Finding the right words

I’m a journalist. It should be water off a duck’s back, or inkless type on a computer, to find them.

I can write a blog post in minutes – the time taken is faffing around with photos, and endless proof-reading and changing the odd comma.

But when it comes to commenting on other blogs, I often leave it for hours. Why?

To start with, I only comment when I have something to say. Those of you who have been on the dogblog circuit will be all too aware of the ‘Just popping by to say hi’ syndrome.

This, when you have just announced your partner has run off with your best friend, your house has fallen down, and your dog is infested with cat fleas – and so are you.

Surely we all like to think someone has actually read our post, and made a relevant and personalised comment instead of just ‘popping by’ ?

I like to read and re-read posts on blogs that I regularly visit. Sometimes my first thoughts are fine, and sometimes, I think of something different to say later.

Often I say something flippant, and then wonder if the blog owner realised I wasn’t serious. Mostly I think – hope – people do.

I like the discussion aspect of wordpress – it gives people chance to laugh and reply. And clarify.

But I wonder, if people are put off, when they read chatty and friendly comments, and if it sounds all too cliquey? I do hope not. Sometimes though, it’s hard to pitch into a new blog that you find, and comment, when everyone seems to have been to school together (more or less). Even worse, when everyone else’s playground comment is replied to and yours is ignored 😦

There are some blogs I visit where I comment on virtually every post. I leave the odd one alone out of politeness. Put simply though, I comment because I enjoy reading their blogs.

One blogger has a great prompt on the lines of ‘All comments welcome.’ I don’t think I could manage that. I would have to qualify it with ‘so long as you have read the post and you aren’t abusive and you don’t disagree with me’ etc etc.

Truth is too, that I also switch off if I read a blog that has 90 comments, of which, naturally 45 come from the blog owner. Can I add any value? Is another ‘Gorgeous photo’ ‘Super recipe’ a good use of my time, or anyone else’s? I think not.

When I flick on a blog with those sort of comments, I wonder what is happening. I have an eclectic mix of blogs that I regularly visit, that in my opinion are well written and post good piccies (apols to all photogs out there but it is a journo term). They don’t get hundreds of dahling comments although they do deserve them. I’m glad they don’t or I would lose interest ploughing through the superficiality.

And that is probably it. So many blogs are superficial. Like society. Like life.

With which I shall leave you all and wish you buenas noches.