The 30 Second BE Curse
(Or How To Make Cavan Take A Second Look At Your Blog)
Inspired by this post at Beaver Tales, I've been thinking about what make me stick around and read a blog, especially when I'm surfing on Blog Explosion.
Here's what will make me run screaming in the other direction (or, in BE's case, yearn for the 30 second minimum to end):
Inspired by this post at Beaver Tales, I've been thinking about what make me stick around and read a blog, especially when I'm surfing on Blog Explosion.
Here's what will make me run screaming in the other direction (or, in BE's case, yearn for the 30 second minimum to end):
- Overly religious blogs - nothing against religion, but I'm not a religious person, so I don't read about it
- People who write from the point of view of their pets - now, I'm not criticizing petblogging...even I've been known to post a picture or two of my cat, but I don't need to hear about an entire day in the life of your dog/cat/bird/chinchilla/whatever, unless it happens to be moonlighting as a secret agent for the CIA
- Parents who devote their entire blogs to their children - nothing against you or your kids, if you happen to be one who's doing this, and it doesn't bother me at all if it's a blog you share with your family and friends - but, frankly, the number of these things out their on BlogExplosion, for the whole world to see, surprises me
- Photo Blogs - unless it has a snappy entry to go along with it....having to stare at a picture for thirty seconds generally doesn't interest me
- Song Lyrics - if you're posting lyrics to a song you wrote, that's fine and dandy....but I hate it when people post the lyrics to the latest Three Doors Down song (or whatever mediocre band happens to be popular with them) as if it's a guidepost by which all lives should be lived
- Exclusively Political Blogs - especially American ones...I'm Canadian, so reading about American political issues isn't something that'll keep bringing me back to your blog
Things I like:
- Blogs that tackle a wide range of subjects - personal, political, pop culture....if you can combine all these in a well-written style, I'll probably be back
- The Writing Life - I fancy myself a writer and love to read blogs by other writers out there
- Movie Reviews - If you read my blog, you'll notice an abundance of short and sweet movie reviews...I'm a big film buff and like to check out what other people think
- Humour - and not just pure humour blogs, but any blogger that can work their good sense of humour into their posts will keep me coming back (note: see John Scalzi, Dave's Blogography)
- Link Blogs - For whatever reason, I really like blogs that link to the odd, wonderful and pointless places on the web I'd never know about otherwise
So, what does everyone else think?
18 Comments:
Guess what?! I stumbled in here through Blog Explosion, and I've stayed way longer than 30 seconds, so you got what it takes!
I agree with your likes and dislikes, mostly. How 'bout mopey blogs? You know, where the writer posts only things that you just know were written in an Eeyore voice: It's raining again. Have to get the kids new shoes and I'm broke. The cat puked. I have irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia and lyme disease and a goiter the size of a Volkswagen Beetle and I fell and skinned my knees and my spouse who doesn't care about me poked me in the eye and tomorrow I'll have to drag myself out of bed just to live it all over again.
That was long. Sorry. You got me going!
Hey I have a writing blog, abeit with political stuff too. I'm writing a novel atm. I don't like religious blogs either, can't stand 'em. I have an evangelical sister, uck!
I've stumbled on your blog though Blog Explosion as well. And I've got to agree with what you've written regarding which sites do attract you and which don't!
Suzi: Generally I agree with you on mopey blogs. However, I think I'd read that one because it cracked me up. Does that make me a bad person? :)
Ben: I've actually stumbled across your blog a few times before and had a read. Have fun with NaNoWriMo? I've always wanted to participate, but I'm a habitually slow writer.
And thanks for the words of encouragement, daldianus!
I am a professional writer, or have been. I am also a professional fine artist and a professional commercial artist. I am also a professonal photographer. In fact, I have done more things in my 70 years of life than most people even think about. So if you read my blog you will see photos, and you will also see fine art done on a computer, and you will see stories that I have written for large newspapers and you can read my profile and learn that I did a television series. I wonder what you will think after you visit my Blog? Should be interesting.
i think: Firefox tabs
;)
PS: I skipped to end to make this comment...
Okay, this one made me go way over my 30 seconds in BE. Agree totally on what makes us stop and what ensures we hurry on to the next blog. But I think you've unwittingly pointed out one more thing that most bloggers will stop to read: the post about blogging itself!
Incidentally, have been watching you for a while. You have potential, sir!
I agree with all of the above.
I also have a healthy dislike for those bloggers who simply recycle the same old rubbish floating around the blogosphere.
It's the old writers' adage, isn't it? Write for the reader, not for yourself. Also, not many people can make everyday things readable. Natural-born writers can. And that's the difference.
Well, I surfed in through BE, and I agree your points, although I'm also guilty of many of them too. No religiosity or photoblogging.
I think that the first post, whatever it's on, has to be well-written enough for me to stay, and to read further. There are some topics that I won't read about at all, of course.
Well said.
Hey. I've seen your blog before, and here I am, back again. I totally agree with you with the same old monotonous crap spinning through BE. There are a few gems out there though. However there are certain blogs which just make me think "yeah.... and...??"
Me, I'm working on something a little different right now...
If I notice that the site is loading the header graphic really slowly, then usually I stop reading right then. If it takes longer than 30 seconds to load that picture on my broadband then something is really wrong.
I'll have to go and agree with most of what you said Cavan.
I was recently interview by a regional cultural/political magazine about the power of blogs/blogging. The thing is, just like about everything, is blogs are a two-edged sword!
I've DEFINITELY stuck around on your blog for longer than 30 seconds.
What a great list, those are exactly the blogs that I don't care to stick around on either. And I'll make one addition...if an error message pops up while the blog is loading. One of those little "syntax error" messages. I don't ususally stick around for those either.
But I've blogmarked this one!
The Blog Rocket is another additive way I've found lately that lets me skip around trying to find worthwhile material to read while I avoid writing.
Hmmm, I talk about pets a lot, but don't talk like I *am* the pet.
I also do song lyrics, but there always tends to be a point. The lyrics are there to clarify or set the theme for the post.
Hmmm, I think my blog matches your likes. Of course, we all like to think so about our own blogs. :) Plus, it's Canadian, too!
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