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It's been about a week, and I'm loving it. I love all the new comments (you guys are all awesome, thank you for your advice and for lifting my spirits!), I love finding new blogs and people who I feel are really speaking to me, and I love the sense of community and belonging that I'm feeling.
But I'm not really loving that this morning I woke up in a panic after having dreamt that I didn't leave enough comments for yesterday! Or that I have become glued to the computer, sitting here hours after I'm done with work and school. DH says I quit my job so I could focus on my new blogging habit! Which of course is totally untrue. But it does seem as though all the free time I gained after quitting has been directly channeled into blogging, reading, and commenting.
Since I'm a relatively new blogger, maybe I just don't have this down quite right...I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to be spending all day reading blogs and commenting, right? :) Problem is, I'm enjoying myself - it feels so nice to finally fit in somewhere, to read about people going through what you're going through, to comment freely and from your heart about what you care about. But I think when I get excited that DH is coming home late so I can blog without feeling guilty, I've taken things a little too far.
So, any advice on how to manage my new-found "habit"? How do you keep up with blog friends without spending all day reading everyone's stories? Any tips for effective blogging from all the experienced bloggers out there?
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
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26 comments:
I was the same way at first - in a while, you'll find people you really 'connect' with and their stories inspire you - or maybe they are in the same place as you. Then you'll stick with the few (my blogline list is 202 - not really a normal definition of a few -lol)!
Get a blog reader (like Google Reader or Bloglines). It saves a lot of time because it automatically shows whenever a blog you read is updated, instead of you having to click down all the blogs on your list to see who's got something new posted.
This is something I am still working on. I do have blogs I read regularly. Google reader is really nice because it shows which blogs have been updated. Sometimes I just have to give myself a time limit because I do not know when to stop.
I'll put in another plug for a blog reader, it makes it so much easier to keep up with your favorite blogs. That significantly cut down my blog reading time, which gives me more time for commenting.
Back again, I think I this may be another addiction..
By the way, I am tagging you for a meme.
Welcome to the online world!
I am with you! I am glued to the computer now! I just want to see all the blogs on the list and I want to keep up with commenting back to everyone who comments to me, so wow so much time is consumed by it! but i am LOVING it, so I am not good for advice!
FWIW - I have about 80 blogs subscribed at the moment - and I use googles reader, which makes it so much easier. . . .
I also read pretty quickly.
(And I totally love your comments, but not if they are giving you nightmares)
I just started using Google Reader and LOVE IT! Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier today :)
I'm here from NCLM and I'm really enjoying it too. The first week I was having a hard time keeping up with the comments but things have definitely gotten better. I hope I make it through the list by the end of the month.
I echo everyone on the blog reader. That helps a lot. When I'm working I'm forced to limit myself but since I've been off for the summer it has eaten up a lot of my day so I'm trying to just devote some time in the morning for reading and in then in the evening blogging.
Thanks for the support! If you find a good way to sort the blogs you want to read please let me know. Everytime I think I have a good list someone new comments, and I read their story, and want to keep myself updated. Needless to say, I could read blogs all day and night if I could-but I do need a life. I couldn't have made it through this far in IF if I didn't have this resource, and all the support and kind word it has to offer. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
ps. I added your link to my blog, hope you don't mind
NCLM ... thanks for your visit today. You raise some very good questions. It's not the least bit easy to stop feasting on blogs. Heck it's the first time in more than a decade that I've been able to relate to women on such a deep level. You'll find in time that some voices resonate more than others, but at a minimum it's a great problem to have! How long have women like us been forced to be silent and unable to share our collective experience?
While I haven't begun dreaming about NCLM, I do read a lot of blogs!! Have about 150 on my reader, but as I read fast and thoroughly enjoy each and every one I just make time for it all!! (somehow!) Sorry - can't help!! ;-)
I'm here from NCLM!
And yes, I've become like you! i'm just so so glued to the computer that it's become such an obsession! And I can't wait to see the comments on my blog!hahah! it goes to show that I'm not alone in this journey!
I'm definitely tagging you to mine..:)
I wish I could help you out a bit more with some ideas. Since NCLM started, I spend hours each day reading blogs and commenting. It's amazing how much time it takes! And, I'm finding some truly amazing stories as well, that I've been adding to my blogroll. I don't know how I'm going to keep up with it all.. including reading and commenting on my regular blogs.
I have no advice for you. I am also addicted. I added Google Adsense to justify my habit. At least I can make a little money off of this addiction.
Sigh, if only. I don't think I've figured it quite out yet. Google Reader helps a lot.
I'm in the same boat- a new blogger, trying to write more frequently and read as much as I can! Now I'm off to find the Google Reader- maybe the process will be less nightmare-inducing if all the blogs I read are consolidated!
I'm still trying to figure it out. There are blogs I read because I enjoy reading them, then there are blogs I read because I feel connected and those blogs I comment on. It can seriously become a habit.
I do love google reader, because it allows me to get a bunch of blogs at once.
Psst...I tagged you
http://jwhite05.blogspot.com/2008/06/legitimate-tag.html
Just realized that VABlondie, tagged you before I did, for the same thing hahaha....I'll tag someone else.
I felt that way in the beginning. I think it is a little overwhelming right away because we have so many NACOMLEAVMO members!
I think after a little while, you will find your niche of bloggers you will continuously follow!!
Hugs!
I wish I had some advice for you. I am experiencing the same thing. DH is being sweet but I can tell he is getting annoyed.
Yeah, no advice here, unfortunately. I'm like a freakin' crack addict with this blogging! (I'm also a new blogger.) I think everything is intensified right now becuase of NCLM. I'm sure it'll slow down in a few weeks. (At least that's what I keep telling my husband!)
The discovery phase is very difficult and overwhelming...you don't know where to go next and there is sooo much to read, but I think with time it will level out and you will find a snug place where you fit.
NCLM is hectic, I'm 60 comments behind...take this tip...don;t fall behind!
Happy blogging!
I'm here via NaComLeavMo!
I echo everyone's advice regarding a blog reader / feed reader / RSS reader or whatever you want to call it.
I'll take it one level further though and recommend that you let some of the feeds accumulate for a few days and then read them in batch. You could spend all of your waking hours trying to read everything as it comes hot off the press! (Of course, your personal favourites get read daily / hourly as required!)
Good luck finding the balance that works best for you!
I swear by Google Reader - you definitely need to use it!
I use Bloglines, a blog reader. I just take it from the top on Sunday night...work my way through the list, and pick up where I left off the next time I get free time. It is time consuming...there are so many great blogs out there!
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