Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Would you like to say something?

Then please, please feel free to say it. :)


Image by Studio Rhoad taken from here.

Last night in a casual conversation about blogs, I asked Niamh, one of my best friends, why she didn't comment on my blog effort. It's not that I mind at all, I was just curious.

This morning she sent me and Darren an email which reads

'Just thought of another reason why I never comment on blogs. I was thinking about it this morning! Up until very recently, I thought it was only fellow bloggers who commented on each other's blogs like a little circle of friends/bloggers/ nerds whatever :P And that if I commented people would be thinking 'Who's yer one? She doesn't have a blog...'
Andrew, a recent newcomer to the blogosphere has said:
Ireland has a small but lively blogging community at the moment, where a lot of the same names appear as links on different pages, and also as commenters.
which seems to echo Niamh's belief that it's only bloggers commenting on blogs. Is it?

I think it's fairly natural that when writing a blog you'll read others, create personal connections, become a fan or share the same taste in what to post.

As huge as the internet is, there's also just a finite amount of things that we can see, we can post and most of us aren't the "finders" or the stumblers... I tend to see things now only from the newsletters I receive (props to Innocent News for this) and from other people's blogs.

So, for bloggers, what to do? What would make you comment? What would it take? There are certain obstacles to blog comments - the word verification (yes, anti-spam but also a bit offputting, especially if you're sure what you've typed is correct) but also that scary empty box that has your site URL in it - do I have to fill that out? What if I don't? Like Niamh said, will people think Who's yer wan?



Non-commenters - one of my fondest memories of the Blog Awards was when Grannymar thanked the commenters on blogs, highlighting that you are the life-blood of blogs. And it's true - even if you feel you have nothing to contribute to the point, there's no harm in saying good post or great read.

Blogs are written to be read, and I'm sure we're all interested in everyone's feedback, positive, negative, constructive or just bizarre - it gives us a nice feeling when we read that someone's reading our stuff. Because as much as you're just reading things on a screen, we're also just typing into a box on the other side.



And we'd like to get to know you :) As I keep on saying, feel free to say hello :)

38 comments:

  1. Hello Darragh!

    Commenters are our life blood!

    I have at least three regular commenters and a couple who drop in now and again, who do not have blogs! They enjoy the banter without the responsibility of running a Blog.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well what a wonderful post Darragh :D
    And thanks for fixing my spelling of 'yer wan' - I never know which one it is (wan, one, whatever)

    I shall make it my business to comment on anything worth commenting on from here on in :)
    (and I look forward to it!)

    ReplyDelete
  3. So that'll be Niamh's last comment then!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jeeze Doylee you do go on!
    :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. @grannymar - I know :) I still count myself as a commenter more than a blogger.

    @Niamh - hmmmm.

    @Darren - ditto!

    @Lottie - ditto ditto ditto ;)

    ReplyDelete
  6. i have a couple of non-bloggers who comment, some have even gone to the trouble of creating a blogger profile for themselves and have started reading other blogs through mine (or perhaps they say these things just to flatter me?)

    i never commented on blogs before i started to keep my own, and i still hesitate before commenting on a blog until i've gotten to know it... unless something really moves me to comment. yet it frustrates me that people do the same on mine! statistically (apparently) only 5% of a blog's readership actually engage and comment on what they read. how to encourage more interaction? as you said, ditch comment moderation and word verification and reply to questions and comments. they're visitors, treat them as such!

    man, i go on as much as you do.

    ReplyDelete
  7. There's some blogs I read religiously but rarely comment because I feel...I don't know, like the people who have already left comments know the blogger and each other and I'd be butting in or something? Which is stupid, I'm just as self-conscious in internet world as I am in the real world!

    And I agree with Rosie, I wish more visitors to my blog would actually comment, according to the stats there are loads but they never make themselves known. Maybe they feel as self-conscious as I do. Anyway, nice post, Darragh, good topic. (See, I'm taking your advice :))

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sorry for the double comment here (I'm on a roll) but I just had to correct my own atrocious grammar in my last one. It should read "There are loads of blogs..." not "There's loads of blogs..."

    I made myself cringe with that one!

    ReplyDelete
  9. @rosie - hello :) Admittedly I'm one of those people who has found great blogs through yours. And sure flattery is the sincerest form of imitation, eh?

    They're visitors, treat them as such! is a wonderful statement, thank you. I'm far more used to forums and feel I have a good footing in that platform, but blogs are a different beast. Interestingly people I talk to don't know how to comment so I may address that soon.

    It is frustrating to have such a small amount posting but therefore a thrill when someone does - especially someone you read regularly and they come and post on yours. So, again, thanks.

    Nothing too wrong with going on either - shows a passion about the subject and a desire to communicate it ;-)

    @chanberry, hello there and welcome. Thanks for stopping by and for the compliments. Appreciate them.

    Re being self conscious - I have two thoughts on that. Firstly there's the natural shying away from someone you admire for fear you'll not represent yourself well - it took me ages to work up the courage to post on Mulley's blog for example - and I appreciate that it's difficult. As Rosie said, you need to get to know it, to be moved to comment or feel you have something to contribute.

    What I'd love to be able to communicate is that saying "well done, I enjoyed that, thanks" is a great contribution in itself.

    Secondly it's to help people understand that comments are welcome, no matter how much of an expert/cewebrity you're perceived to be. I communicate what I do here to get to meet new people, to find people's passions and ideas and to hopefully make someone smile once in a while. Therefore every comment is a boost, no matter who it's from!

    We suffer I think from the perception that there's and Irish blogging clique. However I honestly have to say that anyone I've met has been open, friendly and welcoming. Just like they are on their blogs, with the notable exceptions of Grandad, Twenty Major and Bock the Robber who are all gentlemen and Darren who is nowhere as nice or interesting as he makes himself out to be ;-)

    Don't be at all worried about the bad grammar or even spelling (not that you had any) Chanberry, as long as it's not on an official sign or in a shop window you're fairly safe from my correction anyways. I'm just delighted you came by! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for your detailed response Darragh, lots to think about there.

    "Firstly there's the natural shying away from someone you admire for fear you'll not represent yourself well.."

    I really identify with this, it took me ages to get the guts to comment on Rosie's blog and also others like mulley, the red scrapbook, moo-dog, Catherine's blog and plenty of others. Once I did comment I found them all to be lovely, responsive and welcoming so there was really nothing to be afraid of.

    Oh and as for my grammar, I'm my own worst critic, couldn't let that one go!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Darragh, you've articulated exactly what I've been thinking. I always try to leave comments on other people's blogsbecause I figured bloggers want to know that someone out there is listening and engaging with what you have to say.
    Commenting can also set off new conversations that deviate somewhat from the original topic, but are often just as amusing and relevant.
    So I would say to any non-bloggers who regularly visit to try to comment whenever something grabs your attention, it helps us needy people to feel loved.

    ReplyDelete
  12. @chanberry - keep it up :)

    @andrew - moi? needy? However did you guess? ;-)

    This has been a very interesting topic.

    ReplyDelete
  13. i'd like to say that i want to start reading your blog. how do i add it to my wordpress blogroll like rick has done? if not, i suppose i can add your url to my links list - time is a premium for me so i like to have things easy to access and not have to click too many links to get there.

    btw, i have a blog and only one random comment in three months ;) Comments are indeed the lifeblood... i'm about thinking of turning in my blog. (or maybe find a new name? lol)

    other thing is i've found the irish bloggers and love reading stuff, but often dont 'get' the humor.

    ReplyDelete
  14. This has been very helpful thanks. I'm a real novice and don't much about blogs but I'm going to hopefully bookmark you (if its even called that) so I can return. And what if I want to show my blog address in your comment section, does it just show up, are you allowed? I'm quite a novice.

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  15. hi these things are really intresting

    ReplyDelete
  16. u ve given me enough knowledge about this thanks

    ReplyDelete
  17. Prince Ashoke (Shahrukh Khan), heir to the Magadha Kingdom, bowing to his mother's (Shilpa Mehta) demand forsakes his princely status and goes to live in the wild for awhile. There he meets and falls in love with Kaurwaki (Kareena Kapoor). He identifies himself as Pawan, not wanting to disclose his identity yet. Ashoke has to return to Magadha, but when he returns to find and wed Kaurwaki, he is told by Bheema (Rahul Dev) that Kaurwaki and her brother Arya have been killed. Devastated Ashoke returns home. On the way home he is attacked and Devi (Hrishitaa Bhatt), of the Buddhist faith rescues him and tends to him till he gets well. As a result, Devi's marriage to her groom is cancelled. Ashoke weds her and brings her to Magadha, only to be told by his father that since Devi is not of the same race as he, she cannot be welcomed. Ashoke leaves with Devi and lives in Ujjaini. Soon Devi gets pregnant, and this arouses jealously and hatred amongst Ashoke's step-brothers. As a result they plot to kill Devi, however, their plans are foiled by Ashoke's mother, who is killed. Ashoke swears to avenge his mother's death by killing his step-brothers one by one, except for one, who has led to Kalinga. Ashoke asks the ruler of Kalings to turn over his step-brother to him, and they refuse. Ashoke swears to raze Kalinga to the ground. Ashoke is unstoppable. Even his close friend, Virat (Danny Denzongpa), too, is unable to stop Ashoke. Ashoke proceeds to war, little knowing that the queen of Kalinga is none other than Kaurwaki, who is still alive.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Billu Barber is a story of a simple ordinary man who led an extra ordinary life. Bilas Rao Pardesi (Irrfan Khan) was living in his village with his wife Bindiya (Lara Dutta) and two great kids. Life was bitter sweet... we can say more sweet than bitter.

    One day a superstar Sahir Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) came into their lives and everything changed. Life changed, people changed, friends changed, the village changed but one man did not... Billu Barber.

    Will this ordinary man redefine the words ordinary? Will the words see the greatness behind his small existence? And most of all, Will life ever be the same for Billu Barber again?

    ReplyDelete
  19. Plot:It has got an amazing star cast, starring Aamir Khan as Ryan, Kareena Kapoor as Neha Kurien, Sharman Joshi as Alok, Madhavan as Hari and Boman Irani as Professor Kurien.

    To add to this star cast, we have the team which gave us the “Munna Bhai” series as the director and producer. Vidhu Vinod Chopra surely has pulled of a casting coup by convincing Aamir Khan to do this film.
    Ryan , a handsome and adventurous young man, loves his friends more than anything else (more than his parents too). He hates being a book worm like other of his college mates, so always ends up getting low grades in his college exams. He believes in doing things his way, and ends up having five pointers as his GPA.
    Hari , a shy guy by nature wants to be handsome like Ryan. He is average at studies (pretty bad/funny at viva. He falls in love with Neha Kurien (his Professor’s daughter). He always messes up when he attempts to impress Mr Kurien (his professor).
    Alok is a simple boy who wants to get good grades and earn money to overcome poverty of his family

    ReplyDelete
  20. What happens when you throw two guys who hate each other together...A cool call center executive Jimmy Cliff (Saif Ali Khan), a desi wannabe gangster Bachchan Pande (Akshay Kumar) add for good measure a beautiful girl Pooja (Kareena Kapoor) who can’t be trusted... on a journey across spectacular India... a journey which will alter the course of their lives in more ways than one... a journey where even enemies need to trust each other if they want to be alive...Trouble is, in this world no one can be trusted ever! And to top it all there is the evil eye of Bhaiyyaji (Anil Kapoor)... a maverick gangster who enjoys killing people as much as he enjoys speaking English...What you get is... TASHA

    ReplyDelete
  21. In the tradition of film noir that is guaranteed to shock, thrill and surprise. A compelling film from director Hansal Mehta about swiftly changing moralities in today’s world. After a successful businessman’s stunning wife disappears, hostile and taunting ransom demands follow. As the true nature of stakes for the captor and his captives unfold, Woodstock Villa lithely transforms from a precision neo noir into a chilling and shocking thriller, and ultimately into a vivid, invigorating, icy masterpiece of murder, mystery and suspense. Neither pleading eyes nor bound wrists nor a shallow grave are what they seem, as a moment of relief is suddenly transformed into a web of deceit, and a moment of truth is followed by a sudden web of lies. Unsettling, thrilling, hallucinatory, suspenseful and erotic, Woodstock Villa is contemporary entertainment that breaks new ground with every twist.

    ReplyDelete
  22. A gripping, multi star thriller, RACE is the story of two brothers Ranvir Singh [ Saif Ali Khan ] and Rajiv Singh [Akshaye Khanna], who live on the edge of life. Thier business is horse racing and their beat the fast track. Winning is thier birthrigte and danger thier sport. Set against the high flying social fabric of modern South Africa RACE about betrayal and greed, intrigue and revenge. Even love comes laced motive with a motive. The stakes are too high. Double them and you have the perfect grounds for perfect murder. What was the game? Who held the ropes? The glamourous model Sonia [Bipasha Basu], whom Ranvir loved or the beautiful secretary Sofia [Katerina Kaif], who loved Ranvir. The sudden appearance of Inspector Robert D'Costa [Anil KApoor] and his dumb and sexy assistant Mini [Sameera Reddy], depends the plots into a gripping tale of drama at its best. With the brothers pitched against each other who will win? The one who plays to win or the one who plays to defeat?

    ReplyDelete
  23. Why do girls always fall for the wrong guy? Their mothers warn them about him. Their friends shake their heads disapprovingly. Their minds tell them to escape while the going is good. But no! Oh no! Their hearts are another story altogether. You see, they are always sending all the wrong signals. His name alone is enough to scramble their brains and set their hearts racing. Meet Raj. He is the stuff of dreams, with the looks of a 'butter wouldn't melt in my mouth' good boy. Who can blame him for falling in love as many times as love is fortunate enough to find him. It's not his fault that he's a heartbreaker, its in his DNA.

    Come… discover his three love stories; Raj and Mahi, Raj and Radhika, Raj and Gayatri. Different ladyloves at different times in his life. And each one of them teach him a little bit about love and a little bit about life, in their own sweet, sexy or sassy way. Come fall in love... three times over!

    ReplyDelete
  24. This is a story of ‘Om’ and ‘Shanti’. His film started in 1977 and ended in 2007. He was a Junior Artist in the 70’s. She was a Superstar of the 70’s. He was her biggest fan. She was his biggest inspiration. He was madly in love. She was waiting for love. He wanted to be a ‘superstar’. She wanted to be a ‘girl next door’. He was ready to give up all his dreams for love. She was ready to give up everything she had for love. He felt betrayed in life. She felt betrayed in love. And then …started the saga of ‘Om Shanti Om’ For some love stories one life time is not enough…

    ReplyDelete
  25. Rock On!! is the story of 4 friends who put together the greatest band this country has ever seen, but never make it. Years later, fate conspires to bring them together again and set them on a journey back to where they left off... a soul-searching pilgrimage into their past.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Farhan Akhtar is an Indian film director.He is the son scripwriter, poet and lyricist, Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani.He made his directorial debut with the 2001 blockbuster hit, Dil Chahta Hai, which starred Aamir Khan.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Minissha is one lady who loves her beauty sleep. So why is it that nowadays the lady is rising early and looks forward to her day?

    A little birdie told us that the reason behind this early 'rise n shine' is none other than a mysterious neighbour who plays the flute every morning! The lilting notes of the flute are so melodious that Minissha loves waking up early just to spend a few moments standing by the window and listening to the sweet sounds wafting in!

    Minissha's guessing that the neighbour must be a musician doing Riyaaz every morning… But Minissha sure seems caught under a melodious spell!

    Well, this sounds like a scene straight out of a film! But Minissha cant help being pulled towards the Pied Pipers morning raga!!!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Minissha is one lady who loves her beauty sleep. So why is it that nowadays the lady is rising early and looks forward to her day?

    A little birdie told us that the reason behind this early 'rise n shine' is none other than a mysterious neighbour who plays the flute every morning! The lilting notes of the flute are so melodious that Minissha loves waking up early just to spend a few moments standing by the window and listening to the sweet sounds wafting in!

    Minissha's guessing that the neighbour must be a musician doing Riyaaz every morning… But Minissha sure seems caught under a melodious spell!

    Well, this sounds like a scene straight out of a film! But Minissha cant help being pulled towards the Pied Pipers morning raga!!!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Mumbai, April 12 (IANS) After eight years of being in front of the camera, Bipasha Basu says she has begun to understand the technical aspects of filmmaking. She is aiming to direct a film and says she will be 'fantastic' from behind the camera.
    Sunday, April 12, 2009 5:30:26 PM

    ReplyDelete
  30. Mumbai, April 12 (IANS) After eight years of being in front of the camera, Bipasha Basu says she has begun to understand the technical aspects of filmmaking. She is aiming to direct a film and says she will be 'fantastic' from behind the camera.
    Sunday, April 12, 2009 5:30:26 PM

    ReplyDelete
  31. http://devilisbac.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  32. http://devilisbac.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  33. http://devilisbac.blogspot.com/ this is my blogs link u can send in ur writings to me i would be looking forward for ur comments ....

    ReplyDelete
  34. hii have u seen the show

    ReplyDelete
  35. OK, we apologise for being a little inconsiderate towards this blog. We were busy scratching our noses and debating about where do babies come from. And now that we've done with cleaning our nose and the debate is finally over (though a stork is still being interrogated) let's get to the point, shall we?

    ReplyDelete
  36. Firstly, thanks for making the Orkut-MTV Youth Icon Community such a big hit. And if you missed chatting with VJ Nikhil on Tuesday, well.. too bad for you! On the other hand, if you like our new VJ Mia (who doesn't?), we've put up her hot new sexy pics for download - go ahead, download those but please don't touch yourself while you look at them.

    ReplyDelete
  37. firstly i would like to thank u guys for writing in

    ReplyDelete
  38. This will be a great idea Darragh!

    Thank you for posting very great post. You gave me a tip on how to build interactivity with my readers. Bless you brother!

    ReplyDelete