end.

Holy crap…it's been a year already?!?!


Now I could go all sappy on you, and mention how Skarvald from Wolves for the Wolf God, and the entire crew over at Dark Future Games really inspired me to get serious about blogging...or how much your comments, you following this blog and the friends I've made though here mean to me. Maybe even...well, you get the point. Through this blog, I've made some amazing friends and have gotten some amazing opportunities and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I'd like to quote, and link, a few articles and authors I've read that I mentioned earlier. The articles that really helped shape how I blog and how I maintain focus, the research I did to try and make this blog something more than just my random musings and opinions.

Stay with me here, the details on the Birthday Present Giveaway will come at the end, I promise!

From The Warp
Ron has written extensively about his thoughts on how to blog, what to Blog about, and what not to do in a blog. Some of the ones that helped me the most I'll link below, but he has an entire section of his archives devoted to topics like this. I suggestion you check them all out.

The purpose of your Warhammer 40k blog
10 ways to improve your blog
I have a 40k blog and I don't know what to post
Assumptions you make when posting

Strictly Average
Brent is an extremely prolific blogger who's got a lot to say, is entertaining, and has many well put points of perspective. I found his blog though Bell of Lost Souls where he also writes, and where his article on blogging is hosted. You can search "blogging" on his personal blog and find nearly a dozen other posts on the mechanics of blogging as well.

Editorial: Top Tips, the Blogging Edition

Dark Future Games
Yup, it figures that these guys have an opinion on how a successful hobby blog is run. The entire group writes great articles, and they are on my daily reading list. It really doesn't hurt that they are also a great bunch of guys in person and ones I count as friends, even if we are spread across the country!

Some Tips for Growing Your Wargaming Blog

Frontline Gamer
Good Lord...if there is a success story when it comes to one man and his blog, Frontline Gamer is it. Not only is he a fellow, old-school Battletech player, he's a solid writer and seemingly has more hours in his day than I think there physically are! In all seriousness, this man is inspiring to me and my own blog here. The article I'll link to here is a long one, and a more recent one, but one that every blogger should read.

Frontline Gamers guide to writing a successful Blog

By no means is this an exhaustive list of posts and articles on this subject, but it is a list I'm very thankful to these authors for writing.

On to the Birthday Present Giveaway!

If this is a birthday of sorts, then some presents of sorts are needed, yes? Well, I've got a set of presents that will be the first ever giveaway hosted on Miniature Tim! Inspired by Frontline Gamer's own birthday giveaways, I've got a prize that includes 3 boxes of hobby love! Mantic's Warpath, Marauder Grunt Platoon, a Hordes Trollbloods Battlegroup, and a Chaos Daemons Seekers of Slaanesh!

In order to be eligible for the Birthday Present Giveaway, I only ask three things:

1. Be, or become, a follower of this blog. Many times, aside from some cold hard statistics, bloggers only have two ways to know what he or she is doing means something to someone. Becoming a follower of a blog you read is one way of doing that.

2. Post a comment below saying you want free stuff! Comments, of course, being the other way you show a blogger you agree, disagree or just in general read what they have to say, are always appreciated and looked forward too!

3. Do both of the above by Midnight on Thursday, June 7th, GMT.

That's it, that's all I ask! This is the least I can do to show my appreciation for everyone who's left comments, followed, or just simply read what I've had to talk about for the past year! Have at it, folks!

- Tim




43 comments:

  1. i god, i so want free stuff.

    i like free stuff

    i need free stuff.

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  2. Who dont want free stuff??? This guy does!!

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  3. Congratulations!
    I would love some free stuff!

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  4. Of course everyone likes free stuff, and I can tell you are doing a great job. I liked your brand loyalty article from just a few days back.

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  5. Happy birthday Blogger! I actually followed (tried to...) a few of your painting recipes (the NMM one), good stuff. Looking forward to read some more and maybe free stuff^^.

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  6. I went back to those articles from Ron when I first got going, good choices those. Congratulations on making it a year and who wouldn't want free stuff?

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  7. While I don't need free stuff (there's too much in the Closet of Doom as it is), but did want to say congratulations on the 1-year mark! I've really enjoyed reading your posts over the last year and I'm looking forward to more in the future. Keep up the great work, Tim!

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  8. Congrats!!! Free stuff is great!

    Thanx for all the inspiration!

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  9. Tim congrats on the 1 Year!! May there be many more so this Noob can keep wearing his NOT Miniature Tim T-Shirt. Oh, and Yes I would like some free stuff.

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  10. Just found your blog due to free stuff, but like what I see. Added you to my bloglist on personal blog and will dig deeper to see what I've missed in the past year.

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  11. Who wouldn't want free stuff?!?

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  12. Happy Birthday Tim.

    We sort of started Blogging around the same time I think, and I've pretty much had an eye on your Blog from the start. I enjoy reading your articles and I think you have a very easy writing style that helps your personality come through.

    As for me and the amount I write... well I do have a lot of spare time right now. But more importantly, I'm used to having to write large reports at a moments notice. So I guess it just comes easy to me.

    Any way here's to another year.

    :)

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  13. Everyone likes free stuff! I think you should keep the troll bloods so we can play Hordes now with Brian.

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    Replies
    1. I concur with Josh... or at least trade them and start that circle army you've wanted to start.

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  14. Congrats man, making that first year is a biggie :)

    also, I leik free stuff.

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  15. Well then this makes me happy I stopped lurking and followed your blog a while back. :)

    I never win anything, but the chance to win free stuff keeps me hoping!

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  16. Happy birthday! I'd love the chance to win free stuff as part of the celebration.

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  17. Congrats on the one year. I always enjoy your articles and find your writing quite insightful.

    I am now following (I can't believe I wasn't before, I come here quite regularly). I also added you to the blogroll on my blog. If you are interested in adding my blog to yours (http://rustandthecity.blogspot.ca/) that would be great. If I am fortunate enough to win one of the birthday prizes, that would be very exciting!

    (Random comment, that captcha had "orkpunc" as one of the words. Very funny.)

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  18. Who doesn't want free stuff?

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  19. Give me all your stuff! All of it! Actually... I'll skip on the Marauders box, since I actually have 2 of them.. and a box of the Ork infantry.. which I was thinking of giving away anyways.
    But I'll totally take the Trollbloods (even though I have 1 box already) to give to someone from my gaming club or the Daemonettes! ;3

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  20. Happy 1 year blog anniversary... I like free stuff but keep it for your other followers... although, as mentioned above, I think you should trade the trollbloods to start your circle army.

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  21. Happy Birthday, I always look forward to your articles.

    Count me in for the draw.

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  22. Happy 1 year sense the resurrection.

    Yay for free stuffs too.

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  23. Happy Birthday!!
    Count me in please!

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  24. Congrats on the first year and here's to many more!
    Keep up the great work,
    Ron, FTW

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  25. Keeping it up for a year is quite an accomplishment. Congratulations and Happy Birthday.

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  26. This blog looks neat. Free me.

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  27. This is like a double-edged sword... I want to reply to everyone here personally and say thank you for the compliments, wishes and everything, but at the same time, that would be a bit awkward, methinks!

    So instead I'll do it here :) Thank you everyone!!! Personal fulfillment is a large part of why we all blog, but this seriously makes it worth it.

    Tim

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  28. Free stuff, yeay! I'd love to be put into the draw.

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  29. Happy birthday to the blog and congratulations to you, Tim! Looking forward to the next year of quality content!

    Cheers,

    KrautScientist

    P.S. I do feel a little sleazy saying this, but I do of course like free stuff as well o_O

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  30. Happy Blog Birthday!

    I would like to partake in the stuff that would be given away freely. ^_^

    Or FrE3 sTuff5 P1eeZ!!

    PS. like the character drawings.

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  31. Congratulations on your first year.
    I wouldn't mind those trollbloods, or any other free stuff :-)
    /Joakim

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  32. congrats on a year!!!!!! also yay for be entered to win free stuff!!

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  33. Happy Birthday man technically we should be giving you some goods ;)

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  34. Well done on the 1st !!! :)

    I want free stuff please - it is luverly.

    CS

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  35. I think we all know I am going to win... the rest of you can give up your hopes and dreams.... MOOOHAHA.

    Anyhow, congrats on the year Tim, you know us at DFG have been fans of yours and friends with you for awhile now and we cannot wait to continue to be.

    I cannot wait till next year to see the look on everyones faces when the joint project is released for all to see...

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  36. Keep blogging and toss out the figures

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  37. 0oooo id love me some free stuff =)

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