Five Years, 477 Posts–Taking Stock of the Brodsky Blog

August, 2008.  All I wanted to do was write a book about my adventures in gender discrimination.  That’s how it all started 5 years ago.

“First, create an audience.  Write a blog,” was the advice I received and took from my public relations/image creators.  At first it was scary and hard.  Then as time went on it became easier and more satisfying.  Audience growth hasn’t reached the 40,000 per month that are necessary for any one to seriously consider me having a vigorous enough audience to support traditional print book publishing.

So five years later, still no book and by the numbers, not much of an audience.  Blogs are ranked and I am somewhere in the top 250,000 when it comes to “most read blogs,” last time I looked about one year ago.  But what I lack in quantity, I enjoy in quality. My readers are caring (thank you all for the comments on line and off line about my Dad), loyal, interactive and are steadily increasing (this is a thinly veiled plea for you to share this blog with all your friends on face book, linked-in, Google + and Twitter @lindabrodskymd just for starters.)

What do the more successful bloggers do?  Shameless promotion (as I tried to do above).  Also most write everyday.  They write shorter pieces.  They are already famous and build on that audience.  Or they might have themes–take Gretchen Rubin and the Happiness Project or Julie Powell and Julie and Julia. (I had secretly hoped that Meryl Streep would do the movie version of my book.  I will not give up on that hope, never, never.)

So at this juncture, I have decided to write something (almost) everyday about what I think–about medicine, about my friends/family and about my inner and outer challenges.  And as I weave my way through authentic feelings, silly troubles, major catastrophes, or mundane observations, I hope you, the reader will continue to engage me with your comments/criticisms and support.   And for the more serious treatment of “my book theme”–gender bias and discrimination experienced by women physicians, visit (and sign up for our newsleter and posts) Women MD Resources.  Lots going on there, too.