Comments on: blog production/consumption musings

By: bree

bree — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 16:16:46 +0000

I find both my blogging and reading habits are cyclical. I just plain burn out now and then, and I have to take a break from the Internet. Since I discovered RSS readers, it’s helped a lot. I use the personalized Google homepage to catch up on industry news as it comes in (I Google a lot, so I am often at that page) and at home I use Flock to keep up on my “fun” blogs. For me, reading blogs encourages me to blog more, so the behaviours are strongly correlated. Chances are if my blog’s been neglected, so has my blogroll.

By: Nail

Nail — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 06:30:47 +0000

Not sure if this is a right place… We have growing electronic newsletter mailing list, and I’m desperate to find decent, reasonably priced software or shareware for list management and distribution. We’ve been using Outlook and ACT and they’re not working well. I was found bulk email software for sending newsletter. Are there other good options to help save my sanity? Does anyone know of any good hosting company that can handle bulk email? We need to send newsletters to about 900 customers without the hassle of restrictions. Thanks!

By: ingo

ingo — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 06:08:05 +0000

What, exactly, do your blogging friends mean when they say they “don’t read blogs” anymore? Because, from the rest of your description, it sure sounds as if they are still reading a lot (surfing technorati, following up links sent to them, etc.)

So, its not that they (you) don’t read anything anymore, its how you come across what you read. This is probably (part of) what you meant anyway but I just thought I’d emphasize it again because I think that it explains a bit.

If you say smart things and write smart things (like you do), chances are, you will get so much good feedback you don’t need much searching around for just /anything/ anymore. It restricts itself to following up things, background reading, and so on. Focused reading, in other words. This seems to be what your friends describe.

So, maybe whats at the root of this is a distinction between being open for just any interesting input and not.

By: Mel

Mel — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 11:04:10 +0000

This is nothing new. Pre-internet, pofessional writers (i.e., writers who publish) and publications had little or no idea of their readership.

Increasingly, when I think of bloggers and blogging, I’m reminded of Wim Wenders film *Until the End of the World* (I thought it was a stinker when I first saw it – that was the 3.5 hour version). People have these little devices that capture and display their dreams. There’s this one image that keeps coming to mind of one of the characters who has become addicted to her own dreams – like narcissus.

I can’t remember how the movie ends. Perhaps there’s some answer there?

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 10:34:39 +0000

I had a conversation recently that suggests (based on a very small sample set) that this production-consumption mismatch may not be exclusive to bloggers:

Musician: Honestly, I don’t actually listen to music.
Filmmaker: Well, I don’t watch movies.
Writer (me): That’s okay, I don’t read.

I suspect we were all exaggerating a bit, but the overwhelmingness of new product in all media leaves the overwhelming feeling of not making a dent. I read novels, but at a very slow pace, and I can’t afford to spend very much time reading and still have time for writing. It takes a lot of work to be an educated consumer in any area, and if much of your time is going into producing in that area, where are you supposed to find time for consumption? You’re not alone, and you shouldn’t feel guilty.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 09:48:26 +0000

Because I work for Fred, I read all the blogs that Fred doesn’t… all 150 in FeedDemon… and then e-mail/tag/IM him all the links that he’s referring to.

j/k….

No, seriously, though, its becoming a pile-up in my FeedDemon. I want to start over but I’m not even sure how I want to construct my reading. Friends? Need to reads? Want to reads? Should I just read del.icio.us tags or technorati feeds only?

By: fred

fred — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 06:30:29 +0000

i write for myself, to get my thoughts out of my mind so i can move on to new thoughts.

i don’t use a traditional reader and never will.

i read about 10 blogs a day relgiously. they are all written by people i know and love.

i visit every link that is emailed to me no matter who mails it.

that’s my way.

fred

By: Rob Dolin

Rob Dolin — Wed, 31 May 2006 23:07:12 +0000

Hey Danah (et. al.), I recommend a client-side RSS reader that works while offline. It’s great to be able to catch-up while offline and reading blogs and MSM on my laptop beats trying to fold and unfold a newspaper when the bus is packed.

I personally use the RSS reader built-in to Outlook 2007 which is finally available for public download at: http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/beta/download/en/default.mspx.

Cheers–
–Rob

By: Ross Mayfield

Ross Mayfield — Wed, 31 May 2006 16:58:40 +0000

I didn’t read this, sorry

By: techbee

techbee — Wed, 31 May 2006 16:48:41 +0000

I found your blog via your post on Airtroduction, of all things…. I now read it via RSS. (+120 feeds).If a blog is not in my RSS reader, I am going to lose or forget it. I’m still excited by the variety and the Alice in Wonderland side of browsing at random, and do it during week-ends. But RSS subscribing draws the line between casual encounters and steady blog-relationship. Now, what is it about one blogs that hooks you or bores you. Mysterious. Kathy Sierra has an on line survey about that. The comments give good insight.