Tortillas on The Computer and Why Do I Blog?

I'm trying to sit down at my computer, at the kitchen table, to write my post and there's an open bag of tortillas sitting on top of it. Perfect example of why my house is a mess. The Transporter and SoccerBoy, who just spent the night, just finished making burritos for breakfast. There “was no counter space” because OYT was also making breakfast. That's his reason for putting them there. Um, what about the whole rest of the kitchen table? There was yesterday's mail he could have put it on top of. Or how about the newspaper The Engineer didn't finish reading and left scattered about. Or best of all, on top of the packaging for the car part that arrived FOR THE TRANSPORTER yesterday, and still is sitting ON THE KITCHEN TABLE. No, tortillas on the computer.

I can't win this clutter battle with no help. And I can't even complain about it on my blog until I get reluctant, sullen teenager out of his room to put them away. You'd think I'd asked him to paint the house so enormous was his complaining. Then he tried, “Why couldn't you just put them away? It's just a bag of freakin' tortillas?” My point exactly, but why couldn't YOU put them away. His argument proves my point. He's now sulking in his room because, “All you do is yell at me!” and I'm fuming at the computer because of all the clutter – and what I described is just a small portion, but a perfect example of what happens everywhere.

But that's not what I was going to talk about today...that was accidentally the “vent” portion of my tagline: wanna be writer seeks place to vent, practice, and share. I was going to talk about why I blog, because I read some great blogging rules over at Alex J. Cavanaugh's yesterday. It got me thinking about all the different sorts of blogs I've come across on the Post A-Z Road Trip this summer, and the different types of bloggers, and what motivates us all to go on this crazy ride and join this supportive community.

I blog to practice writing. That's why I'll put up a stupid, gory story when I have “writer's block” (which is a whole 'nother post – does it really exist) because my blog is what holds me accountable to myself (and my readers!) to KEEP WRITING even when it's not flowing, even when I have no good ideas, even when it's late in the day and probably not as many will read it. It's the JUST DO IT thing. Just write. Just throw it up there. Don't let life circumstances, how you're feeling, or what else you have to do stop you. JUST WRITE.

That's why I started my blog. What I didn't know was that I was joining a symbiotic, living, breathing, shifting, evolving community. I didn't know I'd make friends. I didn't know I'd find blogs that I HAVE to read, even if it means that when I get there, I read a whole week's worth of work in one shot. (You know who you are...smiles.) I didn't know about bloghops to meet new people, and I didn't know about challenging myself. I've learned so much.

On my facebook page, my occupation is listed as blogger. It's not that I'm getting paid, but THIS IS WHAT I DO. When I don't do it, I feel like I'm missing out on something good. That good being your post that will teach me something new, show me a great picture, share your artistic talent, make me think, make me argue, and make me smile. The other good would be the interaction through comments and emails that fly all around the world, just because I'm practicing my craft.

Why do you blog?

A Little Blogiquette

Now that the dust has settled from the whirlwind of April, I'd like to talk about an issue that has come up in almost all the Reflections Posts I've read: Not enough time for visiting other participants.

Almost everyone said, “I didn't get as much time to visit others as I wanted.” Many also said that commenting was down this year. Guess what? Cause and effect. Many bloggers go by the rule of, “If you comment on my blog, I'll go visit you and comment back.” That's the way I feel is polite and correct blogiquette. Do you see the problem though? If no one has time to visit, no one is getting comments, and no one is going to visit those who have commented. Everyone is stuck in their own little world waiting for something to happen. As I've said before, this isn't, “If you write it, they will come.” NO. It's, “If you visit, they will come.”

Please don't get me wrong - I'm not criticizing anyone - I had very little visiting time myself and have just begun to return visits and make my way through the Reflections posts. It's just life – we all have more to our lives than blogging. We all wish for more time in our days. We all make compromises of how our time is used.

I do have a “solution” for you, though. There's no need to quit visiting just because April is over! The big, long list's links will remain live until April 2014! Visit away! In fact, we have a Road Trip you can join. 

This badge is yours for the grabbing if you're joining us!

Many of us will continue visiting for as long as we want – that's all there is too it. We've just created a group for you to join for support and encouragement along the way. Head on over to the Road Trip invitation at the A-Z Blog. I'm co-hosting this after-Challenge gig with Shannon, from The Warrior Muse as usual (our third year now) and we're lucky to have the amazing Nicole, from The Madlab Post with us! More drivers is great! We hope you'll join us.  After all, you want more visitors, right?

~Tina

P.S What other blogiquette do you think is key to success? What's your blogging pet peeve? If you check out my sidebar, I think you can guess mine...

And the Winner Is...

Nope, I didn't forget. I needed some time to breathe! Plus, my “normal” Life is Good schedule is to post M-W-F. Normal should be taken as a goal, not a given. Life is also busy and unpredictable...

Without further ado, I announce the winner of the $25 IKEA gift card:

Gregg Metcalf who blogs at Gospel Driven Disciples. Please pay him a visit and say congrats!

For you mathematical types, here's how the winner was chosen. (I always like to know...) I added up all the comments I got during the A-Z. 704! Unbelievable. Wonderful! Thank you! (And thank you to all my new followers – I'm in the process of visiting...I will get to you...) Then random.org picked a number for me (10) and Gregg had the 10^th comment in my series.

Now that the dust has settled, how are you doing? What's your blogging schedule going to be like? Going on vacation from all the work or are you excited and feeling great about a re-energized blog with more followers?

Survey Results Are In!

First of all, these should have gone up yesterday.  They did at the A-Z blog and I was going to put a link here and send you there...and then I ran out of "me" time and had to go to WALMART on a SATURDAY because I love my child and he didn't get the right school supplies the first time.  So...

Your anxiously awaited survey results are in! Most of you know I'm a math nerd...mathematician by degree. Yes, weird for a writer. You've probably already noticed the weird part without me pointing it out...

There are lots of ways to present statistics to mislead. I shall not go into that here, because we have plenty of commercials from both sides of the political aisle giving us examples of that...

I'm going to give you “just the facts, ma'am”. I will probably not resist some comments along the way about what I found. I promised you MY answers, those will be in the comment section. I feel strongly about one of these questions, so you will get an earful about that one. You've been warned.  But that's tomorrow.

Note to all readers, math-nerd or not: IF you bother to add up the percentages for each of the questions, the total will NOT come to a nice 100%. There are three reasons for this.

1. Some people gave more than one answer to a question.
2. Some people didn't answer all the questions.
3. I rounded.

Question #1: AS A BLOGGER, how do you interact with your commenters?

3% : on my blog, if it's a question, by email

27.5% : visit back and comment (one person said but don't comment)

27.5% : reply in blocks in the comment chain

4% : reply in the reply box in my comments

1% : Twitter

1% : interact, um yes, that was the question, you missed the how part, but am acknowledging your answer ;-) Can't leave any stats out you know. Wouldn't be honest. We have some lovely parting gifts for you. (I'm teasing, by the way. I do that.)

14% email

1% : phone (proud to say this is one of MY readers, who answered at my blog, and he's an amazing supporter of all levels of writers and bloggers, BUT, I couldn't drag him to the A-Z, and I REALLY tried...)

Question #2: AS A COMMENTER, what is your preferred method of being noticed for taking the time to leave a comment?

23.5% : visit my blog

18.5% : I don't need to be noticed (aw...you give, without expecting anything back, what great people hang out here)

29.4% : in the comments, but I don't always go back and check

6% : direct reply (don't know what this method is...but couldn't just assume so I included it)

11.8% : email

6% : varies, but I like email

6% : comment back

6% : respond (see how hard this is?)

6% : acknowledged (as I was saying...)

Question #3: Now here's the rub: are those answers the same? Why or why not?

(Note to survey writers, don't ask why or why not...give multiple choice questions. THEN the percents will add up. And the results post won't be War and Peace...)

64.7% : The Golden Rule – I respond the way I do, because that's how I want others to respond to me. Ah...we have such nice readers, don't we?

17.6% not the same way (with LOTS of explanations – go see the comments, or I'll be writing War and Peace AND The Brothers Karamazov...in one post)

6% I'm more forgiving of others than myself – I work hard to interact, but it doesn't bother me when no one acknowledges me. (I just had to include this one. Quality blogger. Not that you're not...just sayin'...)

6% Everyone is different. I can't expect that what I do is what another does. Everyone gets to choose. (Very sensible and observant. Had to include this one too. This is a patient, caring person. Not that you're not...sheesh...gotta quit these side comments...)

6% Same but different (????)

6% I just try to visit as many people as possible, regardless of whether they comment or not (aw...I keep telling you we have great people around here!)

Question #4 :Do you tend to read blogs that are similar to yours, say a writer learning from another how to market well, or to get tips, etc?

53% no

35% yes

17.6% yes, but I don't limit it to that
6% yes and no (???)

Question #5 : Do you read a variety of blogs, and if so why?

79% yes

5% I read my blog roll

12% no, there's not enough time

Question #6 : How do you decide who goes in your blog roll in your side-bar? Is it ALL the blogs you follow?

26.3% those I've developed friendships with

5% I investigate, then decide

5% I choose 25, otherwise it would be ALL of them, and that would be ridiculous

20% the ones that I don't want to miss a post from

47% I don't have a blog roll

Question #7 : Do you return follow just based on unspoken etiquette principle, or is there more to your decision?

10% yes

21% no

16% I follow if I'm interested

16% I return follow unless the blog is objectionable, or they are just fishing for followers

10% I investigate their blog, and then make a decision

5% If I wouldn't hang out with them in real life, I don't follow their blog (gotta say, this was my favorite answer...)

5% a bit of both

5% I add them to my google reader, then make a decision after a while

10% I used to, but now I use the google reader instead

Question #8: To you have link back signature? If not, why? If yes, why?

40% no

18% yes

25% I don't know

This one I really want to discuss. REALLY want to discuss. So I'm going to write a separate post about it on Monday, August 20^th. Come on back!

Did these results surprise you? Are you “normal”? Are you “unique”? Talk to me.  Just a note of tabulation, since only two people answered all the questions here, I combined your answers with the 20 I had at the A-Z Blog.  Resistance is futile.  You have been assimilated.  You hear that, Brian?  LOL.

And The Survey Says...

I was a big fan of Family Feud growing up...and I've been formulating a bit of a survey in the back of my head as I read the wonderful guest posts here (referring to the A-Z Blog, where this post also resides today) and observe the interactions between bloggers and readers and writers and others who drop by. We thank you ALL for visiting. The A-Z is NOT just for writers. There just happen to be a lot of us who joined. However, it is an event for BLOGGERS.

So to all you BLOGGERS out there...here's your chance to participate in the behind the scenes survey that they revealed the results of on the show. Of course, the answers will be public, but if necessary, I will do a follow up post tallying the answer should there be (gasp!) so many comments (I hope..) that you can't possibly read them all.

Please read each question carefully. Some will sound a bit alike. Are you ready?By the way, no right or wrong answers, just hoping to start a dialogue, or perhaps if I get lucky, a knock-down, drag out DEBATE! I love those comment chains...so lay it on us, total truth please:

1. AS A BLOGGER, how do you interact with your commenters?
   
   
2. AS A COMMENTER, what is your preferred method of being noticed for taking the time to leave a comment?
   
   
3. Now here's the rub: are those answers the same? Why or why not?
   
   
4. Do you tend to read blogs that are similar to yours, say a writer learning from another how to market well, or to get tips, etc?
   
   
5. Do you read a variety of blogs, and if so why?
   
   
6. How do you decide who goes in your blog roll in your side-bar? Is it ALL the blogs you follow?
   
   
7. Do you return follow just based on unspoken etiquette principle, or is there more to your decision?
   
   
8. To you have link back signature? If not, why? If yes, why?

Also, please feel free to only answer the ones you're interested in, but for survey tallying, please number your answers for this math nerd. I do love long, rambly comments, but for the sake of my purpose here...please play along according to my admittedly, totally, control-freak bossy tendencies.

As Brenda (The Closer) would say, “Thank you, thank you so much!” Or something. I've only watched one episode and am hooked. In my netflix queue. Feel free to correct my quote...

If you'd like to learn more about this control freak, math nerd, chatty to a fault writer, check out my "About Me" tab.  I add to it fairly regularly.

If you missed my April 2012 A-Z Challenge "Postcards from Sweden", it's not too late to read those either ;-)

Tina

P.S Of course I'll answer all of these myself. But at the end of the day so as to not influence the totally truthful results. Snork.

P.P.S This is my post at the A-Z Blog today, so if you'd rather answer there, go ahead.  I know that comment chain will be really interesting because we've already had several debates about some of these isssues...Not that my commenters aren't interesting...oh, just shut up Tina.  Just read this SOMEWHERE.  Please?  Sigh.  I really do need to join Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Group.