I have more ideas for blog material than I have time to put them together. The blog has been up now for nearly a month, and it's off to a good start. I have a little to-do list of blog posts, that grows faster than the post get completed. I also have thoughts about the design and layout of the blog itself; I want to learn more about the underlying systems and put them to best possible use. And I have a real life, to which I allocate a bit of time occasionally.
Feel free to drop a comment here if you have some suggestions for what works and what does not, or what should change.
Here's an idea others may like to consider. On my sidebar I have a list of some of the posts on other blogs where I have left a comment. I spend time reading what other people are saying and engaging on their blogs. This list gives a gong to those blogs for saying something interesting, whether I agree with it or not. It might be something to consider including on your blogs as well.
More ideas after the fold: I don't like the blogger comment system at blogger.com. A few more html tags would be nice, and especially something for quoting a previous commenter. I'd also prefer the text box to appear on the same page as the other comments, rather than a special pop-up.
Here's a suggestion for colleagues at blogspot... put the little orange feed icon next to your feed links.
I'm thinking of getting a few pages set up at googlepages or some other hosting service, and having them linked from my blog front page, for certain kinds of information -- like a large blogroll or whatever -- that I don't think should load up everytime someone looks at my front page.
I don't know what kinds of functionality is appreciated by visitors. Technorati button, stumbleupon, or anything else. A blog can easily get overloaded with functionality like that; so what gives real added value?
As for posts, I want to have a few more of useful content. I have ideas for posts on a few simple maths topics, on some more religion/unbelief issues, on some cosmology. I'm considering a bit of a childhood autobiography which shows up some influences that continue to impact on how I do things.
I want to redesign the template of the blog, to use tags better, like the heading tags, as recommended by some of the style guides.
And what about my feeds? The standard blogger feeds seem to be missing a description of some kind. At least, they don't show up properly for Pharyngula's blog harvest systems. And should I use a full feed, or a partial feed? I'm not sure.
Suggestions, on anything, will be very welcome!
(Thanks to icanhascheezbuger.com for the lolcat lion. Follow the link for lots more lolcats.)
Tuesday, 22 May 2007
Duas Quartunciae on the Blogging Blues
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"I have more ideas for blog material than I have time to put them together."
ReplyDeleteI have that problem, too, even though I'm purposely limiting myself as to topics. I guess it's better than the opposite; nothing to say.
"Here's an idea others may like to consider. On my sidebar I have a list of some of the posts on other blogs where I have left a comment."
I like that idea; I think I will follow suit.
"I'm thinking of getting a few pages set up at googlepages or some other hosting service, and having them linked from my blog front page, for certain kinds of information -- like a large blogroll or whatever --"
I had that for some time, but then I realized that I enjoyed skimming other people's blogrolls, but that I probably wouldn't load another page to do so. So the blogroll came back to my front page.
"I'm considering a bit of a childhood autobiography which shows up some influences that continue to impact on how I do things."
Please do! Sounds interesting and maybe important.
My two cents.
I agree; I find myself going through the same thing in various parts of my life. The big ideas are easy, it's the irritating details and need for persistence that repeatedly defeat me.
ReplyDeleteI console myself with the hope that recognizing this is at least part of solving the problem, lol.
-NeilUnreal
Welcome, Weeta... I've been slack with my blogroll. At present I use some third part system supplied by blogrolling.com; but I think that will change. I'm thinking of putting up a selection of interesting blogs that changes from week to week, taken from a larger collection; but I want to focus on the list of links to actual posts at other blogs. Thanks for the other encouragement! Keep reading; the abbreviated autobiography will happen in time.
ReplyDeleteNeil -- great to see you in my blog. I am honoured. I was reading an essay by Australian essayist Walter Murdoch the other day. It has some relevance to "persistance". Check out the comment I left just recently in the 100 books article. Here's a link: comment inspired by Walter Murdoch. I think you'll like it...