Remember your first blog post? Remember all those plans you had for posting regularly, growing the readership, increasing your business awareness? So what happened?
I know plenty of you who have terrific, must-read blogs. For very different reasons, each of you has attracted an audience and has found a way to distinguish your blog from the masses. But there are a few of you – if you’re even visiting here – whose blogs are memorable for the wrong reasons or completely forgettable. Are you committing any of these blogging sins?
You don’t post regularly. Most bloggers have a regular schedule, be it once a day, once a week, twice a month. Where it goes wrong is when you have nothing to say and you decide to go silent. Or worse, when you apologize for not posting sooner. Your blog is a reflection of your business approach. If you can’t be consistent in blogging, that’s sending a message that you’re not consistent in meeting deadlines.
You can’t write. Strange, but true. I’ve read writing blogs that are poorly written or loaded with “duh” statements – one actually said something like “Good writing is interesting. Bad writing is not.” If you can’t put the same passion or talent into your blog as you do your writing, don’t blog. And if you can’t master simple grammar, please don’t embarrass yourself publicly. Brush up on the basics before blogging.
You don’t have a focus. Every blog I visit regularly has a purpose. Be it insider industry talk, gossip, catching up on someone’s life, or reading writing-related tips and posts, these blogs know what they’re about. If you’re giving advice today and talking about sex tomorrow, well, you’ll probably still have readers because of the sex part, but you’ll lose a few people who came there to hear about how to query a magazine. And if you decide to talk about books or electronics for ten posts or so amid a writing blog, you’ve lost them.
You don’t interact. There are bloggers who seem to loathe their visitors. It’s the only explanation I can muster given that pointed questions go unanswered and comments go unacknowledged. And God forbid anyone suggest to these bloggers that visiting another blog and interacting is a good idea! They stay in their safe little world.
You look down on your readers. I’ve seen it firsthand – bloggers who tend to lord over their audience, tossing out the occasional comment to those who are perceived to be in a position to further the blogger’s career.
You talk out both sides of your face. Oh, ye of short memory! Your readers remember everything and don’t take kindly to your respinning of the facts to suit your current mood. Stay true to your word.
You veer off topic. Blogs are free-form communication, no doubt. But if you go off half-cocked (or fully cocked) on a tangent about religion or politics when you’ve positioned your blog as something else, you leave us readers thinking “Huh?”
You don’t get personal. If you want an authoritative blog, that’s fine, but even that requires you become a little more personal in your approach. You’re not talking down to your audience. You weren’t hired by any of them to teach them how to improve their lives, so cut out the professorial approach. Befriend the readers. Really befriend them. They’re here because you share something in common. Celebrate it with some friendly banter.
What makes a blog suck for you?
20 responses to “Why Your Writing Blog Sucks”
I don't want to have to "register" to post a comment. If I want to be on the blogger's mailing list, I'll join it, but don't make me join just so I can comment.
I don't like those who don't allow comments, or make it so complicated to comment I have to enter information into five or six screens.
Buh-bye.
When bloggers don't post and then say, "Oh, I didn't have time to blog" — to me, that is a slap in the face to the readers. We MAKE the time to come and read you, so you damn well better respect us enough to blog. If something comes up and the blogger takes a break, great, but say, "I'm gone from X to Y dates." And then be true to it. But don't tell me I'm not worth the time, because I won't be back.
Like you said, it reflects your business — if you don't feel I'm worth the time, why should I come back?
I also stop visiting blogs of those where I regularly comment, but the blogger can't be bothered to ever visit back. Blogs (successful ones) are a two-way street, not just a monologue.
You've hit on one of my peeves, Devon. I loathe having to register, wait for an email, jump through six screens, then have my comment chewed up. That's WAY too much time wasted. There's one blog I used to follow that had great content – then the blogger made everyone register. But then it became clear that if you wanted to READ it, you had to do so in the browser window ONLY. To comment, you had to go to the blog and log in, blah blah….
Needless to say, I stopped following.
I'll try to explain this so that it doesn't come across the wrong way to anybody. First of all, I don't mind it if the blog owner goes off-topic once in awhile. I also don't mind guest posters coming in for a day or so. What I don't like is when the guest poster writes a post that doesn't have anything to do with your blog topic. If I go to your blog to read writing advice (assuming that's the purpose of your blog) then I expect posts that have to do with writing.
I don't want to go to a writing blog to read a guest post on pig farming. Unless, of course, the poster connects pig farming to writing in some way. I find it kind of offensive when I come across those situations, because I feel like the blog owner doesn't really care about their readers. It's like they're plugging in their good friend Billy-bob's Pig farming blog to help them out.
Keep in mind, I'm referring to guest posters and not regular contributors. Regular contributors have a scope their working with, there's an actual purpose for what they're doing.
Guest posters, in my opinion, should not be invited if they can't bring their expertise to your blog topic. What they write on your blog, is a reflection on you. If they don't bring the same kind of quality, your credibility hurts because you allowed it.
I hate it when bloggers don't acknowledge their readers, whether in the comments in response to the readers' comments or in the body of the blog.
I also hate when you link to someone else's blog, or "follow", yet they don't even come over to yours see what you're about.
And I hate consistently bad, sloppy, illiterate grammar. We all make typos, but the OCD editor in me (for that is what I must be) really feels her hackles go up when this is a constant.
Of course, my blog is perfect in every way. ;o)
Ha ha – that was a joke. :oD
Wendy, just for you, I've canceled Billy-bob's post next week. 😉
I agree. If it doesn't fit, why the hell is it on the blog? I agree that going off-topic occasionally is fine. I think it can even improve your rapport with your community at times. What I can't take is that post on pig farming (you've just created a new euphamism!). I have guest bloggers, but I don't do it often. It's not ego – it's that I feel like I'm cheating my readers a little. Do I like guest posts on other blogs? Sure. So go figure with my reasoning! LOL
Diane, Baggins Bottom IS perfect in every way (just like Mary Poppins). 🙂
I agree that regular readers will (and should) be more interested in blogs where the blog owners regularly post, and just as regularly follow up to interact with the folks who have done them the honor of reading and responding. And I do believe this is an honor that must be earned, again and again. I spent nearly two years in that mode and enjoyed the ride tremendously. Many regular readers enriched the experience for me. More recently I have had other priorities, so my blog has reverted to a different status. I post occasionally, and drop back occasionally to approve, post, and respond to comments. This is not out of disrespect to folks who may visit, but out of necessity. Consistent with the feelings of the previous commenters, however, I can't (and don't) expect regular readers when I no longer provide a steady stream of input. Each of us gets the degree of participation we earn – we get out of the blogging experience what we are willing / able to put into it. Every blogging inaction results in an equal and opposite degree of inaction from readers. (Did Newton just roll over in his grave?) In other words, I don't have any pet peeves about occasional bloggers. Everyone has their own role to play in this swirling online exchange of ideas.
Billy-Bob can guest post every other day next week if he feels like it. All I ask is that he has some kind of writing message within his pig farming post. It can be done! Actually, those kinds of posts make it interesting.
The blogs I quit visiting are those that just give generic information on the topic. For example, if it's a writing-focused blog, give me some examples, a personal experience, SOMETHING to make it stand out. I need a reason to take the time to read, and if it's all generic information, I'm not interested.
Your very first point is the reason I haven't started a blog yet. I have a long list of ideas and topics to talk about for a blog, but I'm not sure I'll have time to post regularly. I hope to get to that point, but like you say, I don't want to commit to a deadline that I'm not sure I can keep.
Amen to all that was mentioned above.
One reason I decided not to do a writing blog is because there are already a lot of great writing blogs (like Lori's). Why cover something other people are already doing so well?
Having said that, it shouldn't be a surprise that I avoid blogs that simple re-hash the same writing topics as everyone else. Lori's great at putting her own spin on things or looking at them from a different angle. That's why I keep coming back here.
Devon hit on one of my pet peeves, as well-registering to comment-I'm outta there.
Many of my others have already been listed-like not responding to comments. That, BTW, is rampant on Facebook. I often ask, what is the point of this?
A popular blog I left was due to the incessant whining. I think I mentioned it before-drove me nuts.
I want to walk (or click) away feeling good or motivated.
Fortunately, like Diane, my blog is perfect in every way – if you don't count the low traffic-uh-oh-better re-read this post. 🙂
I'd swear you wrote this post for me. ;o) I've had kind of a rough year so far, and as a result I had focus on my work — which meant my blogs have been somewhat ignored. I'm working on getting them back, I swear.
Cathy has a good point about whining, but don't forget to differentiate between whining and deliberate snark. Some of my favorite blogs are the snarky ones!
Pretty much everything that needed to be said is here, either in Lori's original post or in the comments; I just wanted to chime in and say that I really appreciate that Lori ALWAYS takes the time to make a reply back when you take the time to write a substantive comment.
I also don't dig blogs that go over the top yelling without taking a break. There was an example that made the twitter rounds yesterday, and it really turned me off. No way am I going to subject myself to that on a daily basis. I described it as "Screaming at the choir." Ick.
Well hell, Jake – now I'm compelled to respond. 😉 Just kidding. I'm a talker, even with a keyboard. 🙂
Katharine, I swear it wasn't you! LOL But you and Andrew bring up a good point – life gets in the way sometimes. I'm totally cool with that as a reader. What I'm not cool with is when it becomes a habit. The blogger just doesn't have the same love for the blog they once did, they get too busy, or they just get lazy. It happens. I get frustrated when it's been six months and nothing except promises to be back appear. Right now I follow a few blogs in which the writers are elsewhere doing 9-to-5 stuff. But their writing is so compelling that I keep them on my subscription list. When they're able to show up, it's a treat. (Yours is a treat no matter how often you blog, toots.)
Cahty, I've seen a few whiners, too. Usually I read the first few posts. If it's too bad, I don't even follow. I sure as hell don't return.
Paula, I'd listen to what you have to say! You can blog about your life, your projects, whatever. I'd love to read it!
Ashley, don't you hate that? Parroting the same sad, tired advice isn't the same as saying "Here's what I did – here's how it worked/didn't work." Much more interesting.
Now I have to dig up a Billy-Bob, Wendy. LOL
Andrew, it's great seeing you here again! You and Peter Bowerman have a nice pace on your respective blogs. Peter goes a few weeks between posts, but they're always so insightful and interactive that I can't miss reading them. Yours is the same – it's just great advice that touches everyone, too.
That would be "Cathy" not "Cahty"…unless you'd like to change your name, Cathy… 😉
i agree with all you stated… i never have thought of it, but i think you pointed out the 'biggies'. i think relatability (i probably didnt spell that right… yeah, poor spelling probably makes a blog suck too) is very important on a personal blog. if someone is too specific about telling their own day to day story or situation in too much detail, its hard for people who aren't their "friends" to relate. I think topics need to either be helpful to people or if its a personal blog, be widely relatable, even if its in a "niche" area. 🙂
Lord knows I've been called worse, Lroi. 🙂
Excellent advice, Lori. Of course, if I identified my blog as a writing blog, it would suck for your third reason. I don't have a focus, so that's why I consider my blog a personal blog and not a writing blog. Blogging is fun for me–not designed to be a marketing tool, though I have actually gotten clients from it. My lack of focus isn't false advertising—I list the topics of my blog on the "about" page, and writing, books, authors, and publishing are only some of the subjects I write about. I agree, though, if a blogger bills her blog as a writing blog, I expect that to be the topic most if not all the time.
Well said, as usual, Lori… wonder what will happen to our blogs when we finally die? Will the kids take over? Maybe I'll be able to sell like Deb Ng did… puzzling over life… and blogs.
I think you spelled it right, Alicia. 🙂 I don't even mind personal, especially if the person is talented enough to bring you into their lives as they're relating the personal. I follow a few who do it beautifully.
Thanks, Cahty. 😉
Lillie, your blog works for your reason. You ARE focused, and that's what's great about it. I've never read a post on your blog that didn't feel like it fit.
Oh, Anne! Great idea for a post! Our blog in perpetuity – who inherits the madness? LOL
All of the above!