A very short post, this week, because I would appreciate some feedback on what I have written.
Having had very little traffic to my site since putting up my last blog post, I am curious to find out why.
I don’t think that anyone could have been offended by it, but did it, perhaps, come across as being too political?
Did I test the patience of my readers by taking the subject into a second week? Perhaps most people felt that everything that needed to be said, had been said the first week.
Could it have been seen as *takes a deep breath, crosses fingers behind back* boring?
Please tell me. I won’t be offended!
Mick Canning 
Hi Mick. I don’t think it is anything to do with the content causing offence. It is more likely the similar situation I find myself in – too much data coming my way! Every day I get around fifty emails, most of which are spam, some of which require more urgent attention, and some (like yours) that are of interest and get mentally filed in the “must read that properly later” pile! The problem is, many of those messages never get read because the following day there are another fifty or so messages to sift through. If others are like me, blog posts like yours will get attention when I am less busy, but may get passed by at other times. It is a symptom of our overloaded 21st century digital lives.
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That’s a very good point, Dom, and one that I should have thought of, since we all end up with loads of emails coming in each day. I guess we’re all competing for attention! Thanks.
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Don’t fret, Mick. The vagaries of blog traffic have defeated greater minds than ours. Two key points:
1. I didn’t leave a comment on your last post because it was an opinion piece that expanded on your previous post. It also went into great detail on historical questions that would be obscure to most readers. My experience at my own blog is that thought pieces pull little traffic. (Although I love writing them.) The best traffic comes from practical ‘how to’ posts – simple ideas, simple language – that offer the reader a clear reward for reading them.
2. As a start-up blog, you’re doing very well indeed. However, you can’t be assured of volume comments until you have an email list or followers in four figures. My own blog is read by up to 5000 people a week yet it receives comments from only a handful (wonderful folk like yourself). And often the same names. Most visitors prefer to lurk. Keep the faith! If all else fails, blogging is fun, isn’t it?
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Another deterrent to comments is that folk (apparently) have to log in to a WordPress account to leave a comment here. Most people don’t have one!
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Yes, it seems they have to post as guests. It’s a bit of a quandry, because it might well put some off. On the other hand, I really like the WordPress site and would be very reluctant to change it.
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Hi John. Thank you – two useful points. And the first point (or points) that it was an expansion on the previous week is one of the things I wondered about. And perhaps the example I chose did become obscure and offputting. The second point – yes. Point certainly taken. Thank you!
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I’m in the same situation as Dominic. I receive numerous emails, plus spending most of my working day on the computer and half that time answering emails, that when I get home I often don’t want to look at emails or too tired to read something. I love your posts TC, but may not comment on them purely because of the above reasons. Sounds like others have got great advice for you too
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Thanks, Jane. This is all helpful and really appreciated!
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Hi Mike, no problems with the content on my part. With me it’s basically just that I can’t use the WordPress reader and I have so many emails (literally hundreds every day) that I can’t cope. I have bookmarked all the sites I like and then I go round them all in a slow sweep, catching up with all the stuff I’ve missed. There are so many sites, though, that it just takes me a while to get round all of them. That’s why I seem to flash on and off like a lighthouse.
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I’m beginning to see that, now. It’s taking me longer each time. But, as a new blogger, I’m feeling my way here, so all of this feedback is really helpful.
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I’m not sure how others feel, but for me the single biggest problem I have as a blogger is dealing with the quantity of information without being overwhelmed. Assuming others have the same issues, I guess they will turn up, disappear for a while and then turn up again in a kind of cycle.
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Indeed – I must find time to go off and edit that novel…
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How about a travel guide to the Middle Earth? Your post about it was great.
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I think I’d have a totally different take on it to Darren and Cheryl, so who knows? I suspect the Tolkien estate might have something to say about it, however.
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Yes, they do tend to sue. I heard Christopher Tolkein would love to Peter Jackson over the screen versions too if he had a legal leg to stand on. Apparently he thinks they’re awful.
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I’ll stick with my reinterpretation of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ using current politicians and celebrities, then. That won’t offend anyone, will it?
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Hey Mick, I was goofing off in Oregon last week. Very limited internet access.
I left a belated comment today. You certainly didn’t offend me. I just didn’t have a lot to say.
It’s maddening that our collective lack of ability to have a dialogue in areas that are emotionally charged leads to a ‘might equals right” scenario.
I hinted at emotionally charged areas only in my comments. I don’t want to derail your blog. So some of it may be an attempt at courtesy as well. Because once you bring up a definite position on a hot topic, the discussion may revolve around that instead.
So at least on my part, there was a certain amount of, “First, do no harm.” That may be influencing other peoples’ responses as well.
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Thanks, Cathleen. I’m pleased everyone is saying how they weren’t offended. I wanted feedback, and I certainly got it. As I gradually gain more followers, and also follow more posts myself, I am certainly beginning to understand all of the points of view here.
I certainly agree that there seems to be an inability to have a (sensible) dialogue in emotionally charged areas. In many cases I suspect that it has a lot to do with the participants being unwilling to ‘lose face’ and when these participants feel that they are representing their people, or religion, or some other collective group, then there are added tensions chucked into that mix leading frequently, as you say, to a might equals right scenario.
Anyway, please feel free to bring up definite viewpoints on any post, since discussing them in a civilised and polite way would be putting all of this into practice, of course.
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p.s. The ‘goofing off’ in Oregon sounded fantastic!
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Will go back and read it.
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