Written on August 23rd, 2007 at 12:08 am by Darren Rowse
When it Feels Like Nobody is Reading Your Blog
I was chatting with two friends last week – one of them is a blogger and the other was considering starting a blog.
My blogging friend was dispensing a few words of wisdom on how to start out (the usually kind of beginner blogging tips) when he said something out of the blue which made me take note because of the wisdom of it.
He said:
“In the early days you’ll feel like you’re talking to yourself (actually in the very beginning you probably are) – but don’t give up because it’s a feeling that will subside. The key is to keep blogging through that awkward beginning because if you do you’ll find people will begin to find you and the memory of talking to yourself will be a distant memory.”
I really appreciated my friend’s words. They reminded me a lot of my own beginnings in blogging when I felt quite foolish about pouring out what was on my mind for everyone (and nobody) to read).
His words also reminded me of another time in my life where I felt like I was talking to an empty room.
Warning – Tangent Ahead (it’s been a while since we had a tangent hasn’t it!)
In my previous life, before I was a blogger, I was a minister of a middle sized suburban church (I still do this work in a part time voluntary capacity in a small emerging experimental church).
Part of my work in this church that I really enjoyed was preaching. I loved preparing for and delivering sermons (in fact I find the process very similar to putting together blog posts).
My workflow for preparing a sermon went something like this (it took a week or more to go through the full process):
- Pick a Topic (or be given one by the senior minister).
- Begin Brainstorming ideas/angles/points
- Research the Topic (bible study, reading the opinion of others, surfing the web/forums/sermon resource sites)
- Putting together some main points
At this point I would jot my main points (usually 5 or so) down on a piece of paper and leave my office to go and find a quiet empty room (quite often the main chapel of the church). Once in that empty echoing room I would do something that felt quite awkward the first time I did it – I would begin to preach.
With my main points before me I would begin to speak them out – playing with how the words sounded – adding stories, illustrations and ideas as they came to mind.
For me the researching/brainstorming process of the first 4 steps outlined above was a fairly dry process. I gathered information – but it wasn’t until I began to actually do it that the real magic happened. While it felt a little weird at first to start talking out loud in a big empty room it was actually a valuable practice.
As I would preach to the empty pews and as my word echoed around the room I found that I learned so much about the topic I was exploring and how to deliver it. I also learned a lot about preaching. New ideas would come, I’d try different ways of expressing it and slowly the final version of the sermon would begin to form – to the point that when I got up in the same room on Sunday to deliver the final version it would flow.
The more I practiced in this way the more I improved as a preacher.
Lessons for Blogging from Preaching to Empty Pews
As I reflect upon my early days of blogging where I felt that nobody was listening I now realize that that was a time where I learned a lot about what I wanted to say and how to say it.
In those early days I tested ideas, tried new ways of expressing them and learned a lot about my topic and the medium of blogging.
So my advice to new bloggers who feel like no one is listening is to not give up and see the experience of preaching to the empty pews on your blog as a learning experience.
The things you learn now will shape your future blogging, will grow your understanding of your topic, will grow your character and make you into a better blogger.
Hear endeth today’s sermon….
128 Responses to “When it Feels Like Nobody is Reading Your Blog” - Add Yours
Nuts & Milk
August 23rd, 2007 12:22 am
Amazing post. Wonder how you come up with such inspiring posts Darren!
Jake from MoreMerchant.com
August 23rd, 2007 12:25 am
This post really hits home as I also have pastored. So often in blogging the quietness is overwhelming. Why can’t people comment you ask yourself!!!
Wait, keep building, keep writing. They will come.
Jose Negron
August 23rd, 2007 12:29 am
Great stuff….I really dig the metaphor. You know, bloggers complain about that awkward stage of online infancy but I’ve known quite a few webmasters who have had a much harder time getting a message board off the ground. Many will create a bunch of forum accounts and essentially talk to themselves for months. Sounds crazy, but worth it. As bloggers, we have it easier than we think.
ShiatsuBlogger
August 23rd, 2007 12:32 am
I have now reached the milestone of blogging for one year and seen a very small band of readers grow over that time. But even though my audience is small (very niche topic) I agree with Darren that the process of blogging has helped me develop that deeper understanding of my subject.
TheMadHat
August 23rd, 2007 12:33 am
I agree that with new bloggers that initial period will give you some much needed practice because it’s a lot harder than most people (non-bloggers) think.
I’d also surmise that after you get a couple months of posts under your belt that your subscription rate might be a little higher because your posts will be that much better. Talking to an empty room has its advantages!
Gavin Smith
August 23rd, 2007 12:41 am
Actually, I’ve had this feeling [you describe] over the last couple of days. I started my blog at the beginning of June this year. Since then, the site has progressed with an increasing rate of change in the number of visitors from week to week.
However, over the last couple of days, my traffic has been below “normal” and extremely minimal. I feel really disheartened since I’ve put so much effort and work into the blog. Your post gave me a bit more encouragement :) Hopefully, I have what it takes to keep it going.
maneesh
August 23rd, 2007 12:59 am
i in fact think, its a lot better if you only hav a few readers in the beginning.. it gives u, like u said a lot fo room to experiment, but more than that it allows you to make mistakes and kind of get away with it. When you launch a new blog you ahve a dozen ideas and in the haste of putting everything down u end making a royal mess of the blog.. “talking to yourself” will give yout he chance to look at your own blog from a third persons perspective and correct yourself…
anyway, am off todelivering sermons in empty rooms.. :p kiddin.. nice post darren, guess it goes without saying!
Bush Mackel
August 23rd, 2007 1:05 am
Boy, you’d be surprised at what people did before blogging huh? And nice post, we’ve all been there before at the beginning when we’re talking to ourselves. But you know what? – I like listening to my own voice. (#):)
Reflective Counsel
August 23rd, 2007 1:06 am
Thanks for the great post Darren. I have been blogging for about a month now and am right where you describe. I also previously worked as a minister and the empty pews is a great illustration. I find the more I blog, the better words I use and the more comfortable I become with my subject. It is gratifying to see “lots of hits” on my blog; however, it is even better to see how much my writing has grown in such a short time. I press on, blogging to empty pews, while perfecting this craft and praying for new readers! Thanks a bunch!
Mohsin | Blogging Bits
August 23rd, 2007 1:09 am
Wow Darren, I didn’t know you were a religious man!
Britt Malka
August 23rd, 2007 1:14 am
Well said, Darren! I really enjoyed reading this post. Yes, haven’t we all had that feeling of “talking to yourself” and “who would ever care about, what I’m writing?”. I’m glad you pointed it to something positive, like rehearsing and refining.
Jack Egan
August 23rd, 2007 1:40 am
Very solid advice. I’ve been a teacher, and my niece is beginning her career as a teacher. We’ve been discussing some of the very issues you’ve defined so well. Thank you.
Ray Fowler
August 23rd, 2007 1:52 am
As a current pastor, I like your illustration! I just hope I am not preaching to any empty pews this Sunday!
David Sawyer
August 23rd, 2007 2:10 am
Great post,
As a new blogger (3 months) and having just done my first preach last Sunday this post really hit home!
Amanda Sands
August 23rd, 2007 2:13 am
Very Informative. I’m new to blogging and i can really relate to your post. Its very uncomfortable to write something your not sure if anyones going to relate to or even be interested in reading for that matter.Thanks for the helpful tips.
Mike
August 23rd, 2007 2:15 am
I definitely learned some things while preaching to an empty room. While I still have a lot to learn, it gave me a chance to iron out a lot of things.
Along those lines, as traffic started to pick up (I’m still at a fairly low traffic level) there was a point when I became aware of it. The day that I crossed 100 visits in a day, it suddenly hit me. That day, it was like I had been preaching to an empty room then in the blink of an eye, the room was packed (not really, but in my mind that was huge). And for a couple of days I lost my train of thought because of the feeling like there were 100 people staring at me waiting for something relevant to come out of my keyboard. Fortunately, I quickly recovered and hit the ground running again.
So, I’d say: embrace the empty room but don’t panic when it starts to fill because that’s why you’re blogging in the first place.
Damien Guard
August 23rd, 2007 2:18 am
I was happy with the 40 reads my post would get in the first few days (it would gradually trickle up more through keywords over coming months).
However a couple of days ago a post was linked by a bigger site that resulted in 22,000 hits in 36 hours.
That’s great but accounts for 25% of all the hits I’ve had over two years. Perhaps I have been wasting my time…
[)amien
April
August 23rd, 2007 2:18 am
When I started to get some readers I actually felt a bit weird. I felt more self-conscious about my work because I was being “watched”.
Sonia
August 23rd, 2007 2:20 am
Very timely for me–I actually did a post last week on “setting the table,” that is getting ready for a dinner party without knowing exactly how many guests were coming, who they were, or what they would be like. It’s a bit spooky! My first commenter was Seth Godin, though, which was tremendously encouraging.
Thanks for the encouragement here as well. I’m a believer in slow & steady on the Web–short term gains are often just that, short term. Building loyalty (for anything–blogs or static sites or whatever) the right way, with quality posts that provide value, takes time.
Doug
August 23rd, 2007 2:24 am
I myself am a new blogger and i can honestly say that this feeling does hang over your shoulders, but we all know that hard work and dedication are what pull us through and make things happen. It’s good to hear that other people feel this as well.
Melissa Garrett
August 23rd, 2007 2:38 am
What’s even more frustrating than not having any readers, is having readers who don’t comment. I can see 200 clicks on my blog each day with only a handful of comments. As a writer, this can be especially disheartening and make me second guess my abilities.
Brennan
August 23rd, 2007 2:52 am
I agree with Melissa. Having non-commenting readers is quite frustrating. I’ll see hundreds of views a day on my blog, with not a single comment.
You start wondering what you’re doing wrong, if you don’t know what you’re talking about, and if there’s something wrong with your blog.
Terra Andersen
August 23rd, 2007 2:57 am
This post definitely struck a nerve with me! I remember for first few weeks of my blog.. I really was talking to myself. I have also spoken at various events on business, and your preparation strategy is very similar to mine.
Good stuff!
-Terra
http://www.BetterForBusiness.Com
JoLynn Braley
August 23rd, 2007 3:02 am
I enjoyed your tangent Darren, good read!
I can also relate to Melissa and Brennan re: 100’s of readers but few comments….makes you wonder just how many 1000’s of readers you need each day to get perhaps 10 or so comments! :)
Dustin
August 23rd, 2007 3:06 am
Very great read, I believe sometimes the same thing. I feel like I’m talking to myself, although I have over 200+ unique visitors from my first week of being up. Maybe a little more hard work and effort will pay off.
Brennan
August 23rd, 2007 3:10 am
JoLynn,
Ha! It’s true. You start look at the one comment or so per couple hundred readers, and start figuring out ratios to determine how many you’ll need to get a discussion going.
Rhys
August 23rd, 2007 3:10 am
When I began blogging 6 years ago now, I blogged for two months without as much as a comment. There comes a point in most blogger’s lives when their blog becomes readable – when people subscribe and start contributing to your site. I wake up now in the morning and have a number of comments people have sent overnight. It’s a wonderous feeling, that people are beginning to read what you say. It may go up, and it may go down, but I can’t remember a post when I’ve had zero comments. It must be over a year ago, probably three or more.
Of course, the following tipping point is making your blog profitable. That I’m yet to achieve!
HighFivez.com
August 23rd, 2007 3:46 am
Nice words of encouragement.
Ken Fleck
August 23rd, 2007 3:49 am
Darren,
I really appreciate this post. It’s cool to hear where God has taken you over the years. I am looking to go into missions myself and would love any insights you can give me to raise support for this on my blog. Thanks and look forward to hearing from you.
Ken
Remowill
August 23rd, 2007 3:50 am
Well, you’ll always be able to preach online, anyway.
But seriously , there is good info here. I just started blogging and am actually getting hits to my blog. But no comments yet.
Will you take a look? and leave a comment.
thanks
Sam Smith
August 23rd, 2007 3:54 am
The words your friend wrote remind me of Seth Godin’s “The Dip.”
“The Dip” is that time period just after you start something new, but before you reap the benefits. The best way to come out shining on the other side is not to simply tolerate and ride out that awkward period, but to put your shoulder down, double your efforts, and push through like a champ!
Craig Huggart
August 23rd, 2007 3:56 am
Darren:
Since I have both preached to empty pews and blogged when no one was reading, I can relate.
Great post!
I agree that when you start talking and imagining someone is listening, the creative thoughts really start to flow. When I get in front of a real audience, it’s even better. I plan to record my talks from here on out so that I can capture the spur of the moment inspirations.
Your blog has such great info. for new bloggers like me.
Keep up the great work.
Craig
Steven
August 23rd, 2007 4:03 am
Just started blogging in the last week. Have had three visitors so far, which I guess isn’t bad for a week-old blog (I hope). It was really exciting to see that I had some visitors even if they were “just passing through.” Can’t wait for my first comment! Thanks for the encouraging words!
Hank Osborne
August 23rd, 2007 4:09 am
Darren,
It is refreshing to see a man of faith allow His light to shine through on the day job once in a while. Thanks for your words of wisdom!
Telemill
August 23rd, 2007 4:27 am
Wow, what an education I receive from this site. It seems that blogging really grows in stages (from what you guys are saying).
Stage 1: Blogging with no audience
Stage 2: Blogging with no comments (up to 200+ visitors a day)
Stage 3: Blogging with an active audience
Stage 4: The media (print and audio) as part of the audience
Stage 5: Blog profitable
Do I have the sequence right?
Carl Coddington
August 23rd, 2007 4:41 am
It is awesome to see the word Church and it be used as a positive thing. I am the music director at my Church.
Darren, your blog is always an inspiration and I brag about it to everybody I can find. Thank You.
dandellion
August 23rd, 2007 4:46 am
Blogging to nobody can sound as depressing experience, but it is good thing to do. Couple of weeks ago I went through the same topics I was blogging when I started my blog. I was exposed back to my first post, had to read them and to face all those “this thread has no comments yet” notes.
but, it is good that nobody (ok, so few( people red those posts. I was still finding my topics, my style… my way into blogging. As any other activity, blogging needs to be excercised. Nice thing about it is that one’s excercises are visible to other. And for ourselves.
Advice to starters… keep writing, even if nobody reads. If nobody reads, that means that posts are, still, not good enough and that it takes time to promote the blog. But practice leads to improvments. And, one thing maybe even more important, blogger needs to feel that it is writing that is important to her. If one is ready to write just because of writing, then everything will be ok. Or so I hope :)
Jared Schwager
August 23rd, 2007 4:57 am
I can definitely attest to feeling like I’m just talking to myself on my blog. It seems like the only posts I make that get comments is when I post a new WordPress plugin.
John Burrows
August 23rd, 2007 5:07 am
Great point. The same can be said of the university classroom. It can be a humbling experience to actually SEE your audience. When I just started out I was given great advice. Just lecture to those who show up (mentally and physically). Hopefully this attitude will get me through the quiet beginning of my own blog.
Janet
August 23rd, 2007 5:12 am
I was just thinking about this issue last night as I’m coming up soon on my six-month mark as a blogger. During the first few weeks, readership built then it leveled off and has stayed stuck at a level far lower than I’d like.
I can’t decide whether I need to do more promoting, be more patient, or accept that in my topic area (food) there is so much competition–and well-established competition–that my readership may never get bigger.
tanya
August 23rd, 2007 5:16 am
When I started my second blog a few months ago, I actually was glad for the period where no one (or very few people come). It gives you time to fix the mistakes, go back and later posts and the template. I can only imagine if I had started with a splash what people would have seen and read.
Missy
August 23rd, 2007 6:01 am
Brilliant analogy and great story. I have been blogging since April, so that would make it, 4 months. I have learned loads since then about blogging, seo, promo, marketing, and also about the tech side of it, like the blog platforms such as Blogger, and WordPress. Actually i started on Blogger, and last month upgraded to WordPress, a feat i am still proud of. As i am not a techy, it has been slightly difficult for me, but a challenge that i purposely set-up for myself. There is still loads more for me to learn and fully grasp, but i love it just the same.
Yes i absolutely feel like i am talking to myself many a moments with my blogs, but i still move forward with it. I do get comments and i would say (most) of the comments and/or community i have on my blogs, i owe to my constant participation in blog communities like, Blog Catalog. As i have met many bloggers this way, and have created relationships with many of them. Highly recommend this to all NEW bloggers.
I so look forward to all your posts, Darren. Thanxs for the wonderful motivation and inspiration, this particular post has created (in me). I will admit that you post alot, and it is hard for me to keep up, but i do read like 80% of them.
Eduardo Maio
August 23rd, 2007 6:20 am
Nice words! It’s always nice to read and re-read what you are writing and thinking to yourself ‘Will I read this? If I do will I like it, will it be useful, will I comment?’.
It’s hard work but it pays!
Andrew Johnson
August 23rd, 2007 6:54 am
Here is what I did to launch my blog to get readers from day 1:
– Make posts with plenty of links to other bloggers in your niche/market. Bloggers tend to be the most prolific blog readers. Others with click the trackback links, instant reader base.
– Posts must hit highly relevant topics. When you only have a few posts, you need to differentiate yourself from everyone else. Later on you can get lazy and go off topic or ramble. Now is not the time. Good posts are what bring in RSS subscribers.
– Communicate with other bloggers. I interviewed influential people in my market. Besides giving my blog credibility it also gives you high value readers.
Mason from SmallFuel Marketing
August 23rd, 2007 7:01 am
Darren, well done motivational blog post. I’m sure you can remember what it was like starting, the rare bit of encouragement can be great.
The two things I always say are: don’t stop learning, and never give up. If you follow that you’re bound to succeed.
Thanks,
– Mason
MoMo
August 23rd, 2007 7:54 am
On my old blog (which was only in existence a few months and not really advertised anywhere) I never got comments — until one guy started commenting on every post and attacking me. He even said, “Who are you talking to? I’m the only one reading your posts!” He was very unpleasant, but at least he was taking the time to comment, LOL:) One of the big things that prevents me from commenting on others’ blogs is sometimes I have to register for that particular blog (understandable these days with all the spam) but I’ll misplace the password I set up or sometimes the comment form won’t work or I’ll lose a comment I typed and not want to go through typing it all again. Many comments have been lost that way and I just don’t take the time to notify the blog owner that their comment form is wonky because I get too frustrated with having lost my post. :(
Paquito
August 23rd, 2007 8:39 am
I agree with you (at the beginning, only 2 or 3 friends reads you and it’s over)…
Over the time, however, new users arrive… Traffic increases and, one day, there’s a comment! :-)
That’s, maybe, the best day of your blogging life: someone writes you to say something (whatever it is, someone left a message)…
I think, out of tips for beginners, blogging is a question of patience: learn to enjoy to dedicate some time every day to blog something and wait for reactions (if any) or just write it and leave it there…
But, for me, I must say, I feel great when somebody leaves me a message: It’s “feeback time” and I love it :-)
Regards/feedback from Spain :-)
Paquito.
http://paquito4ever.blogspot.com
jdub
August 23rd, 2007 10:35 am
Thanks for this post. It helps a lot, as it applies directly to me. I just started my blog last month, and have not seen much traffic yet. I finally started getting a couple of comments, and am now starting to try to publicize my blog a little more.
I love your blog because almost every post is useful to me. I read it almost daily, so thanks for all of the time and effort you put into your blog!
Brad V.
August 23rd, 2007 10:47 am
I’m more than six months since starting my blog and I still feel like I’m talking to myself. But that’s okay because I’ve been concentrating on producing quality content and I’ve seen my daily hit count steadily rising over the last two months or so. People are also starting to leave comments, though I’m not “popular” enough to comment spam.
Great post! I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who feels like I’m talking to myself with my blog.
Jen / domestika
August 23rd, 2007 11:03 am
Yes, absolutely right-on…
The point of preaching to an empty room — or of writing when there’s no one to read a brand new blog — is to hear/read your own distinctive voice, of course. Our ears/eyes are filled with other voices all day long — if we don’t learn what our own voice sounds like, we never learn to use it properly, never learn to communicate effectively and with ease and pleasure.
Nice tangent, Darren. It’ been a while… and your tangents are always instructive!
Günter Schenk
August 23rd, 2007 11:07 am
There´s so much truth in this great article and in the replies I read so far — seems that this is a tender spot to *many* more than I thought, lol :-)
Though probably not many folks seem to visit my web & programming related blog, I somehow managed to get over the initial frustration — after all it´s a personal diary that´s covering stuff which ain´t necessarily of interest to everyone, and that´s alright.
I reckon it´s all very similar to first learn playing an instrument well and later learn performing for an audience, what´s both a different kettle of fish *and* a sequential natural progress :: even “blogging to yourself” is a very good exercise in itself, and writing is a form of art, what I finally understood when recently writing a lengthy developer article in English (what´s not my native language) — however, if I didn´t have started blogging some months before, writing that article would have turned into a real nightmare.
So, even the art of initially talking to yourself is something that needs practice and routine — if you feel that your stuff starts annoying you the 2nd time you read it, others having to read it will likely have even more issues with this. Blogging without audience means, you learn pretty much about the “art of writing” as such and your own relationship to this matter — and without getting on other´s nerves at this stage, and that´s certainly a positive thing :-)
Cheers from Germany,
Günter
Curtis Penner
August 23rd, 2007 11:17 am
Thanks Darren. Just what I needed to here.
By the way, I find if I imagine my imaginary audience naked, writing posts to imaginary people becomes much more entertaining.
ning
August 23rd, 2007 11:37 am
Yes,only 20 ips a day.Nearly no one listening to me.
But I will not give up until sucess,your advice is quite useful for beginners,I am appreciated.
One more question to ask,does my personal blog need promotion?
Blog Bloke
August 23rd, 2007 11:55 am
Hello! Can you hear me now?
It seems we have even more in common after all. I trained for the ministry myself.
Anyhow, first you start by preaching to the pews, and before you know it you’re preaching to the choir ;-)
Cheers!
…BB
Ryan Paul
August 23rd, 2007 12:25 pm
I see a lot of people praising you… but I don’t see you commenting back to people.
Why don’t you answer people’s questions or respond to suggestions?
Rich Gilchrest
August 23rd, 2007 2:55 pm
Just this afternoon I realized that I am no longer talking only to myself. Of my last ten blog entries, only one has gone without comment, and that was one where readers just wouldn’t have much to say anyway. My readership is up, subscribers are up, and comments are up.
Darren is absolutely right. In the beginning, your blog will be quiet and lonely, and you will wonder if you should even bother. If you’re at all interesting, intelligent, and literate, that feeling will pass… because your readers will be the ones telling you that you’re not alone.
Alex Iskold
August 23rd, 2007 3:02 pm
Right on! The time and probability is on your side when you keep at it.
Alex
Jermayn Parker
August 23rd, 2007 3:25 pm
so your actually a preacher?? cool!!
What my end goal is as well…
Darren Rowse
August 23rd, 2007 5:17 pm
Thanks for everyone for your comments and encouragement. This post seems to have touched on something that a lot of us have felt.
Gavin – stick with it – we all have those little patches when things go quiet.
Mohsin – yes I don’t talk about the pastor stuff a lot here at ProBlogger. While I don’t hide it I guess it’s a part of my life that I don’t like push on people :-)
Amanda – yes it is uncomfortable to write when you don’t know if anyone is going to read it – but you’ll get used to it! Don’t give up – I’m sure you’re writing some great stuff.
Damian – wow, that’s a big traffic day. Now the challenge is to harness some of that new traffic to make them come back for more!
Melissa and JoLynn – yes having readers that don’t comment is a frustrating thing. I can’t remember where I saw the survey but a stat that rings in my mind is that about 1% of readers comment – so your readers sound normal.
Sam – yeah, i’ve got to get the Dip, sounds like some wise words from Mr Godin – again.
Telemill – sounds like a pretty good sequence to me. Nice one.
Andrew – great suggestions there on starting a blog. Thanks for contributing it.
Jen – yes, I need to get back to a few Tangents :-)
Günter – I like the instrument analogy
Curtis – the imaging the audience naked thing might work in some instances, but I’m not sure that doing it when preaching a sermon is recommended practice :-)
Ryan – ever had one of those days? Selling our house, sick baby, wife taking good friend to hospital, cat fight in the back yard and all before 9am :-) I get there eventually :-)
Rich – congratulations on the comments – as others have found, it’s not easy to get to that point.
Darren
August 23rd, 2007 5:26 pm
Damn that depressing feeling. I can remember that. When I first set up my blog it took months to reach any one. There were times that the only visitors I would have would be myself.
My one good tip to jump out of that is keep your eye on news in your topic(s). When something new comes out and your one of the first to find it, write about it in depth. Then you should try and visit lots of other blogs that found out about it and comment, making the suggestion to read yours. It worked for me.
For everyone in that boat just sail through it. Even the best have suffered from it but in the end it teaches you, makes you better.
Great article sorry the comment is so long.
Outfit
August 23rd, 2007 6:21 pm
Hi Darren,
From the number of responses it looks like this is just part of the journey, (as you so kindly pointed out in your email!) and I’m loving grooving around, peeking into other people’s worlds and making friends before the superhighway reaches my doorstep and I’m thrust into the role of traffic warden!
Thanks for the ever-present optimism and encouragement.
Alan Hocking
August 23rd, 2007 6:24 pm
Hi Darren,
Having spent almost 10 years now recruiting and training new sales staff and over 18 years personally in direct sales, when I moved to my new position in research and product development I missed the training sessions and feed back I would get from the new recruits.
So I started a sales training blog back in April this year and how different it felt in the early days wondering if any one was reading my posts.
Several times I thought of giving up and that I was wasting my time.
Then only yesterday a new sales recruit in one of our offices who I had not met before came up to me (He recognised my photo on my blog) and thanked me for an article I had written and asked if I could write something on an area that he had a problem with.
Then to switch on my computer this morning and find this post of yours has really inspired me to continue with my blogging and training through my blog.
Sometimes the good Lord moves in strange ways.
Thanks
Alan H.
Amyth - Talking Tails
August 23rd, 2007 7:23 pm
Loved the post!
Could relate to it quite well… Could totally relate to the “initial days” syndrome as you put it.. the awkwardness.. the desperation to not continue speaking to an empty room… Well, fortunately… (with time!) .. readership increased.. thanks to a few friends and social networking! ..
A little bit of persitance has indeed made me a better bl0gger (at least relative to how I was doing initially!).. And of course, with some nice tips from ProBlogger.net..
Thanks! :-)
Amyth - Talking Tails
August 23rd, 2007 7:24 pm
Sorry… just pasted the URL wrong on the previous comment..!
Loved the post!
Could relate to it quite well… Could totally relate to the “initial days” syndrome as you put it.. the awkwardness.. the desperation to not continue speaking to an empty room… Well, fortunately… (with time!) .. readership increased.. thanks to a few friends and social networking! ..
A little bit of persitance has indeed made me a better bl0gger (at least relative to how I was doing initially!).. And of course, with some nice tips from ProBlogger.net..
Thanks! :-)
David W Zemens - 1955 Design
August 23rd, 2007 10:08 pm
I think the bottom line is that time is your friend as a new blogger. You have to put in the time. Unless you are incredibly lucky (on the scale of winning the lottery) the only way to build traffic is with solid content. And time. Lots of time.
Allan Schmidt
August 23rd, 2007 10:54 pm
As a complete newbie blogger (less than a month), I am living the story right now. The only comments so far are from friends and as nice as that may seem, I long for more.
I await with patience and in the meantime, I get better at writing and that’s not too bad either.
Kudos to you.
Hash
August 23rd, 2007 10:58 pm
great… wonderful subject…
especially when i am just waiting for some push with in me to start blogging. Every day, i decide on the topic on which i think i should write, and it all goes down… Your post certainly gives me some encouragement, that i am not the only one to feel like this.
Should start speaking to an empty room… and maybe someone will slightly pat on the back and say…
Thanks…
Emma
August 24th, 2007 1:13 am
Darren, Thanks for that. Great analogy!
Sharon
August 24th, 2007 1:47 am
Thank you! Just what I needed to keep me going, I have been feeling rather lonely in my blog since I started it 2 weeks ago. I think we begin with unrealistic expectations just to realize we are 1 in a million out there and can float around unseen for a long long time. But sometimes I need to follow my own advice, follow the three p’s of potty training in life – Patients, Perseverance and Positive attitude.
Jason
August 24th, 2007 2:26 am
There’s an odd corollary to this, too (at least for me, having started only a few months ago)… when you write something, and then someone you know offline asks you a question that you answered on your blog. You’re left quoting yourself, which feels awkward.
I’ve decided to call that feeling Blogja Vu.
Laura
August 24th, 2007 2:52 am
Great story, and very relevant to blogging. There are times that I feel like I’m talking to no one. It CAN be frustrating, especially if you have a personality type that really thrives on feedback.
Your point about practice is well-taken.
tbfrascone
August 24th, 2007 5:05 am
Darren, I enjoy your site. I am just learning about blogging, but i found it interesting what you had to say about preaching to the empty pews. My pastor is training me to be a pastor and he told me to do the same thing, so I also prepare my sermons by preaching to an empty room. It was very awkward at first, but I am so glad he had me practice this way. I find It helps organize my thoughts so that by the time I have to do the actual sermon, it comes across a lot smoother and organized. It also helps me to be less wordy and get to the point. I have yet to blog, but I can definitely see how this story would apply to blogging or any type of writing or speaking environment. Thanks for the great article.
Linsey Knerl
August 24th, 2007 6:30 am
Wow! What an encouraging article. Not only was your insight something I needed to hear, but the other readers’ comments made me feel like I wasn’t the only one in my shoes. Great way to pull all the readers together! Thanks.
Alan Bradford
August 24th, 2007 11:27 am
Love the analogy. I too have had the feeling that nobody is reading what I’m throwing out into the world. It’s been a year and I haven’t stopped yet…
Thanks for all the tips. I’m glad I stumbled upon your site last year.
Dave Starr
August 24th, 2007 1:05 pm
Great ideas in this post, Darren. How many realize it may not be an accident that another highly successful blogger, site developer, financier, et al., Guy Kawasaki:
http://blog.guykawasaki.com/
is a graduate of at least two “Preaching Institutions”.
If you want to blog better, put your religious beliefs (or lack of same) in your back pocket and visit a church, synagogue, mosque or whatever with a large following/community presence. You will learn something about reaching people, “I gar-on-tee!”. (RIP, Justin)
Dave
August 24th, 2007 3:31 pm
Darren thanks for the inspirational words. I’m a new blogger and I’m seeing the stats go up but not getting any comments. At times I’m feeling like no one is reading my blog.
zewt
August 24th, 2007 8:32 pm
very inspirational indeed… good analogy.
luisgalonso
August 24th, 2007 9:31 pm
Actually, I feel very much like talking to myself.
Thanks for this post. I will keep “talking to myselft” hoping that it will only be memories in a few months(?).
God
August 24th, 2007 10:03 pm
Forgive me for entering the discussion so late in the day. A very useful, and inspirational post young man. I too am at the beginning of my communication 2.0 journey and your post was both timely, delightful and joyous.
Many thanks.
Gavin
August 25th, 2007 11:12 am
Great post but I still feel as though nobody is reading my page..I have a counter but most of the counts are me seeing how many people have read ha ha!
Alli
August 25th, 2007 1:05 pm
I have only been blogging over the past few months and your post highlights how I have been feeling about my blogging experience. Although I have to admit blogging does help me keep up with what is happening in my profession and the latest ideas etc as I research the topics I blog about. Which also helps me with my studies. It also helps me to get my thoughts out of my head and why not share these thoughts.
Larry Lam
August 25th, 2007 6:29 pm
Darren, thanks for your encouragement in this post. I believe that if you write on something you are passionate about, then the effort alone is worth it. Don’t think of the reward first but write from your heart and your words will find their readers.
CatherineL
August 25th, 2007 11:15 pm
Brilliant advice Darren. I am always checking my stats and wondering if anyone is really reading – especially when I have no comments.
Then, when my stats drop, I panic and try to find the post that must have driven them away – when what I really should be doing is writing the post that will bring them back.
I’ll take your advice and just battle on for the experience.
Mother Earth
August 26th, 2007 12:17 am
Great timing and sharing of your humble and thoughty beginnings and blogging success wisdom. Preaching to the “empty” choir is just too darn strange and something I have recenty felt. Is anyone out there? I appreciate the reminding that there is a beginning for a reason and from what I can tell soemthing all bloggers have felt. Nice to meet you Darren
Money Blue Book
August 26th, 2007 9:17 am
Hi! I really love this inspirational piece. I am a relatively new blogger myself. I started my new money/finance money a few months ago and sometimes I feel like I’m talking to myself. But then I turn on my Feedburner counter and look the number displayed and I don’t feel so by myself. Note: my counter says I have 4 readers…lol
Anyway, yes it is easy for beginners to get dejected…but stay determined and we will all prevail months or even years from now :) :)
-Raymond
http://www.moneybluebook.com
Asako
August 26th, 2007 1:05 pm
I totally see this post. In fact, after a month of writing to an air with no comment, and only a few visitors a day seemingly passing through within a few seconds, my blog is starting to become my personal diary….
Eliza/ BookTestOnline
August 26th, 2007 3:33 pm
Thanks again. Found your blog in June.
Tried a few of your tips over the summer.
Your blog has helped my traffic more
than anyone else. I will keep reading.
Elizabeth G.
http://BookTestOnline.com
http://booktestonlinecom.blogspot.com
Sean
August 26th, 2007 5:22 pm
I too felt like that in the beginning and I still do :-(
I have had my blog for only 3 weeks now and I am getting traffic to it, but it doesn’t seem like anyone is reading because the amount of comment is peanuts!
Thank for inspiring me though, I will contiinue to do and one day, get a popular blog like your! :-)
yiting
August 26th, 2007 9:11 pm
I have to kick myself for that. I’ve been in the blogging industry since 2004 and it’s been 3 years since then. I’m still in the infancy stage of blogging though where I feel like I’m talking to myself (still does now). Any tips for me to get more ‘hits’? Beside the fact that I should start a new blog about other topic rather than my personal life?
Manish
August 27th, 2007 2:31 am
This is a great peice of advice for all those new bloggers out there.Keep up the good work.For related blogs:blog.teensearn.com
TravelingMel
August 27th, 2007 3:26 am
Funny, I recently started a blog (about 2 weeks ago) and was just thinking about how it seems I’m putting all this stuff out there and very few people are reading it.
So, now I’ll think of it as practice time, which helps!
Fredrik Gyllensten
August 27th, 2007 6:41 am
Me like the new design on this site :)
Pádraig
August 27th, 2007 11:46 am
Another quality post. I was just wondering: at what point should we start worrying about not getting any comments? After a month or two? Or a few weeks?
Michael Willingham
August 27th, 2007 12:50 pm
Thanks for the post. I recently started my blog and am in that awkward stage now…wondering if anyone is interested, much less listening!
Thanks for the encouraging word.
JohnS0N
August 27th, 2007 10:25 pm
Very inspiring post Darren!
Kyle M. Stephens
August 28th, 2007 12:02 am
Great post! As for just starting off, I’ll take a look at your blog, Michael.
MONEY BLUE BOOK
August 28th, 2007 12:24 am
This has been the most inspiring article for me as a new blogger. I’ve been working on my money/finance blog for a few months now and I really needed to read this! It’s so easy to lose focus if you keep your morale high. Thanks for the sermon Pastor Darren! :)
– Raymond (MONEY BLUE BOOK)
MONEY BLUE BOOK
August 28th, 2007 12:30 am
Err I mean It’s so easy to lose focus if you DON’T keep your morale high.
Mikey from www.WhichWebsite.com
August 28th, 2007 12:48 am
I just love reading your blogs as they inspire me to keep writing, although I do have a habit to keep checking my stats and they are beginning to improve.
Vanessa
August 28th, 2007 7:44 am
The first real post is always the hardest. I’ve had a site for Christian women for seven years and to this day, few post comments unless its a subject that really grips them personally. There are on average 60 views a day and over a 100 when its a subject that is universal in interest.
Also I note that its when I get personally involved in the topic, my personal view in what I post, that I get the most responses and views. Most of the time you would not even know it had arrived their E-mail boxes. Its just silent. But few have unsubscribed over the years and I have subscribers from all over the world.
It takes time and trust. Also I humbly state, I know my subject matter well having studied the Bible for almost 30 years intensely. Readers are intelligent and discerning. It keeps me going. They’ve gotten to know me and can forgive when I blow it.
However, I’ve learned more from them in those few comments over the years than they learn from me though they probably would not agree. Just their faithfulness to stay with the site says a lot and encourages me not to let them down if I can help it. That means I stay true to what I believe whether they agree or not. It breeds mutual respect. I answer my e-mails and never trade them off to anyone. I respect their privacy and trust.
My blog on the other hand is not a Christian site and still new. It holds a challenge to communicate in a different arena. My asset is I have more than a passing interest in what I am trying (smile) to write about and I’ve been blogging (clumsily I might add) since 2003. Its still a challenge. I like that.
This site is an oasis and a vast resource. Your candid, personal way of communicating is a gift Darren.
bri
August 28th, 2007 9:52 am
awesome post and totally agree. i’m so glad to know i’m normal!! heehee. lets all help everyone out and read each other’s blogs! i just started mine on saturday but would appreciate even a SINGLE visit! THANK YOU for CARING!!!!! life is so freaking hard as it is…we need to help each other and be positive/believe in each other as much as we can. peace!! bri
AhmadAmir
August 28th, 2007 9:58 am
well, thank for the tips. For me, writing is not my passion plus my english is very poor. Although sometimes i’ve got many ideas to write, i still have problems to translate it from Malay language to english. English is not my first language. However, because of my poor in english thats why i try to improve this language day by day. With you informations, you are very inspiring me and now i have some guidance to follow. THANKS!
S
August 28th, 2007 11:17 pm
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
MONEY BLUE BOOK
August 29th, 2007 3:55 am
I really appreciate of the comments! Helps to keep me motivated :)
Still trying to decide on the direction on my blog though…whether towards a SEO/money making site or more towards what it was originally intended – a serious personal finance blog. Maybe somewhere it between?
Any suggestions?
-Raymond (MONEY BLUE BOOK)
Danny Tuppeny
August 29th, 2007 4:27 am
I’m suffering from very few comments, though my links have been popping up in places like Slashdot comments and the traffic isn’t bad at all (averaging 200 unique visitors/day, though a lot more today with a link in a slashdot comment).
I’m thinking about a comment contest! =D
Doug
August 29th, 2007 6:59 am
@Raymond(money blue book) i had a hard time figuring out what my blog should be about and i think most people will agree that you should do something you’re both passionate about and also have knowledge in. a mix of personal finance and SEO sounds like there’s alot of content to be had and i know alot of people will find both interesting.
ShareMySite
August 29th, 2007 7:30 am
Thanks for sharing your experience as a minister and how it relates to blogging. I have been reading your blog and its been a great service for the rest of us. Its nice to get encouragement and advice especially when you are starting out. We have been getting steady traffic to our site and the time readers spend on our site has been increasing.
Regards,
T
http://www.sharemysite.com/blog
Rod
August 29th, 2007 11:18 pm
I’ve been reading your blog for a while now, and have found it really helpful as my wife and I are just starting out in blogging. But whilst I’ve really enjoyed all the practical advice, this more personal post has made quite an impression on my perception of the writer behind the blog – positively so. Keep up the good work.
So, what church was it, or aren’t you allowed to say?
Darren Rowse
August 29th, 2007 11:36 pm
Rod – just a small emerging community called LivingRoom. A small group who gather weekly in Melbourne – usually around a meal.
JL Fleck
August 30th, 2007 1:45 am
What you describe about your process in developing a sermon compares actually to creating a painting–which I wouldn’t have thought of before. I was thinking, as I read your description, how similar the experience is. At first when I begin a new painting, no matter how many have preceeded it, I am awkward and embarrassed in a way that is very similar to talking to oneself, or writing a blog in the beginning. But, with each stroke, the painting develops and grows and those early feelings of awkwardness fade away.
Your blog and advice are interesting, and rewarding.
Thank you!
JLF
Sophie
September 1st, 2007 5:07 am
I’ve had some entries now on my blog which have attracted loads of comments, and some which are still whistling to themselves in a quiet corner. It’s interesting to see which entries get people really fired up.
One entry that I thought was just commonsense was really controversial and got bucketloads of comments. I guess you could call that commentbait! (Although I had no idea the entry was gonna be so fiery, so it was accidental commentbait).
Vero Pepperrell
September 4th, 2007 7:02 am
I’ve been blogging since 2001, so I had forgotten what it’s like to count daily unique visitors with two or three digits only, but in July, I launched a blog for the new company I’ve joined (at http://www.taptu.com/blog) and it’s most humbling to start from the beginning all over again.
This post made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, knowing there’s nothing wrong starting from scratch and that, given time and some loving attention, it’ll grow into a social and humanised blog with plenty of active readers.
Thanks Darren!
Starfeeder
September 4th, 2007 3:50 pm
Strange, for some reason I can’t picture you as a minister Darren.
carrie
September 4th, 2007 10:38 pm
I started my blog about a year ago and don’t have a lot of subscribers yet, but I still find the process very enjoyable as I used to always keep a journal growing up, and it’s somewhat similar. I recently added many of the social networking widgets thinking they would magically work, but then realized you have to be an active participant in these sites in order to make a difference, and this can be somewhat time consuming. I am also experimenting with Word Press versus Blogger, which I am using now, and wondering whether Word Press is more interactive, as I have been reading. I liked that the program imported all my Blogger entries with no problem, except for some of the videos. Has anyone had experience lately with converting to Word Press and has it made a difference?
sarika
September 5th, 2007 3:35 am
Thanks for your valuable post, because i have created 2 blogs, one about marriage experiences and other about classical stories, but i was thinking that it has no use because of the response. now after reading this post, i am feeling encouraged and thinking to continue. the problem is i am not getting what are the things i should write on the marriage experiences blog. could you please guide me in this matter. I will be very grateful to you because i want to earn money to fulfil my family needs but not getting what to do.
Ladan
September 5th, 2007 4:27 am
The title of this article clearly explains how I’m feeling about my blogs. I feel that no one cares to read it and comment or email me about it. For instance, I’m using Twitter, and Tumblr. Twitter isn’t a blog necessarily, but Tumblr is. It is a private blog where no one is to comment on your posts. But still, I’d encourage people to email me on my blog entries there. I do have another place where I post entries. Yahoo 360. That one is the only one that is open to the public.
Another place is GaiaOnline, a chat forum where I go and chat with friends and other Gaians. I have posted many journal entries there. Yet not very many read them and comment them.
Joseph Bernard
September 5th, 2007 12:28 pm
Thanks for sharing about you practicing your talks in an empty church. I can hear and feel what that was like even though I have never done that. What you do well in a simple and clear way is present your ideas and the ideas are of value. Thanks you for ministering to us bloggers. It is really appreciated.
Mich
September 20th, 2007 5:38 pm
I can totally relate! :)
Wakish
November 16th, 2007 10:41 pm
Well Darren, I’m in a position to say: “I’m really feeling like I’m talking to myself”.
I’m doing my best to produce some good articles, but there are absolutely no comments. I find myself a bit frustrated by this at the moment.
I don’t know how much truth there is in what you are saying in this article Darren.
But as they say: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”.
So, lets see where’s my way..
- Waish -
Y. S.
December 26th, 2007 3:02 am
I’ve been talking to my self for the past month :(
What scares me is an article i read somewhere about blogging. It said that blogging has reached its Max and its starting to go back down … is that true?
calypsodinakar
June 15th, 2008 4:03 pm
As I reflect upon my early days of blogging where I felt that nobody was listening I now realize that that was a time where I learned a lot about what I wanted to say and how to say it.
calypsodinakar
===============================================
There are a lot of sites out there showing book video. BookVideoTV, BookTelevision and of course CSPAN, but I like how BN.com and Reader’s Entertainment TV have specific genre channels and original shows. There’s just more to see and I can be specific in what genre I’m interested in. Anyone else watch online tv?
xioshe
July 15th, 2008 5:19 pm
I used to have a blogging site, so I can relate. I was worried about the fact that it felt like nobody was reading it, but overtime, that feeling subsided. It became more of an experience of journaling my thoughts so that I can look back and go “Ah-hah, I remember that.” In other words, the organized form of blogging became a way of understanding myself better than the jumble that never rests in my head. The feeling that you see yourself in another light can sometimes make you feel satisfy. At least, that’s what it was for me. Now, I see blogging as more of expressing myself to myself more than just plainly sharing my thoughts, knowledge, and experience with an audience. Thinking of it that way makes it feel like having only a few readers will be alright until it grows.
Gloson
November 21st, 2008 7:50 pm
This REALLY motivated me…I’m currently posting daily in my blog, but it seems to me that no one reads it. And no one comments… :( . But my blogging experience is improving.
So, it sounds to me like you are ‘preparing’ (improving) yourself for other readers.
Thanks Darren.
Zsolt Balla
December 26th, 2008 7:55 pm
Wow! By far the most inspiring words I’ve read in quite a while.
kelly
January 3rd, 2009 1:08 pm
Yes it is so true that in the intial stages you feel you are talking to yourself.Its just taking yourself through these stages that you reach where people start reading your blog and you have your own set of followers than you gain the confidence. So just keep rodding along!
Kelly
junior golf camp
PeterS
February 16th, 2009 9:07 pm
I like the analagy between writing a sermon and writing a blog post. Both, as you indicate, are aimed at ‘giving’ something of true value. Thanks for all the advice you give us on your blog.
Booktin
March 16th, 2009 8:24 pm
Oh my gosh – I so feel like that right now! I feel like I’m putting everything into my writing and no one is reading, it gets disheartening most of time. This was so reassuring. You’re the daddy of blogging (gross I’m gushing)
Debra
June 22nd, 2009 11:40 am
I’m starting a blog and so glad I found this tonight. It definitely encouraged me to push through the initial awkward stage. Thank you. : )
Debbie
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