Late last week I was contemplating blog comments. Specifically, I was wondering about following up comments made to my posts. Generally speaking, I haven't much responded to comments. For the most part, I don't have a controversial blog that stirs people up, so it's not a huge issue. Seldom do I feel the necessity of commenting back to you.
But if I do want to get back to you, I don't really know the best way to do it. Do you go back to comments that you posted and look for replies, or should I just go to your blog and comment there? Personally, I only sometimes think go back to see if there is has been any follow-up to comments that I have posted on someone else's blog, so I'm not too sure what everybody else does.
Then, in an odd sort of synchronicity, my Happy Fourth post seemed to fan a few flames. Keith made a long comment, and I felt that I should respond. Anonymous chimed in, making it clear that s/he did not think much of Keith's views. After that, -epm offered his usual trenchant observations, and Keith responded to him. If you haven't been back, you might find the dialog interesting. Click here to go directly to the comments.
Any comments?
...and that's another thing wrong with Americans: they'll find something to complain about even in a compliment! Good heavens they're wound a little too tight! :)
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Sometimes a blog is just a soapbox in the town square from which we preach... Other times it turns into a converstion. Yikes! Now what do we do?! Commenting back seems to work well, but sometimes direct e-mail is a nice personal way to connect with people as well.
Since I tend to be less... shall we say, "inhibited"... in blog postings than in person or e-mail, an e-mail contact helps me be more myself (oddly enough), with my humility regulator proprely installed, blunderbuss properly stowed.
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I comment at blogs and don't keep track, so unless I notice them on my site meter, or they stop by and comment on mine, I never know. If it is REALLY important, I send an e-mail, if I can find the address.
ReplyDeleteI've removed comments from my blog, because I found I was writing more for an audience and less a "log" by having the comment window, not my original intention.
But the e-mail option is there if someone wishes to use it.
One blogger I know answers comments in her comment space AND emails it back to the commenter! It's very nice, but sometimes makes me NOT comment since I hate putting her to so much trouble.
ReplyDeleteI tend to answer my commenters (in the comments) most of the time. Mainly because when I first started reading blogs I loved it when someone "answered" me like that.
Every now and then I go to their blog and answer there, if I think they won't see it. That's only if they ask a question, usually.
Some people rarely or never answer comments, which is fine because after a while you expect it. Some people only answer specific questions. Some people answer only by email.
The thing that drives me nuts though is people who answer only certain comments or, more precisely, certain commenters! They leave most of their readers wondering, "Am I invisible? Am I chopped liver?!" :) OK can you tell I've got a pet peeve with a couple of blogs about this LOL. Sometimes it seems like they are saying that they would prefer you went away. (Sometimes I do. Sometimes I am perverse and stick around anyway!)
I don't normally read blogs with no comments though. To me comments are an integral part of a blog, and in some cases I like reading the comments as much as I like reading the blog.
That's probably more than you ever wanted to know about my opinion on comments! :)
I do sometimes go back and see if the person has answered, but sometimes I forget!
Since I was involved in the commentary that sparked this question by AnvilCloud, I'd like to chime in.
ReplyDeleteWhen I started blogging, a friend warned me that answering comments can be very time-consuming. I have found, however, that the comments are for me a very exciting part of blogging itself and help to sometimes flesh out the ideas that I have raised. Comments will also lead me to other blogs that I may not have found otherwise.
I answer many commenters when their comment cries out for an answer. Others go without response because they stand alone as thoughts in and of themselves.
By the way, AnvilCloud, you can set your blog so that every time someone leaves a comment, it is forwarded to your email so you know that a comment was left.
I say long love comments (at least for the blogger who likes them, that is....)
That's long live comments. Sorry about the typo....
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