I run three blogs and have been doing so for some time now. But until tonight, I have always felt blogging was a very lonely act. Perhaps it is because my readership is quite low, and I seldom get comments, and when I do they are usually from the same small group of people who comment regularly. It is true that I write and blog for the sake of writing and reflecting, but as every writer knows I want and need an audience. Sometimes this need to connect has made me a bit crazy, but usually I write and wait optimistically that my posts will somehow connect to someone out in the blogsphere.
Well, tonight something felt different, because I finally stopped being a lurker and became a commenter. (If you are lurking on this post, leave a comment! It feels good trust me.) I visited several blogs I had never read before and left my two-cents. This inconsequential act made me feel more a part of a communty than all of my writing combined.
I finally realized that like everything in life you have to give in order to recieve. How selfish I had been, sitting in my lonely room writing away, thinking that everything I say is the most important new idea, expecting others to flock to my blog and tell me how brilliant I am, when I never take the time to do the same for others.
This challenge is teaching me that commenting is one of the most important aspects of blogging. So a quick shout out to the organizers of this challenge. (Yes, I know hyper-linking is a good blogging karmic tool as well, but it is late and I am tired. Next time I promise.)
I joined as well and am just as frustrated over my blog. I did very well at commenting at the beginning but have leveled it off mostly due to being very busy and increasing my readership too much (add to that blocked blogs that I forget to go back and comment later). I need to be better at this and not agonize the detail of writing. You have great reflection.
Jabiz,
I just completed my “tour around the world” in commenting. You are right, when you say that something feels different when you stop being a lurker. The reason why I decided to leave one more comment today, after I already completed my challenge of the day, is that you said :” If you are lurking on this post, leave a comment! ” 🙂 This month, lurking does not seem right.
Greetings from Florida
Silvia aka Langwitches
may the comment karma gods be with you always… keep reflecting and participating… you’ll do just fine 🙂
Hi Jabiz, just been reading your blog! I have joined the comment challenge to try to energise my blogging- not difficult since, unlike you, my blog has sat there for ages without much of a purpose.
It is certainly a good thing to have the focus of the challenge to reflect on what I am doing and why. Unlike you I have never really felt a need to connect with others but am feeling increasingly drawn to networking with others engaged in education- there is a lot of energy in these networks, I think.
Still not got cocomment working- have you used a tracking tool?
Hello Jabiz,
Me too, I’m stopping to be a lurker and I’m becoming to be a commenter! I’ve loved the way you put it, simple and true.
I comment very seldom, but I agree with you that we lose so much by just reading and passing away. I’m glad to hear from a real blogger that comments are welcome, even if they are not very original.
I would like to share a bit of my blogging with you, but the trouble is not only the fact that I’m just a beginner, but also that my edublog and pbwiki are all in Portuguese!
I’ve opened them for my young students and I’m wondering if you would like me bringing some of them to comment in your blog, since you miss having students right now.
I hope you will find a teacher’s job soon.
Jabiz,
I feel like we are old friends because of Twitter and your blogs. I do comment frequently on a variety of blogs, but realize that it’s time to cast my net a bit farther and seek out new thinkers with whom to interact.
Still, I couldn’t “lurk” without leaving a cheery hello – and a gentle reminder to add to the “This I Believe” meme. Your contribution will be a thought-provoking one, I’m sure.
http://tinyurl.com/3urtrs
diane
Hi, Jabiz. I was like you – lurking for over a year before starting my own blog in January. Now, I am amazed at the people I have met and the contacts worldwide that I count as friends. I had convinced myself that I was strictly writing for myself…but I found others do read and do comment.So keep at it!
Well, I may as well join the party and leave a comment. I enjoy reading your reflections and admire your convictions. Keep writing and reflecting, we are reading.
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