Why do I see blog comments as a status symbol?
I take the number of comments I get on a particular post as a value judgment of that post, and more generally, as a value judgment of myself. Some people write posts on cheese sandwiches and get 15 comments in response, and I’m always jealous of those people. It doesn’t matter if I go into SiteMeter and see that I’m getting a particular number of visitors per day; it’s comments that make a person feel good. Putting lots of time and effort into writing a post only to receive no comments is like telling a joke and hearing crickets chirp in response.
Also, if visitors to your site see that you get a bunch of comments on every post you write, they’ll think you’re really popular. (And it’s all about being popular, of course.)
And it’s especially neat to get comments from people who have never commented on your site before, because that way you get introduced to new readers.
The best way to get more comments, of course, is to write entries that make people want to respond. This still doesn’t explain how the cheese-sandwich people get lots of comments per post, but it’s still a good rule to follow.
To sum up: bloggers like getting comments. So leave them. A comment is like a birthday present.
Except for spam, which is the equivalent of socks.
And of course I just realized that for the last 30 minutes my comment function was broken. How ironic. (It’s fixed now.)
I want comments on my site too. Although, I don’t think my writing is worthy just yet. I’m just starting to build it. So stop on by. Make suggestions. And leave comments.
Well said! I hate posting silly things that get huge response and thoughtful things that fall flat. I wonder if it’s an indication of how much attention people pay to what I write; if they’re scanning, they’ll be drawn to a two-sentence post with something outrageous, while they will gloss over a ten-paragraph post with something outrageous.
I like how this post inspires meta-comments. Not enough people meta-comment, in my opinion.
On a post like this, I must comment! Actually, I agree with you. Page loads aren’t any fun. Comments are great!
I also don’t know why some people–people with little to say–get lots of comments. No idea what that’s about!
I feel the same way. Few things are as annoying as spending an hour writing a long, thoughtful blogpost and getting no comments, but posting an online quiz and getting a dozen.
Well, since you’re being such a comment-whore, here’s one from a long time lurker :).
I hardly comment since I use a feed-reader to read your blog, so the comment-box isn’t right there to say how awesome your site is.
I sometimes find myself staring at a great blog post and thinking that any comment I might add would be stupid. So just picture all your readers too stunned and impressed to be able to form a reaction!
It’s all relative, I guess… I’d kill for the number of comments in an entire month that you average on a single entry.
I’m with Brian W on this one. Often a blog entry doesn’t leave me indifferent, but either I don’t have much to add to it or, if I do, I simply write a blog entry of my own. Similarly, if I dislike or disagree with a blog entry, I see no point in starting a war of words on that person’s blog.
Here’s my comment. Right now is the first time I have ever seen your blog. Excellent reading. I have been surfing your site and reading your writing for over two hours now. http://WWW.tinmanic.com. I can remember that. I’ll be back.
I found your blog after Googling “Kirk Read”. I was wanting to see if Kirk Read had written any articles recently, since 2001, after his book ‘How I learned to snap was published’. I did not find anything newer than 2003 on the first two or three google pages.
To narrow the search, I then Googled: ‘”Kirk Read” 2005’. Appearing on the second line was: ‘The Tin Man }} Kirk’.
Anyhow, I have been figuring stuff out about myself lately. I have lived in Lexington for the past few years (I did not grow up here). I met Kirk Read a while back and see him maybe once a year. I have wanted to talk to Kirk about myself being gay but have not been able to. I have only told one person here in Lexington. Lexington is not the same town now that Kirk writes about. Furthermore, ‘How I Learned to Snap’ does not look at Lexington from an adult point of view.
So, thank you Tin Man for your writing in you blog. Your writing and the comments from other people have made for an evening of insightful reading.
James B: that’s what it’s all about.
Tin Man: keep it up.
happy early birthday.
I have nothing to add. I have no clue why I’ll get 15 comments on a link to nothing, but none on an entry I’ve actually thought about. So consider this a non-comment comment. Just note for the record that I do what I’m told.
Funny how sometimes reading blogs is like seeing a mirror reflected within another mirror; seemingly neverending mirrors to discover. I found yours via homer’s world, another blog I read and very much enjoy, but have never left a comment on. I am a bit perturbed at just how thrilled I was when one of the ‘blog-gods’ actually left a comment on mine last week AND linked me! I felt like I had been kissed under the mistletoe or something.
Anyway, consider this something more than a pair of socks … :)
This makes 15 comments plus one(at least)link.
Well it’s my first time here too, and I have no idea how I actually got here, but I’m enjoying it. I’ll be back!
“…writing a post only to receive no comments is like telling a joke and hearing crickets chirp in response.”
Good one!