For once I'm not talking about vaginas ..... much
I have a question about blogging and commenting and I was wondering if anyone could give me some input. It occurs to me that I should have asked this yesterday when I was asking everyone to leave a comment. That would have killed two birds with one post. It's because all my great ideas come a day too late that I will never be a blogging super star. That and because I mostly just talk about poop. And vaginas. And boobs. And every time I type "vaginas" my spell check tells me it's wrong so what in the hell is the plural of vagina? Vagini? Vaginies?
Aaaaaanyway.... Here's what I'm wondering: When you leave a comment on a blog how important is it to you that you get a response? Do you find that you are more likely to comment on a blog if you know that your comment will get a response? Some blogs answer comments right in the comments section, I did that for a while too. If you comment on a blog that does that do you ever check back for an answer to your comment?
I enjoy responding to comments but I want to do it in the way that works best for my readers. I see blogging as a give and take activity and if you take the time to comment on my dopey little posts I feel like the least I can do is respond. So what do you think is the best way for a blogger to respond to comments?
I am thinking of changing the way I respond to comments. For people that use a valid email address I will respond via email. For other people I will respond right in the comments section itself. Does that seem like a good solution?
And seriously, what is the plural of vagina?
One year ago today I talked about my confusion regarding Dooce.
Three years ago today showed how he got the nickname Drama Joe.
Four years ago today I used an obscure Simpsons reference but oh my god, how boring was I? Very.
Jen
17 comments:
I think it's vaginae.
It doesn't bother me if the blogmistress doesn't answer my comment. Although I prefer that I get an engraved "Your comment was the best one".
On my blog, I read all the comments. If the commenter leaves an e-mail, I respond. If not, too bad for them. I don't check blogs to see if my comments have been answered--unless I've asked an actual question.
Jen, I always go back and read the comments of a blog post that I commented on. I think that if the commenter leaves an email address, then they probably want you to respond to only them, if no email address is left and you want to answer their question or leave a response to their comment, then your response in the comment section is very appropriate. SO, I think your solution is just fine. Hope you are having a great day!! Love to all of you... Judy
I don't care if I get an answer one way or the other. I would prefer not to have them in the comments section, some nights I get so bored and comment so many that I forget to check back. I would rather have an email, or just leave a comment on my blog on a random post. But you can't make everyone happy! lol.
I love getting an email response to a comment I posted but it's not something I necessarily expect. Not everyone has time to do that and not every comment is significant enough to warrant a response. But when there is a response I think email is better. I usually forget to go back see if there is a response in the comments. I am trying to do this on my blog - emailing those who leave an email address. (shannon@livinginthegray.com) - I leave my email here because I want to put my name/url below but it has no place for my email address there.
I usually leave comments when I actually have something to say or the blogger asks for specific feedback (like today!)
If I ask a question, I hope for an answer and if I remember to I go back and see what's up. But if I don't get a response, meh - whatever. If they're going to reply, I'd prefer it be by email though if I can leave one. I usually only go back to check when I remember to. Which is rare. :)
I always go back and check the comments after I have commented. I like to get feedback in the comments....if feedback is called for. I don't expect an answer just because I commented tho!
Take it from somebody who has a medical terminology class, but is too lazy to walk over and get his books, it's vaginum.
I think that comments are the way for the readers to feel like we have some sort of connection with the blogger, and it's this community aspect that makes blogging different from, say, newspaper articles posted online. Of course, you've got your superbloggers who generate hundreds of comments per post, and how can they possibly be expected to respond to them all, and then you're back in newspaper article territory. At any rate, I think your solution sounds good.
And it's definitely vaginae. I am 100% sure about that.
I struggle with this. I try a mixed bag, and I don't really know what's the best way to handle this. If you use blogger you get no email address for most of your commenters. Most people don't check back to see what you've written in comment responses, but I do think that adds to the community feel. If someone asks a question in comments I respond with both a comment and an email (if possible).
I hate getting an email response. Often, by the time I get the response I've totally forgotten what I'd commented on, and often my comment was something like "Yeah, totally!" that didn't require a response! I also rarely go back to check to see if my comment got a response on the blog itself, unless it was something controversial and I know we'll all be discussing it.
However, on my blog I try to leave responses in the comments no matter what someone writes, because it feels like good manners.
I will respond to many comments, but not all of them. When I do, I generally use an email address. I usually don't check back in comment sections, so I assume people don't check back in mine. I will track people's email addresses down on their blogs, but some people are just impossible to find an email for. Occasionally I will respond in the comments.
Do you know why some blogger comments come with email addresses and some don't? Do my replies come with an email address?
If I ask a question in a comment, and don't receive an answer via email, maybe I'll stop by and visit again looking through the comments for my answer.
Does that help?
when i reply by email, i tend to cut and paste the comment into the email to remind the person of the comment. i answer on the blog only if the answer is of common interest. if i want to see follow-up comments, i just click that section on the comment form.
maybe it's just not all that common to pluralize "vagina." most people have only one.
I don't know the plural of vagina, but I bet anyone who is curious from now on will find your blog.
I like getting responses to my comments from bloggers, but I don't EXPECT it, especially from you bloggers who actually have, you know, READERS. I sometimes will go back and see if they've responded in the comments...but honestly, I read so many blogs and my Reader is always so behind that I don't often take the time to go that route.
I am probably most appreciative of a comment on my own blog from someone I read. (But don't go today. I haven't posted in like 2 weeks. SLACK-ER.)
I love when a blogger responds to comments. In Hebrew-English, the plural of vagina would be vaginot.
Eh. Occasionally I go back and look at the comments section of a blog. Some bloggers do respond to every comment with an email and I do like this practice, but I get annoyed when the return says "thanks" or "lol" and that's it. That's a waste of my time and the blogger's time, I think. It doesn't add to the conversation and, in one case, has actually caused me to stop a blog!!
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