I Hate When People Blog About Blogging, But Here I Am, Doing It.
February 24, 2011
This morning I had a bit of a fit on Twitter. It was a total, embarrassing pity party whereby I might have uttered the following: “I blogged old school last night. I wanted help with a couple things but yeah. No one comments on blogs anymore.”
Insert Snooki WAH.*
Dear Self,
First of all, you are inconsistent with blogging. Why do you expect people to click over as soon as you hit publish? Yes, special snowflake, you are unique and ridiculously awesome, but COME ON.
People have lives, children, spouses, work, homes to keep, cooking, laundry, and Twitter? Moves at the speed of light.
So quit whining.
Love, Me.
p.s. Fix your blog. You used to be a blog designer and your blog looks like a garage sale threw up on it. Good Lord woman.
I’ll be the first one to tell you that I don’t care about traffic. I truly don’t. I don’t make money off of this blog, and I blog because I enjoy it, when I have the time. Lately I’ve been brain dumping on this one and I’m finally at a point again where I’m willing to share.
What I DO care about, is comments. I LOOOOVE comments. I love seeing lots of comments on a post! I don’t want a million hits a day, but if someone leaves a comment, I’m thrilled that they took the time to do so. I love the interaction with old friends and new, and I’m not afraid to admit it.
Do you think that makes me pathetic? An attention seeker? (Aren’t we all – us bloggers – in some way, attention seeking?) It’s not a validation thing – at least not all the time. It’s a matter of relating to others, whether they’ve been in my shoes or not. I’ve met some awesome people through blogging and it all comes down to who I hear from.
That is all. Pity party over. Nothing to see here.
* I realize there are bigger problems in the world, obviously.
February 24th, 2011 at 12:49 pm
Whatever. Comments, no comments, I’m used to it, personally. But you know – HI! You’re awesome! And pretty! And smart! And don’t forget it of I’ll push you down and call you funny names and stuff.
*grin*
Adam´s last words of wisdom ..The future of books
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 24th, 2011 at 12:51 pm
@Adam, You’re pretty and smart too!!!!
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February 24th, 2011 at 12:52 pm
I just started my blog, like, two weeks ago and I now totally understand why all my friends who blog love to have comments more than anything. I read my blogs using an RSS reader and never went to the Web page to make comments, ’cause you know, I’m a busy mom. Man, have I changed my tune! Karen, you are not the only one. I think it is totally normal to feel the way!
Krista (@kristahouse)´s last words of wisdom ..Wordless Wednesday
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 24th, 2011 at 1:21 pm
@Krista (@kristahouse), see this is exactly what i’m talking about – it’s nice to hear i’m not alone! best of luck with your new blog too, by the way.
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February 24th, 2011 at 12:57 pm
Hello! I loooooove comments too. Love. When I don’t get a lot of comments, I actually get depressed. I know, I need therapy, right? You are awesome and I love new posts from you! I neglect commenting sometimes – and reading blogs – because I get so busy with work and kids and stuff. Sucky! Anyway… I’m here!
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 24th, 2011 at 1:22 pm
@Loukia, I do too – you watch, I’ll be back at school next week and be struggling to keep up with life and probably won’t post anything. lol
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February 24th, 2011 at 1:05 pm
See, I could have written this post myself, word for word. I have started and stopped writing regularly on my blog so many times that I have no one to blame but myself for my waning readership (well, I do blame Twitter a bit too). But still, remember when we used to post and we’d have 6 or 7 comments in the first 30 minutes after we hit Publish? The Good Old Days indeed….
Jenny @ Crash Test Mommy´s last words of wisdom ..Where’s Walrus Book Giveaway Winners
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 24th, 2011 at 1:22 pm
@Jenny @ Crash Test Mommy, those days are so gone – and there are so many blogs now – i can’t keep up either. hence my whine-fest being over! i know i was being silly.
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February 24th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Comments are pretty much why I write. I mean, I’d write anyway, but I’d do it with a pen on paper if I didn’t want some sort of feedback from cyber space.
Anyway, I love you and think you’re pretty and nice and funny and smart. And pretty. I said that one already.
Jen O.´s last words of wisdom ..Be careful what you ask for
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 6:52 pm
@Jen O., That’s what I love about blogging – it’s usually instant feedback.
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February 24th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Yes. Yes to all of this! I looove comments too…its why I blog and don’t write in a diary no one can read. Xoxo
jessi´s last words of wisdom ..6 Weeks & Other Updates
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 6:52 pm
@jessi, amen, sister.
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February 24th, 2011 at 4:52 pm
Every so often I write my own “waa waa” version of this and get a spike in comments. Three days later it’s all over again.
I like the attention :0) I can admit it. Just nobody tell my husband!
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
@Tam, I like the attention too!
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February 24th, 2011 at 5:03 pm
I have become an attention whore – and I’m proud of it. You and me, Babe. You and me.
lceel´s last words of wisdom ..100 Word Challenge – Frightened
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
@lceel, absolutely!
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February 24th, 2011 at 5:55 pm
Oh, hai, bad commenter here.
Not that I leave bad comments. I just rarely do so anymore. Especially since I started using a reader.
And it is terrible, because I’m a comment whore myself…I love getting comments on my posts. Makes me terribly giddy.
I like the attention, and the affirmation. I admit it.
All too often I forget that sometimes, just a simple few words, like, “love this post” can mean so much to someone.
Thanks for the reminder.
avasmommy´s last words of wisdom ..Backwards Forwards
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 6:54 pm
@avasmommy, I think I share a lot in Google Reader, but I want to put the Google Reader badge in my sidebar so people can see when I like something they’ve written. You know, the stuff I read on my phone while I’m on the toilet. LOL
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Tam Reply:
February 26th, 2011 at 6:12 am
@Karen Sugarpants, I do that too!
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February 24th, 2011 at 6:58 pm
This is exactly the reason I did a 180 and got a new blog that I don’t expect anyone to comment on. That way I don’t get too upset if no one does. Although I absolutely love it when someone does!
Megan´s last words of wisdom ..Booty
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 6:57 pm
@Megan, I just subscribed (I’m sorry I didn’t realize sooner.) It’s BEAUTIFUL! I read all the posts in my reader just now. LOVE IT.
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February 24th, 2011 at 7:08 pm
Okay… I rarely comment, but I even rarelyerly (is that a word? I don’t think so…) um… I even more rarely laugh out loud when reading blog posts.
But I just did when I read the p.s. to yourself.
You definitely deserve a comment this time.
Oh. I commented just the other day?
I must be getting old…
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 6:58 pm
@Katharina, Yeah you did! LOL! I try to comment – and I will try harder, but yeah, it’s not always feasible.
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February 24th, 2011 at 7:11 pm
I couldn’t agree with you more… I love comments, LOOOOOOOOOVE getting them, but uh… I’m inconsistent in blogging too.
Just know you’re not alone in your thoughts. I keep reminding myself that I need to be commenting on other blogs too. It’s not fair if I want comments but don’t comment on other blogs.
Harumpf. It’s the little things, eh?
Krystle | snarkykisses´s last words of wisdom ..There is a reason- always
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 6:58 pm
@Krystle | snarkykisses, I need to remind myself of that too!
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February 24th, 2011 at 7:28 pm
It’s that interaction, the reaching out to other people that I loved about blogging. Comments were a little bit of validation that I wasn’t alone. I try to spread the love, give when I get. But I find that even when I leave comments regularly at other blogs, many won’t return the favor, at least not like it was even a year ago.
I don’t keep track of numbers or traffic either, I turned off my stats months ago. But, I do enjoy seeing someone has left me a love note.
Tara R.´s last words of wisdom ..Bump in the night
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 6:59 pm
@Tara R., me too, lovely. i really don’t care about traffic – but if you relate to something i wrote or say you liked something, or even disagree with me? *swoon*
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February 24th, 2011 at 9:16 pm
This is me commenting.
Comment.
I LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUU
sam {temptingsam}´s last words of wisdom ..Change
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 6:59 pm
@sam {temptingsam}, I love youuuuu too!
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February 24th, 2011 at 9:16 pm
I hate when I look back at old posts (that were kind of horrible) and I’m all “HOLY FUCK…I got 58 comments on a crappy post!” and now I’m lucky if I get 8. I hate that no one comments anymore.
alimartell´s last words of wisdom ..Spins a Web- Any Size
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 6:59 pm
@alimartell, I try to! And I think we all try…I was just being a whiny biotch on this post.
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February 24th, 2011 at 9:20 pm
I love comments too, and I always feel I don’t get enough, I mean, naturally.
I think it has a lot to do with people reading on their phones, reading at work, reading through readers.
I think our writing is getting out there, no doubt. But I do also think that the art of commenting is dying. Unfortunately. So unfortunately.
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 7:00 pm
@designhermomma, i know. i think we all try though!
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February 25th, 2011 at 2:56 am
i’m a total sucker for comments, and i never get any. well, i get some but not half as many as you got on this one post. and i never started with the intention of being whore for comments, but they are akin to crack in their addictive potential. commenting should not be dying, not when i’ve only been blogging for a year. this sucks ass.
tricia´s last words of wisdom ..Portlandia
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 7:01 pm
@tricia, i think posts about blogging tend to get more comments because we all have that in common!
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February 25th, 2011 at 10:56 am
Traffic? so what…. comments? the reason I/we post in the first place I think.
Hockeymandad´s last words of wisdom ..I wrote something…
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 7:01 pm
@Hockeymandad, absolutely!
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February 25th, 2011 at 11:44 am
I can relate, but just to be picky, 18 or 20 comments is hardly “nobody.” If I get a single comment I get all excited and buy champagne and take the week off.
(and now it looks like I’m just fishing for comments, which I’m not, if I wanted comments I’d write comment-worthy stuff, like what you write)
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 7:01 pm
@Ben, i think posts about blogging get more comments. i didn’t mean to sound so whiny, but yeah – WHINER! LOL! glad you stopped by, Ben.
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February 25th, 2011 at 2:46 pm
I adore you. I adore your posts.
That being said, commenting is weird these days. Mine is down too. Not this week, but mostly. I could care less about stats and shit like that. My blog costs me money, it doesn’t make me any. But wahhhhhh I love comments too.
Issa´s last words of wisdom ..The things I don’t say
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 7:02 pm
@Issa, let’s be whiny together. LOL
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Issa Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 7:08 pm
@Karen Sugarpants, We need to bring it back. Whiny blogging for the win!
Issa´s last words of wisdom ..The things I don’t say
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February 25th, 2011 at 4:47 pm
I never get as many comments as I’d like. It’s kind of like I’m talking to myself on my blog some days. That would be odd, except that’s the way things are in real life. So, I’m pretty much used to talking to myself and any reply is a pleasant surprise.
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 7:03 pm
@Nancy [Fear and Parenting in Las Vegas], that’s kind of how I feel too. and I know Twitter moves fast so I feel bad when I tweet my post 3-4 times, but honestly, if people don’t do that, I often miss their stuff and I WANT to read other blogs so I say tweet away!
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Nancy [Fear and Parenting in Las Vegas] Reply:
February 25th, 2011 at 7:09 pm
@Karen Sugarpants, I usually tweet once or twice (if it’s something I really want feedback on or if the comments are super juicy).Twitter has replaced the RSS feeds for a lot of readers, but there are a lot of folks for whom I see their tweets and wish I had the time to read them at that moment, but sadly I’m still relegated to my habit of going through my Reader while shoveling down my lunch at the office. If I haven’t put someone in my reader (and yes, you’re there), it’s catch as catch can. That reminds me, I need to add some folks….:)
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February 25th, 2011 at 8:26 pm
I am totally with you, I love comments. I do.
flutter´s last words of wisdom ..Thirst
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 26th, 2011 at 1:19 am
@flutter, me too, and i’m not afraid to whine about it.
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February 26th, 2011 at 2:27 am
“It’s a matter of relating to others, whether they’ve been in my shoes or not.”
YES. As you said, knowing that someone out there not only read what I wrote, but also took the time to let me know by leaving a comment could make me cry some days. (Although, I do find it rather amusing that the happier posts get less comments than the whiny/sad-pants/ranty ones… Misery loves company, right? *wink*)
Chibi Jeebs´s last words of wisdom ..Things That Can Just Fck Right Off 59
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Karen Sugarpants Reply:
February 27th, 2011 at 1:14 pm
@Chibi Jeebs, TOTALLY TRUE, my friend.
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