Have you all noticed the new WordPress thing, the one where other posts by the blogger show up at the bottom of the screen, as well as posts along similar subject area? Tater and I were talking about this the other day, as he posted about it. I was telling him that one of my posts, the one about whether or not reading was better than other pursuits, was getting a lot of hits (well, lots of hits for me) I told him that last week I gained like a hundred new readers (again- abnormal for me). So I wondered what my blog about reading had linked up to.

A few days later, tater contacted me. He told me that my post about reading was at the top of the Discover page. That’s when the lightbulb went off. My post was at the top of the page designed to highlight a post or blogger and introduce them to others.

Fine.

Now the hits and the new readers totally made sense.

So I am grateful that my post was at the top of the page for a bit of time and I found some new readers and exposed my ideas to more people.

However…

You knew there was going to be some sort of angst along with this, didn’t you?

The past ten months, I have not been really writing blogs. I have been asking questions to get the conversation started. I thought we needed something to focus on that wasn’t necessarily what was featured on the news that day. I wanted us to come together and discuss ideas. This didn’t start out as my goal, but it seemed to work. People were joining the discussion. There was a roundtable of sorts where people presented their thoughts and reflections and I know I certainly learned a lot of things, and thought about things in different ways.

This has been fun. I’ve enjoyed posing these questions.

However…

This does not mean that these have been the best blogs that I’ve ever written. Far from it. These have been pieces that have gotten me through all the challenges that we have faced throughout the past year.

So, the piece that was at the top of the charts so to speak…The reading post was like a bubblegum pop song that makes it to the top of the charts. It was cute, it sparked reaction, but it was by no means representative of what I have done or could do as a writer.

I have so many blogs that I am proud of, so I am a little sad that one of those did not get the same recognition as this one did.

Part of me wants to scream to the new readers-

“This is not the best of me- let me show you the posts I think are good. Let me show you the posts that made me cry as I wrote them. Let me show you the posts that I still laugh about. Let me show you the posts that made me who I am…

See how something “good” can be a blessing and a curse?

My guess is, knowing myself, I am going to try to up my blogging game. I am going to try to write the Great American Post. I am probably going to check my blog for error and spell check…I’m going to try to appear smarter or better or just more…

But at this moment in time….

I am grateful for having a little bit of the spotlight..

I am grateful for 4000+ followers

I am grateful that I want to open up my computer and blog everyday

I am grateful that there is no blogging award acceptance speech…could you imagine what a train wreck that would be?

107 thoughts on “Gratitude Saturday April 17”

  1. I’m very envious of your 4000 followers as I have yet to reach 1000. I’m alway’s disappointed when a post I think is really good has a low number of views but then one I barely thought about does. I think I overthink it too much.

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    1. I have posts that I thought were great, but yeah, they got little views, I get this isn’t about the views or likes, but when you write something great, you hope it gets more recognition that the ones that are eh…

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      2. I agree, it is frustrating when you want someone to be interested in and love what you are so happy doing, and then, their not. Full stop, shoulders down, want to cry. Waaaaaaaaaaa!

        Liked by 2 people

  2. I’ve always known WP does this, recommending related topics that I wrote about as well as related topics floating around WordPress written by somebody else.

    It made me wonder how some of my posts I had written months or even years ago were still getting likes and comments. That’s the reason why.

    On my theme you have to scroll past the recommendations to get to the comments which means that some people might stop and look at these posts and then take a detour to go read there.

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    1. It seems more evident now though, like it’s being highlighted more I guess. I guess it’s not the related posts as much as my old posts appearing. I had a bunch of new comments on a post from a few years ago. I wonder how the old posts get chosen

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      1. A lot of people are spending more time at home while this pandemic rages on. Perhaps that could be another reason. What are you doing when you’re home and bored..? You go to the internet. Blogs with engagement and community make people feel less alone.

        Liked by 3 people

  6. Congratulations on your 4000 followers! You deserve it – your blogs are always interesting to read, even if I don’t have time to contribute. I can relate somewhat, as my fluffy little Interview with Jane Austen post from two years ago still gets reads every day, so I figure someone must have linked to it somewhere in the Jane world.

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    1. Isn’t it funny how certain posts just resonate, even though we, as authors, don’t think of them quite in the same way? You never know what will attract attention I guess

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  7. What we think is our best versus what others think is our best is often vastly different from each other. Sometimes shockingly so. That said, it is good to know that anyone thinks we have a best worth recognizing at all.

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  10. I think your new friends are being carried over into other blogs. I have suddenly had new folks liking posts or even following. I know it’s not anything I write, because I rarely write so I suspect many of your readers are subtly benefiting from your new traffic as well! New readers come and go anyway I think. It can be and is gratifying to see numbers go up, but I still hold that those who really follow to actually engage are the best readers by far.

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  11. I don’t know whether to congratulate you or wish you condolences! Lots of new followers don’t always equate to good things, as we bloggers know. 😉

    But my wishes to you are in a kind-hearted way. I am so glad I’ve found your blog this year. Your conversations have made me think in ways I haven’t before, and I love that about you and your blog.

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  12. I used to really take things personally with blogging. Not enough likes or followers or too many fake followers or trying to gauge my audience and create for them or feel bummed when I busted my ass on a drawing and got few likes only to off the top of my head write a poem that got a lot more. It wasn’t until I decided it’s all creative work, there shouldn’t be competition. If my work gets highlighted on the sideline cool, if I get new readers cool…If not no worries. I don’t even care how many followers I have as long whatever I am creating brings a smile or resonates in someone’s heart. LA perhaps this isn’t what your blog is or at it’s height of greatness. It has been incredibly engaging and I have been enjoying this version of it immensely.

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  16. Do you think too in these days of less meaningful social contact people enjoy being asked for an opinion about things? They feel valued? They feel happy to contribute to something because many haven’t been able to contribute physically during Lockdown?
    Either way, keep up the good work:)

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  19. Hey, that’s great that you got a plug from WP (“Ask not what you can do for WP…”). I get that you wish it had been a different post. I plug my 52 Ancestors posts on Amy Johnson Crow’s FB page for that purpose. She selects 3 each week to feature in her email. I’ve been fortunate to be picked a few times ( big bump in reads), but it is NEVER the one I really want her to pick.

    My last amazing bump came out of the blue a few weeks ago when someone linked to one of my posts on a FB group with 14,000 members. Holy cow! Since it was FB, it didn’t mean more followers, though. Not only do you have a large number, but you get great engagement, and that is really the good stuff.

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  21. Well, all publicity is goo publicity. Now you have new followers to delight and educate! Congratulations I am nowhere near you, but I am excited when I get one or two new followers, I would jump out of my skin with half that many new ones.

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  24. What is “good”?

    Looking at trends, you are likely to do best with pictures of cute animals or selfies of people in thir underwear. Betty is doing her bit, so it’s over to you… (Well, it works for Kim Kardashian). Before you ask, I suggested this to Julia as a way of increasing traffic on my blog but she said unless there were a lot of people interested in the archaeology of underwear it was unlikely to stir up much interest. She is probably correct, as we’ve been married 30 years and many of my undergarments pre-date this.

    My experience is that editors and I have very different opinions on what is my best work. That’s life.

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  26. If you want to showcase your best blog posts, you could create a post that links to your best past posts. If you wanted, you could even explain why you like them. A lot of people who started following you later would probably really appreciate it. I’m definitely curious.

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    2. I second this suggestion since I fall into that category. I have really enjoyed your thought-provoking posts and the responses they have elicited. Can you keep some of those coming, too, along with your regular/normal stuff? I agree with your opinion that it was really a good way to spend some time during the pandemic. It certainly looked to me like it drove traffic as well. I was also to the point where I thought I might try to emulate some of these pandemic posts for the same reasons. It was a great way to gather some of my (and others’) self-evident truths and to entertain differing views. I enjoyed that give and take very much and hope you keep it up.

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      1. I think the hardest thing is how do you determine best? Is it the most viewed, the most liked, the most commented? Is it the one I thought was the best? Then, is it the best written? The funniest? The most thought provoking? I wouldn’t even know how to quantify. Like last week, the post I personally enjoyed writing the most was the least viewed, so who knows?

        Liked by 1 person

  27. Congrats on 4,000 followers! A few years ago, I was contacted by WP to let the know one of my posts would be “discovered” and I got a ton of views and new followers from it, but that was okay, since I was expecting it. I didn’t get to pick which post it was, though. But a couple of months later, I noticed my stats really spiked and wasn’t sure why…turned out to be the same thing: a different post was simply featured on their page. It hasn’t happened since, so now of course I worry that they don’t like my blog anymore. LOL! We all have angst, no matter what is going on, I think. You write a good blog…the loyal readers will stick around for the “great American post,” no worries!

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  29. Congrats on new readers! That is exciting. I love the discussion questions you throw out there even if I don’t comment on all of them. Honestly, I can’t keep up with you on a daily basis!! You reveal your heart in everything you write and I believe that is part of why your posts are popular. 💜

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  30. 4000+ thats really great.
    I am a new blogger.
    I have 40+ followers.
    You have >4000 followers.
    Are you eligible to apply Google adsence ?

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  31. Congratulations on your 4000+ followers. Many many more to come . You actually have great quality blogs so there is no question in your capabilities . You are an amazing blogger .
    Waiting for The great American post .

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  35. Sometimes I want to share my older work with my readers and to share pertinent blogs at certain anniversaries. Or I just don’t have new work – and don’t want people to get bored and think I can’t be bothered – so I repost.

    Funny though – one of my most popular pieces is called 500 words. A piece I wrote to show what 500 words of writing looked like. A quirky funny piece everyone seems to gravitate to!!!!!

    I’m glad I’ve found your blog.

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    1. Thank you! You never know what will resonate with people! I haven’t ever shared older stuff, but now that old posts appear at the bottom, I’m getting hits on old stuff!

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      2. It’s there if people want to read it. I’m ok moving forward. Personally I think it’s kind of boring to put out a new blog and tell people to read an older post. I’m more focused on what I wrote today, and starting to focus on what I will write tomorrow. It’s a new day

        Like

  41. Conplete newbie here. Well not quite bew in the fact that i am excited to have any followers.i recebtly started a new page and am starting from scratch which is very humbling and could only hope to reach what you have achieved. Can I ask what wordpress plan you use?

    Liked by 1 person

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