So why don’t readers leave comments? Do they know that they can be anonymous or even use a pseudonym? I love to read what others have to say about my musings…and I often reply. One can contribute another point of view, add from one’s own experience or anything else, so long as it is appropriate and not end up in the Spam file. So what’s the problem? My dear friend OM has 300 comments on his blog. Called by Name is nowhere near that. I had hoped for an interactive blog. Maybe I should offer rewards for comments…
I could have the baby kitty, Bella award
Bella - 2 years old
or the brave and handsome, Bennie award
Ben - 2 years old
or the grumpy old, Frank award.
Frank - 18 years young
Or, I could just go on talking, and musing, and wondering who is reading the stuff.
Called By Name 
Hi. Your cats are beautiful. I just posted some photos of my cats this morning, too. And since you are looking for comments, I thought I’d respond.
I don’t know why I don’t get many comments on my blog, either. I guess my posts aren’t very compelling. I used to ask provocative questions at the end of my posts, but people rarely commented, so I quit trying. The odd thing is, when I run across people’s blogs who DO get comments, I usually don’t think their posts are any more provocative or thought-provoking than mine.
So, what’s your theory?
Thanks for responding clockwatcher. After thinking about which posts my 300-comment friend gets comments to, my surmise is this: folks prefer commenting on light-weight material. I’m not all that light-weight, even though I weigh less than 100 pounds! We’ll just have to continue on as provocateurs in this “It’s all good” world. Somebody has to be thinking outside the box or the box is gonna be us!
I’ve had a blog on and off for 5 years. It seems purely random what gets comments and what doesn’t. Like anything I think that creating an audience helps; but it’s no guarantee. Back in the glory days of blogging, reading and commenting on other’s blogs was a guarantee of at least some comments, but i don’t think that’s true anymore. My friend who has been at it for the same time but much more regularly has seen his comments slow down in recent years with many of the commenters becoming friends and family.
Well Trevor, what you say is true, hey…this post got 2 comments, both from people I don’t know personally. So…hey…something came of it.
What I hoped to accomplish in this post was to encourage all those folks reading it…those who do know me to speak up occasionally…say hello, in other words…esp. those from my former congregation. I think shyness might run in the Mennonite soul. Thanks for yours. Blessings on your day, week, life.
I’m amused to read this post because I wrote a similar one awhile back on my blog, Reports from the Farm (www.pinwheelfarm.blogspot.com). Mainly I just wanted to see if anyone was even reading it, other than Mom and Dad (though I’d keep writing even if it were just them reading). Several friends emailed off-blog, so that was encouraging.
Blessings,
N
When it comes down to it. We do this because we want to talk to people, reach out, make Shalom. There are those who speak out and those who do not. Among the latter are those who wish they could. We love them as they are. Thank you Natalya. I’ll add your blog to my blogroll.
I’m embarrassed to admit that I am just now finally catching up with your Sept. postings and, although I’ve wanted to comment on each one, I’ve been saving them for a long past-due phone call for as much of an in-person communication that our geographical distance allows. If I blogged you would know that Sept was crazy busy for me and my last house guest just left on Monday. This does not mean that I haven’t thought of you often but the silence between us is deafening and I feel empty. So, I leave this comment for now and move on to your remaining posts in hopes of talking with you SOON!
At one point, I (the one with 300+ comments) had intended to go through all of my comments and:
a) sort them into serious vs. light-weight comments, and…
b) sort them into Naomi vs. everyone else comments.
Too much work. However, what I expected to find was that:
a) you are correct that most people don’t comment on the deep stuff, and…
b) when someone does comment on the deep stuff, that person is most likely you.
So what do we learn from this?
a) nothing, or…
b) you should be talking to yourself, or…
c) comments are icing on the cake, whereas the real benefit is the actual blogging, or…
d) you have to throw the line out many times before getting a bite.
Ah… but here is some data that is actually new and interesting: if you compare our blogs, not by total comments, but by comments per post, your blog actually gets more comments than mine. So chew on that one for a bit!
P.S. I’d now like the Bennie award, please.
Mr. OM you are incomparable. Love it…the weird dry humor just under the wire. And you most definitely get the Bennie award. I’ll email it to you and post it on the blog too.