Has it Really Come to THIS?
Image by Sidereal via Flickr
I have blog envy. My best friend from high school has just started a new blog called Where Is My Suitcase and even though I’m happy for her (and rather proud of myself for having developed the technical know-how to answer her widget questions), I can’t escape the nagging feeling that my blog is getting b-o-r-i-n-g.
I spent the entirety of last week writing pure drivel. Case in point? Please Step Away from the Cell Phone: 613 words of absolute nonsense on a subject entirely devoid of consequence. I don’t know what happened. I never set out to write about relationships. Dating? Yes. Embarrassing stories? Yes. Erudite observations on my abject failure to secure myself a boyfriend and pseudo-ethnographic reports on being single and 20-something in Philadelphia? Yes.
But relationships?
Text messages?
My ill-fated attempts at playing hard to get?
Puh-lease! I’m as egocentric as they come and even I don’t find myself interesting anymore. In fact, I’ve been overcome by an ever-increasing urge to smack my head into the wall and shout “Enough! Stop talking until you have something intelligent to say!”
Of course smacking my head into the wall will do little to endow me with the brain cells I appear to be lacking so this is probably not the best course of action. Instead, I’m going to whip up a batch of No-Pudge brownies, ingest some chocolate and try to figure it out.
(Suggestions, comments and criticisms of the constructive and not-so-constructive variety welcome. Also, just in case you do enjoy my posts-about-drivel, PSM#3 and I are currently engaged in an intense game of phone tag further complicated my steadfast resolve to let him pursue me. You should probably take this time to set up an RSS feed so that in the event that we actually establish contact, you’ll be notified immediately of my continued adventures in text messaging.)
Kat Echevarría Richter 
18 Responses to “Has it Really Come to THIS?”
hmm, keeping up a daily blog about dating means that some posts will have to be of the “Style over Substance” variety and luckily, you have style. Maybe branch out a little and write about some other aspects of your life – maybe one day dating one day a ‘life outside dating’ post..you’ve got a big enough readership I think for that to be okay. 🙂
I agree. I even enjoyed reading your posts on “the shop”.
I agree with the above. You have a witty way with words (I’m feeling alliterative today, sorry), and I really enjoy reading, regardless of the subject. Of course, dating-related material is of particular interest, but even the ups and downs of trying to put on the Nutcracker with pre-schoolers was interesting.
My friend once told me that it’s [i]my blog[/i] and that I should write what [i]I want[/i]. Turns out that when I feel like writing (most every day) and what I feel like writing about (changes so frequently), people end up reading. So, I will echo her advice: write what [i]you want[/i] to write about, and I’m sure people will keep reading.
Hmmm… I think I can manage that!
My dear, I was just telling my mom how much I love reading your blog every day, and how I envy your supportive readership and interesting posts… so much so I felt I must spice up my own with a ‘romantic’ story 😉
I guess the grass is always greener on the other side!
You’re doing a fantastic job, and your readers love you, so whatever you choose to write about, I’m sure they will follow.
Aww, thanks 🙂 It doesn’t help that your subject matter involves airports and trips and I love nothing more than airports and trips (except perhaps for new shoes…)
xoxo
K
Agree with Zak! You have a great writing style that I think I would read regardless. But the relationship stuff is fun and reminds me why I ditched online dating. 🙂
I think you should keep your current posts. But, mitigate it with other stories (which you do). I like reading about your life. The whole nature of a blog is egocentric.
Hi
I’ve been reading your blog since last fall and I love it even if a few times it is more style than substance. I think doing a daily blog is almost impossible if you’re going to try and come up with something witty, insightful, and brilliant every single day. This is part of the reason I’m asking permission to post a link to your blog on web page which includes pitifully few blog entries, some previously published short stories and the sample chapter of a novel being published in the next month as a kindle ebook.
If you were to look at the link I’ve given you and take a quick look at it I’d be very happy.
Pat
By all means, post away! Thank you for your comment and congratulations on your upcoming publication! Unfortunately I’ve been unable to access your site… would you care to post the link again?
Are you kidding me/us? you MUST keep writing! Your so-called-drivel is fascinating!! Keep up the great work!
Haha, okay okay… thanks Mrs. B 🙂
Keep blogging! I think that what you write is great. I don’t think you are boring at all!
I guess it depends on what you’re hoping to do with your blog. I know you’ve already (sort of) gotten this schpiel from me, but… if you’re an exhibitionist at heart, and this is basically an online journal, then write whatever you damned well please. On the other hand, if you’re hoping to build a mass following with your blog, then substance trumps style every time.
Case in point: Cracked.com. Now there’s a site that grew not from marketing or commercialization, but from pure substance.
Having been an active participant in their writer’s workshop, I realize now how technical the site is. Yes, everyone thinks that they’re all about sarcasm and jokes. And you see it with the way new writers come into the workshop and pitch articles. However, they’re actually ALL about content. In fact, when you pitch articles to them, you’re told to list just the facts and add the jokes later. They don’t even want you to be funny in your pitches.
That, to me, is why they’re so successful: they take an interesting topic and add jokes to it, instead of making jokes on a topic that no one cares about.
In that regard, I kinda disagree with the other commenters on here. If you want your blog to have mass appeal, you have to focus on substance over style.
Of course, that’s no easy task. And that’s why my blog can barely generate one article a week… with a group of 21 writers.
Just my twenty cents.
PS: here’s an article that you might find interesting.
Dennis, couldn’t you have said, “You’re awesome and we love reading your drivel!” just like everyone else? Now you’re making me go and think… lol 🙂
Of course blogger to blogger I do actually like that you’re making me think… maybe one of these days I’ll strike the right balance!
Oops, guess I can’t embed links:
http://www.doshdosh.com/how-to-create-digg-friendly-content/
Hmmm… now you’ve really got me thinking! 🙂
(Thanks, by the way, fo’ real yo)
No problem. That’s what I do! 😉