A couple of questions:
- How important are comments with regard to blogging?
- If no one commented on any of your posts, ever, would you continue to blog?
I will answer by saying that comments seem very important with regard to blogging. I’m of the opinion that blogging truly is a communal activity, and that demands dialogue (at least). Blogs that don’t allow comments are, in my opinion, not really blogs. They’re mirrors that their authors stare into, telling themselves how wonderful they are. And they’re able to do so without fear of said mirror being shattered because no one is able to break through with a comment to do so.
With regard to the second question, I don’t know. If there were no interaction ever, I’d probably pack it in and spend my time doing something else. I don’t post just to see my thoughts on the computer. I post for others to see them and interact with them. If no one was interacting, then what would be the point? It’s been much easier to grow since I’ve been challenged, or since new perspectives that I wouldn’t have otherwise thought of, have come through commenting, than it would have been had they not.
So how about you? What are your answers to these questions?
B”H
man i’ve been blogging for a year and half. Part of my problem is that i dont want anyone I know to regularly view my blog… i hope to find community exclusively on the web… but i keep writing even though my comments are scarce to few…
but knowing that it gets hits help me keep going…
it depends on your reasons. Mine are to develop my voice and see what I like to write about, do discern what i’m good at and just in general to keep me writing.
that said i have one blog where there are 5 authors. this is by far my most fun because I like to see what they write as well.
By: Roger Mugs on April 11, 2008
at 8:24 pm
1. If I can’t comment on your blog, I won’t read it. Ever.
2. If no one commented on my blog, I wouldn’t post on it again.
The dialog that occurs around blogged topics is why I read them. If the communication was one way I’d probably take up watching TV again.
By: Nathan Stitt on April 11, 2008
at 8:40 pm
I’d post without comments. I’m not writing for you. I’m writing for me. Yes, its a little selfish, but I need to write. I just need to.
By: Mike on April 11, 2008
at 8:55 pm
Roger: Interesting that you don’t want people you know to read your blog. May I ask why? As for me, I’d imagine that if the people I knew read my blog, I’d be deemed an apostate and disfellowshipped. ;) But part of the community thing for me is that nearly none of my friends in ‘real life’ share my interests when it comes to the things I blog about. That’s where I seek out those who do.
Nathan: Here here! Although there is one “blog” that I read where you can’t leave comments. Every once in a while the guy writes something really educational. Oh, and you can bothwatch TV and blog, it doesn’t have to be an either/or thing.
Mike: I understand, but aren’t there other ways to write for just yourself?
By: Nick Norelli on April 11, 2008
at 9:01 pm
I guess there are exceptions, like the ESV blog for example. I was more referring to blogs by individuals.
By: Nathan Stitt on April 11, 2008
at 9:07 pm
@nick, im in full time ministry, so in theory there would be a lot of people who would be interested in what i write. a little bit of it is embarrassment that i “blog” – call me crazy but it still SOUNDS like something teenage girls do. I think it is a fantastic thing that anyone can write and have an audience. My average 40 or so people that I get to my blog a day is really encouraging to me. WAY more than if i wrote in a journal and no one ever read….
the real reason is much more complicated… and if i told you i’d have to kill you. seriously…. no… seriously.
By: Roger Mugs on April 11, 2008
at 9:59 pm
thats why roger mugs is such a ridiculous name… no mother would ever do that to their kid
By: Roger Mugs on April 11, 2008
at 9:59 pm
In a sense, yes. But those other ways don’t fit my personality. If I’m going to write and study (which I am, if you haven’t noticed), then I need to at least feel as if I have an audience to whom I’m writing. I don’t need one; I just need the potentiality of having one. Blogging provides that.
Now I’m glad my blog has grown so much since I began last year and I’ve enjoyed the dialog with the numerous people, including you, but I would still blog even if that didn’t happen. Blogging kind of makes me feel as if I have a responsibility to meet, kind of like writing a paper or essay for a class.
By: Mike on April 12, 2008
at 12:09 am
I’ll read a blog without comments if it is a big enough scholar where it is understandable why they don’t have comments. For instance Greg Boyd does not have comments on his blog but it’s because he is such a controversial person. He would get tons of comments, tons of flaming and arguments going back and forth and he wouldn’t be able to answer all of them. I can’t stand to see a site with a bunch of comments where all hell has broken loose and the blog owner hasn’t done anything to step in or can’t because of the sheer number of comments (they would have to give up their day job).
Plus there are certain scholars who I’m interested in what they’re up to and what they’re writing about and future projects and stuff like that. So it’s ok for me if I can’t interact with them through the comments. I can always send them an email if it’s important enough (which I do with Greg Boyd).
If Larry Hurtado had a blog with no comments would you refuse to read it?
What I can’t stand is blogs with arbitrary moderating rules where opposition or criticism is squelched. Then I don’t even bother with that kind of blog. I can’t stand reading a blog or the comments of it where the blog owner only accepts praise and agreements and silences any opposing voices. I feel that’s a waste of time.
Bryan
By: Bryan L on April 12, 2008
at 8:47 am
Roger: OK, you’re crazy! I’d say the whole Myspace phenomenon fits teenage girls more than blogging. And it’s ok, I like living, so you can keep the real reason a secret. ;)
Mike: I see, very interesting.
Bryan: I’d read anything that Larry Hurtado wrote, but I prefer to call websites, websites, and blogs, blogs. If one doesn’t allow comments, then for all intents and purposes, they have a website. Now there nothing wrong with a website. I read Gary Habermas’ and Craig Evans’ websites, and they both have some very good stuff on there. And I quite agree about comment moderation. We all have to do it at some point or another, but those who do it just to edit out dissenters seem cowardly to me.
By: Nick Norelli on April 12, 2008
at 11:01 am
I blog anyway. Many more people visit my site than comment. I do not get a lot of comments, but I would like to. I blog as an expression of “broadcast” in ministry. It is an avenue to get the insight that I believe the Lord has given me out to a broader public base. So I do not do a lot of “personal information” data; some, just not much. Most of it is small teachings.
So long answer to you question. Short answer, Yes, I would (will) continue to blog.
By: Iris on April 12, 2008
at 11:23 am
“I’m in it for the free books.” There’s a news flash.
I always remember my early internet days on compuserve, where it was always pointed out there were far more people reading than commenting, so much so that the reader types were jokingly called “lurkers”.
Comments are nice, but most of your readers won’t, and some will just complain, which is almost as bad as no comments. So you pretty much have to blog for yourself. And the crickets chirping in the background as you check your blog.
By: Chuck Grantham on April 12, 2008
at 2:08 pm