Thursday, September 23, 2010

If you follow me....

Alright, let me start by saying this is just a rant post, so feel free to skip it and check back for our regular programming lol.

I love blogging, I love it to death. It has become a huge part of my life. I love writing my blog, reading the blogs I follow, commenting on other blogs, joining memes, conversing with my readers, doing collaborations, and most of all building friendships out of my blog.

My blog means so much to me. I adore each and every one of my readers from those who comment religiously, to those I have developed friendships with, even just those who come only to read. But the one thing I love about each and every one of you, is the fact that you care what I have to say. You bring my voice to life. And you are what makes this whole process worth while.

This started out as a travel blog, that I never even posted on, to show my family about my travels. After I moved here it became my way to share my day to day life with family and friends and then I expanded it to include my hobbies, my trail and error learning experiences, anything that crossed my mind, and people enjoyed that.

I write my blog because it gives me purpose. Not because I want to feel popular. Or I need so many people to follow before it means something to me.

So nothing, nothing, annoys me more then this sentence:

If you follow my blog I will follow yours

or

I am following your blog now follow mine.

I have even gotten angry emails from people demanding to know why I do not follow them. I now make a point when posting on any promotional tools, that I will not do reciprocal following. I will check out anyones blog, especially my readers, but I will only follow it because I want to.

Fir me blogging is not a card game, it is not a popularity contest, you do not have to catch them all. I do not want to follow blogs that are lets say political when I hate politics so much I can't even stand the news. All it does is clog my blog feed so I lose out on the content I really enjoy reading. I would love to have hours a day to read even every homemaking blog in the world, bit even if I started today, I would not touch every blog before my end of days. I am human and I can only do so much. And I do not want to over commit myself because I think that even blog reading is an interactive experience. There are tons of blogs that I read quiet often but do not even follow.

But you know what that means, that means if I do follow your blog it is because I enjoy it. Because I care what you have to say. Reading your blog is a part of my day that brings me great joy.

That right there that is the reciprocation I want, to make others feel that their voice matters. Not the numbers of followers you have.

I think I may have said something about this before, if so sorry, blame it on the pregnancy brain. ha.

I just want to keep the integrity in blogging. And I feel like it is becoming a fad and that upsets me.

6 comments:

Formerly known as Frau said...

I couldn't agree with you more! I hate when I receive messages like that, I'm following you so follow me....I blog for the same reason as you. Have a great day!

cathy jones said...

I agree with you Rena, I had no idea until I added Networked Blogs to my FB page that those discussion boards existed. I do find them helpful for looking for new blogs to read. I can only read so many blogs though and right now I am at 22 and that is about max for me to read daily. I don't always comment, but I have really enjoyed reading the different blogs and following them. I blog mostly for and about family and have picked up a few extra readers along the way...but I just find that the more I write the more I want to share. I hope to save all my blogging and put it into a book format for my grandchildren to have when I am gone. Thanks for the rant...sometimes venting can be so satisfying. :D

Lost in Translation said...

Cath- I have seen services that take your blog and then print it into a book. I think thats a neat idea.

The Polka Dot Closet said...

Wow, I have not had that happen yet, I only follow the blogs I am interested in, sometimes i will follow a new blog just to give them a boost. I follow your's, and honestly have no idea if you follow mine or not, it really does not matter. I guess I would just ignore it, like when people try to give me a blogging award which is like a chain letter thing, I just ignore that too. I have had people say if you get a chance check out my blog. I am sure it will happen to me eventually.....Ignore it, and rant to your hearts content, it's your blog, you can do what you want!

Carol

Lost in Translation said...

I do follow your blog Carol. I love coming across new blogs. And am super excited when I find ones I like. I just think we should choose content we actually enjoy. :)

Claudya Martinez said...

I don't like people that try to bully you into following them. Come on!

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