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Welcome to our weekly BlogAnon meeting where we confess a particular blogging sin and turn to you for support, suggestions and that blogging bond so we know we're not all alone. Don't be shy. Read along and let us know if you identify with us this week.
We posted earlier this week about how busy we'd been with other projects as a way of explaining our absence socially from blog hopping the last week or so. Blogging buddy Otin (he of the creative writing addiction) commented that he found it funny that we all in the blogosphere apologize for being too busy to visit each other's blogs. It is funny when you think about it. We can't visit blogs because we're busy blogging. It is kind of like how the carpenter's house is always falling apart. The carpenter is too busy fixing everyone else's homes to take care of their own.
I will admit that I suffer from Blogger Guilt. I feel guilty right now that while I am writing this post there are new posts - or old posts more likely - accumulating out there for me to read. Ones that will inspire me or make me laugh or cry or want to kick someone's ass. I feel guilty when I'm reading these posts that I'm not writing quality ones of my own - spending my time reading posts while procrastinating writing them. And then I feel guilty that I wasted precious blogging time by writing something uninspiring, silly or lazy.
It is funny, Otin. We all wish we had more time to blog and visit blogs. We all know this. I don't get personally offended when people stop by sporadically. Things go in waves. In real life and in the blogosphere. So there is no need to feel guilty about it or blog about a lack of visiting when we're busy.
So I declare this a guilt free blogging zone. The only time I'm going to allow any blog related guilt is if it keeps me from enjoying the real world. Which reminds me, since next Friday falls on Christmas Day this is the last BlogAnon for 2009. I'll be here again when 2010 rolls around with more blogging sins to confess, but Blogger Guilt won't be one of them!
Do you devote a lot of time to visiting in addition to posting? Do you consider commenting a part of the blogging definition? Do you suffer from Blogger Guilt when time runs out on all that you want to do in the blogosphere? Will you be making a resolution to blog guilt free in the new year? Don't be afraid to share - your blogger thoughts are safe with us!
13 comments:
Guilt is my middle name people. I am Catholic, and that goes with the territory. I do spend a fair amount of time commenting (ha!) because I am OCD when it comes to making my rounds. If I don't make it to see everyone, which has been the case lately, I feel terrible. Like people might think I've abandoned them. I can't even bring myself to do a week of "unplugged" as some are doing. I do have my new Netbook, which has allowed me to blog on the go, which is great and dangerous all at the same time!
I do consider commenting a part of this particular book blogging community (I can't however come up with a good definition of "this particular book blogging community.")
Do you devote a lot of time to visiting in addition to posting? I visit every new update of each of the folks I follow. I may not comment every single time but I do visit. I guess it's easier for me because I only follow about 15 blogs and several of them do not post every day. I try to post something every day. My blog is more for me. An outlet and musically, I was always taught that you should write SOMETHING every single day..even if it's rubbish. You never know when you can go back and use it. :) So I do :)
My post today is rubbish..but it's my rubbish so I love it :)
Do you consider commenting a part of the blogging definition? I think this fits into a "good" blogger. It's nice when I get comments. I get so few of them so when people take their time to say something about my thoughts it's very nice. To me, in a way it shows they care about what I have say enough to add something.
Do you suffer from Blogger Guilt when time runs out on all that you want to do in the blogosphere?
I really don't. I did in the past but sometimes we all get busy :)
Will you be making a resolution to blog guilt free in the new year?
I think I am already there at this point. :) Again, I think my answers and feelings a slightly easier because I have 15 followers and I only follow about 20. For those who follow like 50 or more..I think my answers would be WAY different.
I like to visit blogs and when I do I comment. I only follow a few, and I think I only have six followers myself, but I LOVE getting comments so I try to give them :)
I'm medicating myself so I don't feel guilty - LOL
Ladies = All of you feel that commenting is part of being a "good" member of the blogging societies we hang in. I agree. And we all obviously visit and comment.
I think the key here is just because you don't leave a comment doesn't mean you didn't visit. I read countless posts every day. Me following and reading all those blogs is supportive in and of itself. As Penny points out, you handle what you can.
If I had 100 friends and family scattered all over the place to spend time with over the holidays, the ideal would be to do that. But they would be extremely short visits - trying to cram them all in over one weekend. And I would probably be pretty stressed trying to make a nice impression to make each quick stay worthwhile. Not to mention how tired I would be visiting all those people instead of having a nice cocktail party with the people I really wanted to catch up with. Some I see every day and I know they would forgive me if I disappeared for a few days so I could visit with those who I don't normally get to hang out with.
So instead of going insane trying to make the above scenario happen, I look at everyone's Christmas cards that I get in the mail, read their family newsletters and enjoy seeing all the smiling faces in the photos. I spend a little time peeking in on what they've shared with their lives. But I can't call them all or stop by at all their gatherings. I do when I can or when I want to but I don't beat myself up about it if I can't touch base personally with them all.
So why not translate that same attitude into the blogosphere?
Guilt is my middle name so of course I suffer from blogging guilt! Seriously, your post resonates with me and makes me think I should let go of the guilt and relax. If I don't get a chance to write my reviews today I will do them tomorrow. If I would rather read your blog or others and comment instead, who cares? Sounds like a good New Year's resolution for me to make!
I came across a blog list early on called "Blog Guilt Free" and kind of adopted that for my philosopy when it comes to visiting.
My kids arrive at 7:30 a.m. I usually make a post from 8:00 until 9:00. Then I have my breakfast. I visit until about 10:00 or 10:30. Occassionally I'll slip a few visits in off and on through the day. I have about 20 sites that I love and I do try to visit them as often as I can--this being one. And then there are those days--typically a Monday--where I'm tired and I like nothing more than sitting here reading. That's when I go exploring blogs of note or other people's blog rolls.
here is a question for your tech advice post--Can you post a comment from google reader? Believe it or not I just discovered it this week.
I visit, read and comment way more than I post. I think that blogging is about what you do on your own spot, and that commenting isn't part of that definition. Although it is definitely an extension of blogging. I wouldn't say that I feel guilty when there isn't enough time. I would better define it as frustration.
I do feel guilt if I haven't visited frequently. I'm not even Catholic. Lutheran, which is Catholic without the guilt. Anyway, I do believe you only reap what you sow, so visiting others is a way to thank others for visiting you. Seems to get harder and harder as we grow as I also feel compelled to read each blog from beginning to end. Oh, well.
I do feel guilty when I'm too busy to visit blogs I usually frequent. Why do we do that? I have had so many things going on in "real life" the last two weeks, that I have not blogged much or visited many blogs. Yes, I do feel the need to apologize. I think visiting other people and posting often are what it means to blog, and I've been a baaaad blogger lately.
Er, um, have you been to our house: "the carpenter's house is always falling apart." Sigh.
I do feel guilty when I don't leave a comment or two on a blog I follow. We were gone for 3 1/2 days, got back Sunday with over 600 posts in my Reader! I just started with A and am working my way through. As you can see I'm up to the T's :)
I need to figure out how to manage it, but who has time to figure that out now :)
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