Only a fool would deny that maintaining a regularly up-dated blog is a chore. It requires time and effort and, if you are anything like honest to yourself, a degree of egotism. I can attempt to disguise it in many ways, but the underlying driver is "look everybody - this is what I've done today!" Obviously it is no more mandatory that people read, than it is you write, your stuff. It is a medium by which individuals are able to share experiences with others. Since the advent of blogs has come Facebook and Twitter - social media for the masses, txt speak and dumbing down, to deliver immediate gratification for all involved. Blogging has got left behind in this whirlwind of technological advancement. I think that it would be fair to suggest that bloggers are now a bunch of "mature" people who've been there, seen it and got the "T"shirt. We're old school and as such, victims of our own making. Those blogs that are no longer vibrant and alive are a result of self imposed restrictions and the subsequent lack of fresh material to blog about. The law of diminishing returns - if the whole purpose of a blog is to report garden moths/birds/plants, etc.. you quickly run out of things to write about, or run the risk of becoming very predictable.
So what do I suggest to avert the demise of a blog? Number one - don't restrict your subject matter to a specialist audience, look outside the box! Number two - don't worry about offending people, I do it all the time and no-one has died. The world is a massive place and there will always be someone that will have differing views. Number three - rejoice in the freedom of expression that comes with being a blogger in the UK. Obviously I'm not condoning anything which incites intolerance of religious, racial or sexual orientation, but we have laws defending our freedom of opinion - use them to express your own perspective on the world in which we live. (If Gavin Haig is reading this - get Not Quite Scilly back up and running, you've served your time!)
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| Female Chaffinch - just about to take flight from our "Christmas Tree" |
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| House Sparrows in the Buddleias |
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| More Chiffchaffs |
... and it's cheaper than therapy...
ReplyDeleteNice one Dyl. I agree with all you say (today ;) . The main reason I thinned the blogs in my side bar, isnt because I've gone off reading them, its just that there was nothing to read! My general rule of thumb is that if you haven't posted for more than a month, you'll be put on a back burner until things pick up again.
ReplyDeleteKeep blogging ...
Stewart
Cheers for this guys - it is a subject that has been kicking around for a while now. Many of the individuals who used to blog (locally) are now just posting photos or daily lists or have completely stopped all together. I can't see me stopping any time soon, although going off at tangents might become even more regular as I attempt to explore new subjects?
ReplyDeleteHow's the north v's south listing coming along? And Stewart - if your calling Yellow-browed had been in Ramsgate Cemetery it would have been a Hume's!
Take care and enjoy the autumn - Dyl
Dyl, the north is in the ascendency I'm afraid!
DeleteLol, I remember your posts about the Ramsgate warbler....
ReplyDeleteIts a call that I am very familiar with up here each autumn. We get our fair share of Hume's too, though I've not seen one for a few years now, but I remember the call being quite distinctive.
Listing, I'm on 141, just over my 100% mark ( 140) so each species now is a banker! I'm just not sure how many that will be, its totally weather related now. Pray for some nor' easterlies in the next 4 weeks, that might give me a boost. Maybe I'll get another 5 or 6 all being well...
I think Steve has given up on his patch birds ;) Hope not.....
Hi Dylan. Only just seen this post, hence tardy response. Thanks for the prod re NQS, I do appreciate the sentiment. In many ways I would love to start up again, mainly because I really enjoyed writing. But life has moved on and these days I simply cannot commit the time to it that I would need. If it's any consolation I do still make time to regularly dip in to your blog and Steve's, but rarely bother with any others apart from a couple of local-ish birder/naturalist folks. As well as covering subject matter which generally appeals to me, you and Steve both have the habit of injecting frequent dollops of comment/opinion into your writing; this elevates them both to another level in my book. Much more stimulating a read than most. Keep at it while you still have the time and inclination.
ReplyDeleteGavin, this is both a pleasure and a disappointment? I am overjoyed that you've bothered to reply with such nice sentiments towards my, and Steve's, blogging content - it's always a good feeling when someone appreciates what you write/say. The news that NQS is to remain, but a memory, is very sad - your blogging style was always something which "I wish I'd said/done that" frequently came to mind as I was reading of your exploits. As you say, life moves on. I hope that all is well with you and the family - stay safe and keep happy - Dyl
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