Comments on: 8 Reasons NOT to Blog

By: Laura

Laura — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:00:11 +0000

Geoff,

Snarky commenters have stalked me, too (not on this blog, but on my blog for adoptive parents). Fortunately, the adoption blogging community is tightknit, and we notify each other when a rabid commenter appears on the scene. These commenters tend to target several blogs within a particular niche and spread their bad breath in as wide a swath as possible.

They won’t be reasoned with; they just enjoy stirring up trouble. I’ve learned to ignore them and they give up and go away.

It’s disconcerting when someone decides they hate you, personally, based on one blog post. But that’s the way some people operate. When you blog, you learn to expect the unexpected.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:30:23 +0000

I have felt, after my writing partner and I somehow disturbed one individual enough that he started stalking us on-line, leaving snarky and downright nasty comments about us, and posting really (pardon my phrasology) snotty reviews of our book on Amazon and B&N, that if we didn’t have detractors like that, we weren’t working hard enough. Eventually, he got tired of us and went away to stalk some other sap.

I do blog a lot, I do want to be loved, most of my readers write post agreeing with me (or, on occasion, disagreeing with me respectfully) but I’m not afraid of the snarks anymore. In fact, I sort of wish there was a bit more controversy in my comment sections. Maybe I need to work harder.

By: 10 Good Reasons to Blog | Blogging Bistro

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By: An Introduction to Blogging « Rural Business Development

An Introduction to Blogging « Rural Business Development — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:58:33 +0000

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By: Laura

Laura — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 19:23:49 +0000

Julie – Thanks for sharing about Wal-Mart’s blogging efforts. Will take a peek.

Kat – We’ll share some secrets about SEO in future posts…stay tuned — and send us your specific questions about it.

Mike – Yes, blogging does give us our 15 minutes of fame, doesn’t it? I agree that there is room for everyone in the blogosphere. Even with 133 million blogs out there, 97 percent of them are abandoned after the first post, so in reality, the blogosphere isn’t all that crowded.

Pam – Be sure to tell us your blog’s URL when you launch it.

Kat – You ARE lucky to have escaped being blasted by crazed commenters. Maybe you aren’t being controversial enough!

Bonita – Hope your students enjoy Putrid Prose, too. We run the column every Monday.

By: Bonita

Bonita — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:04:30 +0000

I’m enjoying browsing your blog. I especially like the Putrid Prose examples. I teach writing to middle schoolers and these are just the types of examples I like to use because they are funny, but also show them how to improve writing. Thanks for inviting me to your blog!

By: kat magendie

kat magendie — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:27:46 +0000

I’ve been lucky – never had rogue commenters (well, once when I first began my blog, MSN placed me on their blogs to notice site–and I’ve been there at least 4 times now! and I’m on Microsoft Home Magazine’s site as fave places too, huhn! That brings visitors—but that first time they put me there, before I had photos and other links on my blog, I received a couple of negative commenters who said “what’s so great about this blog?” and one pornographic commenter– since then; however, it’s all been positive and everyone has been respectful – again, I guess I’ve been very lucky!).

The biggest problem with blogging is time…keeping the blog fresh, and to keep it positive even when I’m having a really stressful time in my life.

By: Pam Halter

Pam Halter — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 01:45:54 +0000

All good and valid points. Thanks for the good information, Laura! There is a lot to consider before starting a blog. I’m waiting on my friend who is illustrating the artwork for the header before I launch into it ~ hopefully, it won’t be too much longer.

By: Mike Dellosso

Mike Dellosso — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:54:24 +0000

Good stuff, Laura. Blogging is definately a commitment, like all writing. The interesting thing is that there are so many different reasons why people blog and so many different reasons why people read blogs. Some do it just for the personal satisfaction of writing and getting thoughts out of their head, others do it with a specific purpose and audience in mind. Some don’t care if anyone reads what they write, others wouldn’t do it if there were no readers.

Another interesting point is that there are so many people reading blogs now days that if you stick with it,write consistently, and have something interesting to say and say it in an interesting way you’re bound to find an audience sooner or later, regardless what you write about.

Blogging gives everyone the opportunity to be a celebrity of sorts. Okay, maybe that’s stretching it a bit, but there’s a huge blogosphere out there and room for anyone’s voice.

By: Kat

Kat — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:29:02 +0000

Great post Laura! I’d never considered the downside of blogging before diving in headfirst either. Regardless of whether or not anyone reads what I have to say on my blog, I’d still do it.

It would be nice to know the secrets of Search Engine Optimization, though.