Dear Regular Blog Readers:
I’m curious. What’s your preference when it comes to comments and replies? I rarely ever reply to a comment within the comment section. Most comments go by without any reply from me at all because they are merely statements from the reader. Appreciated but requiring nothing from me to make them interesting or readable. Those that include questions, however, get either a private email answer or get a new post. But I notice that many bloggers respond to questions within their comment sections.
Judging by the hit counter on my blog each day, I know there are quite a few of you who read my posts regularly. So, to all of you regulars, do you like to see replies to questions in the comment section or not? Do you like to see a list of the most recent comments over in the sidebar? I’ve never included that either, but I could if it’s something readers like. If that list was in the sidebar would it make it easier for you to know when I answer a question with a comment?
And while I’m at it, do any of you have burning questions that you’d like me to answer about my career as a writer? Or my walk as a Christian? If you get too personal or it’s a "none of your business" thing, I’ll just ignore your question. {g}
Okay, all you regular lurkers. You can come out of hiding now and cast your votes.
Thanks.
Robin
No preference on comments vs. emails. It’s fun to read the comments of everyone else. Maybe sometimes a comment calls for the author to comment, and sometimes not.
And for the burning questions? Offhand, I’d like to hear about perserverance, on editor relationships, and (honestly) about your faith walk. Your other blog has been an inspiration for me.
I love coming here to visit!
Blessings 🙂
Hi Robin,
I am a lurker. I have only discovered your blog this week and I’m not even sure where I found it. My brother has a blog and it was a link from a link (maybe further removed than that even) on his blog. I visit several blogs that vary in topic and personality and I’d just like to say when I have dropped in here, I’ve found a peace that I don’t find in the others. They all have such diverse, often preverse, subject matter that it’s like a breath of fresh air here.
All that said, I prefer to see the poster’s comments in the comment sections. And it’s nice to see a list of the latest posts so you don’t have to check each one to see if someone has commented since your last visit.
As far as questions for you…like I said earlier, I have just discovered you so I have a lot of catching up to do before I would even know what to ask you.
I look forward to doing just that.
I have this same dilemma on my blog — sometimes I answer in the comments, sometimes in an e-mail. It doesn’t really matter to me how you answer. Like you said, many comments are just that, comments, not something that requires an answer. Also, I never check the recent comments feature on other blogs. Don’t know why, I just don’t.
Robin, I think just the fact that you asked is really nice!
On my blog, I try to stay involved in the comments, especially if I’ve asked in my entry for reader feedback. But sometimes things get away from me, and that’s fine, too. Blog readers are a pretty understanding bunch, I’ve found. On the other hand, I bring no expectations when I comment on someone else’s blog. Hey, you’re writing books! And speaking at conferences and retreats! You’re “giving” to your readers in multiple ways already…
That said, if you’d like to discuss this anymore, feel free to email me. 🙂
Hi Robin,
I get a few questions/comments, too, but do not respond to them. They’re my ego juice and I love them all…er, most of them all.
I’ve seen comment sections that are almost like chat rooms or IMs with multiple comments and replies from readers and the host. I don’t try to plow through those.
I vote for your way. And I stop by your blogs almost every day.
BTW — I asked you a question once but you didn’t reply, so maybe it’s nunna my bidness (Do you know Joan Elliott Pickart? We went to Jr. and Sr. Hi Schools together. Joan is a romance novelist. Not a Christian writer.)
Paul, I thought I’d sent you an email reply about Joan. We may have met at an RWA conference, but I don’t know her other than recognizing her name. There are about 2000 members who attend the annual conference, so even seeing one’s friends can be tough.
Robin
Robin, since a blog reflects its owner’s personality, whether to participate in the “comments” section (and whether to allow comments at all) is entirely up to the individual blogger. Many of my favorite bloggers don’t even allow comments, and that’s fine. Some (like you) don’t encourage or respond to comments, and that’s fine, too.
I enjoy spirited discussions and goofy interaction, so I do my best to incite comments on my blog and engage the readers in conversation. I have attracted a delightful bunch of “hecklers”, and the comments on my blog are often far more entertaining and informative than the posts.
But each blog has its own personality, and that’s as it should be. I think yours is charming just as it is.
I think you should do whatever you have the time for. Maintaining a blog can take a lot of time, and I’m sure you already have a lot of demands on your time. That said, I love to read comments – whoever makes them. 🙂
I don’t really think much about whether or not people respond to just general comments, because I figure those are comments TO the author, you know? You’ve always been really good about answering my questions, in your comments section and otherwise, so I say “good job” and “keep up the great work.” 🙂
Robin, I agree with what most everyone has said here. You should do whatever you have time for. I enjoy reading the comments here, and sometimes wish I knew your responses to some of them. And occasionally, you have. But sometimes that is more appropriate in an e-mail directly to the person, as you have been doing. One question I often wonder about — do you go back and see if you have comments on past postings, even when several days have gone by? For example, I wonder if you’ll even see this, since it is now June 13.
Pam, I do read comments on older posts because they are emailed to me. So feel free to comment on really old posts if you ever get the urge.
Robin