Here’s a quote that has stuck with me since I first saw it in June of this year. I encourage you to go to Chris Brogan’s site to read the whole article, because it could change the way you think about blogging. Or at least put it in a broader context.
The difference between an audience and a community is which direction the chairs are pointing.In terms of commenting, that quote means to me that I can sit here and write at you, expecting readers, audience, adoring fans. Or I can make the effort to engage in and support my community by coming out to hear what you’re saying, and sometimes letting you know that I’m there. By commenting.
Check in today here or with Lee Wind on how commenting is going for you. And spend some time this last week of the challenge thinking what you can do to turn the chairs.
Yes! I have been preaching this mantra for years. Thank you, Pam, for posting this.
ReplyDeleteI've been doing at least 5 a day, sometimes more. I missed one day and did 10 the next. I'm not going for big numbers, just consistency and habit. I've commented on more than I've written down, but am trying to write down only kidlit or at least book-related blogs. Let's see..I'm at 76 and should pass 100 before the deadline.
ReplyDeleteIt's been great fun!
I love that quote. I really enjoy posting about things I'm thinking about and getting a response from other bloggers. It's great to have a discussion and I love hearing from people.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to put my own progress in the post. I haven't started my commenting today - I usually do more commenting in the evening than morning - but I'm at 37 comments for 6 days, a little over the 5 a day. On Sunday I didn't comment at all, but the next two days more than made up for it.
ReplyDeleteMost important for me, knowing I'm trying to make a goal each day pushes me the little extra step to type out the words I'm thinking in my head.
I knew I wouldn't make the 100 from the start, but my personal goal was to comment more, which I have been doing. Maybe by next year I can work up to the five a day:) Thanks for the push to at least start putting my thoughts to keyboard!
ReplyDeleteWell said.
ReplyDeleteI've really enjoyed this challenge.
I'd been doing very well -- at least 5 comments a day -- but this week, Monday and Tuesday went by without me even opening my feed reader, let alone commenting. I'm hoping to make it up.
ReplyDeleteAs for building community... I'm bad at that, personally. But I do feel like I'm thinking more about the posts I've been reading and commenting on, so maybe just that little step is one in the right direction.
I have been holding steady at 5-7 comments a day. It's been fun reading through/visiting the blogs participating. I am also discovering a ton of other new blogs and enjoying commenting on those. This has been a great concept.
ReplyDeleteAs hs been mentioned before, I find it difficult to think that I'm really adding to the discussion. I think of things to say, but then I decide that my comments are superfluous. Why would anyone want to know that?
ReplyDeleteHowever, the encouragement of a comment that simply says, "I'm reading" or "I agree" is not to be discounted. I know that, but I forget.
60 and counting...
ReplyDeleteI'm finding this challenge extremely hard! But I am trying ...
ReplyDeleteNice. I like the quote. Gives us lots to think about...
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine I'll make 100 but I think my habits are changing. That's what I wanted to get out of it. Instead of just thinking comments as I rush through my reader I am clicking through and commenting. It's wonderful@
ReplyDeleteI've been doing well, and it's been great to learn what's out there. My head is FULL, especially after all of the great award posts this week. I keep thinking of the whole conversation aspect of the blogging thing -- and to have a conversation you can't just comment and run, so I've been trying to tune in tomorrow, as it were.
ReplyDeleteI have managed to leave at least five comments a day every day so far but one. That day I looked at more than 100 blogs and couldn't think of a thing to add. Just one of those days, I guess!
ReplyDeleteSundays are my big days for commenting with 28 and 33 for the past two. If I leave them out I am still at about 95 not counting today. It has been fun to be a more active participant.
Adoring fans can't be a bad thing though. ;D
ReplyDeleteAlmost gave up early in this week because I was so far behind. But now I am right on schedule again!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the quote Pam. One to think about not only on blogs but in libraries too...
I still can't believe how much I am getting from this challenge! I'm still discovering so many new, brilliant blogs that I can't believe I didn't know about. Having been through the list of blogs officially participating in the challenge I'm now visiting all the blogs listed on the kidlitosphere bloggers page - and there's such richness there!
ReplyDeleteI'm not at five a day, but my personal goal was to just keep commenting. It's been great. I've learned a lot along the way and found some wonderful blogs.
ReplyDeleteKeeping up with a steady 20-some a week, which is more than before but not enough to get to 100 by the end of the challenge. =/
ReplyDeleteI haven't been doing as well as everyone else...perhaps 10 this week? I think perhaps a blog feed would be good for me, so I can remember which ones I've gone to and go back to them!
ReplyDeleteI'm at 71 comments. Some days it's really hard to get my 5 in -- other days it's a piece of cake. This weekend I'll be on a romantic weekend with my husband, so commenting will be hard.
ReplyDeleteI am most appreciative of all the new blogs I've learned about.
Love the quote!
ReplyDeleteI've been mostly on track on commenting, but I've petered out a bit in the last few days, with just a couple of comments.
That said, I've loved this challenge! It's so much fun to go out and comment on everyone's blogs as well as to get feedback on mine.
Thanks to Pam and Lee for hosting and everyone for participating!
I've been pretty successful at managing 5 comments a day and I've been finding that I really enjoy leaving comments and I actually end up having quite a bit to say. though I find it discouraging when some bloggers don't respond to comments left. Then it feels like I'm just talking to myself. I've been making an effort to respond to all comments left to me, even if it's just a "thank you for visiting."
ReplyDeleteI just stumbled across this, so I'm not going to break any records, but I am going to start fulfilling my resolution to comment more . . . thanks for the prod!
ReplyDeleteIs it Thursday already? Oops. I'm way behind. But I'm still trying to be part of the conversation. :-)
ReplyDeleteI've been popping all around cyberspace and leaving my chatting trail behind. I've be doing 5-10 per day and could get addicted to the cyberchatting.
ReplyDeleteI'm spending most my time reading the new blogs I've collected. Hope to catch up on commenting over the weekend.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with the lecture vs. conversation idea! Nice way to frame the check-in post, too. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm at 5 or 6 comments per day so far, possibly a couple more if I get to count bloggers that haven't signed up for the challenge. I'm not keeping track of exact numbers, though. Just trying to be a little better at interacting on a personal level--which is sometimes hard.
I'm at five or six a day (I don't keep track after five), but my blog posting has plummeted. My internet time is limited, so the time spent reading extra blogs until I find something to say means less time writing (and reading). Hmm.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I've found some new favorite blogs.
Oh, good quote! Definitely something to keep in mind.
ReplyDeleteAnd now my checkin. This week wasn't as good as last week, for which I really don't have any excuse except losing some steam. I posted 30, including this one, which is only 5 off. Not really so bad. But I did fall down by being pretty inconsistent (none one day, 10 the next) and sticking to blogs on my blogroll and not venturing out into new ones from the Mr. Linky, which I really wanted to do. Ah well--tomorrow is another day!
Comments are definitely increasing in number and quality on my blog. I even connected today with one of my favorite authors! I am commenting more but seem to be reaping the benefits 3 fold.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the quote. I'm on my way to read the rest of the post.
ReplyDeleteI have really enjoyed commenting and have done it faithfully since I signed up. At the beginning I was doing 20-25 a day but I did have to slow down. As of today I have left 125 comment. I do love visiting blogs and finding out how other bloggers are saying and reading.
ReplyDeleteSo far I am caught up, but it gets harder to find ways to comment intelligently or meaningfully, especially if the books reviewed aren't my style. I am also learning how important it is to blog regularly and have new material for people to react to. Not everyone is going to like what I like, but I need to give them something new to see when they stop by, or they won't bother.
ReplyDeleteGreat quote!
ReplyDeleteI made 66 more comments this week to put me at 140 total! I've had a few days this week that I commented only three times, but set aside time just for the comment challenge on other days to more than make up for it!
I have been hitting a min of 5 comments per day - some days more than 5. I don't comment indiscriminately - I want to make this valuable and make sure I make relevant comments.
ReplyDeleteI love how this effort has introduced me to so many new blogs which I now follow daily.
I am at 49 comments and was keeping on top of it until I had to make a cross country trip. Now I feel behind, but am hoping to get to it again. The quote was very inspiring. I am heading over to the website now.
ReplyDeleteOK, so I was doing really good at commenting on 5 or 6 blogs a night and then life got in the way, basketball game, volleyball practice, Grand Discussion and I missed 3 days. I'm back on track...for now.
ReplyDeleteLike others, I was doing great at first... then had several off days. Trying to figure out if I CAN catch up. But it's definitely been a good experience.
ReplyDeleteI've found that I'm slowing down. I started out doing way more than five posts per day, and now I'm kind of topping out at five, and I missed a day this week. I have hit 100 posts, but I'm trying to keep going to make it a habit. I have found, though, that I've found a handful of blogs that I'm interested in reading beyond the challenge, which is great. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI came out right around 53 posts as of Thursday night closing time for the blog reading....what an exciting week to be having a discussion with bloggers; some of it maddening, some of it thought provoking (okay, Carol, you mean something much stronger than thought provoking) and some of it sharing in pure joy with book friends over well-deserved awards.
ReplyDeleteBut more importantly, this quote you put up...wow, my wheels are turning faster than the rest of my body can absorb at the moment --- great food for thought on more than just the blogging front!
I've been doing 5 comments a day, but sometimes more. My challenge all along has been consistency (as you can tell by my one day late check in). It's been a nice surprise to read comments from new people and to follow the links to their blogs.
ReplyDeleteThis week I left four comments total. I've found some new to me blogs but when faced with having to use OpenID or Google as the only means of verification I don't leave comments. Neither ID has anything to do with my book reviewing or writing.
ReplyDeleteI have been leaving comments on other blogs that I'm familiar with but I'm not counting them as part of the challenge.
Except for the end of this week - when I got a little behind - I've been making 5 comments a day. I'm really enjoying the interaction, the sense of being part of a community but most of all - the great learning experience. I'm much more knowledgable about the kid lit blogosphere now. It's also been great getting more traffic, comments and followers on my blog - although I'm a little disappointed there hasn't been more action there.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little behind in checking in, but I've truly been a commenting fool! Probably to a fault, I need to post more on my own blog and not comment so much. But it's been fun getting around and checking out all the new great sites I'd never seen before. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteThis is much harder on days when I work, or when family gets together! I've come across some very good blog reads.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing well on commenting, but not doing well on keeping track of when challenges begin and end! It does make a difference when I think there might be other people actually reading what I write!
ReplyDelete