Post theft (noun): the "art" of using other bloggers posts/comments and making them into posts of your own.
I'm getting quite good at post theft. Sometimes I piggy back on other people's posts because it's the hot button topic at the time, and I believe that my 1.5 cents is worth throwing out there to the masses (I don't put in my 2 cents because the government always takes their share).
Speaking of post theft, this will be the 2nd post that I've written off of the "why we write" post from Nick over at Dime Boxes. Nick stated early in the post that "It always disappoints me a little bit to not get a comment or two on my posts." That statement made me think. For two days actually (I'm sure some of you could smell the smoke burning).
I thought about the frequency of my comments on other posts. I thought about the number of blogs I follow (close to 200 now). I thought about how much excellent writing occurs on a daily basis, and I'm not talking from one or two of the elite bloggers.
There is a lot of damn good stuff out there. Take a look around, pat yourself on the back, marvel in it.
The baseball card blogosphere has a lot of intelligent, passionate writers. Why don't I comment more? The answer comes down to a simple statement.
I'm a real smart ass.
Over the past few months, it's gotten worse. The frequency of the smart ass comments that comes from my mouth truly scares me. I'm becoming like that old man at the family reunion who just says stuff off the top of his head, damn the consequences, and it scares the hell out of me. When I'm in a group of people that I'm comfortable in, or in a setting that I'm very familiar with, the level of smart ass comments gets worse.
As you have read many times on my blog, I love being part of the baseball card blogging community. Even though I've been writing for just over 9 months now, I still consider myself the newbie (or one of the newbies) on the block. I don't want to step on toes, or say something that means one thing, but is interpreted another way because of how I've written the comment. I worry about stuff like that, more than you know.
I probably could count at least 50 times I've started to leave a comment on a blog, but have erased it and left nothing, for that simple fear of offending someone. Or I don't comment because I'm not able to make a point in a way that doesn't leave the first chapter of a novel in the other blogger's comment section.
I've become somewhat more comfortable lately writing statements such as "Great Post" on blogs that I normally wouldn't comment on. There are probably a handful of blogs that I would be truly comfortable posting anything on, because I have a pretty good relationship with that blogger.
Maybe it's high time that I broke my shell and make it a point of commenting more.
I'm sure that there are one or two people out there that would appreciate it.
[Note to self: turn this into a learning experience, and make it fun for the masses...]
Thanks for reading, Robert
dude.... sounds familiar. But then i usually comment anyways. What are they gonna do? Track me down? Ha! Let 'em trace my I.P. ... go ahead. I dare ya!
ReplyDeleteI comment a lot. I think it's because I'm just the opposite -- I don't put a lot of thought into my comments. I just SAY it. I don't think I'm being grades on it (or at least I hope not). So out it comes.
ReplyDeleteMost of the thought goes into my posts.
By the way, the rate that someone comments is totally up to them. What I don't understand are the bloggers who NEVER comment. And there are several. I'd like to hear why they do that (or don't do that).
Always feel free to leave smart ass comments on my blog anytime you feel like it, I can take it all and probably enjoy it while it might also even trigger a interesting discussion !
ReplyDeleteAlhtough in all honestly I do notice myself that I could do a little more of that myself as well, so working on that !
I've commented a lot more lately than I did when I first began my blog. (I never commented at all back when I was just reading blogs.)
ReplyDeleteYou've already been more than generous in commenting on my blog, Robert, and I'm quite grateful for that. I always love reading a "great post" comment like the ones you've been leaving. It does give me a boost of confidence as a blogger to hear that others enjoy it. Which reminds me...
Great post, Robert! :)
What some would call a smart ass I call a dry wit. I do it. We all do it off and on. No biggie to me.
ReplyDeleteNight Owl's right. You clicked the comment box for a reason. State it. As long as you don't go all'yo momma so fat' in your comment just put down what your brain told you to.
I personnally don't blog for the comments. My posts are kind of meh and I accept that and go about doing it. If you let your lack of skill stop you from doing something then you'll never learn.
Maybe we can have a day where every single blogger comments on every single post? If we did that we might never comment again anywhere.
I don't usually comment on posts because as a WordPress user, Blogger won't LET me comment. :(
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a little boy, my mother once told me I was a smart ass. I replied, better than being a dumb ass. I caught her off guard, she laughed! Ha! I managed to say ass to my mom and not get sent to my room for 2 months! Moral of the story is, say it! you never know what other people will find amusing to read.
ReplyDeleteI can relate. I think my comments either tend to be long winded or fall into the smart-ass category. It would be nice if you could simply click "like".
ReplyDeleteI've also stopped myself in the middle of commenting for fear of offending someone. Usually it's late at night when my internal censor isn't totally awake. That being said I try to go with the Golden Rule when it comes to commenting, "Do unto others..." (no, not "before they do it unto you") If I like getting comments it's only right that I make a point of doing them myself. Sometimes my own comments sound lame to me but I figure at least the blogger knows someone was there. Of course some of my comments are simply brilliant. ;)
ReplyDeleteI probably shouldn't comment half the time - I'm either being a snarky a-hole or dragging the comment thread in a totally different direction. I should just start posting links for replica watches and diet pills. Plus you have a notification for a friend request in Facebook. Click here now!
ReplyDelete