Reconsidering blogging
(Thursday, March 03, 2005 @ 9:46 PM)
Well, where to start...
I know how many people are subscribed to my blog with Bloglines, and I have a tracker that tells me how many people visit my blog every day. I've noticed that compared to other knit bloggers with similar subscription numbers, I get far fewer comments. I've wondered why, but tried not to worry about it until now.
But these last two days... To know that somewhere between 45 and 90 people have visited and read that I was in an accident, and not a single person could be bothered to even say "Hey, I'm glad you're okay"... well, at the very least, it makes me wonder whether there's any point in all the effort I put into maintaining the blog.
I'd been trying out TypePad and planning to change my blog over to there to make information more accessible, and basically just make things nicer for the readers, but Typepad is costly, and when I'm not sure if it's even worth doing on a free site, it's hard to see shelling out money for it.
I don't know what I'll do about it in the end, but at the moment, it really seems like 'why bother?' It looks like I already have the evidence of what my doing so is worth.
I know how many people are subscribed to my blog with Bloglines, and I have a tracker that tells me how many people visit my blog every day. I've noticed that compared to other knit bloggers with similar subscription numbers, I get far fewer comments. I've wondered why, but tried not to worry about it until now.
But these last two days... To know that somewhere between 45 and 90 people have visited and read that I was in an accident, and not a single person could be bothered to even say "Hey, I'm glad you're okay"... well, at the very least, it makes me wonder whether there's any point in all the effort I put into maintaining the blog.
I'd been trying out TypePad and planning to change my blog over to there to make information more accessible, and basically just make things nicer for the readers, but Typepad is costly, and when I'm not sure if it's even worth doing on a free site, it's hard to see shelling out money for it.
I don't know what I'll do about it in the end, but at the moment, it really seems like 'why bother?' It looks like I already have the evidence of what my doing so is worth.
posted by Leisel | permalink |
11 comments
11 Comments:
Not to be snarky, but most bloggers blog for themselves. I'm sorry that you were in an accident, but you really can't expect people to comment. Sometimes they will, sometimes they won't. Commenting on blogs takes more time than just scanning through them. I read lots of knitting blogs everyday from the office and before I go to bed at night, but I rarely comment. I am leaving one now only because you seem so dejected. Many people will be put off by your leave me a comment or else type posts. Blog for yourself and don't expect affirmation from others.
Well, I do read you through bloglines, I didn't however have a chance to read the one about your accident though until this morning and am sorry you had one and hope you are ok.
Bloggers and the people who read the blogs are a strange breed. I can pour my heart out and not have a comment, say something about traffic and get 10. So I wouldn't worry that no one says anything.
The most comments I got was on a post on doughnuts.
I think maybe readers got distracted by the question on where the strangest place you've knitted was... I thought about it, couldn't think of anyplace particularly strange, and didn't comment.
Mitzi's right... I also read around 120 blogs, and commenting takes a lot more time that keeping up with posts... first you have to load that post, and then load the comment page (which seems rather slow these days). I'm on dial-up at home, and do most of my blog reading in the morning before work... thus, I don't have a lot of time to comment, let alone read.
And I agree with the comment that you should blog for yourself. It's a lot more fun that way. That's what I do, and the comments are a bizarre, unexpected, and entertaining bonus.
I'm sorry you were in an accident, but I'm glad you're okay. (I would have pulled out the knitting while waiting, though!)
Oh, honey - don't stop blogging; keep at it. I just linked to you through your comment on Felicia's blog - you're bookmarked with me, now.
Sorry to hear about your accident - those can be a real bitch (I totalled my full-size van about a year and a half ago - what a headache). At least you weren't hurt. Yay!
Ya gotta blog for yourself, hon, no two ways about it. Hanging on the comments will kill you. That may sound like a load of crap from somebody who gets her share of comments, but that hasn't always been the case. I've been blogging for over a year and was floored when I first got comments. Never expected that! What did I know?
There are so many blogs out there it's nigh on impossible to read, much less comment, on all the ones a person wants to. I've got 130 in the Crochet Blogs ring right now as well as others I like to read that are not in the ring. Can't keep up with them all.
But regarding your particular post, the title was Accidental Knitting, which could be about anything, and some people might have passed through and not actually read it. Second, it was only a fender bender and you said you were fine, so it's not surprising that it didn't raise concern. And finally, as Andrea mentioned, you did end off with a question about unusual knitting places--if a person didn't have an answer to that question to share, they might not comment at all.
Do what makes Leisel happy and if others join in, great, if not, then at least you're pleasing yourself.
BTW, my personal advice is not to go with TypePad. If you don't pay, your blog will disappear in the blink of an eye. Maybe I'm biased because I use Blogger, but, in my opinion, there's nothing you can't do with Blogger if you fiddle with it enough.
Hey Liesl -- so sorry to hear about your accident! And as for this entry, boy you've elicited a lot of reactions, so yes, keep on blogging! I keep up with you on bloglines... but I only read blogs once they read about 3-4 posts, just to save time and be more efficient (that way, I can sit down and read 3 blogs at a time in a moment here or there). So, it often takes me a little while to get around to visiting and commenting. I try to read most of my blogs once a week, but that doesn't even happen. I don't always comment, also, but I always like to hear how you're doing! So, based on that, you should keep it up! But I agree with some others who said that blogging is for yourself ... just imagine what it will be like when you look back over these things in two or five years, and say, "wow, I remember that!" At least, that's what I say. I have a little page referral thingy on my page that tells me how many people come to visit ... sometimes I'll put a poll on my page just wondering how many people will comment on it, and supposedly there's over 1000 people who Google me up over a five day period, but only about 25 or so people end up voting on polls. So, whatever! Anyhow -- keep it up, it's yours so make it work for you, and I'm with you on working the free blog system (although I do pay for photobucket.com, my photohosting service). Why pay when you have essentially the same thing here? Take care, and hope you're doing well after your accident ... Jenifer http://knittingat5337.blogdrive.com
Now I feel like I'm copying everyone else, but I am also glad you weren't hurt. I actually got distracted after reading your blog cause I was trying to figure out what meetup was on a Wednesday (it's a good night for me to get out and knit with folks).
Try not to let the lack of comments hurt your feelings. I'm always amazed when people comment on my blog. Expecially when they are bloggers I've been reading for years.
I guess it really boils down to why you decided to blog if you want to continue. I started to be able to share my excitement about what I was knitting and new yarns with people that would understand that. I feel like I'm doing that, even though I rarely get a comment on my posts.
I hope you get feeling better about blogging. I enjoy reading what you are sharing.
Seriously, I feel that you should keep blogging. I only get 1 or 2 comments a post, and sure, while I'd love to have tons of internet friends, and people commenting all the time, hey, the people I got, are pretty darn nice. And I like having the chance to look back at the progress I've made. Try to look at it that way.
I actually was never notified you made the post about the accident, and I AM glad you weren't hurt!
Just as a suggestion, I'd get rid of the visitors tracker...it's making you think more about the people who are coming, and why aren't they commenting. You don't need that in your life. It's like high school, and wondering why you're not popular, you know?
What about TypePad did you want that Blogger doesn't give you? I find Blogger to be a great blogging site.
Liesel, I concur with all the other comments. There are people who lurk, not comment, and you mentioned that you were okay, so that was that. Don't pay attention to stats or the number of comments you get, it's not a big deal. Just write for yourself, which is what blogging should be. Please don't stop because of this.
- MJ
Finally getting to read blogs for the first time in forever... well ok, just since hubby fired *his* computer and took over mine, his is still not fixed but I got tired of waiting so I'm trying to do my usual stuff all in a short period of time, between dealing with kid stuff and female issues and whiney cats lol.
I'm so glad you weren't hurt in your accident! They're scary, even when no one is injured.
{{{Hugs}}}
I'm guilty myself of just quickly scanning through my bloglines and missing a lot on my really busy days. I would have posted if I had seen that you were in an accident. I'm glad you are ok. I have been in an accident before and even though I wasn't hurt it really shook me up. It was also a big pain in the butt going through all the stuff to get my car fixed. Take Care,
Stacie
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