(I think this is the iguana I touched!)
Are you a responder? Do you respond to every comment on your blog? I’m curious, especially after reading Greg’s post on The Happy Accident.
I try to respond to each commenter. I usually have between five and twenty-five comments a day, so it’s not too hard to be personal. I want you (the reader) to know I appreciate that you enjoyed my words enough to leave a comment.
What happens when you have 700 followers like the ladies over at Shooting Star? Could you respond to all of their comments each day? They amaze me! They still are able to make personal comments. Suzette sent me a facebook message this week about my puppy, and she's a virtual friend...
Can blogging get in the way of writing?
I consider every post a writing exercise. What about you?
Do you like sharing little bits about yourself? (You don’t have to answer that question…) I shared a lot yesterday and it was fun.
I’D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS…
I go in spurts. It depends on the day. I always appreciate people who respond back (although it's rare that I go back to check someone's comments again or subscribe to follow-up comments by e-mail). I follow and comment on most of the people's blogs who follow mine. So I feel like it's all one long-running conversation, and that's what I love about blogging.
ReplyDeleteKaren--I love that the internet allows me to talk to people with similar interests. :) I do subscribe to other people's posts if I put a lot of effort in my comment. It's all about feeling connected...Thanks for commenting. :-)
ReplyDeleteIf someone comments on mine, I like to go to their blog to return the favour and say thank you. Sometimes I reply on my own post to their comments but feel it's a lot to expect them to return to my post to check up on anything I may have said. Especially since mine is just a simple wee blog :o) It is nice, though, to get replies to comments I have made on other blogs.
ReplyDeleteI try to respond to each comment, even though I know they probably won't come back and read it. Sometimes I do look back to see if someone responded to a comment I left, though, and just the other day, Niki (see above - hi Niki!) responded to my response to her comment, so I know she came back and looked.
ReplyDeleteYes, blogging definitely gets in the way of my writing! Not the posting so much, but the constant going out to look at other people's blogs. I've turned it into a procrastination device. When I'm stuck on a tough sentence or word or whatever, I end up going out and checking to see who has added a post. I just commented on a blog today that I need a lock on my internet that doesn't allow me to get on blogs between the hours of 8am-6pm.
haha Susan! We seem to be waltzing round blogs together today :o) See, I'm back here hehe
ReplyDeleteNiki--I popped over to your blog and left a omment in case you didn't come back here. :-) When I see blog friends on other posts, I sometimes make comments to them...OMGoodness, you just did that. :) And I can't believe Susan is still up!
ReplyDeleteSusan--LOL, you and Niki...
ReplyDeleteI wish I could get paid for blogging...I could do it twelve hours a day.
I love getting comments! And I do like the blogs that respond back to the comments I leave. However, I don't mind if there is no response. I also don't always respond back to the comments I receive - sometimes just not enough time.
ReplyDeleteI just really enjoy blogging. And I enjoy reading yours too!
I do try to respond to each comment, but unfortunately sometimes I don't have time to do it every time. And therefore I totally understand that all bloggers just can't respond at all or every time.
ReplyDeleteI do think blogging takes some time from my regular writing, but I also realize I have learned so much valuable information from blogs and the wonderful connections to other writers is priceless.
I do share some personal stuff in my blog, I like seeing the personal side of bloggers. I enjoy learning more about them!
Terry--Right there with you...I like it when I get a personal response, but I have the attention span of a knat...so I don't remember from day to day who I leave comments for. :) Thanks for saying you enjoy my words...That means a lot coming from a published author!
ReplyDeleteKelly---my skyping buddy---It is hard to balance writing and blogging time. After I get my daughter to school I go to the gym for a few hours, then eat something, take a short nap, write, pick up my daughter, write, make dinner and spend time with her and my husband and then while they are getting ready for bed or sleeping, I blog. It's a slippery slope...
ReplyDeleteHi re Hiroshige, I'm not sure. I googled his name this morning and it seems to be a lot of landscape prints he was known for.
ReplyDeletere Oxford. I'm in Oxford, a small country town, which is in the South Island of New Zealand.
Thanks for commenting on my blog :o)
It depends on the thread. If comments are personal and seem to warrant a response, then I really like doing it. If, however, I post good news and the comments are things like "good job" or "cool", then I post a group response like "thanks, guys!"
ReplyDeletedoes that make any sense?
And, I love the girls at Shooting Stars. Suz is a local pal and critique bud.
Niki--I am so sorry qbout the typo...My trips to England are spead out.
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon!
ReplyDeleteI've wondered that, too, how can someone possibly comment to everyone or even follow everyone who follows when they have hundreds? I'm like Niki, I like to go to their blog and make a return comment. It seems the courteous thing to do.
And YES blogging can get in the way of writing! Which is why I'm blogging right now and not writing. Plus it's another kind of writing that I think uses different writing brain cells.
awww Sharon, you sound very tired! Sorry I thought you thought I was in Oxford U.K. I've been naughty and blogged this whole day away. It's now 7pm Friday night and feel my eyes are about to fall out. I'm so behind in my writing course but have this obsession with blogging at the moment. I think I need to give myself a good shake up :o)
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteOh I love responding to comments - I love reading them too!
I think it's because I can type really really fast and not worry about my penmanship that btw is atrocious!!!
:-)
Mind you I'm very impressed with Shooting Star! Wow!
And I like your iguana! It looks so zen!
p.s. hope your puppy is getting better!
Take care
x
I do try to respond back to everyone who bothers to leave a comment. Most of the time its with a comment of my own for them, other times I'll e-mail them directly if they are set up to receive e-mails. Should I grow to have 500+ supporters someday, I'll still try to make the effort to do that. It raises a question though...how many people return to a blog after leaving a comment to see if they got a response?
ReplyDeleteAs far as commenting on other blogs goes...it's a matter of time management. I'll only comment on somebody's post if the subject truly interests me. I will always leave a comment for anybody who seems to be struggling, or relays good news. Just because I don't comment this time doesn't mean I've lost interest.
Great post!
Some days are better than others for me. As you've pointed out, I do try to comment on as many as I can. Sometimes I do that very well, and other times I only manage to hit a few. I don't always leave a personal response within the comment thread, but I do try to leave a comment at the blog of each person who comments on mine.
ReplyDeleteI respond! I try to check in a few times a day. I like the responders best. It's nice to have your comment acknowledged, so I try to do just that.
ReplyDeleteTess--I agree, if it's a personal comment it should get a personal response. :) You leave great comments...
ReplyDeleteKaren--Good point about using a different part of your brain. Thanks for stopping in. I'll pop over and check your blog out. :)
Niki--Thanks for your concern...I should not type in the dark!!! I had no idea I had so many typos. :(
Kitty--Macy is getting back to normal, thanks for asking. I'm getting tired of sleeping on the couch with her though. The medicine the vet gave her made her really thirsty...she needed to go outside about once an hour!
D.L.--If I leave a personal comment, I subscribe to that post. Then I can check my email and see if the blog writer leaves a response to me. Sometimes I go back and add another comment, but usually I just read the comment.
ReplyDeleteShannon--Do you speed read? Just curious...You leave wonderful comments on all of the blogs you leave comments on. :)
Amy--I agree, I like responders better too. :)