Friday, October 3, 2008

A Comment About Comments

There were a few key suggestions that came up over and over throughout the day at the Kidlit Blogger Conference. Yah, yah! I know. You’re over the conference and think I should move on already. But, hey, commenting on blogs has come up a couple of times this week, so it seems appropriate. Go with me on this.

First, it was repeated many times over, that it’s a good idea to read other blogs and COMMENT (if you're blogging yourself). I’m sure many of us do read several blogs, but some of us comment and others don’t. I’ve been in that don’t column for a long time now. (More about that in a few.)

This week one blogger actually called her readers on it, kind of like this…"Hey, a whole bunch of you come to read. Why not comment? Huh?" She said it much nicer, but that was the gist. And I get that.

Then, a few days ago, I get a comment that reads, “You are great!” Ah, sheesh! Thanks. I love compliments. Who doesn’t? But who’s telling me I’m great? I don’t recognize that name, but it sure was nice. I’m feeling all warm and fuzzy, so I think I’ll check 'em out. Then…





...Clink, clank, clunk—my heart falls down the stairs that exist deep inside me, because it’s all FAKE (I think) to make me figure out who you are. Mean!



Here’s the thing. There’s something strange about commenting. I’ve been on both sides. For me, as a blog reader, I feel like I’m peeking through someone’s living room window and any minute I might get caught. Then that person might think I’m interested in what they are doing, which I am. So what’s the problem? Is it just me? Am I the only one who’s weird like that?

So it stops now. Actually, it stopped last weekend. I hope you’ll do the same when you visit me at Cuppa Jolie, because truthfully, I want you to be like, “Wow, what a cozy living room,” and then feel like you come on in, stay a while, and say, “Hey, this is nice. I’m glad I stopped by…Blah dee dee blah blah blah...I think I'll join you for a Cuppa Jolie again."

Here's a thought, how about commenting on several blogs today? You up for it? I am.

Happy commenting!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've been trying to comment more. Like now.
Congrats on meeting your deadline! I am on pins and needles for you to submit. :D

holly cupala said...

I have come bearing tags...
http://brimstonesoup.blogspot.com

Stephanie Perkins said...

You nailed it with this: "I feel like I’m peeking through someone’s living room window and any minute I might get caught. Then that person might think I’m interested in what they are doing, which I am."

Yes!! I feel this way too, which is so silly! OF COURSE we want people peeking in, otherwise we wouldn't be blogging :)

And may I add . . . it's mighty cozy here, Jolie.

Anonymous said...

Since I can't have a cuppa Jolie with Jolie in person, I have to do it here!

We need to chat soon so I can hear all about your revision, and the plans ahead. Miss you! Give a kiss to the girlies from me and the Zo!

Deb Cushman said...

Okay, I couldn't read your post about commenting and NOT comment. That would have been like, well like, visiting your home and refusing to speak to you!

Hope you'll stop by my blog and comment back!
Deb Cushman

Wyman Stewart said...

:-) No comment. However, I will be back another time with the link to my blog so you can drop by to read me.

;-) While I am not commenting, let me suggest you try the song, "Look Through Any Window" by The Hollies of 1960s fame. This appears to be a Blogger Visitor theme song before there were blogger visitors; back when we called them Peeping Toms. That was when birds peeped and Toms were for the Tommy--oops---that's Tums for the Tummy, isn't it? Well, "No Matter What Shape"...I came, I saw, I did not comment. Now, where is that Yahoo 360 bloglink of mine? Back in a Jiffy Pop. Oops again, I bet you are a Jiffy Lube Mom.

Latte fun Cuppa, thanks for blogging. "I shall return", with real comment.

Wyman Stewart said...

http://360.yahoo.com/wyman_net There it is. My bloglink. Hope it works. Feel free to browse through past, present, and any future I may have there. HOWEVER, unless you have a Yahoo 360 account, I don't think they allow you to comment. I think that is part of the problem with most Blogsites, except personal professional sites. They all want you to join them or limit your posting ability. Although Blogger let up on this issue, I think for a time they tried to limit comments only to those with gmail accounts. WELL, not everyone has a gmail account, for in fact, gmail may one day come back at you in a court of law to convict you because you said something innocent and never deleted it. They store everything!!! Some would be commenters may actually believe George Orwell was writing fact, not fiction. So...they fear to comment.

;-) Still a writer likes to be read, so come on over, read my thoughts, and don't comment if you like. Just don't set my visitor count to go backwards and I will know "someone" was there. Maybe it was you. Dig enough and hopefully you will find a little poetry, some amusing writing, and even serious stuff. Not that it is publishable quality stuff. But I am working on that.

Keep it coming! I want to read more. :-) You have nice friends here. Bye-bye!!!

Anonymous said...

Ok, it won't take a genious to figure out who I am! I also stop by to share a 'cuppa' w/you and catch up on you and the girlies and their oh-so-handsome Dad. We don't burn up the airwaves as much any more now that you are soooo busy, but maybe now that the deadline has been sucessfully met, we can remedy that. So proud of you and your work. On pins and needles for the next step!

Hugs to you all.

YOM :o}

ddpattison said...

Wish I could have attended the conference. It sounds like it make many people think and think again about blogging and how we hope to connect with others. Certainly, reading comments on our blogs and commenting on others' blogs -- participating a conversation -- is one of the things we all hope for.

dP

Mari Hunt said...

I came to lurk, but am guilted into commenting! I think the hesitancy to comment also comes from the fear that an ill-considered remark lives forever on the internet. Say something sorta dumb with your friends over coffee, and hopefully they forget about it before too long. And if they don't, at least it wasn't in writing.

Cuppa Jolie said...

Thanks to ALL for the comments. It's nice to get a hello from those stopping by. I know for some...this isn't new. But for others of you, you've never commented...at least here.

I hope I'll hear from you again!

Sarah Stevenson said...

I'm a newbie to the Cuppa Jolie, but I'm trying to cruise around all the post-conference blog posts, and after all the talk about leaving comments I've been trying to be good about that, too!! I enjoyed reading your take on it.

Sarah, Finding Wonderland

Heather said...

Okay, delurking to say "great post"! One of the reasons I barely blog (aside from the fact that I am too busy reading OTHER blogs) is that I feel no one wants to read "that". But like you say, we are all curious on some level about other people.

Kelly Polark said...

"Awesome comments about commenting," I commented.

Seriously, great tips, I'm a fairly new blogger and feel now that I have a whole new blog world of people I feel connected to!