BlogOholics Anonymous: Are you an over-poster?

It's Saturday and I've got all my limbs and a few of my whits left.  That's a 'dem fine' week in my book!  (My Narnia peeps will get the 'dem fine' reference.)

Funny music videos aside, I've got something very serious to discuss with you.  Are you a blogOholic?  It's OK to admit it, this is a safe zone.  Anything discussed within this post, stays within this post.  Denial isn't healthy, after all.

What if you're unsure?  No worries, there are signs of blog dependency:
  • Have you changed your blog design/theme more than 3 times in the last 3 minutes?
  • Is Google Reader your homepage?
  • Do you have more followers than you have money?
  • Do you determine the day of the week based upon your blog schedule?
  • Have you ever missed a wedding or funeral to write a blog post?
  • Would you name a child after your most loyal follower? (ShagRat78 has a nice ring to it ...)
  • Have you ever offered up your soul as a blog contest prize?
  • Is your self-worth determined by the number of blog comments you receive?
  • Do you have more blog accounts than friends?
  • (feel free to keep this going in the comments)
If any of the above apply, you might have a blog problem.  

Perhaps the most serious indication of blog dependency is a condition known as Over-Posting.  It occurs when a blogger posts more content than readers can keep up with.  A typical over-poster will update their blog 7-15 times a week, and in severe cases more than 30.  Over-posters are notoriously clever, often disguising their frequent blog updates as required participation in various 'blogfests' or  stating that, 'something happened that I HAD to share with my readers'.   

In particularly desperate cases, the over-poster will give cute names to each day of the week in an attempt to validate their need to flood the internet with their content.  You may see the following tags accompany their daily blog updates:  'MEGA-MONDAY!', 'TIP-TUESDAY', 'WILD-WEDNESDAY', 'THRIFTY-THURSDAY', 'FABULOUS-FRIDAY', 'SUDDENLY-SATURDAY' or 'SUPERFLUOUS-SUNDAY'.  Regardless of the title, each post is a new mask for the shameful self-loathing and anguish they feel for indulging in their own illness.
    HOW CAN YOU HELP?  First, let them know that  you care.  Reach out to the over-poster, and let them know that you're always there to listen--but only at 3 pre-determined times each week.  More than that, and you risk becoming an enabler.  Second, help the over-poster see the value in non-blog activities.  Perhaps you could lend them a good book, recommend a humorous television program or show them sunlight.  Lastly, you can resist feeding their habits by not-commenting on inane posts.  Sure, you may feel the urge to say "How fun!" or "LOL" at the picture of funny cats they just posted, but you're really only encouraging their behavior.  

    If we work together, we can end over-posting.

    This message brought to by Bloggers Against Blog Abuse (BABA) and readers like you.

    ALMOST SERIOUS NOTE FROM EJ:

    Clearly this is meant in jest, and frankly I've done most of these things myself.  What prompted this bit of frivolity is that I've noticed that if I leave my blog posts up for a couple of days in between posts, I get more comments.  There are undoubtedly numerous factors that contribute to this, the most likely being that it gives folks who use their readers to follow blogs the time to catch up to me.  Regardless of the reason, it got me to thinking about how often we post, and that maybe less is more.

    What do you think?  Do you limit the number of posts you do each week?  Do you get more comments if you leave a post up longer?  Just curious...

    Have a great rest of your weekend!

    ~EJW~


    38 comments:

    1. I do actually have more followers than money at the moment, which is pretty pathetic. *anxiously looks in the mailbox for her tax refund*

      I'm new at this and I've been posting pretty sporadically. I've wondered if a set schedule would be more productive, but I'm also a busy mother of young children and my schedule can be pretty unpredictable. So predetermined days for blogging probably just wouldn't work. Ah well.

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    2. My thought is that most bloggers post too frequently and their content is too long. It's like they haven't considered that their blog isn't the only one I follow, or that it's taking time away from my writing, pleasure reading, recreating, and life in general. If everyone could limit their posts to three times a week and less than 1000 words, we'd all be so much more productive and less stressed.

      One thing I notice more and more of is people complaining that they don't have time to write, and that social networking is taking control of their lives. There's a simple solution. :)

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    3. I love this public service you are providing.(BABA)Adorable!
      I have a friend who loved my Valentine message so much she twittered about it and got me readers who had to slog through a bunch of stuff, because I changed my post quickly after Valentine's Day. I think it's hard to figure out how long to keep a good post up- I try for two a week, but maybe if something is really good we should keep it up longer.
      Thanks again E.J. I think I'm heading out into the sunshine for a bike ride.

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    4. i used to think i was failing if i didn't have a new blog up every 48 hours or so. but i noticed the same thing you did - that you get more comments/hits if you leave one up for a couple of days.

      now i rarely even check my blog traffic and just post when i feel like it. blogs should be fun, not a chore that "has to get done."

      funny post!

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    5. hmmm. that should have been 24 hours not 48. haven't had my full cup of coffee yet this morning, obviously. :p

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    6. Hmmm, I could have used blog writing as an excuse to get out of my sister's wedding.

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    7. Hi Wesley! I haven't noticed that I get more traffic if I leave a post up but I am trying not to look at my stats quite as often anyway. It seemed like I was paying too much attention to how many hits I was getting. I do look to see WHO is stopping by. But I do think you are on to something and agree with Lisa- some people post too often and WAY too long. I try not to post long posts and often just skip a blog that has too long a post (unless I am REALLY interested in what the blogger has to say- and too be honest that doesn't happen that frequently.) Good post!! Cheers!

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    8. For my physical and novel writing well-being, I came to the conclusion to log no more than four times a week, only if I have time. However, I did sign up for one of those A-Z blogs for the month of April. I'm already having anxiety over it. Guess I could post pictures and music videos. It is a bit much.

      Thanks again for another great post.

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    9. haha. this is hilarious!

      I also get more comments when I have more space between my posts :) once I didn;t post for 3 weeks and my current post kept getting new comments even weeks after I initially posted it.

      I prefer blogs that don't post all the time. It gets overwhelming trying to keep up.

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    10. Loved this! And, it got me thinking about cutting back my posts (I typically only do 5 a week) as I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately. I might just have to try it and see how it goes!

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    12. Sad to say that bullet #8 resonated with me. I did pull back on my posting schedule because I couldn't keep up with it...and gee, look at that...I get more comments on the posts I do write.

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    13. I agree that less is more. Unfortunately, I am not following my belief at the moment. I took up the postaday challenge at wordpress when I started blogging for the very first time in January.

      I have no intention of keeping up this pace long-term. But it is helping me build content on my blog and it encourages me to write every day which has been a lifelong goal.

      I guess people always have the choice to scan and delete.

      You make some great points.

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    14. Hi, I'm Julia, and I'm an over-poster. (Although, thank goodness I have (a little) more money than followers -- only 14 so far--new blogger, less than 2 months.) Still, I post everyday, by choice and commitment. I must admit, that my self worth is beginning to be hinged on the number of comments I receive, and although I wasn't considering a third child, now I'm rethinking because I love the name E.J. so much....Thanks, I feel better now. ...and p.s. please visit my blog and follow, too :)

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    15. Are you sure you weren't talking about me? LOL
      I do admit I may blog way too much.

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    16. LOL! That is hilareous. My name is Christina, and I have a blogging problem. I really don't spend that much time on it, but I can't stop creating new blogs. It's my OCD...have to have everything perfectly compartmentalized!

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    17. ...hey, can I feature this on The Blog Entourage???

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    18. This is hilarious! I'm stuck at 2 posts a week and don't feel as though I've reached the problem stage at this point :)

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    19. Interesting post. I try to limit one post per week, every Monday. But visiting other blogs takes me the whole week!

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    20. This is hilarious! I thought I had a problem, but I have none of the symptoms, ha ha! I guess that's a good thing? I post every other day, and I flip-flop between my two blogs.

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    21. Blogging probably does take up a little too much of my time, but I don't think I'll ever be accused of Over-Posting! :)

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    22. First of all that is hilarious. Second I have read the odd post by blogging experts that clearly states you can have as much success with twice a week as every day (so why bother) but really we're in a crusade with hundreds of blogs not to mention agent blogs we like etc, just how many posts can we all read? Better keeping it low in my opinion. I can't help but post a third on a Sunday if I have a poem I want to share but Tuesdays and Fridays seems to be working really well. I don't know how anyone gets any writing done when they post all the time.

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    23. Some people just have more time on their hands than others when it comes to blogging. I just post five days a week during the workday. Oh by the way, the quote you have at the top is on at least one other blog that I follow. I'll have to find it and link it to you when I can. It's kinda funny. I mean I've seen a lot of repetition in the backgrounds of different blogs but never a quote. To have a quote as a header means that you two were on the same wavelength...kind of interesting considering how many quotes there are out there that you could have used.

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    24. Very funny! I am a bit obsessive about sticking to my blog schedule, but I don't think I'm quite as bad as any of your examples.

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    25. Is my self worth based on number of commenters? Ouch! Never! Well, maybe. Only when I think I posted something brilliant or thoughtful that I'm desperate to get validation for... :)

      I think over-posting can actually drive readers away unless you have really great content that people just can't get enough of! Quality definitely trumps quantity (but I also respect that others may feel quite differently) some people read blogs just for entertainment...I like a little bit of funny/quirky, but ultimately I like substance, stuff that makes me think, dig deep, learn. That's just me! :)

      By the way, I love the diversity of your blogging topics and your great "voice", quirky but also genuine. Which is why I keep coming back!

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    26. The two biggest "blog" sins I'm guilty of (that I know of) are:
      1) posting longer-ish posts, and
      2) not keeping a consistent schedule. I come from the ESPN Bill "Sports Guy" Simmons school of blogging.

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    27. I sometimes struggle with overlong posts. I try hard not to do this, knowing that readers have only so much time, but at the same time, want to pack in as much info as I can.

      Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse

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    28. Alas, I am definitely guilty of measuring my self worth by the number of visitors and comments (unfortunately very low!), and I had the same experience you did of seeing more comments when I had missed a couple days. As a result, I am trying not to post every day :)

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    29. Hey there, long time. Been super busy. Yes, I've found that the longer I leave a post up, the better the comments. We have so little time as it is. Posting around three times a week or even twice gives me more time to catch up and vice versa, I'm sure. Short and pithy always helps, but I admit, I can be a bit winded too. Lovin the new look to the blog.

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    30. Great entry. I've been contemplating this same thing myself. Usually, I post one entry per day, sometimes skipping a day or two if I'm busy or stressed. Usually, I have the ideas in my head of what I want to post, so it's not like I have to kill myself to think of something. Still, I've been wondering over the past couple of days if this is too much? I think I'll make that my topic tomorrow, see what people have to say, and figure it out from there. Thanks for the insight + sarcasm!

      <3 Gina Blechman

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    31. YES! I'm right next to Angela on your follower widget. That rules.

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    32. @ Matthew: lol - Good company, right? :-)

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    33. Oh, I love what you said about your own writing bringing a smile to your face...that's how I feel about my WIP novel. (not to brag) Just saying, there are times when I know my writing just isn't there yet, but whenever I'm proof reading and I find myself getting caught up in my own novel and smiling or laughing or getting anxious, that's when I know I'm really on to something!

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    34. Oops! I totally meant to put that last comment in the post above, obviously!

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    35. Found you from the A-Z Challenge, it sounds like it’s going to be so much fun (with a bit of stress thrown in) and I can’t wait to get started!! I’m now following your blog on GFC and I hope you have a chance to check out my blog.
      Monica
      http://oldermommystillyummy.blogspot.com/

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    36. Ha. Are you talking about me?
      Great post!

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    “Much unhappiness has come into the world because of bewilderment and things left unsaid.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky

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