My blogging has been slacking off of late, and there have been quite a few factors that have been slowing me down. But to be honest, a lot of them are excuses more than reasons.
First up, the Day Job has grown more and more demanding. My pregnant colleague has been doing less and less as she becomes more and more, and I've been largely picking up the slack. (She's due in July.) I wouldn't object too much about her always needing to sit, and calling out sick, and insisting that she can't do a lot of things, and complaining about all the foods she can't have any more (coffee, fish, etc.) if she didn't still insist on her smoke breaks. Financially, it's been helpful, as I've never exactly been well off, but it is tiring (especially since I'm a morning person now working 2nd shift) and the old economic rule -- "expenses rise to meet or exceed income" -- is kicking me in the pants.
Next, I'm plowing away on my naval fiction story, and it's still going strong. I just published Chapter 23, and it's over 18,500 words. I have absolutely no idea how much longer I'm going to go with it, and I'm still not certain how it'll end, but I have decided that I will publish it here -- once it's finished. My tentative plan is to post five chapters a day every day, like I did last time.
But I think the biggest factor is something Wretchard of The Belmont Club recently identified, a syndrome he calls "the ten thousand rule." When a writer has a small, devoted audience, he can be very free and casual. But as the readership grows, it brings a burden and sense of responsibility.
According to the latest SiteMeter stats, Wizbang gets about 10,000 page views a day, and about 7,000 unique visitors. But that isn't the big, round number that might have me a bit off my feed.
The way Wizbang works, each author gets an e-mail notification of all comments that are posted on their postings. Years ago, I set up filters that sort all comments into a separate folder. Then I got in the habit of tossing my own comments and contest entries and spam comments into their own folders.
As of this morning, that folder has 99,716 unique comments in it. In just over five years, I'm closing in on 100,000 comments. And that is a very intimidating number.
I find myself wondering who will make comment 100,000, and when. I'm going to say that it'll be within a week -- and if necessary, I'll go all-out comment-whoring and deliberately write a few pieces that are guaranteed to pile up the comments. I keep track of topics that tend to push the comment button, and if I wrote something that covered Sarah Palin, abortion, and militant Islam all at once, I could probably break that barrier even on this holiday weekend.
In the meantime... I have a peaceful Sunday planned, and what could be a hell of a long piece (big surprise there) doing what I think I do best -- taking several disparate stories or elements and tying them together into a common theme. And I might kick out another chapter or two of "The Old Girl's New Tricks" -- where I find it a tremendous relief to get 100% away from anything remotely political.
Pity my poor keyboard. It's likely to get a real workout today.
First up, the Day Job has grown more and more demanding. My pregnant colleague has been doing less and less as she becomes more and more, and I've been largely picking up the slack. (She's due in July.) I wouldn't object too much about her always needing to sit, and calling out sick, and insisting that she can't do a lot of things, and complaining about all the foods she can't have any more (coffee, fish, etc.) if she didn't still insist on her smoke breaks. Financially, it's been helpful, as I've never exactly been well off, but it is tiring (especially since I'm a morning person now working 2nd shift) and the old economic rule -- "expenses rise to meet or exceed income" -- is kicking me in the pants.
Next, I'm plowing away on my naval fiction story, and it's still going strong. I just published Chapter 23, and it's over 18,500 words. I have absolutely no idea how much longer I'm going to go with it, and I'm still not certain how it'll end, but I have decided that I will publish it here -- once it's finished. My tentative plan is to post five chapters a day every day, like I did last time.
But I think the biggest factor is something Wretchard of The Belmont Club recently identified, a syndrome he calls "the ten thousand rule." When a writer has a small, devoted audience, he can be very free and casual. But as the readership grows, it brings a burden and sense of responsibility.
According to the latest SiteMeter stats, Wizbang gets about 10,000 page views a day, and about 7,000 unique visitors. But that isn't the big, round number that might have me a bit off my feed.
The way Wizbang works, each author gets an e-mail notification of all comments that are posted on their postings. Years ago, I set up filters that sort all comments into a separate folder. Then I got in the habit of tossing my own comments and contest entries and spam comments into their own folders.
As of this morning, that folder has 99,716 unique comments in it. In just over five years, I'm closing in on 100,000 comments. And that is a very intimidating number.
I find myself wondering who will make comment 100,000, and when. I'm going to say that it'll be within a week -- and if necessary, I'll go all-out comment-whoring and deliberately write a few pieces that are guaranteed to pile up the comments. I keep track of topics that tend to push the comment button, and if I wrote something that covered Sarah Palin, abortion, and militant Islam all at once, I could probably break that barrier even on this holiday weekend.
In the meantime... I have a peaceful Sunday planned, and what could be a hell of a long piece (big surprise there) doing what I think I do best -- taking several disparate stories or elements and tying them together into a common theme. And I might kick out another chapter or two of "The Old Girl's New Tricks" -- where I find it a tremendous relief to get 100% away from anything remotely political.
Pity my poor keyboard. It's likely to get a real workout today.
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Comments (19)
Looking forward to it.<br /... (Below threshold)1. Posted by BlogDog | May 29, 2011 9:05 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Looking forward to it.
Hope your Sunday is good to you.
1. Posted by BlogDog | May 29, 2011 9:05 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on May 29, 2011 09:05
2. Posted by Rodney | May 29, 2011 9:14 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Nothing to say, just padding the count.
2. Posted by Rodney | May 29, 2011 9:14 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on May 29, 2011 09:14
3. Posted by Jeff Blogworthy | May 29, 2011 9:22 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
As for comment whoring, try:
AIDS is a fake disease. I dare ya.
3. Posted by Jeff Blogworthy | May 29, 2011 9:22 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on May 29, 2011 09:22
4. Posted by RFA | May 29, 2011 9:46 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
blah blah blah blah!
There's my contribution. Makes me feel useful on a Sunday morning.
4. Posted by RFA | May 29, 2011 9:46 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on May 29, 2011 09:46
5. Posted by GarandFan | May 29, 2011 9:51 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Ummmm....yeah. (Takes satisfying sip of coffee)
5. Posted by GarandFan | May 29, 2011 9:51 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on May 29, 2011 09:51
6. Posted by Michael Laprarie | May 29, 2011 9:52 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
100,000th!!!!!
Oooops ... um, I guess I'm a little early.
6. Posted by Michael Laprarie | May 29, 2011 9:52 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on May 29, 2011 09:52
7. Posted by Chico | May 29, 2011 10:08 AM | Score: 1 (3 votes cast)
Do I get a toaster if I'm the 100,000th?
7. Posted by Chico | May 29, 2011 10:08 AM |
Score: 1 (3 votes cast)
Posted on May 29, 2011 10:08
8. Posted by irongrampa | May 29, 2011 10:57 AM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Amidst the festivities and relaxations this weekend,I respectfully submit it would be fitting to pause, remember and thank those who made this time possible.
8. Posted by irongrampa | May 29, 2011 10:57 AM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on May 29, 2011 10:57
9. Posted by Chip | May 29, 2011 11:18 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I was wondering Jay Tea, have you ever published a book and if so where might one find a copy?
9. Posted by Chip | May 29, 2011 11:18 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 29, 2011 11:18
10. Posted by epador | May 29, 2011 12:39 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I hope Chip isn't looking for kindling.
May I suggest "Sarah Palin Aborts Muslim Extremism" as the title of your next piece with this link embedded with some sort of teaser line:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZi4JxbTwPo
10. Posted by epador | May 29, 2011 12:39 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 29, 2011 12:39
11. Posted by epador | May 29, 2011 12:42 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
OR simply suspend the "No Sock Puppet" rule for one post and let us and the trolls at each other in one contest of one up-yours-ship. See, I got the naval aspect into this comment too.
11. Posted by epador | May 29, 2011 12:42 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 29, 2011 12:42
12. Posted by Brian The Adequate | May 29, 2011 1:01 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Powerline is giving out a prize worth 100,000 dollars. Hint hint hint.......
12. Posted by Brian The Adequate | May 29, 2011 1:01 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 29, 2011 13:01
13. Posted by Jay Tea
| May 29, 2011 1:11 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
epador, Patterico does that once a week. And Ace of Spades does it all the time, to great success.
Maybe I'll lift Patterico's idea some time... could be fun.
J.
13. Posted by Jay Tea
| May 29, 2011 1:11 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on May 29, 2011 13:11
14. Posted by john1v6 | May 29, 2011 1:55 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Okay, I'll bite. You're now one step closer to your magical 100k mark. If enough other people pile on here, you could be done with your goal before the sun goes down.
14. Posted by john1v6 | May 29, 2011 1:55 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 29, 2011 13:55
15. Posted by Gmac | May 29, 2011 2:08 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I really don't want the recognition of popping 100k but I'll add to the post count.
I hope everybody has a fun weekend and thanks those dead and alive for their providing the might to keep our freedoms, or at least the few remaining one's we have.
15. Posted by Gmac | May 29, 2011 2:08 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 29, 2011 14:08
16. Posted by Chone | May 30, 2011 9:43 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I will never help Jay Tea reach 100,000 posts.
Never.
-Chone
16. Posted by Chone | May 30, 2011 9:43 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2011 09:43
17. Posted by Maggie Mama | May 30, 2011 8:01 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
OK, any Chone comments can now be transferred over to MY name. I'll be happy to assume Chone's proxy.
"Sarah Palin, abortion, and militant Islam" all well and good pulling in trolls but for more great ideas grabbing readers by the guts please refer to lyrics of "You Never Even Call Me By My Name."
Good luck, JAY TEA!
17. Posted by Maggie Mama | May 30, 2011 8:01 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2011 20:01
18. Posted by Maggie Mama | May 30, 2011 8:03 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
p.s. Forget to mention, if "she" really gets on your nerves you could always tell her quite a few communities have declared "Smoking is child abuse."
18. Posted by Maggie Mama | May 30, 2011 8:03 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2011 20:03
19. Posted by Razorgirl | May 31, 2011 12:55 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
No comment.
19. Posted by Razorgirl | May 31, 2011 12:55 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 31, 2011 12:55