Though I really don't take great pains to conceal my true identity, I do enjoy authoring my posts as wordbones. Taking on this blogger persona has been liberating in a sense
That being said, I've also enjoyed the opportunity to explore the connections with my community that the local blogging scene has afforded me. The dialogue and banter has mostly been good. Mostly being the key word here.
The problem is that not enough folks are tuned in. At least I don't think they are. It is hard to really gauge who is actually reading these community blogs beyond the usual suspects (numbersgirl, tomberkhouse, Jim Adams and so on). I strongly suspect that the majority of visitors just drop by for a quick scan and then move on. If your blog stirs up a little controversy with a post you are likely to get more visitors.
I further believe that more visitors and posters would be a good thing. The more folks we get involved in the dialogue the greater chance we have for understanding each other. Not necessarily agreeing with each other just having maybe a trace more empathy.
So, to further the cause of local community blogging in Howard County, I have decided to publicly out myself. I am going to do it in that other media known as print.
And you can play along too!
I am writing my column for June right now (working title is "I Am Wordbones"). If you want to put in your own two cents about the Howard County blog scene or this particular blog, post it here, anonymously or otherwise and I may use some of it in my piece. I do reserve the right to pick out what I want. Do it soon though. My deadline is this Wednesday night.
10 comments:
Just to let you know, I do read your and other Howard County blogs regularly, and I wouldn't consider myself one of the "usual crowd". (I blog myself, here and here, but not on Howard County specifically.)
My $0.02:
Wordbones should write more.
Aside from that, I would also like wider participation. I'm just not sure how to get it. Hopefully, your column will help; time will, too, I think, as more people become comfortable with this fairly new medium.
I'm looking forward to your public entrance.
My two yen: the blogosphere is a key tool for communities to reconnect, regenerate, revitalize, reinvigorate and I'm out of RE words for now.
Blog on, Wordbones. For all my fussing about the snarkiness that hides behind many anonymous posts, I find your pseudonymous blogger personality and style refreshing.
More local bloggers at http://del.icio.us/jessienewburn/howard-county-maryland-bloggers. "Local" means they live in the zone ... not that they are blogging about local issues, per se.
Wordbones, I've enjoyed reading your blog. Jessie was kind enough to suggest to us to put up a page that listed the local blogs and it's been a popular page on ezcolumbia. Right now it only lists blogs that are about Howard County but other have suggested including other Howard County authored blogs as well and maybe grouping them by topic. That's in the works so hopefully that will encourage even more visitors and participation in your blogs. The one thing that makes me visit a blog more often is fresh content. We had to remove a blog from the list recently because there had been no new posting for a few months. Don't be discouraged when you don't get a lot of comments ... I know someone who gets about a thousand visits a day in her blog and on some topics she gets 7 to 10 comments and on some 0. I think people read the comments and unless they really have something compelling to say that day, they just read and go to the next posting (or the next blog). I typically zone out when there are way too many comments and sometimes the comments border on spam already. Anyway, just my two cents worth ... keep on blogging!
I'm anxious to see the article, WB. I echo HD's sentiment that you should write more. Your voice is missed.
All,
Thank you for your comments. As to those who would like me to write more, I shall endeavor to.
-wb
In this weather? I say write less, run more!
Amen to that brother freemarket.
This morning I rose at 5:15 and did a four mile run as the sun rose. It was exceptional.
-wb
The irony of your "going public" is that the online version of the Business Monthly does not have your name on the article or anywhere I can find on the website!
I like to read comments. A blog that does not allow comments, or regularly removes them is not of interest, because I like the dialogue.
Lots of folks don't like anonymous comments or intense comments, but not only do these posts keep readers coming back, but that's where you'll find out what people really think. And that is intensely interesting.
Post a Comment