Every now and again I wonder how I can make the blog more popular. Quite often I've resolved to make it more newsy, more factual.
But then I have second thoughts. I rather cherish the eccentricity of this blog. When I look over my archives I'm quite proud of some of my entries-- for instance, meditations on poetry.
A one-time reader of this blog (I don't know if he's still reading) told me he would "binge" (his word!) on this blog every now and again. And this idea pleases me very much. I like the idea of someone coming across this blog by accident and browsing its archives, post after post. I've enjoyed doing that with other websites (for instance, the urban legend website Snopes, before it went full SJW). If it was more topical and geared to the controversies of the moment, I think it would be less welcoming to such visitors. I want each post to have a leisurely atmosphere-- not business-like at all. Like a foyer.
Primarily this blog serves as a platform for my ideas. The fact that people read it is crucial to this, but it doesn't require a large audience. Just an audience! Of course, the larger the better, all things being equal.
One thing I'm proud of (and indeed grateful for) is that long-time readers have stayed with me.
I never really thought about people looking at their own stats until a (full time church musician) friend was talking about this, making sure I did a hit (and read of course) on her blog section (of a bigger site).
ReplyDeleteIt got a bit confusing as I kept getting the same one... Anyway she said she'll send the link each time it's updated, but I don't expect her to.
She wrote about Teresa of Avila and Palestrina in one.
I'm always wary of self-promotion, but it's a venerable tradition. Recently it emerged that the owner of Greene's bookshop in Dublin had notified the police when Patrick Kavanagh had warned him to put his book in the window within fifteen minutes or he'd regret it.
DeleteI am also still reading and appreciate this blog A LOT! Coming back about 3 times a month or so. Having read literally every post for the last two years. (Tonight I catched up for a longer break and still have the two posts just below this one saved for later.) I like many topics you write on and more often than not the very ideas around them too. It actually gives me inspiration for expanded personal writings in my own way for days ahead. I can´t see how you manage to keep up the sheer amount of these substantial musings!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Thomae. I write very quickly. And thanks for following the blog all that time. And also for the comments-- it's been a bit quiet in the combox recently!
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