Blogging About Blogging About Blogging
Posted 20th May 2013
Category: Chit-Chat Genres: N/A
12 Comments
This photograph was taken by sleepyneko.
Yes, you read it correctly, there was no accidental copy-and-paste when I wrote this post, today I’m blogging about blogging about blogging. It’s rather like Historiography, which I was introduced to last year – learning about how people write history about the past – and I thought I’d take a moment to ask some questions and summarise some of what I’ve been thinking about.
I have a certain fascination for blogs that discuss blogging. There is a great amount of posts I’m not interested in, but I love those that deal with the process of writing – finding ideas, combating burnout, and tailoring your posts so that they read well. I don’t know why I’m fascinated, as most of the time I read I think ‘great advice’, and promptly forget it all or realise it doesn’t fit book blogging. But I am, and I continue to waste hours (in phases) doing it.
I know that as I’ve continued to write at The Worm Hole, I’ve inevitably brought some of my other interests to the table when I plan posts. History is covered here, I’ve spoken of my web design, films make an appearance, and I’ve noticed that every now and then I lean towards talking about book topics in the context of blogging overall. I like the mix of book-centric topics, and writing about blogging in the context of books. Incidentally, knowing a little about SEO I’m aware that this post will likely be spurned by Google because of the many mentions of ‘blogging’, but it can’t be helped, and Google doesn’t know everything. Yet.
I had a myriad of paths I could explore in this post, but the most pressing was the above summary, and asking you some questions.
Do you mind posts that revolve around blogging itself?
One thing that has stayed in my mind since The Estella Society posted a piece by a non-blogger reader, is how accessible is my site to a non-blogging reader? I know that recently I have been somewhat swayed by my above-mentioned interests, though I do have many ideas for posts that are solely about books and reading. I also know that the first cardinal rule is to write what you want to write.
I suppose what I’m trying to say is that blogging about blogging with books in mind seems appropriate to me, but does it to everyone else?
And is there a limit to how much is interesting?
I think this is one of the most rambling posts I’ve ever written, which is why I seldom go into great detail or write all those essay-like pieces I have in mind. Leaving it here, feel free to answer any of the above questions (please do!), neatly summed up as:
Do you enjoy reading blog posts about book blogging?
May 21, 2013, 1:24 am
I used to read/write a lot more posts about blogging — mostly when I started and the first few years while I was in grad school studying journalism. But since I started working, I just have less time and energy to think about the blogging site of my blog, so I’ve been focusing more on reading. It’s all personal preference though, I think, and what you think is interesting to write about.
May 21, 2013, 4:21 am
I like reading posts about blogging. I find them to be helpful and inspiring.
May 21, 2013, 4:59 am
I like reading posts about blogging too – re-hashed or not, because it’s probably new to someone, and I don’ mind reminders at all.
May 21, 2013, 11:37 am
Thanks for sharing the link to the non-blogging reader’s article. I actually started my blog thinking it was for non-bloggers (naively, probably) so I only gradually ventured into including a few Bloggiesta and other posts about blogging. I like posts about blogging, but not exclusively, so I guess I like a nice mix of books and blogging in the blogs I follow.
May 21, 2013, 1:24 pm
I like them, but I do think there’s a limit, probably twice a year, for me.
As a kid, I detested movies about the making of movies, or poems about trying to write a poem. As an adult, I like process better.
Audra makes a good point about comments. It used to be easier to get a conversation going, it seems to me. I remember reading about the blog author responding to comments, and how it would be nice if comments responded to each other more, rather than the blog author coming in to have the last word in every instance.
May 21, 2013, 4:43 pm
I do read posts about book blogging now and then, depending on the topic. I don’t follow a lot of blogs that write posts on the subject though, so I find my way to them most often via Twitter. I rarely take part in the conversations though, usually just reading the post and comments.
May 21, 2013, 5:09 pm
I don’t mind posts on blogging but I don’t tend to read them and I certainly don’t search them out. I’m comfortable with my style plus what I am really interested in is the books. I think keeping things simple works for me.
May 22, 2013, 2:54 pm
Great questions :) I don’t mind posts about blogging. I find them helpful. I’d rather read them during a particular event though, like Bloggiesta. That’s just me :)
May 22, 2013, 6:08 pm
I think that posts about blogging are great, but you have to think about what audience you’re trying to reach. How often are you blogging about blogging? Occasionally? Or weekly? I read book blogs for the book stuff and I have blog blogs that I read for blog stuff. They of course can overlap at times, which is good, too.
May 25, 2013, 11:38 am
I do, and would, enjoy posts about blogging; I think as long as they aren’t lengthy, that they have a good point and that they aren’t too often they can be really handy.
As you know from my latest blog, I’ve learnt a few things from when you have posted about blogging itself.
June 18, 2013, 6:13 pm
Audra: I’m glad it inspired so many discussion points :D I *think* bloggiesta helps with that, I don’t read many of the posts but those I have have taken a look at Analytics. With blogging subjects there is a lot of repitition by default.
Interesting to hear about the difference between most commented and most viewed. You’d think the posts about you would also be the most viewed. The post from the non-blogger is a good insight. Some of it is tailored to their own interests, obviously, but a lot can be applied across the board. Yes, what you’ve said makes a lot of sense. You want to have a conversation but there’s no real way to do it, it can be frustrating. Or if someone doesn’t reply (I see the irony in this considering I’m replying here very late) you feel your comment wasn’t read.
Kim: It does take time to write a thorough post. This is one of the reasons mine haven’t really had any statistics so far, even collecting your own data can take a while. Good point about personal preference. I’d say a topic that people are otherwise ambivilant about can be made fascinating by the right person.
Anbolyn: Good to know :)
Tanya: Two very good points. The reason they are rehashed is often going to be because someone new asked the question, and it’s all too easy to forget information you’ve read before so it’s good to have the reminder.
Laurie: That was a good place to start from really, you would have had a perspective not many of the rest of us would. A mix keeps the variety going, though it’s got to have a good lot of books, in our community of course.
Jeanne: Interesting! Understandable however, when you’re younger you just want the real thing and the magic of whatever it is would be broken. I think I must’ve started after the comments phase, either that or it happened whilst I wasn’t posting much. I have to say I love it when commentors converse with each other, the blog writer is only one person after all, so if that was the case years ago it’s a pity it doesn’t happen sio much.
Literary Feline: I find Twitter to be my source, too, unless I remember web addresses. There are a lot of blogsa about blogging, in fact I often wonder if there are more in that niche than any other! I don’t know about you, but I find it hard to comment on sites outside of book blogs because I wonder if the owner will wonder why, with my book site, I’ve joined in. And that is one long sentence, apologies!
Jessica: Fair enough :) The thing with reading the posts is that it can often make you feel you’re not doing enough, except that when you look into it, you are doing just fine.
Jennifer: Thanks! That makes sense, books first and mostly, ands then blogging posts when everyone else is there doing the same.
Rebecca: Yes, this, the readers are important. Overlapping is good, though I have to say I’d love to see a blog on book blogging on one of those blog sites. Just to see what they’d ‘do’ with our niche.
Alice: That’s the one problem with the dedicated blogs, they can be lengthy. And on them you have to cut the wheat from the chaff. I’m glad you learned something from my posts, that’s the best :D
12 Comments
Comments closed
May 20, 2013, 6:21 pm
Ooh, great post — lots to dig into!
I find I tend to skim posts about blogging — especially book blogging — as it I find it’s stuff I’ve already learned or commentary I’ve heard before (what is plagiarism, or why/why not write a negative review, etc.) I’ve not yet seen many blog posts about the … I don’t know, science of blogging — how to use analytics or making blogs more accessible. (I think bloggiesta is supposed to do that? Never quite understood nor got into that.)
I find I enjoy seeing the person behind the reviews when bloggers share their real life — and on my blog, those are some of the highest commented posts (tho not the most viewed).
I really appreciate your link to the non-blogger reader post — looks v good and will need to chew over that. I often respond to comments from readers who don’t have a blog or GoodReads account and so I have no real way to ensure I get a convo with them — I don’t think folks always follow replies to posts and so many times, I’ve been stymied by being unable to get a convo going abt a book, rather than that polite (and nice!) series of compliments on a review. (does that make sense?)