May 12, 2010

Writing and Reading Blog Posts

Both VERY different animals...

Reading blog posts is like diving into a pile of tiny sweet little kittens. (Meow!) You get to pick an choose which fluffy fur ball you're going to cuddle up to and spend your time with. There is no pressure to do this. I mean nobody is ever going to force a kitten onto you and say, "Cuddle with this fluffpod or else!!!" Sure people appreciate when you read their posts and comment. I know I appreciate when people read and comment on mine.

(Seriously my blog is a super cute little kitten yo! And just look how fluffy and soft it is!!! Now comment or else!)

But the best part about reading blog posts is that it is all about YOU, the reader. YOU choose what YOU read and what YOU don't. YOU get to decide if YOU like the kitten ... I mean post. YOU get to be the one who laughs and cries and feels educated afterward.

Whether YOU are reading a blog that inspires YOU or one that just makes YOU burst into laughter...it's all about YOU!

But writing blog posts ... although sometimes it can be all Rainbows-and-Ponies-like ... for most of us it tends to be like walking into a pit of angry, hungry elephants. (Possibly puppy sized elephants though...) You walk into the pit of pissed off puppy sized elephants and and they're all like, "Yo, give us some peanuts! And not those crappy little nuts you find in a jar, we want the kind that come in bucket dog!" (Yes elephants TOTALLY talk like Randy Jackson! Even the tiny ones...)

So you scrounge around in your head for a big fat bucket of peanuts.

*rattles brains until peanuts shoot out our ears*

BUT THEN...

All you come up with is this...
How the heck are you going to feed a herd of starving miniature elephants with that!?!? I mean sure, they've got the shells and the definitely didn't come out of a jar, but that's barely going to feed one elephant.

And you know what I tend to do after this?

I smack those little peanuts back into my brain and refuse to write. After all, I don't want to disappoint my puppy sized elephants.

But is that the right thing to do? Well considering I've started missing all my followers and my fun puppy sized comments, I'm gonna say no.

The blogosphere is kinda a brutal place sometimes. But what we need to keep in mind is that it's gotta be as much about you as it is about your readers. It can't be a one sided relationship. I mean no one likes a one sided relationship. (Ok well the guy on the end that is receiving all the relationship benefits usually does, but it never does work out!)

So maybe you have epic things to say on a regular basis like the Amazing Elana ... or maybe you just have a funny story to tell like Karen (Ok seriously...this post is actually epic to me....it's a must read for all writers! It may be one of the shortest posts ever, but truly one of the best!). Either way, someone is going to want to read it. But you'll never know unless you break out those peanuts.

Sure, they might not feed ALL the elephants. But they might feed one, and that should be enough.

What do you think? Does it bother you when people ( *cough* like me *cough* ) post sporadically and without purpose? Or are you just happy when you see a post from them pop up in your feed?

Do you prefer just to dive into a pile of fuzzy kittens or are you all about feeding the elephants?

14 comments:

Courtney Barr - The Southern Princess said...

Interesting questions...

For my own posts I really only have two days that are "scheduled" (Monday Memos & Wednesday's Written Word). Those peanuts are as much for my own creative benefit as for the hungry elephants.

As for the sites I visit frequently...I do in some ways depend on a few that have "scheduled" days but if I like your blog (as I do yours)it is okay that you don't post ALL the time because when you do, I will be over here the minute I see it in the blogroll!

Besides you sent us Gnick - we will forever check in on you over here! ;o)

Visit My Kingdom Anytime

Unknown said...

Awe thanks Courtney :) It's good to know people are still keeping watch despite my randomosity!

PS...Gnick Rules!!!

Kelly Lyman said...

Great questions-

As of now, I read more only because I'm finding it hard to fit in the writing time for a post. Also, if I really admit it, I've been having trouble coming up with something to post about. I tend to think that I need to post something related to writing or the journey of. And when I can't think of anything (because, as you know, I don't have a brain at the moment), I just skip it.
However, I love reading post of all sorts. Especially with the people whom I feel as though I have connected with. I love reading about the interesting, funny, etc. things that people deal with in their normal, everyday lives. Maybe I would post about that if my life was actually interesting or normal, but I"m sure my readers don't want to read about the laundry and cleaning I do since I stay home.

Moll said...

It totally depends on how much time I have for blog reading. When I am crunched for time, I kind of appreciate the lack of schedule some bloggers seem to have...my google reader doesn't pile up as quickly!

Tana said...

I don't mind sporadic or without purpose I have a feeling most blogs are. I enjoy your blog. You have a unique energy that not many people posses. =)

Shannon O'Donnell said...

Wow. Those are some deep thoughts. But you know what? I'm just happy to see you pop up on my sidebar. Then, I hustle over here so I can see your smiling face. The content of your post is secondary to the friendship behind the visit. :-)

Lydia Kang said...

I don't mind sporadic posting. But depending on how busy my day is, sometimes I'll miss it on the blog roll.
I'd like to think blogging should be fun and not too stressful. So when I do get stressed, I keep remembering that the blogosphere will not disintegrate (nor will I) if I can read all the blogs I'd like or post when I should!

Jody Hedlund said...

I had to give up reading posts from my reader/dashboard. Instead I really try to make an effort to visit closer friends on a weekly basis and I can do that better if I know their schedules. Even if it's just once a week or twice on the same days (i.e. Mon/Fri). Those friends who don't post as consistently (hint!), I tend to forget to visit! *Hangs head in shame*

So, my advice? Find a day or two a week to post and then stick to that schedule. It helps readers to know when to expect those brilliant and entertaining posts! :-)

Dugout Daisy said...

Good one... Well, I know from personal experience that if you don't blog everyday, two times a day, itz as if you've completely fallen off the blogging world! I like quirky blogs... entertaining ones... regardless of how often they blog. :)
And one thing that made me feel better about not getting a lot of comments, but having a lot of readers, my friend blogs and she has over 300 readers daily, but her average comments are in the 30s... so that makes me feel better :)
Keep blogging, i love it!

Tree said...

I like your blog. I would rather see quality more than quantity. And quality...not meaning you have to be the best writer around, but something that catches my attention whether it's humorous, touching, or sad.

I usually do post something every day (only because I'm now unemployed until July LOL), and have a few "scheduled" posts each week, but the rest are just random.

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Glynis Peters said...

I love to hear you purr anytime you choose to. ;0
With folk so busy, it is great when they share a little bit of their peanut. I am quite happy with a teeny tidbit now and then.
I love it when I see a comment from a blogging buddy. The writing world opens up for me.
I share when I can. Sometimes I will write a post daily, some weeks it will be one a week.
My friends stay loyal, and for that I love them. :)

Happy Scribbling.

CMOM Productions said...

I have been keeping up with the writing more than the reading lately. Of course, I got sick so that's this week's culprit. I read blogs at least once a week (more if I have time) and I scroll through the blogs I subscribe to via my dashboard. If I'm playing catch up, I don't usually go back more than a week... unless I think, "MB posts on X days and I don't see her here." Then I remember to click on your blog. :)

Natalie said...

I think there are a lot of different kinds of bloggers. There are the must read, great info every time bloggers like Elana and Jody and there are the rest of us. :) We can't all be mega bloggers. And I think it's important to remember that writing needs to be #1. I like blogs that give me some insight into who the person is and why I should like them. Yours does that well.