It’s all about… comments.
*I know, it’s not Friday but thursday but it’s still my thoughts so… yeah.*
*insert angry red face here*
Then, the other day, I noticed that Amber at The Mile Long Bookshelf had written a post about this new “system” where bloggers tweet you or message to ask for comments on ther blog or saying they won’t comment on your blog until you comment on theirs. Ummm….. oooookay.
*insert shifty eyes here*
Now, Amber summed this up pretty well by arguing that she comments on posts that are worthy of comments (*nods head in agreement*) and that asking for comments or withholding comments can be seen as spam. And in a way, that is also correct because you’re initially offering your services only as a trade for anothers’ services. It’s a bit like someone calling to say “We’ll come and clean your windows but only if you clear our driveaway of snow.” – which, between friends is acceptable, but not when it comes down to strangers.
*insert freaked out face here*
What I’m saying is that if there is a new trend of bloggers “sharing” comments, then that’s fine for them to do so, as long as they don’t start cold calling the rest of us bloggers who will comment on whatever posts they want to. After all, each to their own, yes?
*insert crazy nodding guy here*
Moving on from this slightly, I want to tell you why I don’t always respond to every comment on my blog and why I don’t always comment “back”. I have a full time job, and it is a very demanding one at that. Working with the public every day is incredibly draining and there are times when I come home, eat dinner and then simply fall asleep. Add to that a second job, a blog, two youtube channels and a social life and you may start to see where my life could be stretching thin.
So my time is limited. Therefore I’m not going to waste my time responding to comments that don’t need a response. So you’ve told me you like my choices for top ten but asked no questions or given me anything to respond to, are you really expecting a “Thank You” comment? Don’t get me wrong, I am incredibly grateful you’ve stopped by and I am thankful but I’d rather* respond to the comment above yours as the person has asked me about x book I’ve mentioned. Of course, if I had the time, I would definitely say thank you, but at the moment, I just don’t.
What I do, do, however, is go and visit every blog that comments on mine. It may not be on the same day (I probably don’t have the time – are you seeing a pattern?) but I will eventually wander over. Then, once I’m on that blog, I’ll look around and if I like what I see, I’ll likely hit that follow button. I’ll also look at a few posts but unless it seems I will be adding something significant**, I probably won’t comment but that doesn’t mean I don’t like what I see. If I do like it, I might tweet, favourite the post, or even share it in my Weekly Highlights. Or I may even use it as inspiration for a post. (Notice, I never commented on Amber’s post mentioned above). So while I may not comment “back”, I still go and see and sometimes even share.
Now that you know why I don’t always comment, do you think of me as a bad blogger?
And what do you feel about commenting and comments themselves? Do you comment? Do you not comment? As a blogger would you prefer comments or your posts being shared?
Feel free to let me know on twitter too, I love conversing over there!
* This sounds harsher than intended, but I hope you realise what I mean.
** I’m like this off the blog as well. If I don’t feel like I have anything new to contribute, I usually don’t speak.
7 Comments
Rebecca @ Reading Wishes
Great post and I have to say, I agree with you on all points! Like every blogger, I LOVE comments. That doesn’t mean I respond to each one though (sometimes there’s nothing to say and time is limited) but when I can or feel like I have something to say, I do. Also, sometimes I visits blogs who comment, sometimes I don’t. As for comments or posts getting shared – either, it’s just nice to feel like your posts are being read and appreciated.
Anya
Completely agree – I think it’s a bit weird to ask for comments from strangers, or in response to leaving them. And I wouldn’t mind wasting some time replying to comments left on my blog, but on blogger, I get the email notification, which I think it beside the point!
Patricia Lynne
Maybe it’s because I’m an author and when I read book blogs, I don’t venture into the comments (and can get very shy about approaching book bloggers I don’t know) but I hadn’t heard of this happening. I wouldn’t do it. I like people to not feel obligated to comment on my blog just because I said something on there. Yes, I have some bloggers who always visit me back after I visit theirs, but they do that for all their commenters. They’re doing it not as a I scratch your back, you scratch mine, but because they want to do something nice in return for the comment on their blog and what better way than to go comment on a post they like? I try to do the same, visit the blogger who comment on mine and either find something to share or comment on. It’s saying thank you and no one needs to ask me to do it.
Caroline @Big Book Little Book
I know that I am terrible at commenting, probably because I tend to keep up with blogs via bloglovin and social media, and I HATE commenting on my phone.
I am planning to try much harder this year to visit blogs regularly and comment more frequently.
While I don’t respond to every comment I receive ( some times there is nothing valuable to add to the conversation), like you I try to visit all of the comment author’s blogs and comment if I feel I have something relevant to share. Very often this is long after the initial comment.
I really don’t like the idea of commenting in payment for a comment. But I do feel that it is a curtesy to read and visit other bloggers.
Julie
I haven’t heard of this comment sharing thing before so I’ll have to look into it more but I completely agree with you that time is limited and we really should focus on commenting where comments are appropriate. I do get a bit sad when I took the time to comment on a site and the blogger doesn’t take the time to return the favor, but I understand. I work full time and have a family, so my blogging and commenting time is limited as well. But I do try to make an effort to visit and comment on a recent post of a blogger that took the time to comment on a post of mine. Like you said, it might not be the same day, but it will be as soon as my schedule allows.
Tanya Patrice
I’m with you. I don’ respond to every comment on my blog, but I’ll definitely 100% of the time visit the blogs of people who leave comments on mine. In most cases, I’ll subscribe to the blog, and end up commenting on more than one post. That’s my style and I’m sticking with it.
Melissa's Midnight Musings
I’m with you on this. I work full time too, so I don’t have nearly as much time for blogging as I would like. I usually only comment on posts where I have something significant to say, rather than “great post!” Although sometimes I do that too. I don’t get a lot of comments on my posts, which I wish wasn’t the case, but is okay. I do try to respond to every comment because of the fact that I don’t get very many, but, ofen times the response doesn’t come until days later because I finally have time to sit down to go through my emails. The fact that the comment on this post is 6 days after the post date is case in point. I’ve never heard of comment sharing though, that’s new to me.