Blog Week: I'm With Groucho

(Photo stolen from these guys)






That's what Groucho said, but I wish I'd said it.  It has become part of my blogging philosophy.

There are many ways to approach blogging.  I started by writing, hoping people found me, and e-mailing my link to all 60 of the people who used to read my e-mails.  Well, they said they read my e-mails anyway; I suspect they were trying to spare my feelings because my hit count was painfully low my first year, and my comments were nearly non-existent.  Go look at some of my early posts, and you'll see what I mean.

A better way to increase your traffic is by reading other people's blogs and commenting fairly often.  You all know this; most of you practice this with your own blogs.  Yet all the good advice in the world from my friend Gubby couldn't convince me to go read other blogs.  My excuse was always, "I don't have time."  I was right -- I didn't have time.  You all know how much time it takes to read other blogs, right?  But what I didn't know was that Gubby was absolutely right.*  Reading and commenting and generally making a nuisance of oneself is a great way to interest people in your blog, unless of course you annoy other bloggers to the point of a restraining order, which hasn't happened to me yet, as far as you know.  Besides, reading other peoples' blogs has brought me rich experiences and new friends (and I can actually say "friends" and mean it, I think, which is strange and wonderful all at the same time).

Still another way to increase your readership and connect with other people of similar interests is to join a blog group.  I won't name any here, because I know only a few, and I don't wish to write about things I really know diddly about.  But this is where I hit a wall every time.  Some of my fellow bloggers are named Jessica and Sarah and Debbie, and they would be welcome to join some of the more prominent blogging groups, I believe.  But bloggers David and Jason and Bob -- would they be accepted?  I can only assume not, and it's a gender issue.  Now, maybe I'm wrong and men are perfectly welcome to join in women's blog associations.  But would they want to -- or would I?  Some of my favorite people in the world are men.  I didn't join Brownies or Girl Scouts or a sorority in college, and I'm still not interested in segregating myself according to gender.  (That sentence sounded like it ended with a nyahh nyahh, but it really didn't.)

So I'm interested to know people's opinions of blog groups -- have you joined one, or more than one?  Has it been a good experience?  Do you think I'm totally from another planet and need to quit sucking my thumb and get a life?  It was not my intention to offend anyone for their choices, and I hope you will straighten me out if I'm way off-base.  If there's a good blog circle out there at which all are welcome, hey, I'll give it a look.  But I might not join, because . . . you know . . . Groucho . . .


*Crap.  I hate it when that happens.

Comments

[Debbie]

Well, obviously I've not been reading all my blog favorites..YOU...lately! Thank you so much for mentioning me! Am I part of this group? The funny group. I'm not funny but you guys are and I wanna play!!!

((Big Hugs))

[Ms. Single Mama]

I've heard about these groups - but can't find them. Are they secret clubs?

I'm in...someone invite me or something. Ha! Groucho...I love it.

I'm with you, I barely have time to read others blogs as well, but - I enjoy so many of them - I can't help myself.

[Kit]

I considered learning more about them, but that's as far as I've gotten with that. I simply haven't had time. I barely have time to blog at all, or read and comment, which is why my readership is so paltry. (~sigh~) ;)

Which reminds me, I've been meaning to find out what twittering is all about, because I have only the vaguest notion of it. . .

[mommypie]

I don't THINK I belong to any groups ... except your fan club, of course.

[Gubby]

Blog her?

I don't even know her!

[Jason]

I don't belong to any blog groups, but Bossy, JCK, and Tootsie Farklepants said I could go to blogher if I wanted to, and I would get LOTS of attention.

[24Crayons]

I always like it when you annoy me!

I'm here - just for similar purposes! I lurve your blog!

[heart shaped hedges]

Hey, if it will increase my readership, Ill join a group.

While other bloggers are complaing about and fending off "sponsors" and "marketers", Im all for making a dime at something that I enjoy.

Is that cheesy to admit it?

[All Adither]

Interesting take!

[ok, where was I]

OMG, there's a group I can join? Where, where?!

Kidding. Well, sort of, b/c I'm with David. I'd love to be in your group. The non-group group.

In response to your comment on my post, You ARE cool, so there. And I say cool b/c it's cool to say. I don't remember where that comment of yours was about using cool, but I lol'd. I say it all the time. B/c I'm that cool.

[Rick's Cafe]

Groups...Bah, Humbug. Besides, I've never been very good at taking 12 steps. :)

[wrekehavoc]

heh. the only reason i ended up at an all-women's college (at Rutgers U) was because i transferred and got into both it (Douglass/Rutgers) and the oldest (co-ed) college, Rutgers College. in short, i flipped a coin. i ended up doing most of my activities over at RC anyway.

in short, i don't know whether i'd fit into any particular blogging group. i think i'd piss too many people off in it if there was some sort of central mission. i'm too serious for jokesters, and too jokey for serious people. i've lived in DC for nearly half my life but always consider myself a jersey girl. i don't make sense enough to be in a group, per se.

in short, i'm a bit off the rails :-)

[wrekehavoc]

heh. the only reason i ended up at an all-women's college (at Rutgers U) was because i transferred and got into both it (Douglass/Rutgers) and the oldest (co-ed) college, Rutgers College. in short, i flipped a coin. i ended up doing most of my activities over at RC anyway.

in short, i don't know whether i'd fit into any particular blogging group. i think i'd piss too many people off in it if there was some sort of central mission. i'm too serious for jokesters, and too jokey for serious people. i've lived in DC for nearly half my life but always consider myself a jersey girl. i don't make sense enough to be in a group, per se.

in short, i'm a bit off the rails :-)

[david]

I just feel honored to be in such an esteemed group! Foolery is my first go to in my blog time. I enjoy your wit, wisdom, and your voice in your narrative. I would love to be in your club one day. Are the membership fees steep?

[Madame x]

Do you think they'd let a Madame join?

[Maria]

I have NOT joined a blog group, but I'm pleasantly disgusted at finding you (via comments on bossy of course, and frankly can bossy's fans now be constituted a group..I mean, loosely, of course...?)Pleasantly because you amuse me, I also love David Sedaris (saw him in the flesh and nearly wet my pants I laughed so hard) and disgusted because well, you know how long it takes to read all the blogs I subscribe to?? Huh? Do ya? And I"m supposed to be homeschooling my kid. Does reading blogs count as education? I just do not have time to join a group. Well, I have time to join but not participate...Also pleasant because you seem to find long comments okay and I am SO all about that.
There's my two cents. If forgot why I started...oh, yes, to say "hi, like your blog, I'll probably be back.." and to get a hit or two of course....

[Grandma J]

No groups for me, thank you. Any groups I've joined in my life come with rules and commitments. I'm trying to shed most of that extra baggage. I love blogging, I love the people I have met, the friends I have made...even if we've never met face to face. But I like the idea of "free-falling" in my blogging world..foot loose and fancy free. Visit me if you like, leave a comment, good or bad...but please don't be mean or take me too seriously. I love to comment on people's blogs, but then again, I always have something to say, even when it's uncalled for.

[Kyddryn]

Oh, dear gods - there are GROUPS?? Please tell me I don't have joins a...a...GROUP!! I don't DO groups. I am much to Trollish (while a gal Troll is a Trollop, I am not at all like one of those, so I'm decidedly Trollish) to be in a group of anything but rotten fruit, particularly vituperative puritan folk, or especially foul mouthed sailors. Oh, and quilters. Mustn't forget the quilters.

Really, I always thought of blogging as a sort of solitary pursuit, a way for folks to sort themselves out and express themselves (and occasionally "borrow" a topic from someone else for blog fodder)(ahem).

I don't do exclusion, either. I like fellas, for the most part, and don't care to help expand the trend of excluding someone based on whether they dangle or don't. I know some folks want a guy-free space, and that's OK for them...just not my cuppa.

I'm with you re: Groucho, by the way.

Shade and Sweetwater,
K

[MamaMo]

I'm all for folks of like interest getting together to do fun things, but I stop short of excluding any others.

[Mental P Mama]

I think I've joined some groups by accident. And I don't know which ones they are. I do know I love to read blogs, and wish I could get paid to do it! Keep up the great work!

[Chesapeake Bay Woman]

Well shiver me timbers.

I've lived under a rock all my life and had no idea there was any such thing as a blogging group. I learn something new every day.

I definitely agree about commenting on other blogs and its impact on your own. That's probably the only way I've had anyone other than my family or a few friends read/comment.

No sorority for me either. Blech.

-Cheeky

[Bob Cleveland]

Uhh ... my favorite curmudgeonly comedian other than ME.

[Bob Cleveland]

Blog group? I'm reminded of the eccentric professor who drove a VW in the late 1940's, when there was a Volkswagen Owners' Club ... when asked to join, he said "vot ... I own a tootbrush too ... should I join a tootbrush owners club?"

My favorite curmudgeonly comedian was Henry Morgan. He bought yesterday's newspaper, saying "It's cheap, and I can read it and say "Thank god that's not happening today"".

Amen.

I'll tell you about his Christmas cards sometime.