Gideon MacLeish Gideon MacLeish

Reminding Myself Why I Blog

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Reminding Myself Why I Blog

from JoeUser Forums
Warning: this is just another rant. If it's not to your liking, you may want to move on...lol.

I recently put up an article that was a bit more of a piece of "me" than some of my regular pieces. It sunk like a stone.

It seems to me fascinating that there are numerous blogs that are posted on the way JoeUser is going downhill, and yet, the articles that get the points aren't the insightful, well written articles. They're the "shock blog" articles with the inflammatory titles (Two such "articles" that I know of have topped 230 responses, last I checked!).

I have seen other bloggers make this same statement in different ways; when I arrived here, one very talented blogger was frustrated to the point of nearly leaving. This is one of the reasons I started and continue the "A Blogger You All Want to Know" series; because if you want to get rid of the crap on the site, the answer is simple: READ GOOD BLOGS! I stand by all of the users I have profiled, and if you want a starting point for good blogs, check them out! (I would also like to state that higher ranked users are also usually very good reads; though this is not necessarily the case; the reason I don't profile them is they already HAVE the exposure).

To the topic line: This causes me to reflect on why I truly blog. It's not for points, but some comments, some feedback are nice. It may be a small ego boost, but it tells me what you really want to read (sadly, my top article remains the Mary Kate Olsen post).

signing off,

Gideon MacLeish
blogging
6,816 views 38 replies
Reply #26 from JoeUser Forums Top
I think that's just the nature of the universe. Just look at the popularity of rap music! Who decides what quality is?


Good point.
Reply #27 from JoeUser Forums Top
Gideon, i dont read all of your threads, theres just too damn many of them, (over 250 the last time i checked, and you havent even been here very long, about 2 months now?) so i tend to choose ones that lead me to believe they are addressing a unique topic, not just your version of other issues already being discussed on various other threads. No offense intended, but you do this quite often, and i tend to avoid those threads, because who wants to have the same conversation about the same issue on more than one thread at a time? Just my opinion, but id rather see "gideons take" on various issues posted as a comment on the original thread where the discussion was started, than have to leave that thread and visit your site in order to see your opinion, which you post as a *new* article.


Hmm..."My Coolest Road Trip" is a version of someone else's blog? "Confessions of a Misfit Christian"?

Those are the examples I am speaking of...the "Diversity or Left Wing Totalitarianism?" Thread is one of my highest rated articles...the two I just mentioned are among my lowest.

The reason I don't reply on someone else's thread is simple: if I hold an opposing view, I would like to state it without offending the thread author, or risking being blacklisted or hijacking the thread.

A quick look at my posts will show blogs of all sorts of topics...the "personal" ones are the ones that sink.
Start11 - Customize the Start Menu and Taskbar in Windows 10/11.
Reply #28 from JoeUser Forums Top

I just hope Diamond-D doesn't ever figure out that if he ENABLES his comments, he'll get 50 "get the F%$^ outta here" replies, reach the top 20 and get more exposure.


Gideon!!!  Shhhhhh!!!  Hush your mouth!!  You'll give him ideas!!!


I think I've only had one blog that had more than 150 replies.  I've never had a monster with over 200...yet. 


I think that writing some crap and having people jump all over it but what you consider to be decent stuff sinking like a brick is a universal thing.  It happens to me all the time.  It's the same with featured articles.  What I consider to be feature worthy goes un-noticed, but a 3 liner called 'You named your kid what?!' gets a featured position.  It's all perspective, I guess.


 

Reply #29 from JoeUser Forums Top
OK, LW, in all fairness I decided to scan back through my blogs to see if I spin off of other blogs "quite often", as you assert.

I have 196 blogs total, for the record; I stopped counting at 70, as it was getting tedious and my point was proven. Of the last 70 posts, 63 were NOT takeoffs of other people's blogs (with the sole exception of a thread started specifically to avoid hijacking another blogger's thread); 6 could be construed as a takeoff of someone else's blog (although I was liberal in defining those 6 as takeoffs), and 1 was incidentally identical to someone else's blog (Dharma and I posted articles on biznet at almost exactly the same moment; unless I am a mindreader and she doesn't have her tinfoil beanie on, I think it's safe to assume that was accidental).

I don't think this fits the definition of "quite often". I may have done some spinoff posts early on, but I was new to joeuser and figuring out where I wanted to be and what I wanted my blog to be. I think it's safe to assume that I have since established and cemented my position and my own identity. If all you see are blogs that are takeoffs on an overdone topic, you aren't looking hard enough. I have pulled obscure news items, shared insight into my family (including the recent birth of our son), and indeed, my soul.

I might also add my comment to article ratio is over 4 to 1, so I do plenty of opining on others' threads as well.

I've said enough on this subject. Thanks for your comments, though, it was helpful to do an inventory.
Reply #30 from JoeUser Forums Top
I love your blogs Gideon. I read them all and comment on some.I truly believe I have found a friend in you!
Reply #31 from JoeUser Forums Top
Its easy to say "shrug it off" but i do take any critique of my writing seriously enough to take a look and see if theres any truth to the complaint. I see youve done the same, and i agree that you have written about a variety of topics. My apologies....i guess ive been a little mad at you so i havent really been reading as much of your stuff as i should have before making such a judgement.


no worries. I see the same thing. This is an excellent forum for self analysis, and I did enjoy the chance to look back.

The comment I was trying to make here, though, is that, the two articles you mentioned, while they pissed you off, are also two of my top articles. The articles that are most meaningful to me sunk faster than the Titanic. Basically, I know how to write an article that gets points, but taking the "honest" route means I have to post a shitload of blogs just to maintain where I stand in the points, which is sad. Personally, I'm mixed at "spinoff" articles. Usually I try to post to the original when I spinoff, and at least give points back to the original, but when I arrived here, there were so many posts about "thread hijacking", that's exactly how I did NOT want to make my name as a newby (personally, I don't mind thread hijacking on a good thread; it keeps it alive).

Even with my (often) opposing views, as far as i know ive only been blacklisted from 2 blogs since starting on JU...WiseFawns and peteys. No great loss there, and i think most bloggers can handle opposition, and in fact welcome it, if not, why bother to post to the forums?


A few bloggers, though, use the forums as a means to flame. They take part of your reply out of context, then ten posts down the thread, nobody's reading the original, they're reading the quote box. I've seen this happen to you more than others.

Again, thanks for the comments. I look for every chance to improve my blog, and an outside, honest assessment is the only way I can do it.
Reply #32 from JoeUser Forums Top
Keep blogging amigo !
Reply #33 from JoeUser Forums Top

i doubt that your are on any of the other top 10 users blacklists, (maybe dharma's, i dont know)


Nope, she's not on mine.  She says that she is, but she's not. 


You know nothing of me and the "sisterhood" accept that you were fully embraced and welcomed. I suggest you let it go.


Why is it that we are all the ones who need to 'let it go' when we're not the ones who bring it up?  No-one has mentioned the JU sisterhood in ages...until you just did, WF.  Contrary to opinion, the sisterhood isn't an exclusive clique...it's just a term I use to describe the female bloggers here.  You don't have to be invited to join, you're already a member because of your gender.


You know, I'm going to say what I've been wanting to say for ages (sorry Gideon, for hijacking your thread).  Wise Fawn, you and I don't get along.  I'd like to change that.  We don't have to be best buddies, but I'd like for us to at least talk.  I'm willing to try if you are.  My email address is on my blog page if you'd like to talk away from the JU spotlight....but remember that I'm moving house next week and will be computer-less as of Tuesday, so if you do write and don't get a timley reply please don't think I'm ignoring you.


I hope that we can give friendship a shot...



 

Reply #34 from JoeUser Forums Top


I hope that we can give friendship a shot...

Dharma..that was cool....I don't know why, but that touched me..
Sorry gid..for the hijack, but I thought that was nice.
Reply #35 from JoeUser Forums Top
Gideon, i'll give you my #1 hint for keeping your "worthy" articles alive...time your responses. Lets say you get 3 comments right away....wait a bit, wait till that article is the last one on the "recent posts" list, then answer 1 comment, and one comment only.


Oh, I've learned that trick. That assumes I GET responses. Following this article, one of my articles died with a mere 7 points! I do try not to "respond" with no comments just to keep it alive, though.
Reply #36 from JoeUser Forums Top
Sorry gid..for the hijack, but I thought that was nice.


I don't mind thread hijackings. Since we are limited as to "open" forums, sometimes threads where we post in common are the only ones where we can make peace.
Reply #37 from JoeUser Forums Top
Interesting... I didn't read this thread thill it had 40 replies... I thought something interesting must be going on here...

I have a few things to say - this is a little hijack, but I will get to the point that JU is a better place with Gid withing the community later... Dharma, what you said to Wisefawn also moved me... I can see where you two would come to loggerheads, but I know essentially you are both great people... I was awesome of you to reach out... I hope Wisefawn accepts... you may not get to like each other, but you can understand each other... I am really, really impressed.

Secondly... Gid, you are such an integral part of the community... I value your comments on my blog like gold... I read pretty much all of your articles, but like others have said, there are too many of them!!! I dont want to spread myself to thin by just reading your blogs!!! you surely know the value of reading new blogs and educating your fineself on the talented writers we have at JU!!!!

I appreciate you opinions and your outlook on life... we are lucky to have such an articulate character amongst us!!!

BAM!!!
Reply #38 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'm kinda hoping the paid version of JU will include an option to time your blog's release...so that I don't have to crowd my articles together when I'm online. That will probably pick up more of the "dead" threads.