This week's question is: Blogger Envy: Do you have a bad case of blogger envy? Do you covet they neighbor bloggers book hauls/follower numbers/blog design? How do you tamp down the green-eyed monster?
Well....... I'd be fibbing if I said the green-eyed monster had not made an appearance from time to time. However, I've mostly banished it (which doesn't mean it won't at some point turn up at my door, whispering snotty comments to me).
Envy happens, in some form, I think, to the best of us. I will say that I do not tend to suffer envy for bloggers who have huge book hauls; I'm a librarian and I'm surrounded by more books than I can shake a stick at, so I don't have that kind of envy. I also don't suffer envy for blog design ---- I contacted Lori at Pure Imagination Designs a while back and paid her to do up my blog design (heck, yeah I paid someone to do this .... I have no idea how to design a blog and make it look this good) -- and after all this time, I still love it. So, no envy for other designs, although I certainly do appreciate some of the beautiful blogs out there.
What I have suffered from is ..... comment envy. I don't make myself feel blue over my number of followers because the way I see it, the people who Follow are the ones who use Blogger (thus leaving out any Wordpress bloggers). However, I sometimes sigh when I go weeks without a comment on a book review post, and see other bloggers who regularly have loads of comments. However, when I get myself in a blue mood over this, and the little monster is doing its best to sit on my shoulder, I remind myself that I blog because I just wanted to put my thoughts out there. Just because I write a book review doesn't mean that a lot of people have something to say. I also know that to get comments, I need to get out there and comment more on other people's posts ..... and that bit of knowledge kicks me in the butt and also squashes down the envy monster.
Of course, I'm looking to see if anyone out there has some good advice on how to deal with comment envy ......
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| This is the only monster that should make a regular appearance in my house. |
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13 comments:
I totally get comment envy. When you put time and effort into posts and no one responds, it can feel like you're writing into a void. But I try to remember how many posts I read and enjoy and don't comment on. Sometimes it's because I don't have anything to add--like I'll read a book review, think "That sounds good!" and add it to my list, which doesn't feel comment-worthy. For every comment you get, there are probably five other readers who liked your post but didn't comment.
I agree with the commenting envy. I don't really have it but I understand it.
It's a lot of work though and like you, that puts me right in my place. You have to spend a lot of time commenting and interacting and some days I don't have that time. We all do our best.
I love comments but sometimes I find out months later that someone who didn't comment liked a review I wrote which always surprises me because I assume no comment = did not like review lol
"comment envy" Yes! I too, have this every now and then. Bu like you said, you blog because you want your thoughts out there. I couldn't agree more. :D
nodding my head about both of those too. I love your design and totally true about comment envy. sometimes you always want what you can't have LOL
I feel comment envy, too sometimes when my reviews go without a comment for a long time. I'm much like you in that department, remembering the reason for blogging and the fact that I often don't comment either help. I have to get myself out there more, though. :)
Oh yeah...comment envy. Got it. Probably will never get rid of it. Are you on Twitter? I find that I tend to visit a lot of posts through Twitter.
Also, your comment about snotty comments made me laugh.
ps - I also love your blog design and I love your blog name. How did you come up with it?
Commenting on other blogs does help bring people to you. I think our community should be a give and receive type of thing. However, we don't always have time to comment every day. As long as you make the effort though, I think it pays off.
Your blog design is uber cool!
I don't have any good advice about how to deal with comment envy. I know how to suffer from it. But I really do appreciate when I do get a comment. Sometimes I grow so fond of my regular commentors that I just want to give them something to say thanks. I haven't figured out just what or done it yet. But I think about it all the time.
Oh comment envy! Someone gave me some advice a few weeks ago, and that was to reply to all comments. I made a concerted effort to do it and it's paying off :) I know that if I comment on a blog and get a response I'm far more likely to go back and comment again, so it makes sense that it works the opposite way :)
glad u enjoy your blog design.. that's mostly what's important...
I replied to your comment
Thanks for all the comments! I'm still trying to make the "comment reply" thing work here --- but I appreciate that everyone left a comment about my comment envy. I feel like I'm not alone, which is nice. :)
I see you have 12 comments already. :) I believe your comment envy may be a thing of the past.
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