Since I'm a scientist I couldn't help but break down my previous posts into categories. The results are fascinating. Although my focus is both libraries and the writing life, exactly half of all posts have been about the writing life and only 3.3% have been specifically about libraries. 7.5% of my posts are actual fiction, whether short stories or writing exercises, and 7.1% are about technology such as ebooks or iPhones. Posts about fiction generally--a subject I'd think would be interesting to potential readers--make up 14.2% of my content, and posts about specific books and authors (including my own books for sale) make up 12.1%.
I am a good scientist so here is a pretty graphic that better illustrates the data.
I like it. I would never have been able to use the wonky 3D round bar graph in my dissertation. (Edited to say: And thanks to Anton Gully and Professor Cat for the obvious improvements to the graph, which was actually pretty dull until they got to it.)
My introduction to this blog says, "Welcome to Scribo Ergo Sum, where a librarian and writer mixes her interests and presents them to the world, sometimes half-baked." I'm curious if my audience cares that few posts are specifically about libraries. Do you? Is the librarian slant what keeps you reading, or is it an extra? In either case, I can't actually divorce my library life from my content. It's a part of me and always part of my perception whether or not I admit that in every article.
The data I collected suggests my content is changing. When I started this blog in 2007 nearly all of my posts were about the writing life. Now more and more they are about technology, other fiction, books and authors. Either I'm allowing myself more freedom, or I'm reacting to feedback. I have no idea which. I'm also aware that even non-writing readers are interested in the writing life.
If you read this blog regularly, I'd love your feedback. What type of content do you enjoy? What bores you? Why are you here, and what are you looking for--if anything?
I love hearing what you have to say about libraries. I always find it's what writers combine with their writing lives which gives their blogs/websites and what they put their an extra edge (I guess that makes my own blog very boring using that measurement!) For want of a better analogy, the best teachers I know, have a passion and additional skills outside of teaching.
ReplyDeleteI'm here because you always have something interesting to say (that I'll spend time in the next few days reflecting on) and it's the perfect means for procrastinating from getting back into work on a Monday evening.
It's interesting to see how things change over time. In 2007 I wouldn't have known anything at all about digital publishing, in fact I was still deeply entrenched in the world of magazines, thinking editing a magazine and writing an editorial every three months was 'keeping my hand in'.
Looking back is good, it gives a chance to see where we've gone, which gives a sense of where we're going.
Thank you, Jodi. It is good to hear that my library perspective is appreciated in some way. And it's true, a writer's blog is just a writer's blog, but if they have something else--like your publishing angle, for instance, or Icy's ghosts, or Eric's prompts--it adds value as well as personality to what might otherwise blend into so many other voices online. (In case you missed it, I said there are your blog is *not* boring using your own measurement!)
ReplyDelete"I said there are your blog" = "I said there that your blog"
ReplyDelete*sigh* A comment editor any time, please, Blogger.
I'm here because I know you and I like hearing what you have to say. I also find your varied content interesting and even if the topics are varied, you're still blogging about SOMETHING, and not just telling me about the minutiae of your daily life. This is a blog, not a journal, and that's why I come back. Don't get me wrong, I'd still read either way, but I'm more interested in your take on e-readers or fantasy fiction.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on personal content, Icy. I like knowing writers are real people but I am so much more interested in their writing life or what they're reading than in whether they drove their kids to school today or if they've seen the dentist. (Unless they can turn either in a story, of course. Heh.)
ReplyDeleteI don't actually read this blog regularly at all, but if I only commented on things I knew about where would we be?
ReplyDeleteThere are a handful of writers who've gone from nothing to build an audience incorporating a significant number of readers who aren't also writers, and they've usually done it with the help of someone already in the business or due to fortuitous media interest eg Cheeseburger Brown's Darth Side blog which was mentioned everywhere for a while. I checked out his RSS fee, out of curiosity and he currently has 88 subscribers to that. For a while there, during the height of his popularity, 100s of people were following his blog. Fickle fame.
Helen Ginger has about five hundred followers at straightfromhell by narrowly focusing on the publishing world, and generally the small press side of it.
Being the writer blog that also caters to library culture, while there's obvious cross-over, seems like a niche endeavour.
You're specifically asking how to build an audience. Ask yourself what you want to use the audience for. If it's so you can spread the news about libraries then that should be what you write about. If it's to tell people your take on technology, then stick with that. If you want to build an audience to promote a writing career, then focus on the writing, promoting your stories, the markets you're currently courting and what people expect to see from your fiction.
Or don't stress it and do what you do that makes you happy.
Also, that graphic - if you want to build an audience I recommend you add more kittens to your graphs. Just one kitten wearing a mortar-board, pointing at the graph with a cane and you'll see a spike in visitors.
Your comments are interesting Anton, in part because you're suggesting some common sense type stuff like concentrating on writing to build a certain audience, whereas Livia's post and the other comments here seem to suggest that NOT concentrating on the one thing is actually what builds interest. So I'm not convinced that common sense is the way to go, if that makes sense. But then, as you say, it's all a bit fickle.
ReplyDeleteIf I were better at graphic art I would so be posting a mortar-board kitten with a cane right now. Damn!
Not having a clear intention is likely the downfall of a lot of deserted blogs. It's a great thing to consider, and thanks for bringing it up.
I'm just mostly here for the graphs. Perhaps Anton is onto something, adding an LOLcat (or two!) couldn't hurt, right? ;)
ReplyDeleteBut honestly? I enjoy reading about your adventures as an author and your short stories/Friday Flashes. I don't think I'd ever really considered it to be from a "Librarian POV", or "Writer's POV" ... just your thoughts and you happen to be a librarian/writer! It's true, I don't care much about the publishing industry (in general)--but I do care when it affects YOU! I'm interested in how people use libraries and you have definitely helped me come back around to being a for-leisure library user.
I like when you mix it up. Writing tips & tricks always come in handy for work--even though I'm not an aspiring author, I do write a lot. Anyone need a sweet-sweet farm safety article?
Keep up the good work! I always read your blog entries when they come through in my e-mail. I think it helps me feel more connected to you in a way that 140 characters just can't cover.
Sometimes nice people say nice things to nice people.
ReplyDeleteProfessor Cat
Sometimes people make incredible graphics! I love it. I think I might... yes... I think I'm going to have to edit the post now. Ha!
ReplyDeleteOh, it did delete it. I'm not sure why. It was showing on the screen when I closed the window. Weird!
ReplyDeleteIt does straight-up scare me that the majority of my commenters, and quite possibly readers, are other writers. There are good communities, but there's also the danger of professional incest. I post daily, mostly one form of fiction or another to entertain a wide audience, and I'm grateful for anyone whose day I get to make a little better. I do worry, though, if I'm reaching out in the right ways.
ReplyDeleteContent about fiction at large - in the industry, or in the craft - is what I'd like out of the blog. But, ghastly as it is, I'm a writer.
Nicoel, I figured it out: Blogger marked your comment as spam! Bad Blogger! No biscuit! It's back now.
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting. And man, I think I might be in the market for a sweet sweet farm safety guest post. When I do, I'm going right to you.
The idea that I've inspired you to use your library more just makes me so, so happy.
John, "professional incest" is a way to put it. Descriptive and very apt. It's true that most writers are voracious readers and great to have as fans, but of course we are not the same as "regular" readers (at least as far as the Friday Flash debates have figured it.)
ReplyDelete"Ghastly as it is." Ah yes. A cross to bear. ;)
I am writer so I enjoy all the writer life posts, but I like pretty much all the posts so . . .
ReplyDeleteYeah, I pretty much like all your posts too. You always have something interesting/thought-provoking to say.
ReplyDeleteI read blogs when they have content that I find interesting, entertaining, and or informative.
ReplyDelete"To become different from what we are, we must have some awareness of what we are." ~ Bruce Lee
Great quote, Tim.
ReplyDelete