Anyone for Comments? 09/08/2005 I have often been asked why Gone Away gets so many comments to most of its posts. Mark Cross of I'm Here So I Blog and I had a brief email discussion about this recently and then ProBlogger included a link to Digital Doorway's article on the subject (posted August 4). Marti Lawrence (Digital Doorway) asked which of the following responses was correct:a) Smile to yourself and be glad someone is taking the time to replyb) Respond via e-mailc) Respond in your own commentsd) Respond in the comments section of the commenter's blog?e) All of the aboveNone of the 22 comments on this article seemed to me to put forward a coherent and logical strategy on the matter, so I decided that it was time to write a bit about it myself. I don't claim to be an expert on the subject but I think Gone Away's record speaks for itself (have a look in the Contents - comments totals are included after the names of the posts).The first factor to consider is that I came to blogging from chat. I knew nothing of marketing of blogs in those days and so I just hit the market I knew - the chatrooms. A few of my chat friends came to look and became interested in blogging themselves. Quite unconsciously, I was building a small community of bloggers and this became the core of my commenters; we would comment extensively upon each other's posts.So we have a first principle: try to build a community of bloggers who comment regularly.Another result of beginning with a group of chatters was that it was natural for us to use the comments systems as a place to chat; conversations would be sparked by the initial post and these would often wander off into completely unrelated subjects. You might think that this defeats the objects of commenting but consider how it inflates the number of comments! Even more importantly, matters arising in these discussions were often the starting point for new posts. Many of my posts are the result of ideas born in the comments to previous posts (this one, for instance).Two more principles become apparent: encourage conversations and don't ignore comments that wander off the point.Of course, I'm greedy when it comes to the blog, and so it wasn't long before I hungered for commenters beyond our small circle of friends. That was when I stumbled upon another principle of good comment policy. Sheer old fashioned politeness insisted that I answer comments but I also found that this encouraged return visits and helped to turn visitors into regulars. So I've made it a rule that I answer all comments unless they really don't need an answer. There's nothing worse than spending some time on a thoughtful comment on someone'sblog, then going back a day or so later and finding that he or she hasn't bothered to reply. Even a brief comment such as "Nice blog" deserves a "Thank you" at least.I know several bloggers who respond to comments by email. This satisfies the politeness requirement but is not an option for me because other potential commenters don't see the response and so are not encouraged to have their say; it prevents conversations developing. I can see that, just occasionally, it might be more appropriate to respond by email rather than in the comments system (where personal matters might be mentioned, for instance). But I can't think of a single instance of this happening in my own blog.The possibility of replying to a comment by responding in the commenter's blog seems to me to have disadvantages. It is an opportunity to spread the old URL through the blogosphere but stands a good chance of being taken as spam. The relevance of your comment would be lost on other commenters and so might be regarded as "fishing in another's pond". Plus, of course, you stop any chances of conversation developing in your own comments system.Using all of the possible methods looks like overkill to me, apart from the amount of work it would entail. Imagine how strange it would be to comment on a blog and then get a response in that blog, an email and a reply in your own blog. I'd be tempted to think the blogger was desperate for company!My answer to Marti's question must be, therefore: Always reply to comments if at all possible and do it in your comments system. It works for me!After all this, you might be wondering why we should be concerned about comments at all. They are not a valid indicator of traffic and involve considerable extra work for the blogger (if responses are considered and not just a standard "thanks for commenting" message). Ultimately, it all depends on the purpose of your blog. If you blog for yourself and don't care whether it's read or not, comments are not going to matter at all. But if the purpose is to be read, comments are very important as they are a factor in creating regular readers. Quality content is paramount in this quest but, if you remain doggedly unresponsive to comments, most readers will wander off sooner or later.
Clive
Marti Hi! Thanks for the link! I initially worried that comments in my OWN comments section would look like it was all about me, me, me - LOL! I didn't want every other comment to be a reply from me. On consideration though, I do like you idea of keeping the "conversation" all in the same spot. I don't respond to comments with e-mails, but I have left comments other blogs and gotten an e-mail response (which is nice, but as you said, it isn't "shareable") I do try to go visit the blog of the commenter, but while I imagine they appreciate the visit, leaving a comment there, about them coming and leaving ME a comment, starts to get pretty convoluted - LOL! I have really appreciated hearing all of the varied opinions, but I am still not sure which method I will select. I also left you a “thanks” at ProBlogger, which I tried to link to you but failed, darn it LOL Thank you for your comments, your sharing, and your opinion! Hope you have a great day! Date Added: 09/08/2005
John (SYNTAGMA) Useful ideas, Clive. Another aspect is the length of time a post holds the top place on your blog. Gone Away has just one long post on a page, which is unusual for most blogs, which may have 7 to 10 posts. I usually post 2, 3 or even 4 times a day. So each post moves quickly down the skyscraper and has a limited window of opportunity for commenting. There's often a conflict between leaving a post at the top if a good discussion is going on, and posting another one that you really want up there. It's a dilemma. There ought to be a way of shifting a popular post to a position of equal visibility in the left-hand sidebar, so that the discussion can continue, while still posting new stuff in the centre column. But it does pose problems often. Date Added: 09/08/2005
Gone Away Thanks, Mark. And don't worry about ProBlogger - I bug him with enough comments so that I'm sure he thinks I'm a spammer. ;) Date Added: 09/08/2005
Quills I think I would use a two fold strategy; 1) Reply in my own blog to encourage communication 2) See if there are any relevant discussions over at the commentors blog and get involved in those. 3) If there are no good outlets for a public comment at their blog, contact them via email to thank them for the comment and add in your response in case they are likely to miss it. As for the Skyscraper effect, I'm lucky in that my site is many fold - it currently has two sections. A personal blog, and the front page which actually gets the stuff other people might be interested in. I'm designing a front page for the blog that will list the first/current post of the articles, plus a listing of other main articles, and then 3 exerpts from each of the sections (academic, personal, fiction) as well as links to articles which I think are important but haven't discussed (see my analecta box on my current design.) The software I use also allows me to sticky posts....but...*shrugs Date Added: 09/08/2005
Gone Away I can see your problem, John - and the solution of "sticky posts" that some blogs adopt is merely irritating in that you have to scroll down to see what's new. There are some blogs that have a sidebar section for important or best posts, which seems like a good idea to me - I've used them quite often. My policy on posting is one every two days. I tried to do one a day but it just resulted in exhaustion. Since I'm trying to concentrate on creative writing in my blog, posts are longer and take more energy than the short news items most people deal in. The interesting thing is that most of the comments are made on the second day - indicating that, in my case, it's a good idea to have posts up there for a while. Date Added: 09/08/2005
Gone Away That seems a very comprehensive and well thought out strategy to me, Quills. Of course, I regard it as a matter of courtesy to visit the blogs of commenters and to comment if appropriate. But I hadn't thought of the follow-up email if there isn't an opportunity to comment. Your blog is a model of good design - clean, simple and comprehensive. Great content too (to which I will be responding as soon as I can read it properly). Date Added: 09/08/2005
Gone Away Oops, typo up there - that response was to Marti, not Mark! Date Added: 09/08/2005
Josh Its surprising how many bloggers there are that refuse to reply at all to a comment, even if its the only one there. Sometimes I reckon its shyness, other times I really get the feeling that people are just being aloof out of some misbegotten sense of blog propriety. This happens a lot on design blogs (and I suspect other blogs of dedicated theme). Lots of times, the only responses will be interaction between bona fide members of the community. Of course, if you have something to say that's worth a reply, sometimes you get a word in edgewise, but rare is the case. Of course the lion's share of blame for this sort of insularity must be placed on the shoulders of sycophants and namedroppers; so blatant are some of the come-ons that its actually amusing. Yep, its tough for a Chatty Cathy like me, in a subculture that seems powered by the axiom "Its far better to keep quiet–and be thought a fool–than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt." Date Added: 09/08/2005
Gone Away Chatty Cathy, hey? Somehow I can't see you with that moniker, Josh. To me, comments make blogging worthwhile. Occasionally I come across blogs where the blogger's been at it for years and yet there are only a few comments dotted here and there through the whole thing. I don't think I could manage that kind of stamina and disregard for outside opinion... Date Added: 09/08/2005
Yzabel I tend to do like Quills do:answering to comments in my own blog as much as possible, and also visit the commenter's blog (where I'll then leave a comment or two if there are topics that interest me). I frankly don't see any interest in answering in an e-mail--if the commenter is that interested in a potential answer, s/he'll very likely check back later on; moreover, why have a comments system enabled if it's to keep things private? I could just give my e-mail address, disable comments alltogether, and at least spare myself the risk of getting spam in comments, along with the regular ones. As for answering in a comment on the other person's blog, that's irrelevant to me as well. Posting on topic there, alright, but "invading" the comments on a post just to say "hi, thanks for your comment on my blog" seems... I don't know, a little weird? Then also, I come from a forum culture (I used to be an admin as much as a poster), so "staying on topic" and "not polluting someone else's thread with irrelevant posts" is a kind of motto for me. I don't know if my behavior regarding comments is fully fit to the "blog spirit" or whatever. I just do what seems logical to me. Date Added: 09/08/2005
Gone Away Sounds good to me, Yzabel; that's pretty much my philosophy as well. But I don't think there's an accepted standard on answering comments in the blogosphere. Maybe that's why I see so many people asking what they should do about it... Date Added: 09/08/2005
swashbookler Ironically, if the blog you're reading gives the reader no ability to comment, I feel disenfranchised. Maybe even worse, is when you have to register to comment, and then there's a message, "this comment better be so and so.. or we're going to delete your comment and possibly kill your family and go back in time and kill your ancestors." By which point you either don't comment, or get bitchy. Writing blogs/fiction blogs/memoire blogs are the most difficult to comment on. It takes a deep commitment on the reader's part, as they have to sift through text, sometimes that's not been revised, or what not, because it's being laid out as it's being set. I think that comments, are one of the only ways a fiction/writer/memorialist is going to get loyal feedback spouting readers.. I think they don't survive long without that feedback. How many of these things do you come across, quite by accident, that died, 1, 2, even 3 years ago. It used to be that fiction was for the most part, this sort of single-minded tower of thought activity, done solo by candlelight, or done with accompanyment of the radio, then by the muffled voices of a turned down TV. But with the possibility of a billion people out there, suddenly reading YOUR SHIT. Oh my God, the Internet. There are suddenly these expectations, and so on. Many of these fiction blogs litter the graveside surfaces and nodes of little travelled parts of the Internet, popping up here and there, erotic novels, science fiction novels, detective mysteries, novels about 20 somethings growing up and, what not. I've had the opportunity to examine some of the corpses, and I tell you, I think it's because they expected some social interaction and then when that didn't happen, bowed out. I think fiction/writing bloggers should put comments on Everything when they're not writing their fiction. Instead of emailing, drop a comment to someone: It might be the lifeline for their writing. And chances are they will return the favor, and somewhere along the line you'll probably need it. Date Added: 09/08/2005
Gone Away Oh, I willingly admit I need it, Swashbookler (may I call you Swash?), I only hope my commenters realize how much I have needed their opinion over the lifetime of this blog. Hah! A while back I dared to whine about not getting much response to my last little bout of fiction - next thing I know, my son's yelling at me about not stooping to begging and suchlike. But, hey, I needed to know if it was any good... Actually, it was Accelerate that I was desperate for feedback on - looking forward to your thoughts on it... Date Added: 09/08/2005
Andrew Kaufmann I agree -- comments are important. I love reading them, I love getting them. Can't lie. The comments on my site tend to be a lot of repeat visitors, which is great. It's building a community. And every so often, a lurker posts a comment -- and it's a special thrill. I love seeing new faces comment on my posts. To encourage that, I try to respond to every comment (Clive, you do a great job of that) and encourage a reply to my comment. Your blog does have great discussions -- good work Clive! Date Added: 09/08/2005
Gone Away Thanks, Andrew. *blush* Date Added: 09/08/2005
Quills Yeah, I like people posting to me, even if it's to say: uh, more depth, more proof reading. Or whatever. As for answering in a comment on the other person's blog, that's irrelevant to me as well. Posting on topic there, alright, but "invading" the comments on a post just to say "hi, thanks for your comment on my blog" seems... I don't know, a little weird? Then also, I come from a forum culture (I used to be an admin as much as a poster), so "staying on topic" and "not polluting someone else's thread with irrelevant posts" is a kind of motto for me. I don't know if my behavior regarding comments is fully fit to the "blog spirit" or whatever. I just do what seems logical to me. Yeah, if I comment in someone else's blog it is normally because I can find a post or a thread that I have a reaction to. So I do them the favour by reacting to it; lets them know that I appreciate them visiting and that I've visited them AND looked around (rather than just increased the number of hits.) Date Added: 09/08/2005
Mad I think you hit a nerve Dad. I guess the blogosphere is still working out its netiquette... Date Added: 09/08/2005
Gone Away Absolutely, Quills, especially your comments about posting on others' posts that actually interest you. There are some blogs I look at and think "I can't comment on this..." Oh yeah, and it has been known for someone to catch me out in a typo... On rare occasions... Well, I'm sure it must have happened sometime! :D Date Added: 09/08/2005
Gone Away To some extent, yes, Mad. But I was merely picking up on what I was seeing in other blogs... Date Added: 09/08/2005
Mad I was a bit freaked out the other day, I commented on a blog just to say "Hey your site's beautiful" and they deleted the comment! Sheesh... This obsession about remaining on topic is weird frankly but then like you I come from a chat background. Date Added: 09/08/2005
Josh Yeah bubs, I know a few design blogs who are fascistas about that -- it really is annoying. Being human, you can't help but percieve slight. When we were working on the blog project, I had a bit of a tussle with the pure-coder guy on the team when he constructed an elaborate registration system for comments that relied on a stilted redirection to a form. I tried at first to explain to him the nature of this process -- how spontaneity is the friend of good discourse -- but he just didn't get it. It took a seconding from the other guy on the squad, also an avid blogger, to get the point across. Of course now I'm getting a little static from him, as comment spam is an ever more frustrating issue -- but if you change the way you blog, the spammers win! Date Added: 09/08/2005
Mark Cross My original response to comments was to politely respond to all of them. Over time I adopted - I don't even know why - a strict policy of not commenting in my own comments section at all. I can't prove it but I strongly suspect I lost a lot of my original readers because of this policy. I did respond to most comments by email but that sure doesn't do much for generating conversation in the comments section. I now have returned to my original 'respond to all comments in the comments section' and I love it. It serves as an outlet for me too. My site is satirical. Sometimes that's a blessing and a curse. I love satire but I also enjoy (and missed) discussing things seriously. That is where the comments section at my site and at other site, such as here, come in handy. They provide me with an outlet for serious discussion. Commenting on my own site has become a win-win for me. The site wins because commenting overall is increasing. I win because I can now have my cake (satirical posts) and eat it (serious comments) too. Date Added: 09/08/2005
Gone Away But we sorted that out, didn't we, Mad? ;) Date Added: 09/08/2005
Gone Away .oO(Hmmm, "spontaneity is the friend of good discourse"... I must remember that and quote it at every opportunity) Date Added: 09/08/2005
Gone Away Excellent point, Mark. I have something similar in that most of my posts are serious and we can use the comments system to fool around a bit. It's all about balance... Date Added: 09/08/2005
Ken As a long-time recipient of your comments, Gone Away, I have to say that you more than practise what you preach. I've always appreciated and enjoyed your comments on my blog and have learned a good deal from them about how to attempt to do likewise. One of the differences between us, interestingly enough, is that I've never been in a chatroom in my online life! Date Added: 09/08/2005
Stuart Clive - thanks for sharing your thoughts. I found them of particular interest. You taught me in a very practical fashion that comments can be particularly useful and should be encouraged. A comment you made elsewhere alerted me to a slightly different point of view to mine that was certainly valid and a great suggestion for anyone who read it. Date Added: 09/08/2005
Gone Away Kind of you to say so, Ken, especially as your comments are always thoughtful and detailed. I really appreciate them greatly. As for chat, well, it's another world and one that I wouldn't recommend to anyone these days. I was going to write a book about it but it changes so fast that I think any book would be out of date before publication! Date Added: 09/08/2005
Gone Away Thanks for the kind comments, Stuart; much appreciated. And I must apologize that I haven't been around to your blog in the last day or so - this WBA thing has exploded the number of blogs I need to look at every day. But I'll get to it, honest! Date Added: 09/08/2005
Telfer Great post Clive and a great topic! This gets at the very heart of blogging, its nice to appreciate another blog, and its nice when someone appreciates your blog. :) I have had a few bad commenters, but I find that a gentle word turns away wrath, and some have actually apologised for their bad manners. I will never ignore a comment or delete it unless it is downright troublesome, the readers can judge for themselves on the comments. GBYAY Date Added: 09/08/2005
Gone Away Very true, John, about a soft answer turning away wrath. And it brings out another point that I had not mentioned: that it's a waste of time to indulge in argument in comments. Disagreement and discussion are fine, variety of viewpoint is the spice of life, but to escalate this to the point of fighting is to sour the atmosphere for everyone. Date Added: 10/08/2005
Stuart hahahaha - Clive I think you must be suffering from Blog overload :) You've been there and commented - 2 days ago :) On the other hand that could mean that my small business blog is so lacking in memorable features you completely forgot about it ... sob ... sniff Date Added: 10/08/2005
Gone Away Not at all, Stuart, I remembered commenting on your blog (in fact I returned just to see that my memory was correct before replying!); I was apologizing that I had not been back in my rounds as yet. Your blog is an excellent example of how business need not be a boring, deadly serious affair - I found plenty to interest me in it. Now, if I can just find time to read further into it than the last few posts... The thing is, Stuart, in a way, it doesn't matter who joins our happy band at WBA - from a coldly logical point of view I could say that every link is a link and helps us towards our goal. But the variety of skills and knowledge already within WBA shows me how narrow a viewpoint that would be. We have a marketing expert, several self publishers, at least one accomplished web designer, a waffler (that's me!) and even a business expert! And all are writers in their chosen field and deserve equal respect for that. And, if you can make business matters interesting to me, it would seem that your writing is second to none. Date Added: 10/08/2005
Stuart Thank you for those very kind words Clive - for once I'm stuck for words. Date Added: 10/08/2005
Jodie Clive, the conversations in the comments are sometimes as much fun as your posts. YOU make that happen, and you're very good at it. :) This is a nice place to visit. Date Added: 10/08/2005
Gone Away I love the way the comments section sometimes explodes into activity (keeps me out of mischief, at least). And you're right, Jodie - it's often better than the posts! :D Date Added: 10/08/2005
John (SYNTAGMA) I've been studying some of the A-listers recently for a project and it's interesting to see how they manage comments. By far the bravest is Robert Scoble over at Scobleizer. Like Clive, he replies to most of them and boy do they give him hell. Dozens of anonymous scruffs who probably haven't had a thought worth recording in their lives, go for him like a pack of hungry hounds. Poor Scoble had to take a week off after the recent flame war which turned on whether IE7 would accept Google and Yahoo toolbars. Many of the other A-listers disable comments, which is a pity. It's a bit grand to do that, I think. Date Added: 10/08/2005
Gone Away Interesting. I haven't looked at Scoble's comments yet - will take a gander. But it brings up a point about comments. Ever seen comments on a post run to the hundreds? And how much did you feel like adding to them? Large numbers of comments can be intimidating to some people. But I understand why some of the A-listers turn off their comments. Trying to answer them must be like trying to hold back a waterfall while standing underneath it. Date Added: 10/08/2005
swashbookler That's Atrios, definitely. Between typing your comment, and pressing Post A Comment, 30 other comments have been posted. The whole A list, B list, and C list, thing is quite nuts, really. Lots of the A list blogs are the ones with the worst content. I'm not really sure who's reading it.. Date Added: 10/08/2005
Gone Away I agree, Swash, many of the A-list blogs I don't look at because they're dealing with stuff that doesn't interest me. But a lot of people em interested in what they have to say, it seems. Some of the top bloggers are popular because of who they are (it must help if you're employed by Microsoft and letting out insider info, for instance) but I think others are there purely because they were first on the scene. Being first is always a huge advantage in that you can build a following unimpeded by competition and then it becomes self-perpetuating - you're an authority because so many read you and your fame draws new readers in to see what the fuss is about. It's up to us to devise a strategy that enables us to build our own very different readership, reaching those who probably don't read the A-list anyway. Date Added: 10/08/2005
Gone Away Typo: for "em" read "are". In italics, of course... Date Added: 10/08/2005
Mark Cross I quit reading A-list blogs months ago. I find the content at the bottom of the blogging food chain far more interesting, and better designed, than most of the A-listers anyway. Date Added: 10/08/2005
Gone Away Be kind to me, Mark; I've only just discovered them! ;) Date Added: 10/08/2005
Gary Good advice. At first I felt that acknowledging comments all the time was patronizing (and, frankly, burdensome--how many ways can you say "thanks for the comment"?), but I just have to think about how it makes me feel when my comments are acknowledged to realize it encourages people to return, or at least, doesn't encourage them not to. Date Added: 10/08/2005
Gone Away Indeed so, Gary. And comments add to posts as well - quite often a commenter will bring extra information or related link. I've seen some pretty good comments on your articles and some amazing discussions at times! Patronizing? Nah... Date Added: 10/08/2005
Cellounge Admin Sometimes a post has no need for comments. Date Added: 10/08/2005
Gone Away Certainly true of some posts in some blogs, Cellounge, but never of mine. ;) Date Added: 10/08/2005
Kurt Thanks for posting this, Clive. As a new blogger, it's good to know that people do appreciate responses to comments; I come from a forum background myself, so not answering responses to my posts seems almost inconcievable to me. Good to see that I'm moving into a sphere where conversation is still sometimes appreciated. Date Added: 10/08/2005
Gone Away I think almost all bloggers appreciate comments, Kurt. It's just that there is no established netiquette for answering them and I thought it was about time that I put my experiences so far down on paper.... er, the screen, that is. :D Date Added: 10/08/2005
actressdancer Well Gone, I must say I miss the banter that came from you and Way in my comments section. I will occasionaly reread and reminisce. With a dying blog in tow, I trudge through my day knowing the pain of a comment free life. Perhaps the "once every two days" idea will help. I have recieved a few comments lately, but not nearly the volume of some of my earlier posts (when I wasn't so desperate to churn out post after post in attempt to keep readership). Great advice in general. But, I suppose when you are old enough to write as you, you are also old enough to be wise ;). Date Added: 10/08/2005
Gone Away All comes down to why we blog, Actress. If we do so to get readers, that means we have to supply the goods regularly and often. It's a hard fact but true that today's news is garbage tomorrow. If we're blogging purely for our own pleasure, however, then we can do so whenever we please. But readers do expect to be fed quite regularly, otherwise they die of starvation. ;) Way seems to have given up blogging unfortunately; there has not been a new post up in his blog for ages. Although that might just be Way taking a break, as he does sometimes. Who knows with Way? The man is seriously independent! :D Date Added: 10/08/2005
Marti Gracious, this certainly ignited a firestorm, huh? LOL! I appreciate seeing a continuation of this discussion. I think from this example, I will try to contain my "replies to comments" (which I am behind on at the moment LOL) to responding on my own blog. Originally I had thought it was a way to let the commenter know I had visited their blog in return for them taking the time to visit and comment at mine. Probably better to respond on my own turf though LOL Thanks again for helping me understand this vague area of Netiquette! Date Added: 10/08/2005
Gone Away Yes, I think we've worked our way towards a basic netiquette on comments in all of this, Marti! 50 plus comments - not bad... My record is 77. ;) Date Added: 11/08/2005
keeefer Bollocks! I wrote you a really witty and informative response but my f'kin internet access died as i posted it so i lost the whole thing! God i hate the web at times......times like these in fact. All that hard effort and brainpower wasted. Anyway consider yourself commented on, and wititly too. Date Added: 11/08/2005
Gone Away *Considers himself duly commented on (and most wittily!)* Thanks, Keef. :D Date Added: 11/08/2005
Yvonne Hello, I'm just wondering if you are the GoneAway from the writers alliance? Date Added: 11/08/2005
Gone Away Hi, Yvonne. Yes, I am the Gone Away from the Writers Blog Alliance. In fact, as far as I know, I'm the only Gone Away! It comes of being here and yet Gone at the same time... ;) Date Added: 11/08/2005
keeefer and BTW wititily is an old english word meaning to wittly titilate....or if it isnt it should be.....and is by no means a typo bought on by anger and frustration at afore mentioned lack of internet access.. In fact im beginning to think the whole lack of internet access is a cunning ruse in order for you to get more posts out of me. You sly ole dog you Date Added: 11/08/2005
Gone Away Ah, Keef, it seems my evil plan is discovered... ;) Date Added: 11/08/2005
Christopher Zane This is all good advice for getting comments! Thanks! Date Added: 11/08/2005
Quills Heh, this sure exploded! I think I'm going to stick with my current strategy, although I'm a bit hit and miss about doing it. Respond on own turf, visit and surf, if interested, comment or email on topic of other persons blog, if love other persons blog, add it to my list of 'Cubs' which displays six random ones on the front page. I don't have a problem with off topic things, as I like spontenaity and debate rather than very structure discussion. I'm not even sure I know who the a-listers are? I follow many popular lit and writer blogs, but what qualifies a blog as a-lister? Date Added: 11/08/2005
John (SYNTAGMA) Quills, probably the hoariest A-lister of them all is Dave Winer. He was the first blogger. Way back in 1993 as a 30-something computer programmer, he started an online journal called Scripting News. It's still going strong (scripting.com). Since then he practically invented RSS and Podcasting. Pretty good credentials. Among the others would be Scoble, Calacanis, Godin ... and let's hear it for the astonishing Darren (Mr Problogger) Rowse, who is a shooting star of such rapidity, he must have overshot the A-list by now. Date Added: 11/08/2005
Gone Away Entirely welcome, Christopher. :) Date Added: 11/08/2005
Quills I think I'll remain happy in my ignorance, looking at that lot. The only a-lister I've ever really noticed is the bloke at Mezzoblue. 'problogger' is interesting, but I get bored reading blogs on blogs...which of course is what a lot of big ones are covering these days. Post Modern Meta Blogging ^^ Date Added: 11/08/2005
Gone Away Thanks for fielding that one, John. Actually ProBlogger's PR is only 6 which would put him in the B- or C-list at the moment (I know it's not only about PR but it is an indicator). I think you need a PR of at least 7 to be considered an A-lister. Blogebrity is a good place to see lists of the top blogs. Don't blame me for its disgusting color scheme, however! Date Added: 11/08/2005
Gone Away You're not proposing we actually get on with blogging and stop looking in the mirror, are you, Quills? Good grief, we'll be having to think of something to blog about next! :o Date Added: 11/08/2005
John (SYNTAGMA) I'd forgotten about the Blogebrity lists, Clive. Here's a link to the complete A, B, & C lists on Blogebrity. Interesting that Duncan Riley is on the B-list, while Darren Rowse doesn't show at all. As I say, he's probably overshot the A-list :-) Date Added: 11/08/2005
Gone Away I agree with you, John; Darren Rowse is such a good blogger that he's probably above the A-list (pun intended). Date Added: 11/08/2005
Kitty I love receiving, reading and replying to comments. I'm amazed at how well you respond to comments. The comments on my blog are mostly from the same readers. Although I'd love to have a wider audience, I must admit I'm happy to have a close community of 'blogger friends' to exchange ideas. Love reading your blog. Will continue to read with interest. Date Added: 12/08/2005
Gone Away Thank you for your kind comments, Kitty. A close community is always a great asset in blogging, yet how good it is when someone new steps in and says something too! Perhaps that's the sign of a healthy community - that it grows and remains open to newcomers. :) Date Added: 12/08/2005
Marti One more to edge you by the record number of comments LOL I deeply appreciate this discussion, becuae I have reached a decision. Drumroll please LOL I am going to follow your lead, and respond to comments within my own blog. I have decided to maintain a dialog there, (but not today, because I have too much else to deal with, she said in a schizophrenic fashion LOL) instead of going to the blog of the person who left me a note, and writing, “Thanks for your comment” at THEIR blog. I will visit the blogs of anyone who leaves a comment, and may or may not comment, but if I do, it will be a response to a topic on THEIR blog, not me dropping in to say, “Thanks for stopping by my blog”. I probably won't respond by e-mail. I wasn't doing that anyway, so I doubt I'll start LOL Thanks again for bringing all of these wonderful insights and opinions to the fore. Have a great day! Date Added: 12/08/2005
Gone Away I'm just glad that we seem to have sorted out a sensible comment/response policy, although it should never be a law. And you have a great day too, Marti! :) Date Added: 12/08/2005
music lyric Clive many thanks for the link! Date Added: 20/03/2006
James McGowan Hey I found this through ProBlogger's 31 Days to Building a Better Blog, and I know this is quite an old post to comment, but I'd just like to thank you for making it. I'm still trying to build my blog and this was one of the main goals that I'd like to have, is an active commenting system, thanks for the tips. Date Added: 06/04/2008
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