The “stats” graph for Layinda’s Blog tends to look like the screen on the heart monitor of a distressed patient. I write to several related audiences: Writers (who want people to read their writing), Teachers/Parents of Gifted Kids (who read), and Points of General Interest (to readers and writers). I use Twitter hashtags to advertise to whichever audience each day’s post is predominantly aimed at. As a result, some days have a higher number of visitors than others.
A week or so after I started blogging (mid January), I had a day where not one person looked at it. The previous day, I had written a slightly controversial post (in which I dissed LOST), and it occurred to me that I might have alienated all of my fledgling readers. Instead of panic, though, I was surprised to feel a certain freedom. I realized that if no one read it, I was unencumbered by the need to please.
The next day, the numbers were right back to where they’d been before, but the seed had been planted. I have stayed true to writing whatever I’ve wanted to, and fortunately, my readership has continued to grow. I used to be excited if thirteen people viewed a post, then it was twenty-nine, and now forty-five seems small.
As the peaks have gotten consistently higher, I have noticed an impressive level of internal pressure to produce quality posts, which take more time to write than the lame ones. The other thing I have noticed is that my “real writing” is suffering from neglect.
In an effort to remedy both issues, I have decided to officially switch from posting Monday through Friday, to Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
In the words of Theodore Roosevelt, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” Good advice for blogging, in my opinion.
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