What makes a good blog? What makes a successful blog? What makes a worthwhile blog? I’ve no idea. (And – it’s worth noting – these are quite different questions.) I ask them because I am celebrating an anniversary today. Not ten years or even a year, but three months of happy blogging. This might seem a bit premature, but I said to myself when I began that I would keep going for six months come what may; so the halfway mark gives a small excuse to take stock.
Mostly, I’ve really enjoyed it. I’m posting about three or four times a week, and the rhythm of writing has forced me to think about the topics at hand, and made me reflect more generally on what is happening around me and in the press. I’m more curious, and a bit braver about trying to express (or at least trying to form) my own opinion. Usually an idea grabs me or annoys me and I scribble it down for an upcoming post. Now and then I’m feeling a bit blank or too busy to think, and I feel the pressure to write (‘what if I fall silent?!’). Then something catches my attention, or I put it off for a day.
Other unexpected effects of starting to blog: I write quicker than three months ago; and once or twice a post has grown into an article that has been published – so the blogging has helped me risk stepping into a more public debate. Hopefully, some of the posts have got people thinking about something they might have missed, and reflecting a bit more deeply. This is the point! And that is what makes me feel as a priest that it is worth wasting a little bit of time on this.
The stats: I get about 100 page hits a day. WordPress doesn’t tell you how many unique visitors you get, and I don’t want to sign up to these statistics websites because with my love of detail I would get drawn into obsessing about the stats. Anyway, if there are a hundred page hits, and each person is clicking on each of the twenty-five posts displayed, then that means four people are reading the blog each day! (I know, it’s possibly slightly more than that…)
But I had one exceptional weekend, just ten days ago. For some reason my post about ‘best movies of the decade’ got picked up and put on the WordPress homepage (they choose a few every day) – this is like getting invited to the Oscars – and I had six thousand hits in three days. Suddenly I was ‘out there’ in this strange world of connections and clicking and commentators; and then, as quickly as the link was taken off the WordPress page, I was back in my office with my four friends… WordPress.com, by the way, has been a fantastic (and free) host.
I’m still not sure if the blog has any unity. Friends have called it ‘eclectic’ – I think they mean it is pretty random. This is my concern, that there is no focus or theme to the posts, so readers aren’t quite sure what they are coming to, or why they should come back. Perhaps it doesn’t matter too much. Or perhaps there is a theme developing: Even with all the random posts about film or technology or faith or morality, I feel an underlying thread is the question ‘what does it mean to be human?’ I teach a number of courses in philosophy and theology, and most of the posts here would provide food for thought in the course called ‘Philosophical Anthropology’ – the philosophy of the human person.
So another three months lie ahead. To any regular readers: Now is the time for feedback. I’m not fishing for compliments, just genuinely wanting to know how you are finding the blog. What have you enjoyed most? What isn’t working? What would make it more interesting for you? Any concrete advice about the topics that could be considered, the frequency of posts, the length of posts, the use of images, etc. In a nutshell, what has your experience been?! (As they say…)
Do post any of your thoughts in the comments box below. And that is another matter itself – how do you encourage people to comment and interact more?
I find the eclectic-ness (the “proper” word escapes me) rather refreshing. Over the years I’ve read and followed many blogs, both religious and secular, and out of the religious ones, Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox and many non-Christian ones too. Many blogs, religious or no, can focus on one particular topic (which in itself may be quite broad). One thing I appreciate about your blog is that your posts are both thoughtful and articulate, whether they cover explicitly Christian/Catholic topics or not.
It’s a great blog! keep it up! I like to have quotes, saints stories and quotes, Scribd articles, free ebook, esnip recordings, stories, jokes, quiz and book lists on mine to spice up blog a bit. The connectivity of the blog is what makes lots of hits- who is connected to who and whether others mention you. Pictures on your blog are fantastic too!
Happy Aniversary!
Don’t worry to much about your blog at least (unlike yours truly) you are blogging ;). I have a real short attention span so most of the time if the first three lines of a random post don’t grip me I move on to the next piece on the tagsurfer. It’s my first time visit, can’t give much feedback – or feedback that would sound sensible that is. Just believe in what you write and all will be ok.
Keep on blogging!
Uttam.
I just came across your blog through different tags. Like you, I have just started blogging. I am going on three weeks. Three is not much but after posting every day, my fingers are feeling the workout.
Your questions are ones I ask myself every time I start a post. Lately I have been feeling the pain of statistics. I average about 60 views a day, but only three or four comments. Any tips on getting people to comment? It’s hard to tell without those how many loyal readers I have, or may have in the future.
I am impressed that you have set a goal for yourself. Mine has been to just keep on writing in my blog for as long as I can. It’s become my afternoon exercise.
Good luck!
SB
I read your blog pretty regularly, and I think the main attraction is that you try to embed Christianity into culture. I quite like how you don’t find the need to smash things to pieces with righteousness.
Keep blogging, Stephen. Your blog is the best one written by a priest. What I like about it is that you don’t have axes to grind, like quite a few priest bloggers I could name. You are trying to see where Christianity and culture can find a meeting point. This approach is much needed in the Church, where the number of factions – Tridentine, ex-Anglican, Neo-Cats – seems to be growing.
This has quickly become one of my favourite blogs, I hope you’ll keep it going well beyond 6 months!
Thanks for your blog Father Stephen! I tend to pop by once a week or so to see what I’ve missed. I always find something interesting. It’s also a challenge as I’m so used to using the Internet at high speed, scanning things, reading headlines, glancing at images etc. to absorb facts, news or opinions. Your posts however invite more careful reading and subsequent reflection.
I greatly enjoy your blog, though I only came upon it recently. That it is a mash up of various topics encourages me to continue my lucky-to-have-ten-hits-a-day blog, although it is admittedly less… approachable in style (my guess).
I look forward to your readers’ responses, as yours are my own questions about engagement, cohesion, etc.
http://isitmakeuporcoke.wordpress.com
Dare I say it, this is a blog worth a look?
http://www.jenico.blogspot.com
I really enjoy the blog for many of the reasons already mentioned. I appreciate the wide range of topics, thoughts, reflections and find it refreshing that a Catholic priest’s blog is truly catholic with a small ‘c’! You touch on many topics that interest and stimulate me too and make thought provoking comments that are far more succinctly articulated than I usually manage…
I’ve pointed quite a few friends in your direction because of various articles including Anish Kapoor and the Spiritual geography one and they’ve enjoyed it too. Thank you and keep it up!
Thanks for all the comments so far – it encourages me at least to stick to my plan of continuing for six months…
Robert: Yes, there are lots of other tools and tricks and widgets etc to import and use, but at the moment I am trying to keep mine simple, and I don’t have the energy to investigate all these!
Sarahbaram: I don’t have much advice on how to get the comments going. Asking for comments on a particular question probably helps; but most of it is down to sheer numbers. If 1 out of 100 visitors comment, then the discussion isn’t going to get going unless we are in the thousands of hits league.
Dear Fr Stephen
I have been enjoying your blog from Hong Kong and it is great – you are definitely not allowed to stop now!
I’ll go at least to my six months… I hope Hong Kong has been a great time for you both