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CHLOGGING (Chat+Blogging)

174 replies

ShirleyKnot · 24/06/2011 20:06

Hello All.

I keep finding myself wanting to have a general chin wag with the bloggers on here and instead of doing that I find myself barging onto threads, hi-jacking them and being generally a pain in the tubes.

So, if you want a chat about blogging, maybe some tips and helpful stuff about plug-ins, themes or maybe a chat about what your next blog could be about, or even something else then maybe we could use this thread? (I found myself getting engrossed about the sexiness of Stringer Bell on one blog thread this week - I'm so sorry Grin)

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MmeLindor. · 24/06/2011 21:10

I like the CAPS and strike throughs

It is not put on, it is your expression.

MmeLindor. · 24/06/2011 21:11

and I am faffing about here, when I shoudl be finishing the chapter of Beth that I started on this morning.

Tee2072 · 24/06/2011 21:14

Got it.

It sent me a link to your draft with an area on the left to write what I think!

So I'll go read and let you know what I think!

Tee2072 · 24/06/2011 21:18

There, feedback sent.

That's very cool.

ShirleyKnot · 24/06/2011 21:18

Unfortunately MMe, you're right. I spend my life thinking IN CAPS and actually wanting to strike it out

Grin

If you're struggling to form a post do you give up on it?

I want to be a natural writer, and so most of my stuff is fairly immediate - I find it interesting how difficult I am finding it to make an "authentic" post about something that happened a while ago - something that scared me - and yet I can write a post about a party that happened 6 years ago with humour and insight?

(that sounds boasty, but you know what I mean)

I think I'm going to have to let this one lie...how weird.

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DirtyMartini · 24/06/2011 21:22

Just come back to it another time, it'll maybe come easier then.

ShirleyKnot · 24/06/2011 21:23

OH! Thankyou Tee - phew, this one is a struggle.

OK, I'll keep going, see if a flow happens...

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Tee2072 · 24/06/2011 21:32

I really would just keep on with it Shirley. Sometimes that's what you have to do!

MmeLindor. · 24/06/2011 21:51

Lay it aside for a little while and think about what you want to get across. Then go back to it. Eat some chocolate while you think.

If you want to PM me, I will have a look.

Tee2072 · 24/06/2011 21:56

You forgot the 'and drink some wine' part of that advice, MmeL! Grin

ShirleyKnot · 25/06/2011 07:38

I love you two.

Right then, I think I know what I need to do to pull it together.

That's interesting though, that feedback eh?

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Tee2072 · 25/06/2011 07:41

It's actually quite handy, Shirley. Wish I had it!

ShirleyKnot · 25/06/2011 07:47

WHAT ARE WE DOING UP SO EARLY?

Grin

Ds1 is going to some sort of shooting thing today, hence the early hour for me.

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DirtyMartini · 25/06/2011 07:53

this is me emerging from a lie in - our children get up in the fives. DP kindly took on breakfast. How'd you get on with that post?

Tee2072 · 25/06/2011 07:55

2 year old son. Up at 6 most days.

Also, have to get moving as we are off to view a house at 1030. Fingers crossed this is The One because there have been a lot of 'this is NOT The One'. Grin

DirtyMartini · 25/06/2011 07:58

Good luck, Tee.

Tee2072 · 25/06/2011 08:01

Thanks DM.

Watch my blog. I'm writing a long rant about Estate Agents and the perils of looking for some where to live!!

I think it will be a reprise of a previous rant when we moved to this flat!!!

MmeLindor. · 26/06/2011 10:48

Good luck with the house hunting, Tee.

Shirley
How is the post doing? I am nosy interested in knowing if Tee and I gave opposite advice.

I wrote a lot yesterday and am going to give it a bash again today. We may only be in Geneva for another year and when we move there is a good chance that I will be back to work so I have to get cracking this year.

ShirleyKnot · 27/06/2011 09:08

Morning!

Well, I've been madly a bit biusy this weekend so haven't done any work on my blog at all! Will be getting back to the HAUNTED HOUSE blog this week, plus I was in France yesterday exploring the BlockHaus (a really odd place) and took bundles of photos for a later post.

THe thing I really love about starting this blog is that I have started taking my camera everywhere!

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DirtyMartini · 27/06/2011 20:34

Shirley, you jet-setter, welcome home (belated)

I spent yesterday cuddling sick baby dd and necking DayNurse. Today was long day with both dc (although they were both delicious and lovely all day long, it was just a tough 'un b/c we are under the weather).

I have been catching up on all the blogs on the new posts thread and I'm now sitting here struggling to settle on a topic. Tomorrow I have to work but if I don't at least start a post tonight, I will be tempted to stray from my actual paid job (am freelance from home so can clock on and off at will, which is dangerous).

I have questions for y'all:

  1. How many posts do you aim for? I have read that consistency is more important than frequency; in other words, if you only post weekly that's fine as long as you do it every single week; but I have also read that it's pointless to blog unless you post every 36 hours. (I prefer the former view, but I have no way of knowing which is more valid, if either). I guess it depends on the goal of the blog.

Anyway: my own aim is one post a week when I am fully booked work-wise, two per week when I'm not.

  1. How many hits per day does it take to stop you feeling like "FFS, nobody reads my damn blog"?

My most ever hits in a day is still well under a hundred. But then, I've only been going a few months. If I get fewer than ten hits in a day (this is not unusual) I feel a bit disappointed; more than 25, and I start to feel it's a reasonably decent day. I am hoping to play the long game and see it grow with time, as I don't really post on topical things that often because of the nature of my blog.

Look forward to reading anyone who can be arsed replying. Not that I'm procrastinating, oh no.

PS Shirley: look forward to reading the spooky house post when you decide it's ready.

Tee2072 · 27/06/2011 20:49

DM I freelance as well so I know what you mean about that danger!

I don't have a goal at all for hits or number of posts or anything. I do it because I enjoy it not really to get anyone else to read it or respond.

Don't get me wrong, I love comments and hits, but I don't obsess about either! I've been doing this for 3 years now and if I get 4 hits in a day I'm happy. Grin

I am going to start obsessing about it for my company blog, but that's because I am looking for clients. But I can't discuss that here as it's not part of the network! Grin

MmeLindor. · 28/06/2011 06:48

DM
I aim for several posts a week, but I am doing very varied posts - so if I am doing a lot of writing then there could be two Beth posts and one recipe or Swiss post. Or if I write about something topical (such as last week the stillbirth one) then I might follow up on a second day.

Tbh, I struggle a bit with getting the mix right. Sometimes I post almost every day and then I have a week where I don't know what to write.

I think I am going to start doing drafts of posts that I can slot in when I am on holiday or I have a cba week. So this week, I will do a couple extra posts and save them for next month.

The impression I get is that bloggers don't like to talk about how many hits they get - it is all a bit secretive. I get anywhere from 50 to 100 hits on a normal posts, occasionally there are posts that take off for some reason - the mummyblogger one had over 200, the stillbirth ones similar. The measles ones has about that too, and still getting hits as people search for info about measles in France.

Sunday/Monday I had over 450 page views, which was loads for me. Sadly it is not clear when I write the post if I am going to get 10 hits or 100. The mummyblogger one was RTed by a few influential bloggers, so got a lot of hits.

Twitter is good, but you have to use it effectively. And commenting on other blogs, if you have time.

Tbh, the whole blogging thing could take up a whole working week, if you were to put the time in, and since it is a "hobby" and not a money earner, you have to strike a happy medium.

Lovemy2babies · 28/06/2011 19:44

I was originally going for 2 -3 post a week but then life gets in the way and to be honest I don't think I'm that interesting to write that many sensational posts do I try and go for quality over quantity.

And if your getting around the 100 Mark a day than great!

I'm happy if I get 10Smile

ShirleyKnot · 29/06/2011 20:33

Tell me to go and do a blog

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ShirleyKnot · 29/06/2011 20:40

ALSO I dreamed that I got on that wordpress freshly squeezed thing last night

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