If a man does not make new acquaintances as he advances through life, he will soon find himself alone. ~ Samuel Johnson
I was relieved to realize that today was Thursday, and I should be booking it through... but there's no new post up over there yet. Shoot. Now I have to think of something to say!
Yesterday, after writing about 1,600 words toward my MayNoWriMo goal (woo!), I gave myself permission to do a little bloghopping. I get the shakes if I don't check in with some folks everyday. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that, out of 60 folks who entered at the blog, I was a winner at Paperback Writer! I opened yesterday's blog post over there, and my name was front and center -- and it's a new book by one of my absolute favorite authors, so I'm thrilled to death.
All in all, discounting the pinched nerve in my neck that keeps me from turning my head in either direction (yesterday, it was only to the left, today it's both ways), I had a pretty decent day.
Don't you love to blog hop? Have you come to think of certain people as friends, even when you've never met? Yesterday because of my limited time to look around, I realized that I really only checked in with folks who I've started some sort of dialogue with at one time or another... those bloggers to whom I've left comments before and haven't responded OR never came here to visit ended up on my -- "Ah, I'll get to them later" list.
Interesting, but it makes sense. Aside from the biggies like Paperback Writer, Jenny Crusie, et al, (though, both of these ladies do respond in some fashion to their comments -- so maybe they're setting the example of proper blogging etiquette?) I guess I expect a response of some sort. I know that I try to give one when someone new comes visiting -- and I've discovered some great new blogs that way.
What about you? Do you prefer to visit those folks who reciprocate by visiting you back or responding to your comments in their own blog? Or does that really even matter to you if they're interesting or witty or whatever?
Last day to enter this weeks contest for a free book! The drawing is tonight at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. Good luck!
When Booking it posts a meme, I'll be back.
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On such a winter’s evening
3 days ago
9 comments:
Congratulations on the win.. and thanks for the update on my blog. I'll take care of that.
I mostly read people I feel like I "know." There are about three women I read just because I find them hilarious. They each have a large readership and none of them respond to comments. However, I get a kick out of what they have to say.
Now.. I have to go do some writing. ;-)
Yeah on the win!
I definitely like it when I get visitors and I try to get to everyone's blog to see whats up. I don't have the readership that most have, but thats okay. I just don't market myself as well as I should. I'm learning.
Now only if I'd gotten some writing done. I joined up for the May nano challenge but honestly, I have no idea what to work on. I guess my novella since we can work on more than one wip.
sfwnjk-sad fish won't nudge judgemental kitties
Congrats on the win!
I mostly only hit the blogs of those who reciprocate. :)
I love it when I get comments on my blog so I do reply to them. I suppose if I got a lot of comments it would be hard.
I love visiting blogs and I like it when they reply to my comments. But if they don't, I understand.
Now I better get to my writing. Oh yeah, congrats on the win - pretty neat! I'm reading a book by Jennifer C. right now.
For me, blogging is about building community, so the comments are important to me.
I don't always respond to the comments on my blog, though -- not that I get a lot -- because it sometimes feels to me like trying to continue a private conversation in public. If it feels comfortable, sometimes I'll follow up with an email. I do try to respond to my readers on their blogs, though.
Also, my stats matter. If I see readers showing up regularly, I'm happy for their interest even if they seldom comment.
Nice progress yesterday!
I don't always respond on my blog when people comment. Sometimes I feel no further comment is necessary. I do add those people to my reader and try to make a point to visit them and comment on something of theirs.
I very often read blogs without commenting at all, for two reasons. First, if I'm at work (which I am 40 hours a week) I don't like to go to the actual blog. It's too obviously not work related. So I read it in reader, and unless I have a GREAT comment to make, I don't comment. If I'm just going over to add a chuckle or a "me too" I don't do it from work.
Second, a large part of my online time at home is spent with one eye on my laptop and the other on my two-year-old. If he so much as *thinks* I'm looking at the laptop he slams it shut. So I don't do the little comments then either.
I'm at work now, and (obviously) I'm commenting here, but I wanted to say that I don't mind so much when people don't comment, cause often they have other things going on.
I also find it hard to know when someone replies to me on THEIR blog comments, so probably miss a lot that way.
Oh yes, I can spend hours blog-hopping. It's especially enjoyable when I hope from a book blog to a knitting blog to a political blog back to a knitting blog -
congratulations on the win!
Congrats.
I subscribe to a number of blogs on a reader (yours, Tori's and Judy's, for example)--but don't visit unless I have something specific to say. I just don't have the time. I do read them every day, though... at least the headlines and the first paragraph of every entry. (Miss Snark, Orion, Jennifer Crusie are also on my list).
If I blog-hopped and commented as much as I'd like to, I'd never get any writing done on my WIP.
I tend to visit folk who visit me. But I do have a longer list of bloggers that I check on weekly because I really like them.
And yes, I have ditched some ladies who were about as interesting as razor stubble.
On the other hand I faithfully subscribe to particular teen who never writes much more than, "I have a basketball game on the 9th. Boy I hope we win!!!!!" I know her personally, so I cut her some slack. Ok. Alot of slack.
What drives me crazy is when I'm busy for a few says and then "try to catch up". I always feel obligated to go back and read EVERY entry I missed AND comment.
I am addicted to commenting.
I am working on mastering that impulse. Really. I am. and. I. am. failing.
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