You’d think that after this recent post, I would have stopped reading the non-fashion articles in the Sunday Styles section of the New York Times. I know I should avoid exposure to quotes from incredibly annoying people, but I still couldn’t resist last Sunday’s section.
The latest irksome article, about abandoned blogs, was called Blogs Falling in an Empty Forest. According to the piece, Technorati statistics indicate that 95% of blogs die a quiet death, though over what time period it doesn’t say. The story mentions people who lose interest in their blogs (nice shout out to our young friend Stephanie of the now-defunct Fashion Robot), people who regret being personally revealing, and people who don’t make as much money from their blogs as they’d hoped. Those were all okay with me. What drove me crazy was the first example: the blogger who got no comments. Here’s what the Times said:
“‘Hi, I’m Judy Nichols. Welcome to my rant.’
Thus was born Rantings of a Crazed Soccer Mom, the blog of a stay-at-home mother and murder-mystery writer from Wilmington, N.C. Mrs. Nichols, 52, put up her first post in late 2004, serving up a litany of gripes about the Bush administration and people who thought they had ‘a monopoly on morality.’ After urging her readers to vote for John Kerry, she closed with a flourish: ‘Practice compassionate regime change.’
The post generated no comments.”
I don’t know what kind of effort Judy Nichols put into promoting her blog and interacting with other bloggers, but the story gives no evidence of any and the reporter seems as baffled as Nichols by her lack of response. “I just wanted to post something interesting and get people talking, but mostly it was just my sister commenting,” Nichols told the Times. Well, maybe she should have reached out to enough friends, acquaintances and colleagues to have them among her commenters, though as everyone on MY blog roll knows, the key thing is really reaching out to fellow bloggers.
The following rant is not addressed to my super-cool, interactive blog roll bitches but to bratty “bloggers” moping over their lack of comments/fame/fortune/whatever: Guess what, folks! As I mentioned here, the world does not revolve around you. It revolves around Oprah. So, unless you’re Oprah, you can’t start a blog, sit on your lazy ass and expect the world to “beat a path to [your] digital door,” as the Times put it. Not only do you have to let people know of your online existence in the first place — because it’s not like millions of people suddenly say, “Eureka! I sense a new blog out there!” — but you also have to give some attention in order to get some back. In other words, if you don’t ever comment on my blog, don’t expect me to comment on yours. Moreover, if I have the misfortune to stumble across your blog and find a whiny post saying, “Maybe I should shut down this blog because I don’t have any comments,” I will egg your house. Don’t ask me how I will find your house. I just will.
GET OFF YOUR LAZY ASS!Photo source is here
Poor Judy Nichols! How horrible to be singled out as the blogger who got no comments.
Now I just want to kill myself in a gesture of unity with Judy Nichols.
If only she had blogged about an epic t-shirt.
Oooh finger cramp rolling the ball through all these great comments. I totally agree with you, I started my first blog just for me, if people read it great, then my shoe one well for me as well. If people do not post a comment then oh well. I love comments, i get all giddy seeing a new one in my email…but I am also just as happy going through all my fabby blogs I follow on a daily basis. Glad your sugrey did not affect your middle finger that would be tragic.=) Thanks for the comments on my blog.
Hahaha! This sounds like me in my first, oh, YEARS of blogging. I'd just sit around and wonder why nobody commented. The blog WAS called "Confessions of a narcissist", however, so I guess there was a streak of lucidity in there somewhere 😉
I completely agree. People comment when they feel something is worth commenting on. I'd rather have 3 intelligent or funny comments than 150 "wow that skirt/dress/pair shorts is EPIC dude!!!". If no-one speaks up it's because I've written something that's only interesting to me…and I am quite happy with that!
I am often amazed to see blogs of published writers who have no comments and seemingly no readers. Is it wrong that I sometimes enjoy that?
I do think that many bloggers don't get that it takes work to build a readership. Reciprocity is definitely required. You, my friend, are a generous blogger and because of that your blogs will always enjoy a huge readership with loads of comments. Besides that you are funny, fierce and have lots of eggs and know how to aim them.
Forging blogging friendships have made writing our blog so much more fun and has enabled me to come across some amazing blogs that are now daily reads. If you want support you have to support others. I'm sure Oprah would agree. Ah ha.
fantasmo! you write well and you gave it to the times, straight up with a twist!
dang, if i need a letter, i'm hollering at you
*bisous*
*So* glad you wrote this, I read that and thought, "Hmm..this seems odd." And then I became irritated and then I said, No mas. Finito."
That is all.
tp
well% does make sense, what are we all going to blog until the day we die? I mean I'd love to but it's not very realistic. I do miss Fashion robot and Style Bytes and Whimsical Nerd and so on.
My blog has quietly died with no fanfare or hoohah – in fact, not sure anyone noticed. Actually I was boring myself with my own blog which is never good…Anyway, I shall be rising out of the ashes like a pheonix. Not sure anyone will notice the quiet resurrection either. Ha!
Shout out to your fabulousness… Nice post
Wendy, you're my idol for always tellin' it like it is. When I started up my blog, I sent the link to all my friends, and I've always made an effort to check out the blogs of everyone who's posted a comment on mine. Although I don't have a ton of time, I always try to get to all my favourites once a week, minimum.
Wearing "your" sweater today. I feel so special. Ha!
Considering that I sometimes can't find a site when I google it's exact name, it's not much of a surprise to me blogs don't get comments. PEOPLE DON'T KNOW YOU EXIST LADY. Then check this shizzazz – 62 comments for the WendyB! That she personally moderates!
Booyakasha!
How the fuck did you find that perfect picture?!
yes sock it to them Wendy! you are responsible for your own blog and if you get no comments and it really mattersto you then go get the, the won't come to you!