Okay, I wouldn’t really call it throwing down the gauntlet, but the phrase popped into my head, I liked it and decided, by God, it’s my blog and I’ll title my posts whatever the hell I want. So there 
But there was a reason it came to mind…
But first, my blog of the day choice was something I dug up just for Sarah.
If you’re not familiar with Freecycle, well, it might not be quite as amusing to you. But to those of us who do belong and have witnessed asinine posts, the Best of Freecycle is highly entertaining.
Now, on to my gauntlet (which really isn’t a gauntlet at all, so sue me). Yesterday I featured Jayne Ann Krentz’s new blog as my blog of the day (yes Chey, blogs do have a voice and some of them fairly sing) and I mosied over today to read her latest post and catch up on some comments. In the comment of her post from yesterday, in which she wondered how she would make her blog interesting, there were a LOT of fans who mostly just wanted to tell her how much they loved her books. She had 28 total comments when I visited. One of the comments said that any blog that had posts that garnered more than 10 comments was doing well. Hmm…
In theory, I might agree with that comment. When talking about a blog that doesn’t belong to someone that already has an established fan base. But when talking to an author who has been writing books for 20 years- or even to an author who’s only been writing for one- no. I disagree. I don’t know how to say this without sounding kind of snarky, but authors have the advantage of having a readership that is already probably willing to read anything they write. And sometimes gush about it. Even if it’s just a grocery list (anyone read my fangirl column? lol) So, I don’t necessarily think the 10 comment rule applies. Now, if we’re talking about my blog, then hell yeah, my blog RAWKS Although, I don’t know how many posts I get that recieve 10 comments. Heck, I have to beg people to enter my contest for a signed copy of J.R. Ward’s Dark Lover. And I don’t even benefit from it in any way! Sheesh.
But I digress (I do that alot), I’m not saying that authors don’t have to work to keep people interested in their blogs, because every day, more and more blogs are started and people only have a finite amount of time to spend blog-hopping. So, yeah, they still have to be interesting. But what I’m saying is that they don’t have to work to get their initial readership. Heck, people like me even do promo for them Unlike just your everyday average blogger, who has to work very hard to just bring new readers to their block (I meant blog, but when I read the typo, I decided to leave it. Kind of appropriate, don’t you think?) and then work twice as hard just to keep those readers. Oh the pressure! Ahaha.
So, basically what I’m saying is…you authors have it easy. Quit yer whining. It’s us little people who suffer. Yeah. There’s my gauntlet. Take that!
Bwahahahaha…I wasn’t really saying that at all, but do you think that would have gotten me 10 comments?
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50 Coolest Websites 2005
How do we come up with our 50 best? Short answer: we take your suggestions, probe friends and colleagues about their favorite online haunts and then surf like mad.
Yesterday I decided to read some blogs and found yours. Nice blog. I am trying to get ideas on the direction I should go and what it should look like
I have a japanese wedding site/blog. It pretty much covers japanese wedding and related stuff. Come and check it out if you get time
Hello I really like your blog I have a home employment site/blog. It pretty much covers home employment related stuff.
Does spam count? *g*
I can relate. Ten comments to a post is the exception rather than the norm for me.
Alyssa
I think a well known author has an edge, of course. Just like any celebrity would have an edge for their blog.
But don’t despair! I think your blog is terrific!
Now please give Brianna a Huge Hug from Moi! Her pictures are just too cute!!
Ha! I was going to make a crack about spam in my post but I forgot. Normally, I’d delete it permanently but just for this post, it’s staying. Tee hee.
Hey Sam, I forgot to mention, I’m glad you like Squeee but I can’t take credit for it. I’m pretty sure it was Sybil who came up with that one. At least, I stole it from her
http://redwyne.blogspot.com/
Squeeee!
Well, it doesn’t matter where it came from – I just had to add it to my vocabulary, lol.
Not to take away from Sybil’s shine, but squee has been around for a long time. It’s one of those words that was originally meant to be used in an ironic way but lost its ironicness when the plebs started using it.
I don’t think I’ve every had 10 comments on my blog. Does that mean I should stop?
Hey, I think I’m number 10 (if you want spam to count, it counts.) I’ts official, your blog “RAWKS” but we already knew that.
Famous authors definitely have an advantage, they’ve got a built in following. To be honest 28 comments doesn’t really seem like that much for someone as popular as JAK, but it would be kick ass for the rest of us.
someone else beat me to 10, oh well, 11 makes it even better, right–LOL.
ACK!!!! I accidentally lost my post. and it was a long one, too!!! I hate that. Grumble.
Anyway, I was saying that you’re right, blogs do have a voice. I just never thought about that before.
And looks like you have over your 10!
As far as number who post to mine, it really depends. Depends it you’re counting my own responses. Ha! My blog isn’t even hooked up to my website yet–webmistress hasn’t gotten around to doing that yet. But I’ve been doing pretty good with visitors. Not that it shows up on my site now that I have a new look and the comments thing isn’t showing up.
I think the more popular authors would have more than 10 Some of us are working up to that. JAK has tons of books out, so I wouldn’t be surprised if her blog overflowed! And she’s a terrific author.
OK, enough rambling. I can’t even remember all I said!
Hugs,
Chey
And I made it 14.
And I am happy when my blog get even 1 comment!
There are comments (spam, Hi’s, Congrats, etc) and then there are the comments that actually say something.
I’d rather have a few with something interesting to say than 30some saying I’m great.
Nope. I’m lying. I want 30 comments saying I’m great.
Oh hell it’s official. I’m not famous. I very rarely get 10 comments on my blog. Angie, make me famous, okay? *g*
Oh sure, let me just wave my magic wand J
Sunita and Leslie, I think all bloggers forget that just because no one is commenting, doesn’t mean no one is reading!!
Jay, I guess I just got the word from Sybil’s blog. I don’t mind giving her credit. And squee is a fun word!
Chey, I hate it when that happens too! And between your blog and Michelle’s blog, I’m pretty sure I’m losing my mind. I keep thinking I’m leaving comments places and then they don’t show up. I figure I’m getting deleted as spam
Although, in the case of Michelle’s blog, it turns out you have to hit enter twice. Dammit. So I’ve been leaving comments for weeks and then wondering where the hell they go! On your blog…I think I’m just dreaming that I left a comment. Ahahaha…
Emma, of course you do. We all want that
Tara Marie, every comment counts. And you left two. And clearly, my blog does totally RAWK. *snort*
Hey Angie. I had such a good comment earlier and it wouldn’t let me post it and now I forget what I said.
I agree with you on the 10 comment thing – sort of – kind of. Authors do have a built in fan base that would garner them more comments. But then I don’t visit that many author blogs so having said that, I (very)rarely post on author blogs. But I don’t know if I’m the norm. I concentrate more comments on reader blogs because I find them more interesting and I’m always thrilled when I see comments on mine. And I always read the reader blogs even if I don’t always leave a comment.
Hey Angie, I’m with Kristie, I’m more likely to comment on blogs that belong to readers, they’re usually far more interesting and honest because they don’t have to watch their p’s and q’s as much.
Having said that, I quite like Jill Shalvis’s blog because she discusses a whole range of stuff, plus she’s amusing which helps a lot.
I also like Monica’s blog, because I love how controversial she is! She probably scares a lot of potential commenters, but I think they still read her stuff.
And as you said Angie, just because the comments aren’t there doesn’t mean that nobody is reading them, a prime example being LLB’s blog.
She gets a ridiculous amount of hits, but very few commenteers.
(Now going to try to decipher the word verification thingy again, Goddammit!)