tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12461652.post8170011927827321139..comments2024-01-10T17:38:08.333-05:00Comments on Elizabeth Burns: The C WordLiz Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671844475303001610noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12461652.post-13859093546733135202009-10-22T00:34:56.123-04:002009-10-22T00:34:56.123-04:00Hey Liz
I agree with your points about limited ti...Hey Liz<br /><br />I agree with your points about limited time--in fact, I think we talked for a minute at the con about the pitfalls of reading blogs at work. I also agree that comments = popularity is a fallacy. You can have lots of quiet readers and they're still readers.<br /><br />But I still feel like I'm missing out on part of the conversation by not commenting, like I'm holding myself away from others when really I want to be part of it. This is my personal feeling about my own commenting habits, by the way! Commenting habits are a matter of personal taste, like the books we like. But that's why I want to take more time to do so in the future. <br /><br />And like Melissa says, I get such a thrill when I get comments, I like the idea that I'm giving that thrill to someone else.<br /><br />MaureenBibliovorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642058689885973447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12461652.post-21744381964819853512009-10-20T12:35:08.538-04:002009-10-20T12:35:08.538-04:00I also don't like seeing the number of comment...I also don't like seeing the number of comments used to judge a blog or commenter. As you say we all have different levels of available time in our lives.<br /><br />For me it's all about the conversation about books and reading. Some of that conversation takes place in comment threads, some of it takes place is a series of linked posts, some of it takes place on Twitter or in email.<br /><br />A comment that is an entry for a giveaway is not conversation, it's a raffle ticket.SuziQoregonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15552565982732943323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12461652.post-78035869445431873682009-10-19T19:57:41.477-04:002009-10-19T19:57:41.477-04:00I think we all agree that the connectivity of what...I think we all agree that the connectivity of what we do online is important -- talking, relationships, interacting with people.<br /><br />Do I like comments? Yes.<br /><br />Do I like seeing people told they won't be read if they don't comment? No.<br /><br />Do I like publishers being told to send ARCs to those with lots of comments, and being told not to send to those without comments? No.<br /><br />Do I like seeing people complain that bloggers without comments get ARCs? No.<br /><br />And I've read all of this, or heard it, both online and offline. No-one at kidlitcon said this! But I do see it being said and used as a value judgment on blogs and bloggers, rather than judging the content of their blogs and the totality of what they bring to their blog and the community.Liz Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16671844475303001610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12461652.post-87087599945686221072009-10-19T18:53:23.426-04:002009-10-19T18:53:23.426-04:00Completely understandable reservations. (Part of t...Completely understandable reservations. (Part of the reason I stressed commenting on less-commented on blogs is to get away from the popularity aspect of it.) And you(and Greg)are right: the value of a blog shouldn't be measured on the number of comments, but by the discussion. It doesn't change the fact, though, that I *like* comments and when people leave them on my blog. Human nature, I guess.Melissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00217383813263874657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12461652.post-83346244836237103582009-10-19T16:50:22.429-04:002009-10-19T16:50:22.429-04:00Liz - as you know, the point of comments is partic...Liz - as you know, the point of comments is participating in the conversation... and as you (and Colleen) note, there are many other ways to do that. <br /><br />Popularity isn't really a key term on the web, I don't think. Influence and trust are. Comments, left elsewhere or on your blog, can impact how we're perceived, though as noted above, it's only one measure of that. <br /><br />I think the key is conversations - whether starting them, as many of Colleen's examples often do, or continuing them - by commenting, creating posts, tweeting, or whatever other methods are handy.Greg Pincushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00449684160718426340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12461652.post-69317185803299230302009-10-19T03:56:32.214-04:002009-10-19T03:56:32.214-04:00...with a side helping of "you can judge a bl...<i>...with a side helping of "you can judge a blog by its number of comments" </i> <br /><br />Ouch! I'd have thought all the YA/children's books we read would have made people a bit more hesitant to judge the value of something by its popularity. If nothing else.<br /><br />But yes, well said. Although it seems sad that you should be made feel so defensive that you have to explain why you <i>cannot</i> comment 90% of the time. Where's the room for different styles for different bloggers inclusivity?Lady S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15082805324614635011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12461652.post-42248178268356049202009-10-18T21:49:35.859-04:002009-10-18T21:49:35.859-04:00Amen.
I would go further and point out that sites...Amen.<br /><br />I would go further and point out that sites like Bookslut and Sarah Weinman's and Ed's and TEV and Maud Newton and on and on either do not have comments at all or receive relatively few and yet they are the ones getting visitors in five and six figures each month (not to mention reviewing for major publications, speaking at writing festivals etc.)<br /><br />I email people direct on a post, or I link to it later, or I comment. But mostly I read and move on because if I take the time to comment everywhere then I'm not going to read many blogs - or get anything else done either.<br /><br />And I find it hard to believe that I'm the only one who does this.Colleenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18380722344521975869noreply@blogger.com