Art Blogging vs. Conversational Blogging
If you’re not tripping over an autograph line of rabid followers of your blog right now, I think I know the reason(s) why. I know what you’re thinking, “sounds kind of uppity coming from someone with less than 200 followers”. Don’t worry, I’ll get around to reading this myself too, eventually.
Despite being a relative newcomer to the whole scene, to my credit, I’m a fast learner and a close observer of people and their habits. And hot chicks. Throughout my travels, I’ve noticed a lot of stuff that us bloggers do which I believe is counterintuitive to acquiring and maintaining a fan base — providing that this happens to be one of your goals. That is what you want, isn’t it? The debate goes on…
Allow me to break down my Eureka moment for you.
Eureka!
The way I see it is that everything you’ll ever come across on a blogging site – regardless of what platform you use — falls somewhere along a continuum that is anchored by two different stylistic approaches.
At one end of the spectrum is what I call the Art Blog, which is more or less an exhibit; and the second type is what I call a Conversational Blog, which is used for exactly that — starting conversations. It’s difficult to distinguish the two from each other at first glance; however, a quick skim of any blog will reveal the author‘s motivation for creating his or her content.
Once you become familiar with this concept (that I invented just now), you’ll not only realize where your blog falls along the continuum, you’ll also understand what areas you may be lacking in. Hopefully you’ll be able to increase your following by making the necessary adjustments. Keep in mind that most blogs fall somewhere between these two styles. Let’s delve deeper.
Dorothy, step forward into the world of Technicolor…
Wait a second, you mean to tell me the “T” in Monet is silent? Did this happen recently?
Source: Wikipedia
The Art Blog
The majority of posts found on an Art Blog are exactly that — works of Art. Compositions are shared for the sole purpose of being observed and appreciated. Art Blogs are the poets, stream of consciousness writers, story-tellers, comic-strip artists, etc. Successful Art Blogs usually have a lot of likes, though they normally lack any significant interaction beyond that. Sometimes, if it’s a particularly great piece, many will drop an appreciative comment, but the conversation abruptly tails off at “Great job!” Really, what else can be said? Again, whatever was posted was meant to be looked at, not hashed up and down.
Art Blogs are like museums. When visiting one, the guest usually strolls about casually, looks around, stops, stares, maybe sits for a minute, contemplates, wanders off, and eventually leaves with a sense of appreciation for whatever was on display. It’s rare to happen upon a conversation during a visit. It’s not the type of setting that really promotes “mingling” with random strangers. That’s not to say that it doesn’t happen. Art lovers talk art, but the displays are usually designed to stir the emotions of the observer on a personal level. Plus, most pieces are open for wide interpretation – like a mangled ball of steel, for instance.
Writers of Art Blogs are probably aware of what they are already. They’ve constructed this type of setting for exactly the reasons listed. Most authors are either content with creating pieces to be appreciated, or use their blog strictly as a medium for online-journaling. There’s nothing wrong with that. Many will grow large followings based on their commitment to producing high-quality, artful content.
The Conversational Blog
On the flip side is the Conversational Blog. Content found on this type of page is constructed with the intention of promoting interaction with and among readers. The author usually bases his or her posts on topics that are meant to be viewed by a larger audience by comparison. Topics can often times be controversial in nature, and/or are emotionally-charged. A crafty author of one always leaves the piece open-ended by the end. If executed well, the article will continue to be expanded in the comment section by other readers – engaged readers. Write that down. I just wrote it down too. Wait a second, this is confusing now…
Conversational Blogs also incorporate other bloggers into their posts and/or pages. They’re not only excellent networkers, but also good cultivators of friendly “blog neighborhoods” (bloggerhoods? Hmm, I like that…) within the bigger sphere. Inviting guest bloggers and contributors, dual-posting, and reblogging are all tools that they use to help solidify and grow their audiences. By incorporating these tools and techniques into their pages, they’re not only promoting themselves, they’re also practicing good “PR” . By doing so, they increase the likelihood of future interaction with their fan base.
This type of approach doesn’t require a particular format or genre. Conversational blogs incorporate a wide variety of content. News, politics, random humor, medicine – whatever — the possibilities are endless. However, the goal is always the same — to pose or imply questions that elicit responses with the intention of opening a dialogue.
******
Speaking of great conversationalists…
Source: wikia.com, Characters: Beavis and Butthead
Cultivating a Fan Base
This may come as a surprise to some, but there are a lot of folks out there that want to engage with you. The challenge is to attract them and build a relationship from there.
When someone takes the time to read through one of your posts, don’t just thank them for the visit, seize the opportunity and speak. There are some interesting characters out there (like me) that are frothing to spar, share a story, or provide a laugh. Why pass on an opportunity that you’ve tried so hard to cultivate? By going into social-phoebe mode, you’re only setting yourself back and creating more work.
A post a day is difficult to do – especially when nobody’s reading.
When you’re hopping around and looking for a conversation, you’ll find that some will oblige, and others will decline. It’s worth a shot either way. After all, growing a following is based not only on consistently producing interesting content, it’s also about being likable. Charming is the word I prefer.
People are smart enough to pick up on sincerity, despite the fact that many operate through a persona. They also know whether you appreciate them or not, and it’s up to you to convey that.
More Free Tips
- Shtick ‘em Up – Most bloggers have a shtick. If you’re one of them, ask yourself if it’s a concept that will limit your writing, long-term. Personally, I consider this question daily. I may be limiting myself in the long-run. Don’t place limitations on your blog. It’s hard enough as it is. Variety is the spice of life, or something like that…
- Good Writing vs. Good Blogging – Being an excellent writer is one thing. Being an excellent blogger is something different all together. Consider this article. Where do you fall within the spectrum? Have your efforts been fruitful? Again, ask yourself if what you write about is something that an audience would want to engage in.
- Brevity is Key – There’s nothing that deters me as a reader more than an extremely lengthy post. I think I speak for most when I say this, but I don’t want to read a three thousand word submission. Ever. I hate books, and three thousand words is getting close to a book. Succinct and effective is the key. Get to the point, make it a good one.
- Quality, Not Quantity – If you’re in a hurry to post something daily, you might want to consider not only how it affects the quality of your content, but also how your audience is reacting to the frequency of your posts. With so many blogs out there, and with each of us following our fair share of them, it’s likely that most followers aren’t reading your stuff on a daily basis — unless it’s top-shelf, every day. It takes a lot of time to be a “follower”. Being mindful of that, it’s safe to assume that most people are selective about what they read. Also remember, it takes time to produce something high-quality, even if it’s only a thousand words. Be selective. Otherwise, you might not only burn yourself out, you’ll also burn your audience out too.
Hopefully you’ll find this article useful. If you’re like myself, you’re always looking for ways to improve your stuff. Interacting with an audience can be just as fulfilling as the writing part. So, considering all this begs the question:
Are you the Curator of an Art Blog or the Mediator of a Conversational Blog?
Let’s get this party started…
Related articles
- The Art of Writing Blog Comments (zemanta.com)
- Zen and the Art of Blogging (clownonfire.wordpress.com)
- Art of Writing Persuasive Blog Entries for Greater ROI (mokshis.com)
3000 words is not “close to a book” its more like 6 pages of 12 pt double spaced lines. Of course I don’t want to read the equivalent length of a high research paper on a blog so I do agree with you on this point fully.
Thank you for not picking up on the sarcasm!
LOL!
Mahalo so much for your insights. As I work to suss out the real function of my blog, I found your post quite enriching. My blog is currently an overwhelming art blog, functioning primarily as a sounding board but not opening it up for others to join the conversation. I’m looking forward to a fresh approach to posting tomorrow! Thanks again.
Mahalo — No prob Meagz! I’m really glad I was able to provide a perspective! I hope that it bodes you well as you move forward and continue to create.
Interesting. I think this is a helpful analysis to get one thinking. I am a new blogger and realize that I lack focus. At this point, I don’t really care that I lack focus because I am just finding my voice, but I think that you have hit the nail on the head for me and others. Are we writing for ourselves or for others? Honestly, I haven’t quite figured that out yet, but I really love reading blog posts from others who think along strategic lines. It helps me. Thanks. I’m following you.
Thanks so much Robin for hoppin’ on board! I think you’ll have a lot of fun. I always try to do something cool for everyone to jump into, or have a laugh about. I’m glad I was able to help inspire! I’m starting to sound like a broken record the last few days, but I think it’s so cool to see folks like you take something from it. I never thought it would be this big of a *party*…
Run with it, and continue to create. Talk soon!
I just fucking knew this post would get pressed! Once again, great job Adam!
Thanks Red! Pretty wild, eh?!
Well-deserved!
Thanks Red! I really appreciate you droppin’ in — I’m neglecting my reader at the moment, but things are mellowing out. We’ll talk soon yo!
Are kid’s crafting blogs even allowed onto the bitch-o-sphere? I’m a freshie, newbie blogger and was hoping content that catered to a specific audience would work. I totally agree on the blog socialising front – you do really need to hop around the place and make friends if you want to get eyes on your blog. Congrats on being Freshly Pressed. Put in a good word for me?
Thanks yo! Come one, come all — that’s my philosophy. If you can tolerate the colorful language at times, I think you’ll be glad you joined!
-Unfortunately, being Freshly Pressed doesn’t come with any other perks. Except for a free car. And a lifetime supply of gas. And a free Gas Station coffee and donut on Sundays. Only at select locations.
Is it bad to admit I click to read this post based solely on the Beavis and Butthead picture? I definitely have no one “theme” on my (one) blog but don’t have a lot of commenting going on. Closer to conversational. Great post.
Hell no! Dude, I’m a B and B junkie from way back, myself. I still love watching those guys! Thanks a lot for reading Kimberly, hope you’re gonna stick around for the next party. And the one after that. And the one after that. VIP’s only. You’re invited though –
I was pretty stoked when it resurfaced. Oh, dear. B & B… so terrible, and so wonderful. Unless I am that masculine looking, you should amend your dictionary from “Dude – male subspecies” to include female, or refer to me as “Dudette”, s’il vous plait!
First off, I call everyone Dude — get used to it! If I didn’t like you I’d call you something else. I won’t disclose the words that I reserve for those “special people”. I’ve never heard of a guy named “Kimberly” anyways. It’s the 21st century though, and there are people named things like “Apple” and “Moonbeam”. I guess anything is possible?
It sounds stupid, but I keep forgetting to watch them since they came back on. I think it’s on tonight as a matter of fact?
P.S. thanks for checkin’ out the dictionary! You like?
hahaha i read this for exactly this reason (B&B). no matter what age we are our reaction to visual stimulus is predominant. as a really new blogger i enjoyed the post.
Thanks a lot V-Rock. <—Sounds like a Radio Channel. Use it. Then teach me how to make money doing this after you become a blogging phenom. Please?
ha! strategy..just when I was thinking ‘pure randomness’. Thank you for all the lovely questions and ideas I now have in my head…good stuff!
Randomness only works in horse-shoes and hand grenades. Wait a second, did someone say that? I think that’s how it goes?
Glad I could inspire! Run with it!
Well said good blogger and good writer are compltly diffrnt. The blogger should write something to engage in.
Thank you for saying that! I’m in the middle of a heated debate right now. A few people don’t get that. Blogging is for the world to see — what not give them a voice as well? Thanks for reading Bubli!
In response to the Bloggerhood, which I dig you coining, might one call good HR good BR? (Or in a lot of cases mostly BS?
) Well worded post, left me with a lot to think about; mostly perhaps some of the hybridized nature of my own work. Thanks for the read-worthy content!
I’m so glad you liked it! (I’m holding on to my pants right now — so you know) You may use the word Bloggerhood wherever you like, and as many times that you’d like. BUT! You have to pay a royalty fee to me of $250 per use. <— I'm yankin' yer chain.
I really hope this inspires. Continue to create and share with the world!
I very much enjoyed this post and congrats on being Freshly Pressed. I would say my blog is closer to an Art Blog. I tend to tell stories. Many of my readers are silent; that’s okay, though I often don’t know if people randomly find my blog through a Google search of a picture but don’t actually read it. I have resisted the number one blog rule usually listed, which is limit your blog to a topic. No can do. I know I’d get more readers if I did that but I truly have a thing against categories, being categorized, being limited and only talking about one thing. I tend to shy away from blogs that seem to feature content in order to start a fight rather than conversation or comments. I’ve thought of writing one of those as an experiment, but I’d probably do it on a different blog. I struggle with brevity, obviously, as sometimes it’s hard to tell a story in very few words, but it’s fun to try. It’s also fun to write a short observation or list post as well. You’ve provided food for thought. Thanks.
Thank you and thank you!
That was one of my points in the post — Don’t *Shtick* a fork in your own ass. If you pigeon-hole yourself, you lose out on so much future material — it becomes a chore, rather than something you do for fun. I love list posts. *I’m a slappy for anything in a bulleted format. It’s like the cliff notes version of something that I otherwise wouldn’t read.” <– I just quoted myself, cool
I'm really glad I could inspire! Shtick around!!
(1) I am so glad to hear somebody agreeing with me! I couldn’t pick one topic for my blog and have felt this silly guilt over it. (Well, not that much guilt as it’s been six months and no central topic.)
(2) Great, great point on the “List/Bulleted Posts”. I often lament that people don’t have the attention span to read anymore, or more positively, can’t pay attention for longer than a tweet I like to call them “twats” but what is this blog rated? Is that a PG-13?
(3) That’s an honest-to-God question. You talk “like a sailor” like me…I try to tone it down which is against every fiber of my being. What “movie-rating” did you give My Right to Bitch?
(4) You hate books? I’ll give you a book you love and if you finish it and DON’T love it, well, then STREET FIGHT, 3:30, after school, student parking lot!
(5) You’re a good egg, dude. And yes, the Beavis and Butthead was a HUGE attraction. Welcome to my follow list!
La Dauphine,
Thanks for droppin’ by!
This page is rated anywhere from G to R. I don’t like censoring myself or anyone else, so talk however you talk when you stop in. Don’t blast anyone on here directly — that’s my only rule.
I don’t hate books, I just have a hard time finishing them. I’m easily side-tracked. I’ve read a lot of pretty good books. (sounds like you could whoop my ass, so I’ll take a rain check on the street fight…)
I appreciate all the love, glad to have you on board! You’re now officially a *bitcher* CONGRATS \M/
“Quality, Not Quantity” – I think many bloggers have the intention of developing a readership, however on the other hand there are tons that could care less. In that event and for the careless, such as myself, this criticism may not be completely justified. The intention of some blogs is simply to vomit the personality of the writer/blogger/ person out of their mind and to put it into a chronologically arranged record of their thoughts and feelings. It has been a great pleasure to me to return to a blog post some years prior and take the lessons from that time frame and apply them to today. Personal reflection is key to learning yourself and blogs allow that avenue with outside inspection.
Readers do have the ability to follow, unfollow, or to follow and selectively chose.
Why blog then? Why not just write in a journal? If you disabled your comment bar and your *like* button, and removed ALL of the other sharing options from your site, would you feel the same way? I journal too — none of that stuff goes online. That’s where I *vomit*
Dude did this post get freshly pressed??? I knew I had good taste in posts.
And you’re allowed to use “anyhoozle” for two consecutive weeks. Just don’t leave it at a bar. It drinks too much and will most likely vomit in your hair.
Dude, I’m so grippin’ that word when you’re not lookin’! I’ll link back though — promise. I’m getting a great visual here — kind of like a muppet haha!
I think I lean more towards the conversational side, although I’d also like to think I’m terribly artistic. (Oh no, wait – what I mean is I’m terrible at being artistic. Creative, yes. But high-end, frou-frou, sophisticated kind of art? Not so much.) Anyway, congrats on the FP! Great food for thought here!
I can completely relate to your artistic abilities. I’m not *bad* but I’m not a frusking Picasso?! I’m really glad you popped in and had a read! I hope it inspires! One thing it definitely won’t do is make you draw better.
Conversational/ informative blogger here. I’ve got two blogs that have only been up a couple of weeks, but I think I’m getting a reasonable amount of traffic on them. Great tips you have here! Cheers!
Hey thanks for poppin’ in with a compliment! I’ll take it! Good luck with your blogs — sounds like one more than I would want to handle!
A very nicely crafted elaborated post, mate. Keep the good work.
And thanks for sharing my post in your related articles section. Really appreciate that.
Thanks yo! Zementa? Which is your article?
I love the concept of “bloggerhood”! And “frothing to spar”! haha =P
I’m definitely a conversational blogger. I’ve tried to create a community on my blog and always attempt to stir up discussion.
Btw, I’m not entirely sure what you mean by “shtick.” Is the “shtick” = the topic limitation you place on your blog?
Thanks! I’m glad you’re diggin’ on it!
It’s a lot more fun when you’re talking to people, ain’t it? I think so. It’s just as much fun as the writing part.
A “shtick” is like a “theme”. So if your shtick/theme was “Siamese Cats” for example, you’d be writing nothing but articles on Siamese Cats. That’s what I mean by limitations — how much could you write on that topic for an extended period of time? Would your audience get bored of it? It’s always something to consider!
Does that help?
Gotcha. I guess in that case I don’t have a particular shtick. I write about loads o’ different stuff. Although sadly I’ve been feeling somewhat uninspired as of late
Maybe I can help?
How about………a LIST — my favorite!
Write an article called:
“5 Gift Ideas for your Ex-Boyfriend/Girlfriend” (pick one)
Make it funny!
Lol somehow I think you could probably do that better than I could. How about you write it and I’ll promote it? =P
I’ll see what I can do! I’m pretty tapped out. I think I have a carpal tunnel bout coming on…
Haha, no pressure. Can’t force the magic to happen
Reblogged this on Christopher De Voss and commented:
It’s a reblog Thursday y’all. Now you can either read that with a gangster’s voice or a hillbillies voice, depending on what you prefer. I prefer to read it with a British accent, because women love British accents. Unfortunately, my British accent sounds like a hillbilly. All of that has nothing to do with this post which is about the two main hierarchical types of blogs out there…which is hillbilly and gangster.
Enjoy.
I’m definitely a conversational blogger. I love the interaction between my readers and commenters.
Not sure what you mean by “shtick,” because some people have a “shtick” in their writing style or introducing regular characters, which sort of becomes their things (would you believe I am a writer?). But if you mean a theme, then you’re right about it being too restrictive. I started with a theme and then realised that there are only so many ways one can entertain with the same topic, so I branched out.
By “Shtick”, I mean a theme. If your theme was *cats*, it would be pretty damn difficult to write about nothing but *cats* for a long time. Well, at least for me. I hate cats by the way. Don’t ever write about cats.
I have a kid who thinks he owns the world. I don’t need a cat.
A little Napoleon in the making. I think we should start eating cats. I’ll bet they would be good deep-fried. I’m sick, I know…
If there’s one thing I don’t like, it’s a blogger that never responds to comments (now you have to, right?) Seriously, I get that people are busy, but I’ve seen blogs where there are several comments and not one has been responded to – ever. That just seems rude. I love the conversations I have with my followers on my blog. It seems like you do too, as you’ve responded to all of your comments despite there being several hundred. I have not had the problem of too many yet, though I’m very appreciative of those I do get. I’m amazed I get any! The one problem I have is deciding on how often to post. I post almost every day because I honestly have something to say and tons of ideas. Then I’ll tell myself that’s too much and try to cut back. I know it’s hard to read all those blog posts. It’s a process.
I think it’s rude too. I’ll tell you what though, there’s no way in hell I could handle 100+ comments per day. I get home from work and I’m dog tired. Then, my other *job* starts. My wrists are actually sore — no bullshit!
Man, if you have something to talk about everyday, more power to you! I couldn’t — no way. It takes me a few days for an idea to evolve, and a few days to write it to my liking. I really don’t ever see myself writing more than 2 posts/week. If I was getting paid? Probably 4 a day.
Thanks for poppin’ in! I really appreciate the feedback. Way to not skimp!
I agree with you Alice, I try as much as possible to answer all comments. I love the interaction. I have a notebook full of ideas for posts, I could write a post a day for about 6 months, but it’s too much. I appreciate my readers and I wouldn’t want to overwhelm them with my brain diarrhea.
Oh, oh. Sorry about the brain diarrhea. Maybe I should take something for that. Immodium-BrainD?
So this is how you get pressed. Write about blogging. Who knew! Congrats!
Thanks yo! It was either this one or a post about how much a hate squirrels. I’ll never second guess myself again…
I am new to wordpress and am very glad I chose to read your blog. Not only was it informative but it cultivated a very much needed laugh. I decided to follow and look forward to reading more of your post
Thanks! I’m glad you hopped on the crazy train — promise I’ll make it worth a stop-by. I’m happy too that you read it — it’s good to read some fresh insight once in awhile. Good luck with your blog — you’ll get hooked quickly.
Dang, blogging is so much more complex than what I understood it to be when I recently set up mine. I guess mine’s an art blog, but I recently also started writing about my ongoing ill-health and discovered that this brings a whole new perspective to my writing. Thank you for this post. It raises some very good questions for me to ponder. Now all I have to do is learn more about the art of conversational blogging. You wouldn’t happen to have a manual lying around?..
You’re very welcome, and I’m glad I could offer up some fresh insight. It’s not really all that complicated. Have fun with it. I have a tendency of “over engineering” things as you can tell…
I hope whatever you pulled out of the article really does do you some good. Keep me posted!
I have to say I agree. Mine is definitely conversational blogging. That was my intent from the beginning, to get people talking about what I wrote, hear peoples thoughts, agreements, disagreements, likes, dislikes, but mainly that they enjoyed it and it was worth writing in the first place.
Hey Radar, Thanks for droppin’ in! How are the book sales doin?
Going slow but hopefully it will pick up soon.
LOVED IT!!! Why are you so amusing and clever ? Great stuff!!
Thanks for checkin’ it out Lo !!
Well Bitch’d
After reading this, I think my blog tends to oscillate between arty and conversational.
Though, I wonder if it would be going too far to have one blog arty and another conversey
perhaps….
Thanks man! Actually, I took the day of from the whole bitch-fest thing when I wrote it. I figured it was time to “experiment”.
It’s kind of a cool philosophy when you think about it, isn’t it? It doesn’t really restrict anything, it just kind of explains, I think, how people act on here — or any other blog site.
** Random Market Research Alert **
How’d you find this article out of curiosity?
I like the article, you certainly have mastered the art of blogging.
and the philosophy does simplify the whole process, but at the same time restricts a person. I mean, you box the blogs into art or conversation, but there are quite a few blogs which fall under artistically conversational (if that makes sense). For example, food blogs. Most of them are artistic since one tends to include pictures which have to look good to entice the reader to try the recipe. At the same time some blogs include a little insight regarding how the recipe came into being, which adds to the conversational part of it.
To wrap it up, while your article does convey a successful analysis, I would say it covers only a small section of the vast and growing bloggerhood we strive to survive in.
Pardon me if I went a bit overboard, I don’t really know if there is a word limit on comments
I appreciate that. I haven’t mastered anything yet…except for procrastinating…and smoking cigarettes.
That’s the thing though — it doesn’t restrict at all. You could be Art-based, but make it a conversational piece. It’s not the entire Blog that is either “Art” or “Conversational”, it’s the characteristics of the post. Each one of them. Take your example: food. Culinary is an Art, and like with all the Arts, there’s a lot to talk about. If you just added a bunch of pictures to your post, there wouldn’t be much to talk about. But, as the person who is posting, you have the power to influence conversation. You’re the mediator. If you ask questions or provide interesting facts about the Food, you’d probably be likely to strike interest in other people that enjoy food.
Does that make sense?
It makes perfect sense… and that’s what makes me wonder if having a different blog just for the sake of conversation be a good idea… because culinary wise your conversations are limited, not that i mind it. But there is only so much one can discuss onions and potatoes
love your writing style !
Thank you !!
Very informative blog and I learned a lot of things. I’m a new inconsistent blogger and still confused if I’m really into this or not. I’m an Art blogger but I’m considering to explore Conversational blogging. I’ll consider this as my guide in case I make up my mind and take blogging seriously.: -)
That’s awesome! Maybe I should be selling it then!
Good luck, and I hope it pans out. Enjoy it. It’s a lot of fun when you get rollin’ with it!
Excellent post! I definitely fall into the category of conversational blogger. However, people seem to be treating my blog like an Art Blog. Lookie loos but no one jumping into the conversation. I, however am immensely enjoying writing it and discovering “charming” blogs such as yours to follow and comment on!
Thanks for all the love CG!
To me, the whole thing is a lot more fun when you get other people involved. I know exactly what you’re talkin’ about. I write longer posts though, and I’m sure people have better things to do with 4 minutes of their lives…
Keep it up, I’ll drop by!
Thanks Adam! I look forward to conversing!
This is a secret so please do not pass it along…it was this particular post that had me flummoxed (have wanted to use “flummoxed” for ages…such a good word).
After reading your post…complicated introspection ensued.
Your post was insightful, instructive, informative.
Thank you for all of the above.
You’re absolutely welcome! I’m so glad that I could inspire you in such a positive way. That’s one of the coolest things, if not *the coolest* thing that anyone has ever said to me. Even outside of the blog. This will be our little secret. Promise. Lips are sealed.
I’ll keep my eyes peeled for the *butterfly*
Yes…
Thanks for this super informative post! I just started blogging myself and I’m trying to find my voice and the point of it all, so this post was quite helpful as I work my way into blogging. I’m not even sure what type of blog I have yet :/. Thanks again
No problem Raquel!! Whatever you write about now will evolve. Three months from today, go back and look at your first post. It’s pretty cool!
Great post. And congrats on being Freshly Pressed.
I agree with most of what you’ve laid out here, particularly the quality v. quantity argument, in which I’m a big believer. I write for a living, so I’m writing every day for work; but I generally develop just one post per week for the blog (and visit it periodically throughout the week until I feel it’s ready to pop out there). I don’t want to start posting a bunch of half-ass mini-posts. I see no point in adding to the noise of the Internet just for the sake of frequency.
I delight in the conversation that arises in comments and on Twitter/Facebook after a post, and I love the sense of community that comes when I meet readers and readers meet each other. It’s fun. But I take an artful approach to composing every post as well. So I suppose my site is somewhere in the middle of the spectrum.
Thanks for a great post — glad to discover you!
Thanks for the thoughtful comment!
I like the way you put it: “adding to the noise of the Internet just for the sake of frequency.” It’s just like mass advertising — people tune the majority of it out. People are selective because they have to be. There’s just too much out there, of everything.
What do you do for work?
I’m a freelance editor and writer-for-hire: speeches, websites, articles, book chapters, etc. Lots of ghostwriting (things that come out under other people’s names).
Awesome! What’s some stuff you’ve ghostwritten?
Oh, goodness — it runs the gamut. Lots of op/eds for newspapers, for example when a CEO or a public figure wants to express an opinion on something (but isn’t naturally a writer). Book introductions. Scripting for people at events. That kind of thing. All done discreetly, so that as far as anyone knows, whatever it is was written by the name on the byline. It’s fun.
That’s awesome! Ghostwritting always sounded like a really cool thing to do. Maybe I’ll end up pursuing it before it’s all said and done…
Woo Hoo! Not just Freshly Pressed . . . but one of the Editor’s Picks for November.
Write on!
Thanks Nancy! This is just wacky…I’m still kind of shocked. Thanks for droppin’ by with a fist bump!
Reblogged this on tiaras and trianon and commented:
Food for thought…it sparkles in it’s own way!
Thanks for the reblog!
Hi Adam, Thanks for the post! It’s helping me think about where I want my blog to go and how it’s working now. Like Ankit, I’m thinking about how this idea of the two blog types applies to food blogs. I’ve just had mine up for a couple months, but I’m already noticing something unique about food blogging. Some people look at the pictures and read the story and just enjoy its aesthetic benefits, so I have to make sure it suits those people (has sharp, interesting photos and a few laughs). Then, I also want it to appeal to food expert types who cook all the time and are interested in my methods or habits and sharing those (so that’s like a conversation). But then there’s this third function of the food blog that involves the recipe. The recipe is literally directions I made up that I’m sort of asking the reader to try. It’s like I’m telling the reader to do something and report back. I’m not sure how to cultivate that specific relationship, which is sort of like sales or something? I’ll end this reflection now, for your sake. I’ve never seen a blogger respond so thoroughly to such a large number of comments!!!
My wrists are still sore…
I appreciate when people talk to me, and I think it’s only common courtesy to acknowledge someone after they’ve taken the time to read something I wrote. Feedback comes from people, not a machine. To me, it’s corny when people ignore comments. I could understand if you were dealing with thousands, but I’m not…
A few people mentioned food blogs on this thread. I think that would be a cool thing to do in a blog format. People that are specifically on here for food and/or recipes probably have a ton of questions. I guess the most important thing would be the quality of the recipes. If the food sucked, then people would probably tune out quick!
Keep me posted. I’m not a guru by any stretch, but I’m a thinker. I’d love to offer you any feedback I can.
Thanks for stoppin’ by the party!
Thanks a lot for the insight.
No prob Dude.
I love the last piece about quantity and content. Lately a bunch of bloggers I read have been crying burn out. My response is stop trying to post everyday and save it for the good stuff. Fillers comprised of pictures of your lunch or kid are just wastin my time anyway.
I agree. If you post something quality less frequently, I think people start to pick up on it. I try to read everyone that interacts with my stuff, but I’m not gonna sit around for 6 hours a night doing it. I gotta be selective when reading too — most would agree, I think.
Thanks for comin’ to the party!
Hey look, a blog post about blog posts!
TIME FOR SHAMELESS SELF ENDORSEMENT, MWA HAH HAH HAH!
Dur. Hur.
Useful, inspiring and funny. And thank heaven you said what I wanted to hear about not bombarding your followers. Other advice I’ve read always talks about one post (maybe more) a day and, quite frankly, when I follow, I don’t want to be inundated by endless posts, nor have I time to spend my whole day blogging. I followed a blogger recently only to find that she posted an average of 20 posts per evening and these were all re-blogs. Needless to say, I lasted one day before unsubscribing. Thank you and well done for being Freshly Pressed (bet your trousers have perfect creases) and being Editor’s Pick. Sarah
Thanks Sarah! It’s kind of a shocker, but I’m really happy to have been given the nod. It was more popular than I thought it was gonna be.
I look at frequency like Advertising…people tune out. Why the hell would I want to read 20+ posts from the same person every day?
I read a lot of blogs. People interact with the stuff that I write, and I think it’s decent to give people my time too. I can’t *follow* everyone, but I can follow everyone. You know what I mean?
It’s all for fun though. I’m diggin’ it so far!
I know exactly what you mean and I’m ‘digging it, dude’! My pleasure to reblog – you make some very astute points. Bet you’ve got more followers now!
I appreciate that. Yeah, a few!
Reblogged this on First Night Design.
Thanks for the reblog!
Good for you! Great article, and wonderful responses – the ones I read anyway. I’m afraid I’ve been trying to do both. I”m pleased to have made many new friends, and after 8 months am in the process of cultivating some of them, and just trying to keep up with the rest. I have been trying to post daily, but that is difficult. Thanks so much for your post. I’ll be following your blog from here on out. Marsha
Thanks a ton Marsha! I really take that to heart. Do what makes you feel good — that’s what I try to do, anyways. It’s easy to lose sight of something when you’re focusing on everything but the fun stuff.
I hope you can handle the rest… hahaha \M/
The replies make it fun! Some of my posts almost have posts written in the comment box. That’s when I feel especially happy! anyway, today your post was both art and conversation. There was plenty of meat, but the commenting, as you pointed out, is another skill altogether. Enjoy your success!!1 Marsha
Thanks Marsha, you Rock!!
I quickly learned the burnout with comic strips. It’s tough to come up with a new joke for them; I’ve taken to writing short stories and turning them into comics as well. Furthermore, three times a week instead of seven. That’s for one blog.
The other blog, where I’m more, shall I say, open, I’ve learned that people appreciate a softer delivery of humor in writing than it would work in stand-up. Using stand-up, I can attach tone of voice and character to it, but in writing, that’s difficult to deliver. So I can see that it can be easy to turn readers off with content.
Both blogs would be considered art blogs, but the latter is closer to conversational than the former.
Hey Carl, thanks for dropping by!
I agree. I think if you wanted to reach a larger audience, it’s probably more likely you’d do that with a softer delivery. Personally, I have little discretion — we’ll see where that goes…
As far as writing with a stand-up voice goes, I also agree. It is difficult. It’s taken me about 4 months to do it, and it’s still evolving. You’d think it would be easy to translate your daily speaking voice to words, but it’s tricky. It’s a process, and an art.
Best of luck, and hope you’re able to get the conversation rolling on your material. I’m makin’ the rounds, and I’ll pop in when I can!
Yes, trying to write a post a day does suck when you don’t get any comments… check me out at http://sweetjobspot.wordpress.com/blog and let me know what you think of my 12 days of Christmas blog thus far. Would you like to know how it ends?
I’ll check it out!
I came across your post through “Freshly pressed November” post from WordPress. I joined WordPress in the last week of November so might have missed it. Your thoughts resonate with me a lot. Following immediately!
I am new here so I am yet to intentionally be a part of those two categories even though after reading my own posts of the past week I think I am currently in the Art blogging category. Thanks to your post I am going to work towards Conversational Blogging.
Cool! Thanks for jumpin’ on board!
I wouldn’t get too comfortable just yet…
Ask questions when you got em, and good luck! It’s gonna be a lot of fun, promise.