{flickr photo by wstera2}
I’ve been hiding out on different blogs reading the latest thoughts and trends. Some I agreed with. Others made me want to bury my head in a hole and cry. I thought I’d grab a few so we can discuss them here. I’ll call it our own little writers “View.” Let’s begin shall we?
Practical or Perfectionism?
On Copyblogger, Jon Morrow posted 5 Crippling Beliefs that Keep Writers Penniless and Mired in Mediocrity. The article itself was compelling with lots of points about how our thinking can sabotage success. But interestingly enough, the more than 100 comments were almost, if not more engaging than the post itself.
In reply to one of his commenters, Morrow said that he spends 10 hours on each post. That’s right, TEN hours! He said it was more about being pragmatic than perfectionistic.
I have to say that this specific comment really got to me:
“[P]ersonally, I don’t think most writers demand enough of themselves. Especially bloggers. They spend 30 min. on a blog post, and then they wonder why they aren’t getting results.”
Talk about feeling like an underachiever. On one hand, I get it. Morrow’s posts rock. They are compelling, relevant, wonderfully pleasant to read. But 10 hours!! Should I quit my day job and write for 10 hours per post? I guess if I was going to do it as my one and only job.
What do you guys think?
Are there any 10 hour bloggers out there? Do you think that writing 10 hours a day is feasible, practical or too perfectionistic?
The Lone Tree
Otherwise known as the blog with no comments. Then there’s Annabel Candy. Blogging pal Annabel Candy of Successful Blogging wrote a post called Are Your Blogging Comments Good, Bad or Ugly?. In it she says this:
“Even if your writing is fabulous, you’re a global superstar and the paparazzi hound you on a daily basis, a blog with no comments makes you look like a loser.”
Ack! First an underachiever. Now a loser.
I know where Annabel’s coming from. In fact, I’ve interviewed her and e-book reviewed her in the past.
She’s smart, sweet and successful.
So maybe she has a point there. No matter how hard that pill is to swallow.
What do you think?
Do you agree? Are your posts filled with commenters or is it as lonely as a desert?
Yes Please and No Thank Yous
Number 3 comes from writer Natalia Sylvester. In a post called How Do You Keep Twitter from Hindering Your Writing, Natalia writes about the time we spend idling away on social media. In a reply to one of her commenters she said it was okay to forgo a RT thank you, but instead to focus on formulating quality conversations on Twitter.
I have to agree on this one. But I can’t get myself to stop saying, “Thank you!” I’ll blame my people-pleasing, charm school graduate ways.
But how about you?
Do you find RT thank yous unnecessary?
Would love to hear your views.
And please comment so I don’t feel like a loser on this post.
Thanks!
P.S. I spent a lot A LOT of time on this one. Well maybe not 10 hours, but enough. I promise.
What do I think? Hmmm…
Maybe it’s because I am a middle child of seven (hey, always blame your childhood, huh?)
:-), but I think we put far too much significance on what others say. We are each a unique being.
That doesn’t mean there is no value in the opinions of others or that you might not want to try some of their suggestions. But, you have to make it your own. Whether you spend 10 hours or 30 minutes on your blog posts is up to you. You may want something totally different than Jon.
I get it that at times we focus more on getting something posted than we do on the quality of the content. The ironic thing is that’s probably because we read somewhere that we need to post a minimum of 3 times a week (or whatever). I have certainly been guilty of it.
Personally, I don’t care if I go to a blog with no comments. I’m more interested in what they wrote. There is a lot of undiscovered talent out there. So, maybe they aren’t as adept at marketing their blog as they are at writing. For me, I don’t define what I like by the number of comments on a post.
I also don’t see “thank-yous” as an insecure people-pleasing trait. I appreciate that people acknowledge my RT. But, then I’m a baby boomer who still believes in written thank you notes. 😀 Insecure or good manners?
With the risk of sounding needy, thanks for a great post, Brandi. 😀
Cathy Miller recently posted..Posts This Week- Friday Lite Review
Hi Brandi, thanks for the mention! You bring up some really interesting points, especially about how much time a blog post should take and how comments can be validating.
10 hours does seem like an awful lot of time to spend on a post, especially for bloggers like us who aren’t really monetized. I do think if my blog were as hugely popular as Copyblogger, and if it became a part of my income stream, I’d devote more time to it. Maybe I’d treat it the same way as I do a magazine article? It’s not uncommon for me to spend 8-10 hours on a 1000-word piece once I take into account the research time, several interviews, writing and revising. That being said, one of the most popular posts on my blog was written in about a half hour, (I’d say on average I devote an hour per post) but that particular post struck a nerve with me, so the words came rather easily, and I guess it struck a nerve with readers, too.
As for comments, I’m sure it feels validating to have actual discussions on a blog. That’s what great about blogs: you can create a community and have conversations. I wouldn’t go as far as to think someone’s a loser, though! I’d probably just assume that this person’s a new blogger, but as long as I like what they’re posting, comment count doesn’t matter to me.
Interestingly enough, I’ve caught myself not commenting on some posts that had TOO many comments (like, 200+) because it made me feel like my voice would be lost in the chatter, and what I’d be saying was probably already said. So maybe there’s a flip side to it. Or maybe it’s just me? 😉
Natalia Sylvester recently posted..The Second Story
Cathy~You win the award for the BEST COMMENT EVER!
Thank you for not only lifting me up with your perspective on the uniqueness of every writer, but for taking the time to voice your view on each topic!
I think that’s amazing that you are a middle of 7! So different from me, a lonely only. lol. But I have to say that I agree with you on all points. The hardest thing about following your own path is that there isn’t any guidebooks for your unique experience and situation. That’s why all the “stuff” on the internet is so attractive. They lure us in with the answers and that feels comforting especially during moments when doubt sets in.
I do think that each writer has good points. But you are right, in the end, we all need to figure out what works best for us. Maybe it’s kind of like anything in life. We listen. We ponder. And then we make our own decisions. And have to stick up for it and commit especially when it doesn’t work out the way we plan.
Hi Natalia!
Your welcome. Enjoy reading your posts. =)
I think that’s an interesting perspective on comparing posts to magazine articles. In that case, it makes sense doesn’t it? It’s just so opposite from what I’m doing now for blogging that I can’t imagine it. I’m sure if I did spend 10 hours though or at least close to that amount, my blog better be making some major money or at least I should be having fun doing it. lol.
In her post, Annabel said that in the beginning you can’t expect to get lots of comments, but after a certain point you should be getting more. This is also a point that makes a lot of sense. Some of my favorite blogs have like 300 comments. Maybe what I’m realizing is that the people with huge comment counts and who spend tons of time on blogging, have their primary income coming from blogs. Maybe the key is to figure out what our priority is and then put all our energy in that. Hmm..thanks for your post! I’m getting lots of insight from this.
When do I get my award, Brandi? I want to be sure to get a Press Release out and write a post about it for my blog. LOL!! 😀 Life is one big lesson and the toughest to learn sometimes is that we need to have faith in ourselves. I promise I won’t start singing, Kumbaya. 🙂
Natalia-I agree with you! I do the same thing. When there are soooo many comments, I often skip commenting, unless the post really, really grabbed me. Then I’ll usually comment.
Cathy Miller recently posted..Posts This Week- Friday Lite Review
I think we should all remember that most of the “A-list” bloggers have something to sell. So for them, 10 hours may or may not be a better investment of time than it is for those of us who primarily blog as an accompaniment to a marketing strategy for a service–typically, the service being WRITING. FOR PAY.
Without the heft and might of a site that monetizes a lot of product–from plugins to rather intensive affiliate marketing (Copyblogger, I’m lookin’ at you!)–10 hours on a blog post is quite absurd. I like what Jon Morrow writes, but I think that for most writers, 10 hours is total nonsense unless their blog is in support of different income streams. Otherwise, that 10 hours is best spent on… well… writing! For clients!
Just a thought. I’m not trying to be contrarian, just pragmatic. What works for Jon is not going to apply to others. Further, I think it really depends on the type of writing you do. I find it hard to believe that post took 10 hours to write, but to each his own!
Good point Lindsey! I think I slowly realized that maybe 10 hours applies to whatever we really want to focus on. For most of us, blogging is not our primary source of income. His theory, I think, is that after you post, you should still reread, edit and rewrite. I too cannot imagine more than a day’s work spent one post. The thought was unsettling for me and made me wonder how any of us could manage to write articles, do social media and do our day job and maintain a blog. It’s a high standard to follow.
Great idea for a post! I just started blogging, but I’ve been a writer and editor for years. I would think sometimes great blog posts emerge quickly, and sometimes they require more time. (Like many types of writing.) And comments are great, of course. 🙂 I agree with Natalia’s point about validation for blog owners. But, as a reader, I do care more about content.
I also think thanking people for RTs and mentions is a very nice thing to do, especially for first interactions. And if you add something else to the thank you, those reply tweets can be good conversation starters.
Finally, I really like your ending to this post. It’s a cute call to action–but there’s no way you’d be a loser!
Leslie recently posted..My Style- Silver and Polka Dots in the City
Thanks Leslie! Both for your views and for validating my post too! (Happy I didn’t end up with no comments on this one!) For someone who just started blogging, your doing great. In fact, I’m impressed.
Hi Brandi and everyone:) Thanks so much for writing this Brandi – loved reading all the comments on your comments on my comments post! I was being harsh because I so want to avoid new bloggers looking like no one reads their blog even if that’s the case. Of course another option is to set up your blog so you can’t see how many comments a post has until you’ve read it….
Annabel Candy recently posted..Are Your Blog Comments Good- Bad or Ugly
Hi Annabel! Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting! Your new blog looks so professional and beautiful. Loved watching how you keep changing and growing your blog and how it keeps getting better and better. I know you had good intentions in writing it. It was a great motivator for me to start spending more time on my blog. And thanks for the tip!