I’ve decided to take up the challenge set by Julie of Notes on Paper to write 300 blog comments in 30 days. Here’s why:
* I’d like to get back into blogging regularly. My blogging has lapsed this year for several reasons: not having anything interesting to blog about, not having time at the computer because of having a puppy to look after, and having 2 blogs, I often can’t decide which one to write!
*I am everso guilty of reading blogs and not commenting. I would hate to think that people read my blogs and don’t comment. I simply don’t know if people read my blogs or what they think about my posts if they don’t comment. I aim to rectify this and aim to comment on every blog entry I read from now on.
*Like Julie I want to write considered comments, so this will make me think deeper about the blog entry. I’m hoping to get some new ideas from the blogs I read, both new things to do and ideas on how to improve my blogs
*I’d love some new readers! I’d love to connect with more people in the blogosphere, and the only way to do that is to leave comments!
*With all the other ways of connecting with others, ie facebook, instagram, twitter, there is often talk that blogging will disappear. I hope not! Blogging is more in-depth, and I love it! I’m going to do my own little tiny bit to keep blogging going.
Like Julie I am going to keep a record of the blogs I visit, and the ideas I would like to come back to. I’m not sure whether I will read 300 different blogs, or whether I will leave several comments on some blogs. We’ll see how it goes.
I’ve been thinking about how to find new-to-me blogs. I recently started dressmaking again, and decided I’d like to read sewing blogs. I simply googled ‘sewing blogs’, and soon worked out which were the leading sewing blogs. I did the same for gardening blogs, and found a lovely blog that I regularly visit (but don’t always comment!) When I first started blogging 10 years ago(!!) I had recently started scrapbooking, and had soon linked up with other scrapbookers, writers and photographers. Over the years the bloggers I have connected with have changed. I’ve dallied with art appreciation (a painting a day), family history, organisation (Simplify) and health issues such as my recently diagnosed diabetes.
Other ways I use to find new blogs:
*Other people’s side bars (I used A Stitching Odyssey’s side bar for sewing blog reading for ages before I started SewLindyLou)
*Comment-a-thon. Start on one blog, choose a comment, then visit that blog and so on. This way you get to visit blogs on entirely different subjects.
Linky’s. For example, Rinda’s Summer Photo Scavenger Hunt
Swaps. I’ve found several new scrapbooking blogs this way.
I like to keep my favourite blogs in a list on my side bar. I don’t use blog readers.
I’ll keep you up to date with my progress, and what I learn. Are you going to take up the challenge? How do you find new blogs?
14 comments:
What an interesting post. You've had a blog for 10 years? Wow! That's an achievement in itself. Lots of things I identify with here. I completely fell out of the blogging/commenting groove over the summer and am trying to get back into a manageable routine now that Uni/college has started. I haven't quite got there yet! I'd couldn't cope without my blog reader though.
A good read! I do try to comment on as many blogs as humanly possible every day because I've found it very rewarding. I've met lots of people and made lots of friends through comments going backwards and forwards and it's been worth keeping going with my terrible typing for that lol. I have readers who comment a lot and readers who never comment..honestly, yes I do wish they would say hello sometimes or tell me what they like me to write about (or even what they don't!). So I'm wishing you all the best on your comment-athon
Hi Linda and this is such a great aim and I am sure it will pay dividends. I can find myself time challenged so looking for new blogs is not high on my list right now but I have found the clicking on a comment tip useful - chances are that person is inretested in the things I am keen on to. Wishing you lots of enjoyment and happy discoveries!
good luck with your challenge! I did see Julie's post as hers is one of the many I follow! I will look forward to your progress. I like the series of photos of you at your computer in varying degrees of dress (oo-err!) Have fun.
A very worthwhile aim, Linda, and I am hoping you have lots of success in widening your blog circle. I have found clicking on the comments on a blog I read a useful way of finding more like-minded people too.
That's an ambitious goal! I find almost all new blogs through links on blogs I already read. I do use a blog reader, Feedly, and it saves me a lot of time. I try to keep the number of blogs I read manageable, so I'm not losing all my creative time to blog reading, but I've learned so much from reading blogs!
Good luck with your challenge! So nice to see you pop up on my blog and even nicer of you fancy coming to a crop. We have moved to a handier-to-get-to place and have the next one on Saturday :)
Sue x
It's so interesting to hear how many people are feeling the same thing as I've been - I'm glad I mentioned it now!
I love your tips for finding new blogs - when you're trying to expand your network it's tough to just leap out of your 'familiar' faces isn't it? So it's good to have some direction to follow while you're wandering around in new territory!
I've been using Twitter to find new blogs - there are different hashtag and accounts that retweet links to blogs I've never heard of .. it can be hit and miss [very!] but I have found some good starting points from there.
And re: the numbers etc ... I'm not searching for 300 new blogs myself, I'm commenting more frequently on regular/familiar blogs and finding a broad variety of new ones [not that they'll all become regulars - but I reckoned I needed a wide base to select some preferences from] and up to now I have left 127 comments over 82 different blogs. And I have the spreadsheet to prove it! ;-)
I've pinned this to the #300in30Days Pinterest board so other people can enjoy your thoughts too.
Thanks for joining in and sharing your thoughts and tips.
Keep in touch with how it's all going!
Julie :-)
Hi Linda! Nice to meet you! Thanks for commenting on my blog. Yes, I am too doing the 300 blogs in 30 days challenge. Like you, I find blogs in the same way and also keep a list of blogs in my side bar. I have a gardening blog called Sybil's plot and a Jewellery Making blog called Linden Grove Treasure Trove and a Papercraft one called Pootling with Paper so if you are at a loss for blogs to visit and comment on you could visit those!!! I have also been following Julies pinterest board too as a way of finding new blogs. Good luck with the challenge. :-)
What a great challenge to be part of. I am glad to hear that you want to return to blogging, I have followed your blog for a while and you do have things to share. Your photography is always interesting.
Thank you for your visit to my blog - just doing a return visit. Hope you are well - it has been ages since I last saw you - do you still get the details for the 12 hour crops that Jill runs a couple of times a year?
Karen x
Love this post Linda and your photos. I have taken up the challenge too, but rather than concentrate on 300 comments I am focusing more on less time on Facebook and more time blogging. I would feel overwhelmed to visit 300 new blogs if I had to comment, as I already have regulars that I like to visit. But I think it is a great idea Julie started, it is nice discovering new blogs because sometimes they lead to friendships and new connections. Which leads me to how you are finding new blogs. Some great ideas there. I always revisit anyone who leaves a comment on my blog as I think it is courteous but more than that, sometimes it leads me to finding a blog that I might want to visit again. I will visit your other blog too as I am also a sewer with intent to make clothes. The machine and files of fabric are waiting!
Hiya - thanks for stopping by my blog. If you are interested in getting into art journaling (you left a comment about Life Book) did you also see I have a list of cheap and free online art classes on my blog that might give you a good start to : http://lynettecollis.blogspot.co.nz/2013/12/cheap-and-free-online-art-classes.html
Have fun on your artful journey and with your blog visiting
A really interesting read Linda - I like how you've mentioned how you've found new blogs to read - I'll have to give some of those ideas a try. I too am trying to do Julie's challenge but still have a long way to go before the end of the month.
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