When I first started this blog, I really didn't expect anyone would read it. Me and maybe an occasional accidental hit and maybe Linda when she felt like it. Perhaps a few of my customers, who would quickly lose interest because I really don't talk about books and comics and games all that much.
But the Bulletin kind of gave me a boost early on, by doing a couple of stories. And I found I really like writing this blog, so my ambitions became a little bigger.
When I finally checked how many hits I was getting, I was slightly disappointed. And at the same time, it really way beyond what I expected at the start. I also noticed that I would tailor my posts based on popularity.
So I stopped checking. I haven't looked at my hits for a long time now.
When Linda started blogging, she immediately connected with some national type bloggers, and they reciprocated. I realized there was readership to be had by making the effort to interact with other bloggers. I realized there was readership to be had by making more amusing and entertaining graphics. There was readership to be had by being A.) More controversial. or B.) The opposite, just kind of gently amusing or gently informative.
I'm neither.
The most popular blog in Bend is HackBend, who tells us who has the best chili in town. Well, that's O.K. But not where I'm headed. Another popular blog, based on comments, is BB2, which is amusingly outrageous. Again, not where I'm headed.
What I realized after awhile was that I wasn't interested in national readership. That would be too much of a burden, too much of a distraction. I would be too self-conscious. Besides, some of the national type blogs can be rather savage. My writing and my thinking would have to be considerably more rigorous.
For instance, above I say "Me" would be the only one reading my blog. I think it would be more correct to say "I", but that sounds too awkward, and I really don't want to get hung up on it. I'm too lazy for that -- but not only that, I think casual is the tone I'm shooting for, and casual doesn't work except for those who go along with it and then it's O.K., you know, sloppy run-on sentences and all?
This blog seems to have settled into more of a local readership, or people who are interested in Central Oregon. That makes sense, since that is the subject of most of my posts.
Or since I haven't checked my hits in a long time, maybe everyone has given up reading this blog.
Doesn't matter. I was comfortable with personal blogging, and I appreciated the local blogging and I don't care about the national blogging.
I don't have any rules about it, it just seems to have settled into that range.
I kind of like it.
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3 comments:
Just like with your store, you've found a blogging niche, Duncan. Keep it up.
It would be fascinating to do a scientific study of the personality traits of bloggers vs. the general population. I suspect they would turn out to be (a) better than average at expressing themselves verbally, (b) more opinionated and (c) less sociable (on the theory that people who have frequent in-person contact with a wide circle of people have less need for the second-hand sociability that blogs provide).
I know these characteristics apply to me.
Dunc, you've got the best blog in Bend.
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