Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Writers who Blog: Are you Prolific or Pathetic?

So there seems to be a lot of talk floating around lately concerning blog etiquette, leaving comments, followers, etc, etc. For whatever reason, it's become a hot topic.


As far as being prolific or pathetic, I fall somewhere in the middle...I think. I follow a lot of blogs because I love learning about the unique world of writers and illustrators that has become such an integral part of my life. For those who follow me, I always follow back, and not just because it's considered "proper blog etiquette", but because I'm truly interested in what others in my field (you guys) have to say! Some days I read and comment on a heap of posts, other days I'm swamped with everything that doesn't have to do with writing and I can't comment...hate those days! Most of us have full time jobs and and/or children, which is another full time job in and of itself, so life does get in the way of our blogging. I try to post at least twice a week, but sometimes if I can squeeze in just one Friday post, I'm really impressed with myself! Ha, ha! I absolutely value everything you have to say (unless of course it's really mean!) and I think everyone can blog about something and find readership. 


Bogging is not just a great social networking or marketing tool, it's a great outlet for writers (or anyone) to meet and connect with others, specifically those who don't think your my fascination with rats and hobgoblins is weird! :)


Of note on the blog topic:
Brian Wallace, the founder of NowSourcing, Inc, (which is a really cool site if you're into social networking) just wrote a great post on ten reasons why people are not commenting on your blog, which is both funny and insightful. So check it out!  I wish I could be as prolific as Brian!

So what are you--prolific or pathetic? Are you a blog fanatic or do you cringe under your desk when someone asks why you haven't posted anything but a picture of your cat in 23 weeks?


xoxo -- Hilary

44 comments:

  1. There are days I love blogging. Days I feel like it's a chore. Same with reading blogs. I've given myself permission to miss reading a few posts here and there. I simply don't have time for it all - even though I desperately wish I did!

    So where do I fit? I blog twice a week, like clockwork. Pathetically prolific? ;)

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  2. Michelle, I think that qualifies you for prolific status! I don't think you to be a blogging machine to be prolific, you just need to be consistent and insightful...you are both!

    xoxo -- Hilary

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  3. Sometimes I really like it and have a lot to say. Other times it's a struggle but I try, like you, to update 1-2 times week! And I try and comment on blogs but sometimes I just read and close it, if I'm swamped.

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  4. Jen, both you and Michelle make me feel so much better! Yes, 1-2 times a week works for me!

    xoxo -- Hilary

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  5. I try to maintain a Monday / Wednesday blog schedule for my blog (although, this week, illness prevented my normal Monday post). I told myself that I'd stress myself less about blogging and concentrate on my novel in 2010, and I've been successful so far. My belated Monday post arrived on Tuesday.

    I always try to reply to comments on my blog the same day if I can, no later than a day later if I must. I think it's important that people feel like someone is "listening" to them to get value out of their comments. That and it just makes people feel good to know someone read what they wrote.

    I adore reading other blogs and often try to comment, but rather than leave an inane comment, I won't say anything. I make it a point to show through my comments that I've read the post.

    I would put myself as an average blogger. Thanks for the post, Hilary! You're da H-bomb! ;-)

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  6. ((Teresa)) Hope your feeling better! Yes, it's hard to answer one and all's comments, if you let a bunch of comments slip by you, you can sink yourself, because it just becomes over whelming! I hate when I let that happen, because I do read them all!

    Where have you been anyway? I miss my NC Twitter buddy! :)

    xoxo -- Hilary

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  7. I'm somewhere in the middle. I try to post twice a week (it usually ends up once) and I try to get to everyone's blogs (I make it there eventually, but probably not every day.) I like it, but it's hard to keep up!

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  8. Wendy,

    Middle is good! Besides, you have to keep an eye on those kids of yours! I'm sure they're lookers just like their mom! :)

    xoxo -- Hilary

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  9. I'm like you. It comes in spurts.

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  10. Excellent topic!

    Like you, I read A LOT of blogs. But I'll only comment on those whose topic grabbed my attention or the bloggers resolve seems to be sagging. As far as posting goes, I'm purposely not on any kind of schedule or internal mandate to post regularly. Blogging is just another outlet for my writing, but its on the bottom of the totem pole. My real job and working on my novel always comes first.

    This community is definitely give and take, and I try to find a balance that fits my time constraints. :)

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  11. I try not to follow too many blogs, because then I feel guilty when I don't have the time to read and comment. As for writing on my own blog, I try to post four or five times a week, even if it's a short post.

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  12. Karen, I can tell by your avy, you've got your hands full like me!! :)

    DL, Great points! For me, my writing has to come first! Blogging can be a great exercise for your own writing, but I'm sure you'd all get bored if all I blogged about were rats, hobgoblins and things that live underground or at least you'd just think I was really, really weird(er)! :)

    xoxo -- Hilary

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  13. Melissa! Never feel guilty! People are happy to know you thought enough to follow them, even if you don't have time to always read or comment on their posts! We are only human!

    xoxo -- Hilary

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  14. I'm still fairly new, however I would say I am a bit of both, I love to read everyone that follows me, plus those I have found, they are so insightful and even getting inside their head a little is amazing! I'll have to check out Brian's post, sounds funny!

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  15. I think I'm fairly prolific. BUT I do have a week here or there when I go into hibernation. Regardless of what else is going on in my life, sometimes I just need a BREAK!

    That being said, I've made some really, really good friends through the blogosphere.

    I read a LOT of blogs every day and usually find them very enjoyable. But I don't always comment unless I have something to say about it---or if I have an answer to a posted question.

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  16. I'm in the middle, too. I used to blog 4 times a week, but my regular writing suffered, so now I blog 2-3 times a week. I think the writing blogging community is so supportive of one another. I have learned so many tips about writing and read great books that bloggers recommended (not to mention made kind and helpful cyber friends) through blogs.
    I do try and comment frequently when I can to connect to other writers, but this is sporadic as time allows too.

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  17. Jen, Yes, Brian's post is great! I love his site! Are you getting into MY head? I thought I heard voices! ;)

    Sarah, I think you make an excellent point. Why comment if you've nothing useful to say? Sometimes I'll just comment so others know I AM reading their posts, even if my comment was lame! Ha, ha! :)

    Kelly, I'm sporadic too! We do what we can, right? I think if I could dedicate about 1.5 hours a day to blogging I get leaps and bounds ahead, but alas, sometimes I'm lucky if I get that 1.5 hours in a whole week!!! :)

    xoxo -- Hilary

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  18. I post twice a week, monday and thursday, like clockwork. And I have done that for the past two years (except for two weeks I took off this past dec).

    The only way I have managed to keep up With that schedule is to take a whole day every few weeks and write several posts. Then I use blogger's handy scheduling feature and schedule several posts to automatically post themselves at a specific time on a set date. If I didn't do this, my blog would have petered out long ago. :)

    As it is, when I get busy, I don't get to read and comment on other blogs nearly as much as I'd like. But I have kids, and stories to write. :)

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  19. Tabitha = Prolific !! :)

    See, that's what I need to do! Come up with a system like you have and stick to it! For me, the sticking to it is the hard part! Tues/Friday have always been my days, but look at me, posting on a Wednesday--confusing everyone! Great idea, Tabitha!

    xoxo -- Hilary

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  20. I've been trying to stick with a M W F schedule, but sometimes that seems like too much. I've thought about cutting back to two days per week. I guess it depends on if I run out of things to blog about (which I hope I don't).

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  21. Melissa,

    I think once blogging becomes more akin to work than fun, you for sure need to cut down. For me, I think it would hurt the quality of my posts. I'd start to resent blogging and I never want to do that! My blog has been so kind to me! :)

    xoxo -- Hilary

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  22. Anonymous2/17/2010

    I try to blog once a week. Everyday I try to read a few blogs (the ones that attract my attention the most in my Blogger reading list) and make a few comments. I also respond to the comments posted on my own blog.

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  23. Medeia,

    Keep it simple, I like your style! I need to reduce the chaos in my life, although chaos can be kind of energizing! :)

    xoxo -- Hilary

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  24. I'm pathetic. I only post once (sometimes twice) a week, yet have been known to disappear off the radar for several weeks. To be honest, I'm always stunned that anyone follows me. If I follow people who are prolific, I tend to switch off. One can only read so many blogs in a day after all!

    I'm delighted I found you though. Good post :)

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  25. I'm a Monday and Wednesday blogging girl, but I've blogged a lot in the last two weeks (according to my husband who actually follows my blog) because of all the contests going on.

    And checking out all the blogs is a great form of procrastination. :)

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  26. I'm probably more pathetic...but I just do what I can. I blog 2 times a week and read other blogs when I can. I only comment when something comes to mind right away to say. I wish I could devote more time to blogging (mostly reading and commenting on other blogs) but the truth is, I am doing the best that I can!

    Shelley

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  27. Wendy, I promise not to post more than twice a week, unless something crazy happens and I'm forced to blog more! That brings up a great question: Can a blogger blog too much?? Hmmm...

    Stina, Procrastination is my middle name, maybe its every writers' middle name!

    Shelley, You actually seem pretty prolific! I think I see a lot of posts from you or maybe I just remember them better than others! :)

    xoxo -- Hilary

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  28. I post twice a week and usually only have time to comment for an hour or so twice a week. I wish I could read and comment every day but there just aren't enough hours in the day. :(

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  29. I think I fall in the middle, too, maybe farther to the pathetic side. :( I just lost my two days off, which I used for blogging and writing. *sob* I try to post fairly regularly, but I want to post interesting and helpful things, and those take time and concentration. LOL.

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  30. I can say with complete confidence that I am prolifically pathetic. I think my followers would label me as a blogging fanatic.

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  31. We are blog whores, plain and simple. But we follow all kinds of different blogs, some that update every day others that update once a month. We're just kind of nosy and we love blogging, so it works. Great topic GG!

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  32. Hilary--I began reading blogs to learn about writing and writers, somewhere along the way I started reading blogs that were not just about writing. I don't always write about writing, I post about random things...I wish I could post wonderful words of wisdom about the writing industry, but I'm just beginning my journey. I try to follow everyone that follows me. Some people don't have blogs, so I can't follow them. I haven't figured out how to follow people who have live journals instead of blogs...so I try to bookmark them and check them periodically. I keep the writing blogs on my blog roll, I have a section on agents, a section for writer informational sites and the non-writer blogs are on my dashboard. I try to read my dashboard once a week. I only comment when I have something to say. I hope I don't offend anyone, I do the best I can to read and comment as much as possible.

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  33. Karen, You are so right! There just aren't enough hours (or coffee and Redbull) in the day. ;)

    Larissa, Time and concentration? What are these mysterious things you speak of! Ha, ha! ;)

    Jonathon, Ha! Prolifically pathetic, I love it! I need a little of that! Right now I far more pathetic! :)

    Janna, Once in a very great while I get it right! ;0

    L&L, You guys crack me up! And yes you are blogging strumpets! Ha, ha! :)

    Sharon, How could you possibly offend anyone? You are super nice! OMG! I can't even imagine!

    xoxo -- Hilary

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  34. Hey Hilary,

    Thanks for the mention, and I enjoyed reading your insight. For the record, there's nothing wrong with posting pictures of your cat :)

    That said it is difficult to manage everything else in one's life and trying to balance it with blogging. Unless you're a blogger, I'm not sure people appreciate this fact.

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  35. Oh, thanks for commenting Brian! I have realized (sadly) that your job is far cooler than mine! I love the whole, wow, I guess you can call it an industry now, of social networking! If only I had the time!

    Brian, your site is great and extremely helpful! Yes, I'm supposed to be a writer but I'm switching to Fan Girl--YOU ROCK! Ha, ha! :) Take care!

    xoxo -- Hilary

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  36. Hey Hilary! (I keep correcting myself from typing just "Hil"). I'm not sure where I fall, but I too keep a 1-2 a week schedule. Though sometimes more, sometimes less, I don't have a schedule. Maybe I should. I just post when I feel I have something interesting to say! (or maybe not so interesting...hmmm..) Though I did try to take a hiatus from blogging. That lastest a day. Totally hopeless.

    I am guilty of making comments that are just "fluff" at times, because I do want people to know I'm reading their blogs. But I try to say something meaningful or add to the conversation if I can.

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  37. Christa, Ah...the fluff comment! "Great Post!" "Really Interesting!" Yes, those are classic! Let's face it, sometimes even as writers we're not literary geniuses! I've left a few of those too, but I do mean them and like you, I want people to know I read their post--even if I can't think of something witty to say (which is a lot)! ;)

    xoxo -- Hilary

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  38. I'm definitely not prolific with my blog posts, but I try to make the ones I do publish something worthwhile (don't know if I succeed, but it's the thought that counts, eh?). I don't mind if people only post once or twice a week. It doesn't signify to me that a blog is any less worth following. It just means I'll have less to see of your work. Not sure what othes think on the matter. But if you are only posting once a month or every couple of months, I might forget about you. I think it's important to try and maintain an online presence, but every day? Or several times a day? Hmm...it's not necessary for me. I'll still follow you ;)

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  39. Carolina, I certainly agree, quality over quantity!!! I'd much rather read a post that matters!

    xoxo -- Hilary

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  40. I generally enjoy blogging. And I hope that I am more prolific than pathetic. I try to average 3 posts per week and make sure that every post is somehow pertinent to writing, skating, or laughter- since those are my 3 objectives.

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  41. Anita,

    Why are you not writing a funny book about skating? :) I've heard stories from my little sister (major skater), rough crowd those skaters! You are a prolific blogger! I like your posts and you always manage to make me smile!

    xoxo -- Hilary

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  42. I probably qualify as pathetic. I don't actually write a blog (i.e., a daily or even weekly entry in which I present material that shouts "Comment on me!") Of my two main blogs, one is primarily information about me and what I'm doing -- although I'm working to change that. The other consists mostly of interviews with other writers. I don't provide writing tips because I feel that's been done plenty of places. I just don't want to use my time to reinvent the wheel. I don't read other people's blogs much either. I rarely comment on blogs. (Yes, Hilary, you're special!)

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  43. This was an informative post for me. I had no idea there was blog etiquette. After reading this and checking out the link, I'm glad that I've been doing a pretty good job.

    I'm prolific. Since I started my blog in September, I've posted virtually every single day.

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