Nov 30 2007
Resonance
I wrote a grand total of 30 posts this month. One a day. I did it! I made it! I can hardly believe it!
And yet, last month I wrote only 14 posts. When I check my google analytics, I find that I had MORE traffic LAST month than I did this month. And I averaged around 45 comments per post last month, whereas I averaged about 15 comments this month.
Now, I do not blog for traffic or for comments. But we all use these statistics for a reason. They help us to see if what we’re writing is resonating with people. And, frankly, I don’t “blog for myself.” I blog for the connections that I make with others. And my statistics dropped significantly this month.
This tells me two things: 1. My hurried posts this month were not as interesting as my more thought-out posts of last month, and 2. Everyone is so busy with their own NaBloPoMo-ing that they’re not reading my blog, just like I’m hardly reading theirs.
So, was NaBloPoMo a success? Well, I suppose, because I didn’t disgrace myself by missing a day. But really, no. It was a mess. I won’t be doing this again. Next year, I think I’ll take November off—I’ll stop posting all together, and just spend the whole month enjoying everyone else’s posts!
Anyway! The End! And congrats to everyone else who accomplished their NaBloPoMo goals!
br>
I think it’s definitely reason #2. My reader has been INSANE all month long and I haven’t been able to keep up with my blog reading at all.
I’m almost ashamed to admit I hit the “marked as read” button quite frequently as there were just too many to get through, with everyone writing every day.
Interesting. People seem to have very mixed feeling about the experience, but on the whole, I’d have to say [not that anyone’s asking] that if it isn’t enjoyable then that kind of negates the whole exercise for me.
BEst wishes
I agree with the loss of quality on posts. I do blog for myself and I was disappointed in a great many of my half-assed posts this month. My readers were as well, overall. I probably garner a fraction of the readers that you do, but there was a dip in my traffic as well. I’m going to say “ditto” on the not repeating this task next year. Was my first and last NaBloPoMo.
Don’t forget that it was all during a major holiday and I noticed a lot of bloggers had sick kids recently… both make for sleepy bloggers and readers.
Congratulations! I am new to blogging and have never posted 30 days in a row PERIOD. But I think I could do it, was it hard for you? Does this only happen in November?
I had a grand total of 5 posts this month! Partly because I spent way too much time reading people’s 30 days of blogging I had not time to comment or made decent posts of my own!
Congrats for sticking it out.
Congrats! I made it too!
My numbers were all over the board. 7 hits one day, 57 the next. There was no rhyme or reason to it.
I don’t know who thought having NaNoWriMo and NaBloPoMo in the same month was a good idea, but they should be fired. I could hardly keep up with my blog reading as it was. If I’d been writing a novel too, my blog posts would have probably averaged about 12 words a day. Whoever pulled that double feat off is a flipping rock star!
Congrats to you, and Happy NoMoNaBloPoMo!!!
Considering I’m a freak that writes two posts a day (then only uses one) I’m thinking about NaBloPoYEAR! I’ve got a whole other month’s worth of posts in draft form. Kidding. Sort of.
I certainly hope my quality didn’t offend you?
Go get some sleep now. Or maybe read a book.
Well, I have been blogging for 2 years and only recently I did allow comments and interactions…I know it sounds crazy but way then, it was like an open journal for me…so NaBloPoMo for me is a great step, because I just took blogging “seriously” for the month of November…and had posted everyday…and had read most blogs…but as a reader…I would agree, people had gone crazy and were trying too hard to post something each day…maybe I just have the luxury of time lately that both reading and blogging were things I have afforded myself…
And to drop comments to 15? Wow, that is awesome already…some blogs don’t get any at all…congrats! I love your site…so NaBloPoMo or not…I will still keep coming here…
Amen. I feel exactly the same about it. Nablopoomoo indeed.
Ditto!
I was feeling special because I could comment on your blog and not have to compete! Now I guess it’s back to being toward the end of the maddening crowd. I love your writing, your posts, your sensabilities, your new SOS. I’m happy you were posting frequently. But, alas, I’m a freak. So.
Honestly I did not enjoy NaBloPoMo much at all! A lot of the blogs I read (and I read so many) were participating and it got to the point where I would come home from work and look to see how many posts were waiting for me to read - and I would groan. Not because I didn’t want to read that many, but because I DID!
And I just simply did not have the time to read a post a day for every single blog I read.
If I did manage to read all the posts - I didn’t have time to comment on them all too. I was thrilled when a few bloggers I read dropped out!
I’m sure there are lots like me who just couldn’t keep up.
Sorry. I’ve just dropped off the commenting world. I’ve been enjoying my daily dose of Brillig. I’m sorry I never told you.
Mozart? My hero!!!!!! Luuuuuuve him.
We just watched the Magic Flute with my kiddos recently and they loved it too! My daugter is still in awe of the Queen of the Night and her F above high C.
Glad you made it and glad it’s over!
I have not been so brave to try it…but really, you are amazing!!
I had the same drop in comments too, although my stats went up a bit, strangely enough. NaBloPoMo was a success for me only because I came up with a zillion more ideas than I normally do because I was actively thinking about it so much more. I have literally 15 draft posts waiting for me. But I didn’t have time to visit and comment and read as much and that depresses me. I like the reading and commenting as much as the writing. I don’t know if I’ll do it again. We’ll see.
I think I liked it. It seems to me that the more I wrote, the more I wanted to write, and the ideas really flowed this month. The idea of HAVING to get a post up every day really worked for me. So as a writing challenge and exercise I really enjoyed it.
As far as stats and traffic, I really just don’t know. I don’t look at those all that often. If the traffic did change this month, I really didn’t notice.
I think the NaBlowShow should be looked like more as a marathon rather than the usually hard sprints that most of my favorite bloggers do. The trouble is, if you don’t pace yourself in it, then you quickly run out of steam. I saw this in a number of the participants whose blogs I regularly read. And the couple of times I went to the site to look at others, there was a lot of people complaining that they didn’t have time to keep up!! Only a few had a couple of strategies to allow them to keep it short when they didn’t have time or energy. And yes, spent as much reading as I ever do, but because I was reading more blogs because my favorites were posting more often, I did not get through as many in a day. So I am only now catching up with some from last week, and of course that screws up the statistics.
Dear Brilliant Brillig, I would read you every day, but I do enjoy you more when you are enjoying yourself! Skip the BlowShow. Stick to what you know. I was a bit peeved that the Show interfered with SOS, though you did continue a longer post the last few days. Looking forward to your usual insanity!!
The only thing that I can contribute to this idea is that I have had more than one person say they missed posts on my blog because they were too busy posting every day and couldn’t keep up with all the posts from everyone trying to do the same, which was ok with me…I post and if no one reads it, I completely understand.
The only other thing I will say is this…I love your blog. When reading your flashback fridays and SOS, I get lost in the story and I am always hungry for more. You have so much to share and write it so well, that I always enjoy it. You have a gift and I am grateful that you share it with us. Sorry for the long comment, but really wanted you to know this is honestly how I feel. Keep up the good work!!
I had the exact same experience. I’m glad I did it once, but I won’t be doing it again! I agree with Avery; November is a terrible month for both challenges.
I made it but I probably won’t be doing it again, unless of course I can save up some posts for November on my weak days. But now that I think about it, the odds of that happening are slim. As far as quality of my posts + readerships, I had the same experience you did. I think the writing everyday idea is good, but posting every day? Not so good.
I’m with Luisa and I think that the main thing was everyone having trouble keeping up. The best thing about Nablopomo for me was finding some new, great blogs. And now I just want to write WHEN I have something to say. Period.
I think I must be the only person that didn’t do NaBloPoMo, and I’m really glad I didn’t.
Every morning, I got up to over 30 new posts - and usually had another 20 or so throughout the day to take care of so that the next morning I was only looking at 30 again. It’s hard to read that much, and even harder to comment on it all - by the time I was done reading, I just needed to be away from the computer.
I respect everyone who managed to pull it off, but I don’t think I’ll ever do it.
That does it; I won’t play with the idea of doing it next year.
Echoing the others–whose idiotic idea is it to do the thing during Thanksgiving month? I mean really.
I had a booksigning yesterday and thought I saw you. I grinned all funny at this girl walking out of the store until I realized her kids were certainly not Fuzzles, et al–and she wasn’t as pretty as you are.
She must have thought I was nuts.
Interesting. I’ve heard other bloggers say that their stats drop in November because everyone is so busy blogging that they don’t have time to READ blogs! Maybe it’s true… my stats are sure down this month. I think the holidays must have an impact too. Anyhow, congrats on finishing NOBLOMOPOWOOOOO!
This was my first experience blogging where I made a commitment, so the NaBloPoMo hit three days into my opening this blog site LOL. It kept me working, let me get to know others quickly, and made me bite the bullet, and WRITE daily–so all good things.
However, in my attempt to read blogs, and comment, I gave up family time, writing time (my living), study time (my living), etc., just so I could make it through all the entries being submitted daily. I’m sure I won’t want to surrender that much of my time again, and especially in a “holiday” month.
It served me well, as far as jumping in the pool and swimming! And I had fun.
Glad you stuck it out, and I’ll be pleased to continue reading all that you have to offer in times to come.
Well done! I didn’t make it to 30 posts myself. Decided I’m going to stick to just posting when I have something I really want to write about, rather than forcing myself to stick to a rigid schedule. Hopefully my blog will be more fun to read that way too!
I’m with you! Next year there will only be blogging because I WANT to, not because of NABLOPOMO. It was fun for the first 5 days and then it all went downhill for me!
CONGRATS!
30 posts in 30 days is HARD WORK!
Well Done.
Congrats! I didn’t participate for the reasons you mention. I already post a lot (I am damn talkative!) and I didn’t want the pressure. I also noticed that my traffic dropped a bit in November. I think all the NABLOPOMO participants were wrapped up in their own event. I say take a sabbatical next year!
In my case posting daily was taxing enough; I didn’t have it in me to read any blogs regularly.
And I’ve heard several people say the same thing about their stats dropping.
As I was reading down your page…. (Happy Birth Day to your hubby) I had to laugh a little when I read that you are not getting as many comments, and here are quite a few! I usually don’t get an enormous number one any “one” post, because I do TOO MANY!! It seems the most comments will occur on a Great post that has some hang time at the top of your page, followed with a nice commenting blitzz on your friends blogs. One day I’ll learn this, but until then, my random silly-go-goofy multi posting days will hold me to 16 or so comments.
…. and that’s how it is, Eric “Speedcat Hollydale”
Thanks for a fun adventure here at www.twas-brillig.com
Have a great day, and we’ll all be looking forward to those crazy pictures (fun pictures) of your day with the B.D. - boy.