A blog run by UPS or the Postal Service might have a lot to say on the topic of delivery, but that's not exactly what I'm referring to in this blogging element. One more function of blogging that we will consider is "Delivery" --messages, the goods, the news--we are all delivering something to our readers.
When we receive a package or letter in the mail it can be quite exciting once we've determined it's not just more junk from advertisers. Something that is nicely packaged entices us to look inside to see exactly what it is. What a delight when it is something that we enjoy, find interesting, or from which we might even be enriched.
Each new blog post that you produce should deliver something that your readers can use or will enjoy. As you prepare your post keep in mind how your readers will react when they open up your blog to find that post. Even the most mundane seemingly nonsensical topic can be presented in such a way to give it a relevance that a reader can respond to and will be affected by in some positive way.
If you keep delivering quality--or at least fun and entertaining--goods, then your readers will return for more and maybe even share your post with others. Avoid lazy sloppy posts or piling on excessive marketing or haranguing tirades. Overly long posts can be tedious--divide those into smaller posts when you have a lot of text or images to share. If you're a blogging star or if this is what your following expects then maybe you can get away with this, but most of us can't do that. Readers don't have the time and patience for the most part.
It's a crowded market in the blogosphere and we'd all like some precious time with readers. Sometimes the shorter post can deliver the most powerful punch.
Some other "D" blog themes can be about dreaming, debate, development, or even dogs. What are some blog subjects that you can think of starting with the letter "D"? How do you typically handle long blog posts as a reader and in your own blogging?
Well as long as no one is delivering a baby, I suppose you're correct in saying we are all delivering something via the blog. Never looked at it that way before.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely Easter Lee.
Yvonne.
Well, I am trying to keep mine not too verbose. A couple of paragraphs and not hitting anybody over the noggin, hopefully. As to how I handle the long ones, if it is a subject that interests me, I may skim it all the way through; if not, I just leave it. The ones that bother me the most (3 kinds)... bad language; not being able to find the place to leave a comment, and those who do not turn off "I am not a Robot" comment thingy. Your posts are always interesting and to the point. I like that. Best regards, Lee. Ruby
ReplyDeleteIn case you haven't discovered yet, the "I am not a robot" boxes on Blogger can just be ignored and your comment will still go through--at least for now. The squiggly captcha codes still have to be deciphered though.
DeleteLee
Sadly [BC] I skip over them, [AC] it has hold my interests... oh before coffee and after. You have some great points above, with it being crunch time.... I am visiting and taking the time to read the posts.
ReplyDeleteIf a blog post is too long I start to skim, then I read the comments to see if I can get the gist. One of my friends blogs about politics and it's a topic I don't care about one bit and her posts are epically long. As the kids today say, 'ain't nobody got time for that'.
ReplyDeleteI guess all topics can find an audience, but long and convoluted I sometimes have to do like you, JoJo. Skim and run.
DeleteLee
What JoJo said. If you have to start scrolling the text, it might be too long.
ReplyDeleteI keep mine simple. I'm all about entertainment. And variety. I want something for everyone.
Thanks for the visit, I do hope that I am building readers for the future :0)
ReplyDeleteI was/am worried that my A-Z Challenge posts are too long with this theme because I know readers have short attention spans and dislike long posts. When I encounter a long post, I go into speed-reading mode, scanning and skimming to get the overall gist of the post/story. Short and simple are best, I know.
ReplyDeleteMichele at Angels Bark
Usually if I come across a really long post, I'll start to lose interest halfway through. Sometimes I worry that my own posts are too long but I think I've gotten the hang of it. I do have the tendency to ramble now and then, though.
ReplyDeleteSarah, I think many of us ramble, but sometimes I just get on a roll with my thoughts and keep adding stuff.
DeleteLee
It is that twist of writing for others that is a blogger's dilemma. In that you are writing for yourself at times. I have so many shadow posts I never publish.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the A to Z because I like a few good blogs to check in every day. So many blogs stop as easily as they began. So many amaze me they have such a high visitor count in that they are only shilling a product.
I really struggle to get the length of my posts down and would probably have more traffic if I did. At the same time, if you want to explore a complex philosophical point, it takes more than a few paragraphs. The blog is also taking up a lot of time at the moment. I don't like fast food and I'd prefer to read a few well-written posts and get to know the writers than be something of a "slut". That's such a terrible word but for me blogging is just as much about connection and yet as my readership expands and the blogs I follow grows, it is getting more difficult xx Rowena
ReplyDeleteI do like to keep it short and find (especially during April) that if the writer has made the posts too long I'm simply outa there! I feel it is a contract we've made that they are ignoring. Perhaps the A to Zed is like speed dating - if we connect with someone then we can come back later and explore longer posts but these should be postcards not documents!
ReplyDeleteJan, I guess some bloggers have different philosophies as to what their posts should be like and different motives in putting them out there. I agree about your thought on A to Z, but I can accept that some folks just want to write their ideas and are not overly concerned about the social networking aspect of it all. A to Z certainly offers something for just about every kind of blogger.
DeleteLee
Okay, I don't really have a good response to this. I did until I scrolled down to comment; now, everything I want to say is negative. I think I'll just refrain.
ReplyDeleteNot sure what you mean by negative, Andrew, but I'd still like to hear it. I'm always interested in rebuttal to what I've said in a post as well as negatives regarding the topic. If you see my response I hope you'll reconsider adding to the discussion. Negative in a way that instructs or helps is a good thing as opposed to negativity to be outright mean and I don't think I've seen you take that approach.
DeleteAnd actually what you're thinking may be "negative" might be just a different outlook on what I've said.
Thanks for at least stopping by, Andrew,
Lee
I like short and sweet for blogs and try to deliver that. 99% of the time I think I do. =)
ReplyDelete~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Member of C. Lee's Muffin Commando Squad
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author
Determination! I started my current blog a year ago and have tried to post five days a week. You just have to do it!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Glad to see you on the A-to-Z, oh fearless leader !
Cherdo
www.cherdoontheflipside.com
Saw lots of dog posts today. It's all about content.
ReplyDeleteI like learning new things and non-writing related posts grab my attention a lot.
ReplyDeleteIf everybody wrote about the same stuff on their blogs everyday there would be little point in reading most of them. Diversity of ideas and content is a thankful thing. Thanks C.Lee.
DeleteArlee
It is all in the delivery. I was thinking of comedians. Some can say one line and you laugh right off your chair while another you can hear the crickets chirp. I think it is Doris Days' birthday today(turns 91). Of course my mind goes straight to film stars and films (Duel at Diablo popped into my head same with just Duel). There are the famous artists like Delacroix and Da Vinci. The list can be endless!
ReplyDeleteI tend to skim through long posts unless it is a topic that really grabs me. Dragons is a good topic.
ReplyDeleteHave to agree with you about the delivery in a blog post. Mundane can get tedious as well as long drawn out ones. I do tend to write longer posts not during the challenge but then usually only blog one day a week. I am good at skimming long posts and pulling out things to be able to comment on. If they are too long, I do tend to skip over them, especially duing the challenge time.
ReplyDeletebetty
I would like to think I am aiming at the Fun aspect of Blogging. . . Its tricky being a British blogger when most Bloggers are from the USA as we have slightly different ideas about humour (we even spell it differently).
ReplyDeletePerhaps we need to send American teachers over there to teach you Brits how to spell correctly :)
DeleteLee
That's so true. We should always strive to put our best selves forward.
ReplyDeletePlay off the Page
I wrote about death today :). Depressing topic? Nah!
ReplyDeleteHow long is considered long? I'm curious.
Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment.
Death can serve as a entire theme for a blog with every post focused on the topics surrounding death. There's a lot to talk about.
DeleteA long blog post is what you are comfortable with presenting. The amount of comment interaction can tell you a lot about whether visitors stayed with you until the end of the post. There is really no absolute rule, but you can get indicators.
Lee
You always guarantee the best deliveries, Lee! Thanks for another delightful A to Z!
ReplyDeleteJulie
It's a crowded market in the blogosphere and we'd all like some precious time with readers. Sometimes the shorter post can deliver the most powerful punch.
ReplyDeleteI love this line...and learning to deliver those type of posts!!
Thanks for sharing :)
I don't worry about what other people think - whether a post is too short or too long. I think it is essential to please (or entertain ) yourself first. I think a lot of bloggers quit because they think about their audience too much and lose their way. Then it becomes a chore and then eventually they quit.
ReplyDeleteI think you are correct in part. We do have to consider the audience as well as think about our feeling of satisfaction in what we write. I really depends on what we are trying to achieve with our blogs. A chore is what we ourselves turn an activity into. There is much positive to be considered in economy in words and a blog is a great place to practice, apply your knowledge, and gauge the results.
DeleteLee
I see your point. Short and sweet can be the way to go sometimes. I did my blog today on dolphins. I'm at http://www.writerscrossing.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteOh, Lee - great post, and I'm taking your questions on today.
ReplyDeleteOther "D" blog themes or subjects? I thought, "What has dc learned from dcrelief during the A-Z challenge?" "Daring choices in Life." Descend or Ascend?" "Decadent Wanderings." "Defense Tactics." "Daily Scripture."
Handling long posts? Apart from the A-Z, it depends on the subject presented. I take the time to read through the posts. I may not initially have a comment, but return and read a second time; mulling it over, then leave a comment. I have done that with your blog on occasion. With the A-Z, this may sound strange, but I lmost think it selfish to write a long post, knowing readers may be eager to visit many sites in a short span of time. This influenced my own challenge style. I utilize four lines of poetry to convey the day's letter, along with a photo.
I'm having a lot of fun - just as you 'warned me.' Ha! Thank you. I enjoyed your "D" day. (smile)
Good "d" blog topics that you've suggested.
DeleteA to Z is a time to build a base of readership. Doing this with short samples works best I think since it's like a writers expo in a sense. Get some solid fans who want to keep coming back and then after April you can start with longer posts if that keeps them. Your opinion on this is not strange, but logical and wise.
Lee
My typical post length used to be around 1000-2000 words, sometimes longer, once in awhile shorter. Now I've learnt how to get my average post down to under 1000 words, and try to get most of my posts in the 500–700-word range. If a post is going to be more than a few paragraphs, I try to break it up with bolded headers, photographs, or asterisks between sections.
ReplyDeleteCarrie-Anne, if it works for you then keep doing what you do. Breaking up a long post with headers, images, bullet points, or anything else that breaks up the monotony of the text is highly recommended. Nothing more frustrating to me than to come to a huge page of text on the computer screen with nothing to break it up. Long paragraphs are especially bad.
DeleteLee
I agree on the long posts which reminds me, I should go back and review my scheduled A to Z posts and ensure they're not long :)
ReplyDeleteIn regards to reading long blog posts, I don't really mind it. Unless the topic doesn't interest me too much, then I just skim through to pick up whatever salient points the blogger is trying to make.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to writing long posts. I try to keep mine at the short-to-medium length. If I wind up writing a long one (like the one coming up for Easter) I'll insert a jump break for the reader. However, when I do insert the jump break, I try to put it in a place where the reader will either be satisfied reading up to the break, thus moving on, or the reader will click on the jump break for the rest of the post.
Father Nature's Corner
Most of my posts are 2 or 3 paragraphs long. I rarely read long posts, but if interested in the topic, may skim through it. Happy Easter, All! :)
ReplyDeleteI go for medium in length, with lots of short paragraphs. I try to make the blog easy on the eyes in the hopes people will read what's there.
ReplyDeleteYes, Nadine, easy on the eyes works well for me and it's what I highly recommend.
DeleteLee
I try to avoid long blog posts - both mine and others. Spending too much time either writing a post or reading one leaves less time to browse.
ReplyDeletewonderful deliver of D words.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first year both blogging and in the challenge. I am struggling trying not to be "wordy". Its tough! I like to talk,
ReplyDeleteSnarky Momma, I know what you mean about being wordy. I think I've gotten much better over the years, but sometimes once I get started then watch out!
DeleteLee
Hello, Arlee, I am hoping this will work, I have found I can comment sometimes on these blogs by using my laptop. It's something to do with Google. I totally agree about long posts, andI've noticed that the poets are better at being brief and succinct. Training I expect, but it certainly helps make a blog more interesting and not daunting to read. ~Liz http://www.lizbrownleepoet.com
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on being able to comment here, Liz. Long poems can be tough enough so short is definitely better for poetry on a blog. I still maintain that like you say experience and training can teach us to say a lot in few words. It's a skill and an art worth developing.
DeleteLee
Excellent points.
ReplyDeleteI do like to use humor!
Heather
Yes, Heather, humor endears a blogger to the readers and if the blog has enough entertainment value readers will want to keep returning.
DeleteLee
This was actually one of my concerns with my theme this year. I knew it wasn't something for EVERYONE. So I tried to make it more "user friendly" by editing some fun memes, including a contest, and throwing in a question of the day.
ReplyDeleteThe car question (which you answered with a van) is the only one so far that has multiple answers. LOL.