Thanks to all of you for responding to my recent set of questions about blogging. So what did we learn, ladies and (lone) gentleman?
1. Relationship between time/energy into creating a post and the response to that post:
- 64% of you say there’s no relationship between the energy you put into a post and the response it garners.
- 31% reported a direct relationship (more effort = more response). Kami and Heather.pnr said that flow and passion were often lightning rods for attention.
- 3% reported an inverse relationship (more effort = less response and vice versa).
Bottom line for me and the other oddball: don’t try so hard.
2. Comments, giving and getting:
- 3% of you admit you get more than you give
- 21% consider yourselves even-steven
- 55% say you give out more than you get
Nancy notes, “But I also don’t want someone to comment JUST TO comment…their comments seem less sincere in the long run since nothing prompted them to comment, except for the plain fact of wanting to comment.” Good point.
See anything peculiar about these numbers? There is a vast disparity between the net getters and the net givers.
Where are all the extra comments going? Into the unexplored reaches of the blogosphere? Contributing in some way to huge carbon footprints? Gathering above Oprah’s head?
What’s your best guess?
3. Journaling as a precursor to blogging:
Statistically insignificant between who journaled before blogging (51%) and those who didn’t (49%). Malathion Man claims that journaling is a chick thing.
It is in my house, anyway.
4. Which comes first: title or post?
56% tend to start with a title and write the post from there.
44% write the post and then label it.
“I have a bunch of draft posts waiting for titles to fit them,” says Niobe, “and a bunch of draft titles waiting for posts to fit them.”
Ohhh, to be as prolific and as consistently on the mark as Niobe.
Thanks for the indulgence. Now — please send chocolate.
