Why I hate blogging

Well, maybe hate is too strong. Let's go with don't like instead. Here's my list:

1. Know your readers, know your readers. That was beaten into me when I started in journalism. But I don't know who my readers are here - or if there are any. I don't like that. It makes me feel... uncomfortable.

2. Only idiots write for free. Also beaten into me. I'm an experienced freelance. Why, after fifteen years, should I start writing for nothing? OK, I'm working on this one. I write academic essays; I write short stories - who pays me? Nobody. So I can make time for this too.

3. As a pro-writer, you shouldn't publish ill-thought writing (like this). It has spellinh mistakes. It might make me look like an amatuer. Editors who've paid me good money for years will say... "hey, this guy's an idiot, all of a sudden. Cancel that invoice!"

4. I should be helping to bath the kids and get them in bed, instead of doing this. Now, that's true - so off I go.....

Comments

[pieman]

If you're already signed up to Technorati, search on your domain:

http://technorati.com/search/neil.typepad.com%2Fidle%2F

Then add the search to your watchlist using the watchlist button. Then - and I'm presuming you already use an RSS reader - you hit the 'View in RSS format' and whenever anyone that Technorati tracks links to your blog you'll see in your reader. Very easy. Painless. Zero effort.

However, don't expect to see tonnes of links coming in if you're not saying anything unique and if you're not commenting on blogs covering similar beats.

[Neil Baker]

Graham,

I'm signed up with Technorati, and can "ping" them when I post, but I don't know how to track my posts. Can you enlighten me - or point me somewhere?

Neil

[Neil Baker]

Yep, you're right about just doing it and seeing how it goes. That's one of the interesting things about blogging.

I've been doing a creative writing course for two years. One of the big deals in that area is "finding your voice," which is a cliche, but which like all cliches has an element of truth. The idea is that at some point everything clicks into place with your writing. But the only way to find the voice is to write a lot, and experiment.

Likewise, my experience is you can't work out how you're going to blog and then do it. You can only find out by getting on with the blogging.

That means you make your mistakes - and learn your lessons - in public. But that's exactly how journalism works too.

[pieman]

That's the thing with journos. Esp. trained ones. They can't drop the years of baggage and thus hold themselves back. Experiment, do different things. And if, like you you're just starting out, sign up with Technorati and tag your posts. Blogdom is so big now it is very difficult to get heard. Tags help. Also, read other blogs, add useful stuff in the comments. A lot of it is all down to content, staying the course and what you want to get from it. What's your end game?

Use your blog url in your signature in emails, forums and discussion lists. If, after some time, you're still into it you could consider ditching any portfolio site and linking to editors straight through your blog. I reckon it takes quite a while to feel out your space in blogdom.

At the We Media conference, if you're still going, blog it and tag it 'wemedia' in Technorati.

Lastly use statcounter www.statcounter.com. Add the code to your blog to track who's reading and where they're coming from.