Thursday, January 17, 2008

Deep Thoughts

Guess my "break" is over.

I couldn't stay away from you.

Which leads me to my question of the hour:

Would you blog if no one could leave comments? Not if no one *left* comments - I think we've all been there at one time or another - but if you say, disabled your reader(s)' ability to comment.

Discuss. In the comments. :)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can't believe I am so lucky as to be the first person to leave a "deep thoughtful" comment on your "deep thoughts" posts.

So to answer your question -- No, I would not blog if no one could leave comments! To me, commenting is the soul of blogging. The interaction with readers is what is so exciting. If I didn't have that, I'd simply submit articles to magazines and newspapers.

ames said...

I did for years, up until last September, when I discovered how much more interesting blogging is when you use it to build community and not just post random thoughts once a month.

However, in those days the people who read my blog were my classmates whom I saw daily, so I got comments in person instead. I also managed to spread food cravings virally, by posting in the morning that I wanted a cheesesteak, I had three buddies lined up at lunch time who were ready to go get one!

I find that with comments and whatnot, it motivates me to post more often and also to post something interesting and somewhat relevant.

Gift of Green said...

I agree with both of you. I have a blog that I am responsible for at work and there are never any comments - doesn't matter that I can tell there has been travel - I miss the feedback.

Anonymous said...

Hi! I am getting back into this blogging thing myself, nice to see you again :)

As much as I love comments... I think the majority of my readers are non-bloggers and they are shy about leaving comments. I am kind of used to it; and I guess I do get feedback because people send me emails, or when I see them in person they thank me for information I have long forgotten I posted but to them it seems like I wrote it just to them. Unique situation for me; I'd love more comments but I just like to write too (as is evident in this comment, sheesh!) so I think I would still do it either way.

Carrie said...

That's a really interesting question. What if you have readers but no comments? I read your blog nearly everyday because of my friend Mary Beth. She started a blog for which I was the only reader for nearly a year. It has been really fun to watch her audience grow. I actually read blogs because she introduced me to them but hers is the only one (until now) that I comment on. I started a blog (at my daughter's insistence)but I am not very consistent about posting. I started a second blog because I wanted a place to be "less cheery" in what I wrote. If there are any comments on either of them, they're from Mary Beth. But I blog for myself. So, in answer to the question, I think you can blog without comment feedback. Please do keep it up. I'm reading it!

Anonymous said...

Interesting. I'm thinking about turning my comments off --as it would give me more time to write, which I love to do, and not feel guilty about returning comments to people who come to my blog. Where did I get such a crazy idea, from Patios at, Whee all the way home. She says it is liberating.
However, I do think the comments drive the post. But how many people do comment because they want a comment on their post?
I've given this a lot of thought...

Jody Sanders said...

Yes. Too often I get no comments, and it used to bug me but I know people are checking in and reading ... they tell me in person all thet time!, but then I realized I blog to keep people updated on our lives and also as a journal of sorts, for me to look back on. So yes, I'd keep blogging, though I think comments are a wonderful feature and have led me to some wonderful friendships.

My store blog no one EVER comments on and I like it that way. I use that blog more as a continuous changing advertisement, and not something I'm writing to or for anyone in particular, so not getting comments works in that situation.

jenmaree said...

I don't receive a lot of comments on my blog. I mostly blog for updates for my friends and family. I say blog knowing people will read (if you really do want to blog).