I think one of the things you have to admit to yourself when doing a writing blog is that unless you've got a book contract, you aren't going to get much traffic. I think it's human nature. We go visit the blogs of people who've published books, or recently sold books, because we're looking for the secret. (This is not to say that all published author blogs get a lot of traffic.) There's no secret here. Not yet anyway. When we head over to JA Konrath's blog, for example, we're looking for things to amaze and inspire us. Joe manages to do that pretty regularly, by the way.
I'm always trying new blogs, refining my list, but I do have some must reads (and yes, I think they're all published/contracted). Many of them you'll find in the sidebar: Alison Kent, Murder She Writes, JA, Miss Snark, Pub Rants, Paperback Writer, Tess Gerritsen. I also like Diana Peterfreund's blog, though I haven't put her in the sidebar yet. Inevitably, from these blogs I find others. Romancing the Blog is great too (see sidebar).
I also have friends' blogs to read, and I love keeping up with them and reading their posts. One of the best for general interest to a wide audience, however, is I See Invisible People. Terry's my friend, but also a great blogger.
So, what makes you want to read a blog? Do you find any value in the blogs of the unpublished? (I have short pieces print published, but by RWA standards I am unpublished. This is fine with me because I don't see it as permanent.) Or do you prefer to read blogs by published writers? Is this simply another way to portion out what may be already limited blog time? If you visit other people's blogs, do you expect them to visit you in turn (I'm not talking about the popular bloggers because they are too busy to be expected to visit everyone who visits them)? Does it bother you if you visit people and they don't return the favor? Do you think there's a club mentality at work in the blogging world? (PBW once likened it to high school.) Any other thoughts?
And thanks for reading. 🙂
The funny thing is I like to read anything well-written. So far I have only read “Runny with Quills” blog…for authors that are published.
I think the secret to traffic is to get a lot of friends and reciprocate. LOL Oh, and you must deliver something good every day.
I do love reading your blog Lynn. Makes me do some thinking.
Hi Lynn – Great question.
I read any blog that I find interesting – doesn’t matter the blogger’s publishing status, which shouldn’t matter.
I have observed, however, that there are definitely “clicks” in the blogosphere. There’s lots of “ass-kissing” (pardon my language) and sucking up. Snobs. Stand-offishness. You know the drill.
In that vein, many unpubbed writers won’t likely see much traffic because they’re not “important” enough to warrant favor. They don’t enhance one’s own stock, by association. Sad, but true.
Me? Like I said, if I find a blog that holds my interest, I add it to my roll and visit. I can’t visit them all every day, but every few days I try to make the rounds and see what they’ve got to say.
I do enjoy your blog. 🙂
Thanks for the kind words, Lynn. 🙂
FWIW, for the first 6 months I was doing good to get 30 hits a day. The worst was not getting any comments; I felt like I was shouting into a void. Then I participated in the Carnival of Feminists and now I’m up to about 120 a day. Not a lot by most standards, but enough to make me feel like I’m making a difference. I’d probably keep doing it even if no one was reading, though. I need a soapbox, and my site does that for me.
I read you every day because you’re interesting. Knowing you personally got me here the first time, but your content is what keeps me coming back. You’ve got important things to say and a unique way of saying it.
As for drawing traffic, I’ve found that commenting on other blogs and linking to them is a great way to get people to read the first time. My little “blog circle” has grown to include quite a few people who link to each other and comment on each other’s posts. It’s become a community, like we had years ago on GEnie.
Keep writing, Lynn, and I’ll keep reading. You’re doing great.
I think there are fewer “cliques” in the litblog world than “clicks.”
To wit: I visit most the blogs that I have links to on my own sidebar, because, well, it’s just point and click. Second most visits belong to blogs that are mentioned in the text of the blogs i most visit. Third most are blogs I can click to in the sidebars of the blogs I most visit… etc.
I also visit the blogs of people who comment on my blog. But as I’m always behind in updating my blogroll sidebar, then sometimes I lose track of those blogs until they comment again, and then I go back and visit, and I’m like, Oh, cool, totally forgot how great this was, I should put it on my sidebar… and then, of course, I forget to, and then I don’t visit for a few more weeks. For instance, you just reminded me that I haven’t been to Konrath’s blog in AGES.
When I first started blogging, no one ever visited my blog or commented on it until I started ocmmenting. All of a sudden, I started getting hits and my blog appeared on the sidebar. But you are right, the big change happened when I sold. However, I think that I have — or I used to have — an even mix of the sold and the unsold on my blogroll. But the unsold keep dropping like flies. I mean, selling. 😉
Larissa Ione, for example, though she sold this week. I started visiting Kelly Parra’s blog and Rachel I-don’t-know-her-last-name’s blog because the posts were so interesting… and then, a few months later, they both sold.
To make a long story short, you have a great blog, Lynn, and I promise I will add you to my sidebar as a daily reminder to visit.
Thanks everyone for the comments! I didn’t mean to sound whiny, lol! But it’s one of those things I wonder about as I trek through the blogosphere. And, I think it’s an obsessive writer thing (or maybe an obsessive Virgo thing) to wonder what you could do differently or better. I also sometimes wonder if I’m saying anything interesting or if I’m just blabbing to hear myself blab. (I don’t mean that as a plea for compliments, btw; I think maybe it’s a Lenten observation about my own nature.)
I agree about commenting on other blogs and linking to them. If you want to be visited, you have to visit. It’s only fair. When I made an effort to branch out and make comments, I did get more people coming here. I tend to lurk a lot, but I’ve made more effort to speak up. One of Joe Konrath’s tips was to be controversial. That’s not something I do well because I just can’t stand to offend people.
Hmm, Millenia, I’ve felt like there are cliques too, but then I’ve wondered if maybe I’m just misunderstanding the situation because I’m coming into an established relationship between people. Maybe it’s like Diana says and it’s “clicks” instead. When it’s easy to click on a sidebar, you tend to remember to visit.
I like visiting both published and unpublished writers. I like the published because they talk about things I want to know. I like the unpublished because they are in the same boat with me and I’m interested in how they’re getting on. And I LOVE first sales. LOVE them. They are so inspiring. It’s like watching the Olympics and being happy for the winners because they are so darn happy.
OTOH, I don’t generally like blogs where people upload their novels in progress for comment. I think that’s a bad idea. Or where they get whiny about rejections and needy for compliments (oh dear, blushing since my “Blog Blues” post may have seemed that way). I think you should be able to talk about your rejections or tribulations and engage in a meaningful dialogue about it if that’s what you want to do. Your blog is your pulpit.
Interesting, Diana, about the growth of your own blog. I think I actually found your blog originally because I clicked on it in the RTB sidebar. And because I saw you commenting in some of the places I’d been. In fact, come to think of it, I saw your name a lot. 🙂 (Oooh, now I’m hoping some of that first sale luck going around your sidebar will rub off on me! Thanks for adding me.)
Okay, I’m jumping around here, but I’m thinking back to what Millenia said about clicques and what Diana said about her own sidebar being a mix, and I have seen published author blogs where everyone in the sidebar is also published. And where any comment I might make is ignored in favor of the author’s pals. Doesn’t make me want to run out and buy their books, you know?
Anyway, I’ve rattled on long enough. Thanks so much for all the comments! And thanks for linking to me and visiting. I appreciate it. 🙂
That’s what I meant about the “cliques”, Lynn. Comments are ignored – or I’ve even seen instances where they’ll comment on your comment w/o acknowledging you. 😉 Those are priceless.
Yikes, that’s not very nice, is it? I don’t think I’ve run across that yet, but I have been ignored. Once or twice is one thing; systematically is another.
Millenia Black… Really… I have been answered w/o being acknowledged… ummm and I wasn’t even smart enough to be insulted. LOL
Oh, and Lynn… you have never ignored me… you couldn’t 😉
Hi Lynn, cool topic. 🙂 I tend to visit blogs that interest me regardless of whether the writer is published or not. For example, I found your blog after you commented on mine and you kept saying interesting stuff so I kept coming back.
The sites I tend to get bored with are those author ones where the blog is basically a PR thing to push their book.
I’m a bit of a lurker, too I’m afraid. I read a lot of blogs but I don’t comment as much as I should. I also don’t have a sidebar – I’m such a wuss that I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings by forgetting to put them on the sidebar. But I’m thinking to change that as sidebars are one of the ways I’ve found lots of new blogs, and plus others have linked to me and I’d like to return the favor.
Thanks for making me think about all this! 🙂
No, I can’t ignore Cyn! 🙂 Nor would I want to. 🙂
Hi, Nalini! Thanks for commenting. I stopped at your blog a few days ago, but you were offline for a few days and I haven’t checked back yet. 🙂 In fact, I’m adding you to my sidebar to make it easier. I was clicking on your name in the comments trail. 🙂
Good point about the promotional blogs. I find I only go to them infrequently, but the blogs where people talk about writing and their routine and all the fun stuff that goes along with it keep me coming back for more. 🙂
Oh, I know what you mean about not wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings! I guess I should put up a little something that says “Let’s trade links.” JA Konrath does that. I don’t want to leave somebody off accidentally.
You know, I’ve been thinking about what Millenia and I were saying about cliques and I realized it isn’t just published authors. I’ve gone to some unpublished author blogs and been ignored there too. 🙂 I usually stop reading them. In fact, I stop reading any blogs where I don’t feel welcome.
Gah, that’s almost silly to say, I realize, but I think so many authors do a fine job of making people feel welcome and that I know it when I see it. LOL, does that make sense?
Anyway, thanks again!