Just want to remind all of you interested in a GPF spot to mail me. Next week’s slot has already been taken, but I need more people to fill in the rest of the month. I have decided to put the posts up at 06h00 my time on Friday mornings, so please remember to click over to show support to our first brave soul. My mail, for in case you don’t want to go hunting for it, is mishagericke@gmail.com.
In the mean time, on my last Friday post for the foreseeable future, some of you might want to leave now. I’m going to be showing a bit of my dark side.
Yesterday, I was making my way down a certain Mr. McLinky list, looking for some new blogs to read and stumbled onto one that had someone (who will remain unnamed) who seemed to be deeply upset by the fact that she didn’t seem to be reaching anyone out there. Main theme of the blog as I read it being that she didn’t have a big following.
So I commented as follows:
I clicked over here from Grab a Pen.
How long have you been writing?
How long have you been blogging?
It took me three months before I reached seven people.
It took me three and a half to realize that if I follow other blogs and commented as often as I can, people come back to me.
I don’t say this to be mean, but rather because even though the post I just read isn’t the happiest ever, you have great style.
Style = Potential
Style=Skill
So there must be some other reason why you have few followers.
I also found that asking a question at the end of each blog post is an easy way to get people to comment.
But anyway, I can give you a few tips. I’m not even remotely close to big, but I do have over 150 followers and quite a few regular visitors.
If you want them, or just want to talk, feel free to e-mail me.
Now, please, anyone. Did I seem rude? Did I seem to be ridiculing or insulting her in any way?
Because honestly I was just trying to help her out.
But this is word for word the e-mail I got back (except for the name that has been changed):
Nice to meet you.
I clicked over here from Grab a Pen.
How long have you been writing?
If you have a chance to take a look at the rest of the web page, you’ll find I’ve been writing since I was 9.
How long have you been blogging?
Again, if you look at the beginning of my blog, you’ll see how long.
It took me three months before I reached seven people.
It took me three and a half to realize that if I follow other blogs and commented as often as I can, people come back to me.
I don’t say this to be mean, but rather because even though the post I just read isn’t the happiest ever, you have great style.
Style = Potential
Style=Skill
So there must be some other reason why you have few followers.
Thank you. I think I have style too. It might be the reason why I’ve published a book already and have another one coming out in the fall as to why I have a few followers.
I also found that asking a question at the end of each blog post is an easy way to get people to comment.
But anyway, I can give you a few tips. I’m not even remotely close to big, but I do have over 150 followers and quite a few regular visitors.
I appreciate that, but I’m quite happy to have anyone who wants to stop by. I’m not terribly interested in advertising.
If you want them, or just want to talk, feel free to e-mail me.
Sincerely,
Little Princess with No Manners.
Now, feel free to correct me if you think I’m wrong (as I will not send any snotty e-mails to those who dare to ask/say something not even vaguely impertinent) but that was so far out of line that I think the she didn’t even know it existed.
This is how I feel about this.
So freaking what. If I didn’t read the rest of the web page and I try to strike up a conversation, you either answer like a civilized human being or you shut the f*(k up.
If you want to complain on your blog and want to suffer your pain in private: don’t link up to one of the most read blogs out there.
Yes princess: Headdesk is now appropriate.
Secondly: If you are going to staunchly refuse to do anything about increasing your readership then why in the name of all that is holy do you complain about it?
Who knows? Maybe she just wanted to be a martyr and suffer for her art or something and my attempt to help her out really rubbed her wrong.
But then this is what you do, Princess, you ignore me. You could have kindly not have taken me up on my offer.
Or… You could have gnashed your teeth and sent me an upbeat mail about how you really just freaked out that day and felt down. Because, like OMG! You don’t even really like followers.
Or something like that.
But bitching on someone – as far as I saw the first one to comment for at least five posts – for daring to comment after you complained about no one commenting…
Not. On.
In fact:
STUPID.
I have complained too. Hell knows I complained about few followers in the beginning too. It’s very hard to blog to empty space.
But every time I complain, I take the risk that – GASP! – someone who I don’t know from Adam or Eve is going to tell me to pick myself up by my shoe straps. And guess what? The normal reaction will be to thank that person and to ask them how to do it. Because if you post something on a public blog, someone might just answer and it might just not be what you would like to hear.
But that is not your commenter’s problem.
EVER.
*Takes a deep breath.*
Thus endeth the rant.
If any of you read through this, and I suspect that some of you will…
I just want to thank all of you who have told me to pick myself up by my bootstraps when others only offer sympathy. And thank you for those that always cover me with love and sympathy when I’m down.
I need both sometimes and I love everyone of you for it.
And really, if I misconstrued anything she said, or you differ in opinion about how my comment seemed, please let me know. Because I honestly don’t get what her problem was.
The Five Year Project 