*Well it is in my house.
One of the things that often bemuses me is just why some people leave frequent and lengthy comments on other people's blogs, yet leave only occasional and scant remarks on mine - even when I posted first on the same subject. Or why readers flock to comment when another blogger admits to remembering absolutely nothing about the comics he's borrowed from the Internet, and says so in every post he ever publishes. Same old, same old in every single post - and there's a couple of guys who even pay him for the privilege. Maybe they think if they pay (or should I say 'sponsor') him then they essentially own his blog and thereby can make it the venue for their own private party. I've never yet seen a blog that's worth paying for (or donating to), and that includes mine!
As an example of what I'm talking about, on another blog at the moment the blogger asks a similar question to one that I've posed a few times (with even a very similar title to an old one of mine - and no, I'm not suggesting he copied me) and is inundated with numerous very lengthy comments, including a few from readers of my blog who - if they answered at all - left far shorter responses to essentially the same topic when I raised the issue. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the comments I do get, but I sometimes wonder why some folk seemingly couldn't be bothered to reply to some of my posts, yet write a novella of a response to someone else asking the same or a similar question.
Or perhaps I do understand. Could it be that people like being able to show off what they know, and when they get an opportunity to reveal their knowledge on some topic to a bunch of other regular commenters, they seize it with both hands? Maybe there's just not enough participants in my blog to make it worth people's while to take the time and effort to comment when they can save it for a wider audience on someone else's blog. I'm not necessarily saying that I get fewer visits than those other blogs (I wouldn't know either way), just that I seem to have fewer and shorter responses from some of those who do drop into my site. (There are exceptions of course, and you may be one of them.)
Anyway, it wouldn't surprise me if I get little or no response at all to this post, but someone else will get dozens of lengthy replies if they ever ask a similar question (about someone else's blog obviously). So tell me - where am I going wrong?
I assume I'm one of the people being accused of "showing off" by writing a "novella of a response" on a certain American blog while writing very little on yours on the same subject? Well, your blog seems to get the same number (or even more) of regular commenters than that other blog so I'm hardly showing off to a greater number of readers by leaving a comment on it. And there are times when I leave only a short comment or none at all on those two blogs you mentioned, especially the UK one. Also the owners of those two blogs don't bite your head off if you leave a comment they might not agree with. And YOU rarely leave a comment on other blogs anyway so you're hardly in a position to criticise others for not commenting on YOUR blog!
ReplyDeleteIf it's the blog I think you are referring to then his and yours are very different blogs. If its " Steve does comics" his lack of knowledge ( perceived?) on the comics he lists invites his readers to reply and comment on up to 7 separate entries. From that a conversation can arise within his readership and invites nostalgic reminisces. For example I recently replied to one of 7 comics Steve listed recently as I had no idea/interest about the other 6. So I replied actually to someone the had already commented on that book, my reply then set off a mini exchange on the work of the artist with 2 others that also liked his work and noting other stuff he drew etc. His blogs been going for ages and a nice rapport seems to have arisen with some of his readers due to this format. Your blog is generally putting forward a single well researched article when dealing with comics. The recent "Stan Lee " blogs on who created what etc. I don't have that level of knowledge you do on who created what so my comments were limited as I took it your comments were correct.On the Batman Agent of SHIELD blog I had never noticed the possible inclusion by Steranko in a SHIELD cover of what looked to be Batman so while I thought it was a really interesting thread I couldn't really reply in detail as it looked like Batman but a response made it clear it wasn't. But still ALL articles were still interesting etc.
ReplyDeleteMe bite someone's head off, CJ? (You're claimed, ya bass!) I've usually always got my tongue in my cheek when I indulge in a bit of mock outrage banter - with you or anyone else. And you can't possibly know what blogs I comment on, so your lack of knowledge in the matter hardly qualifies you to criticise me for asking a simple question in trying to understand why some people comment in greater detail on other blogs and not mine - even when it's the same topic and I raised it first. Why, you even commented on another blog after I left a comment on it just recently, so you're being a bit 'elastic' with the facts.
ReplyDelete******
You're one of the exceptions I was referring to, McS, so panic ye not. (Not that you will be, I'm sure.) Okay, feigned ignorance of the contents of several comics may merely be a ploy to hook comments, but I just find someone saying 'I can't remember anything about this comic' to be a bit tiresome. It's like reading the same post over and over. One thing it's got going for it is it results in the comments being far more interesting than the actual posts.
But look on the bright side, guys. My question resulted in two interesting comments - even if CJ seems to be verging on throwing a hissy fit. (You're so masterful when your dander is up, CJ - you might have me on the turn. No, don't get your hopes up, I'm joking.)
Keep doing what you're doing, but by all means if you see areas for improvement then go for it - it's your blog. But for my money, well time, I find it very interesting and informative and for that reason check in on a regular basis, even if I don't always leave a comment. The topics I don't comment on may be about subjects that I have no experience of and therefore no basis to add anything to the discussion, or as of often happens, it's late in the day on this side of the planet and I don't have the mental energy to summon up anything intelligible.
ReplyDeleteWhen I do comment your blog is one of the few that I actually do leave comments on. I have left the odd comment on Rip's blog and Classic Monsters but that's pretty much it. I used to contribute to a couple of forums in regard to other areas of interest that I have but not so much now. These days there seems to be a higher percentage of nit-pickers and know-it-alls, and the odd sarcastic types who like to add unecessarily mean-spirited remarks. So you never know if your contribution would be prone to corrections, insults or condescension. Who needs that.
Needless to say I have none of those concerns when leaving a comment here.
BTW the comments function was not available on your blog for a week or so back there, don't know if that was just my browser or some Blogger glitch - pleased that it's back now though.
Hi, PC, hope you're keeping well and that your employment situation has improved. You're another commenter who is an exception in this case as, when you do respond, you always leave an interesting comment that adds to the topic in a well-considered, illuminating way. Regarding the absent comment function, I turned it off for a couple of weeks as I was finding myself too busy to keep on top of them in the way they deserved. I didn't want to leave any comments unpublished or unresponded to, so I thought the best thing to do was remove the option for a while, until things got back to normal(ish) on the home front. I don't like it when any of my comments on other blogs are unacknowledged, so I don't like doing the same thing to my readers.
ReplyDeleteAh, so there's the reason for the lack of comments, good to know. I hate it when things that work well are suddenly working not so well thanks to a bit of tinkering behind the scenes, either somebody believing that they are improving things, or as I often imagine; somebody changing stuff in an effort to justify their job.
ReplyDeleteAnd speaking of jobs, unfortunately I am still out of work. As with most things in life there is the element of timing at play, and in my case as I am (just) over 60 the design studios only want your younger types (though they are not allowed to say as such in the job ad, but you can read between the lines...), so they can milk new creative sources, or as I prefer to think - not have to pay them as much!
Anyway I guess I just have to keep putting myself out there until I get a hit.
Your prolific output here is amazing, and the detail impressive. To address your topic, here's a few thoughts from a fellow blogger.
ReplyDeleteThe quantity of comments on a given post has always been a source of mystery to me. Looking over your posts one is immediately struck by the wide array of subject matter and the length at which you can address said subjects. In my posts, sometimes a great deal of research is needed, other times it's quite brief. But generally speaking, I try to keep a limit on my speaking in hopes of leaving more for others to say. This doesn't always work. There have been posts I labored over for hours, only to get 2 or 3 comments. Then there are some I work up under pressure "quickies", which may get dozens of responses. I suppose the simplest answer I have is that I try to do the blog conversationally. There are many others more experienced, more well-versed than I who can go far deeper than I. So I basically look at it as a discussion among friends.
As for subjects, we all dig from the same mine, so perhaps parallel posts are inevitable. I was truly unaware of your specific post on "Going Home Again", the post subject just arose from my weekend experiences. I don't know how you do it, one post weekly is it for me and even then coming up with subjects is challenging. I've repeated myself occasionally, but everyone has been too kind to draw attention to that...
Apologies for the delay, PC, was just grabbing 40 winks. Perhaps you could try doing what you were doing freelance, though having been a freelancer myself, I know that has its own problems. Regardless, let's hope that someone with your talent and experience lands on his feet before too long.
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Yeah, it's always been a mystery to me too, Red, what posts attract comments and which don't. As you say, ones bashed out in seconds might get loads, others that took a bit of time get next to none - if any. As I said in the blog, I wasn't accusing you of having copied me (as you say, parallel posts are inevitable), it's just that I'm confused, considering it's a subject I've often tackled, why you got a good number of comments and I get almost zilch. I get quite a lot of hits, but that's no guarantee that people are actually reading a post so comments help in that regard. As for repeating oneself, I do it all the time - perhaps that's part of the problem?
As Redartz says the quantities of posts can be an issue as well. For example a favourite blog of mine is Rip Jagger's dojo, Rip posts daily very interesting and detailed articles. I don't have the time to always read these at the time or to reply to these as I'm slow at getting around to reading and commenting due to work and personal issues. Also sometimes on ALL blogs you can feel the need to reply when you have nothing to say or add and end up with a simple 3 line message. But it doesn't mean I don't read and enjoy regular blogs, I do. Some bloggers (not any here) go on and on about this wanting to make money from their blog stating they get 1,000 hits a day etc and thinking they are providing some special service when all they are doing is ranting and wasting their own time. Hits certainly don't mean "reads" but in your case I would be confident it mostly does
ReplyDeleteNever can tell though, eh, McS? Someone might be intrigued by a post's title, get four lines in, then bail out. Obviously I'm indulging in a bit of exaggeration about how I feel in regard to comments, though I AM interested in why people sometimes comment and other times don't. It's also a good way to generate comments, eh?
ReplyDeleteWeren't you going to be in town sometime soon to collect this book, or do you want me to post it?
Yeah things have just got a bit manic recently Kid a family and a close friends bereavement and work hitting the fan etc etc . Hope to be in EK in couple of weeks if that's ok and apologies for not getting in touch to update
ReplyDeleteOops, just off the 'phone after a two and a half hour chat with an old primary school pal, McS, so apologies for the wait in publishing your comment and responding to it. In your own time as regards the book, and sorry to hear of your bereavement situation.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that the number of comments a blog gets is necessarily a reflection of its quality: after all, Hollyoaks has more fans than the Prisoner, despite being less challenging, interesting or intelligent. Bob Harras wrote several years worth of really good stories on the Avengers in the 1990s,but it sold less than Thunderstrike, Youngblood or any number of mindless pinup comics of the era.
ReplyDeleteI suppose what I'm clumsily trying to say is that other blogs may get more comments, but a lot of them are very basic- Crivens is one of the few blogs where I read every single comment without exception: your regulars may not be as many as some blogs, but they are all interesting, insightful and say stuff that's worth saying (not including myself in that, as mine never come out as insightful or eloquent as I'd like).
The number of comments may not be an indication of a blog's quality, DS, but it seems to be an indication of its popularity at least. And I usually always find your comments interesting and insightful - not to mention eloquent. It's not that I mind other blogs getting loads of comments, it's just that I'd like my blog to get loads of comments as well. Case in point, not all the Stan Lee 'ghosted' posts I did recently got many or any comments at all. That's because when I first posted them, the comments option was turned off, but I thought the ones that had none would've got a few since it was turned back on again.
ReplyDeleteKeep doing what you're doing. I don't get many comments on my blog but I just keep plugging on.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I do get a fair amount of comments, MW, but that makes it worse when I don't get any or many. I think it's because, despite my efforts, I feel I've let my readers down and failed to engage them. I'll keep working on it. And don't worry - I'll leave a comment on your place every now and again so that you know your efforts aren't in vain.
ReplyDeleteI rarely get comments on my blog (I think you were the last to comment, actually). I’ve never gotten a lot of comments. I was disappointed at first but just figured that’s just the nature of the best with my subject matter.
ReplyDeleteI probably comment more here than anywhere else. A lot of times, I don’t feel that equipped to comment in depth because in some cases, it’s been 40 years or so since I’ve read a lot of the comics discussed so my memory may be a bit sketchy. Either that, or someone else comments on what I’m thinking about before I get a chance to. I do enjoy your responses to all though. 🙂
I do try to leave a comment on most blogs I visit from time to time, G, but I don't always get to visit them all regularly. And sometimes, of course, others have left a comment saying what I would've said and I can't always think of anything to add. So I know exactly what you're saying. I think if I never got any comments at all to any of my posts, I'd probably not be bothered, but I'm bemused when I see similar posts (on other blogs) to prior ones of mine, with loads of lengthy comments from some people who also visit my blog, but didn't respond to my post on the same topic. Obviously I'm doing something wrong, hence my current post. Can't complain now though, can I, as it's got quite a good response.
ReplyDeleteMust admit that this discussion has got me thinking about the creators of blogs and podcasts: its easy for me to use these (I'm a big podcast fan- there are some really good comics podcasts out there) but do the people who spend time making them know how much I enjoy them? Probably not- I do leave the odd comment on podcasts, but could definitely do more, just to help the creators know how much I enjoy and appreciate their efforts.
ReplyDeleteI often leave comments that don't say anything particularly significant, but they're designed to acknowledge that I've read the post and that the blogger's efforts are appreciated. Some bloggers don't seem to care whether they get comments or not, DS, because the don't even acknowledge them with the courtesy of a response. Rude.
ReplyDeleteIt really doesn't bother me to not get responses, I don't guess. I figure if I was making mistakes in my writing or errors in my facts, I'd probably get some along the way, so I guess maybe I'm doing something right. Still, it's interesting to see who is reading and where they're from. It's cool getting comments from other countries.
ReplyDeleteI don't post as much as I used to do (weekly), mainly because it's harder for me to have time to sit down and come up with something, but I still enjoy doing it, which I think is why a lot of other bloggers do it, too. I'm amazed at you guys who can come up with several posts a week.
It's not too difficult to do several posts a week, G, when most of them are p*sh like mine are. I suppose the main thing is that you enjoy doing your blog, and I sure your regular readers enjoy it too.
ReplyDeleteSpite.
ReplyDeleteSeriously I don’t know. Habit? Some people leave the same comments. I’m just amazed you keep posting stuff.
I've got to do something to keep my mind active, PS, or I'd be a cabbage in no time. I can feel my mind slipping away at an alarming rate; forgetting names, dates, etc., that I've known for decades. I forget what I'm saying (or typing) halfway through a sentence. So I post stuff to try and keep my mind active and force it to think. Thanks for your contribution - all are appreciated, even huffy, grumpy CJ who has a thing against pensioners. Wonder how he'll feel when he's one?
ReplyDeleteI guess i look at all these "blogs" as a kind of fanzine that i used to read back in the early 70s. Im 64 now and retired and i VERY much enjoy reading all these opinions and squabbles and interests of other fans like me who grew up in a different time. I doubt that im intelligent enough to comment on everything i read but i highly appreciate all the effort and work it takes to do these reminiscing reflections and statements of appreciation on comics, toys, and in your case the occasional curvy lady. So I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your wonderful "fanzine" that is not only a joy to read but is free to boot (which helps enormously when a bloke is retired and living on a small pension.). I read every post of yours and look forward to reading many more. Take care now!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words, LM, glad to know you enjoy the blog (and the curvy ladies). Funny thing about age is that you can't tell it from a comment unless the commenter reveals it. I'd have thought you were much younger than 64. I'm a little younger than you, but I feel like a million years older sometimes. Wish I had the energy I had as a 30 year old.
ReplyDeleteHey! It's nice to be viewed as "younger" by The Kid! Maybe I'm not such an old fossil!
ReplyDeleteYou know what they say, LM - you're only as old as you feel. (And I feel ancient these days.)
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