Sentences is now approaching the three month old mark and the growth has been explosive. Though we’ve failed to reach the Digg home page several times (Darn that new algorithm!) we’ve been able to hit the StumbleUpon pages, and Mixx front page and have really accelerated our traffic through those means.

Though Advertising was simply an after thought for Sentences (content came first), I’ve come to realize that it is almost essential. Not necessarily to make money, but to be able to have money to spend on Sentences. I think one of the key reasons why the forum is failing, isn’t because it’s not accessible - it’s because of the software. With money to spend, I can begin to get Sentences recognized, and be able to really turn it into what I think it can be (or hope it can be) - a world community of freelance designers and marketers. Yes, I know that’s an ambitious goal, but ambitious goals are what dreams are made of. And dreams are something I like to realize.

With all of this being said, I wanted to thank the current sponsors for Sentences. They took the chance to advertise with a relatively new site, and hopefully at this point, they are starting to realize what sort of potential and readership Sentences has. At the moment, February is 80% booked, and there has already been one reservation in March. I wanted to not only thank the sponsors who’ve worked with Sentences thus far, but also for you - the reader. Thank you so much for allowing Sentences to taste the success it has so far. Because of you’re interest in what we write, we’ve been able to grow and accelerate.

Eat Fruit Please:
Eat Fruit Please is the personal blog of designer James McDonald. “Aftermath” as he is better known to the design community, he is known for his flashy designs and sharp graphics. He’s a good friend of mine, and supported me when Sentences first launched, giving me vital feedback and suggestions.

FreshBooks:
FreshBooks is a vital took for Freelancers who want to send their clients professional invoices. FB has a sleek design and interface that’s simple to use. It’s no wonder why FB is considered the top invoicing tool in the industry. I’ve talked with one of the staff for FreshBooks, Sunir (Who’s also a reader of Sentences) and he is helpful and supportive. When Sentences launched, Sunir helped get FreshBooks to sponsor and support us in our infancy.

Conrad Barrett:
Conrad is a young and aspiring internet entrepreneur and marketer. This is his personal blog. He’s only just a teenager, but he is has a wealth of experiences and ideas, and his personality is refreshing. He runs a video blog which is updated pretty much daily, and is one of the friendlier people I’ve had the pleasure of associating with.

BizStudent:
BizStudent is owned by Jack Morrison, a frequent reader and contributer to Sentences. He’s a great friend of mine, and immediately offered to help Sentences grow, an offer anyone would be silly to reject. He runs a blog over at BizStudent that is frequently updated and read. I’d suggest everyone to read his blog as well if you like Sentences.

There are huge plans for Sentences over the next few months including a new, unique theme. I’m very excited as a new theme will give me the opportunity to really focus on the community aspect of Sentences. Writers are beginning to take notice of the site and I’ve gotten an increase in job queries (which I’m slowly getting to). Visitors are slowly turning into readers (a constant challenge that ALL bloggers face), and subscription levels are growing daily.

I’m very excited and thankful for everyone who has contributed to Sentences, and that includes you - the anonymous casual reader who hasn’t yet taken any action on this site (commenting, registering, subscribing… *hint hint*). No problem. I’ll take anyone who wants to listen to me (and I can talk a dead horse to sleep).

Thanks everyone,
B - ry

PS - Check out my personal blog if you haven’t done so already.