Maggie Asks Questions About Blogging

Fandango

Maggie, over at From Cave Walls, wrote a post today where she offered some sound blogging advice and also posed a number of questions for her fellow bloggers to answer. You can visit her post here. I’m going to answer her questions from my perspective.

Do you respond to every comment, even if it is just an emoji?

No. I wish I could, but I just don’t have the time. But I do read every comment and I will at least acknowledge it with a “like,” even if it’s just an emoji.

Are there styles, colors, or fonts that make reading a blog more difficult?

I’m not a fan of blogs with dark backgrounds and white, light gray, or other lighter, contrasting colored fonts. I read exclusively from my iPhone and find these hard on the eyes. I also don’t like overly fancy fronts. I find some ornate, script-like fonts difficult to read. I am generally a minimalist and I like to keep things simple, so that readers can focus on my words and not get distracted by the appearance of the blog.

Under what circumstances would you block a user?

I rarely have blocked any user, as I can take just about anything anyone throws at me. That said, I have blocked one or two users who, in the comments section on my posts, become abusive or offensive toward my readers.

Are there certain topics you refuse to engage with?

Not really. Bring it on.

How do you feel about blogging awards?

I feel that they are a dime a dozen and there are so many awards floating around that they have lost their meaning. I have designated my blog as an award-free blog.

How old is your current blog?

I started this blog in May of 2017. This is my fifth blog (hence fivedotoh.com). I started my first blog in October 2005.

Do you respond to prompts?

I both respond to a number of prompts and host a number of prompts.

Does the number of your blog followers matter to you?

According to WordPress, I have around 5,000 followers. Yeah, right. That number doesn’t matter to me at all. What matters most to me are comments and likes from actual readers.

What motivates you to follow or unfollow a blog?

I follow bloggers who write engaging, informative, entertaining, witty, and well-written posts. I will periodically go through my list of bloggers I follow and purge bloggers that haven’t posted anything in the past four or five months. I figure they have quit blogging.

What is your blogging pet peeve?

First and foremost, it’s the shenanigans the geniuses at WordPress pull when they “fix” something that wasn’t broken or roll out new features and functionality that no one asked for or really wants. Also, the fact that WordPress seems to be catering to commercial and business bloggers rather than us casual hobby bloggers really bugs me.

Blogging is a medium built around words and writing. If you blog, you should learn how to construct sentences using proper syntax, to use proper grammar, correct word usage, and appropriate punctuation. And to spell.

In her post, Maggie offered five pieces of blogging advice, all of which were good. I’d like to add a sixth:

Create an “About” page. Tell us who you are and a little about yourself.

35 thoughts on “Maggie Asks Questions About Blogging”

  1. lifelessons February 2, 2022 / 11:08 am

    I agree with so much of what Fandango has said that I’ve decided it is unnecessary to answer the questions. We agree down the line…

    Liked by 3 people

      • lifelessons February 2, 2022 / 3:03 pm

        I kept thinking if I answered truly, they’d just think I was echoing you…and it saved me some effort!!!

        Liked by 2 people

        • Forestwood February 4, 2022 / 8:49 pm

          From what I can see and read, most bloggers who have responded with similar posts from Maggie’s original post, concur on most points.

          Liked by 1 person

      • lifelessons February 2, 2022 / 3:33 pm

        Of course. I especially appreciate what you said about people who post with colored letters on dark backgrounds. I just have to skip them as I have a terrible time reading them–or fancy fonts. I actually would rather concentrate on the words and photos, not the fancy formats that in my mind detract, don’t add to the effect.

        Liked by 1 person

  2. pensitivity101 February 2, 2022 / 12:06 pm

    Agree with you about the About Page Fandango. So many new bloggers don’t seem to have one and I like to know a little background of the blogger I’m visiting.

    Liked by 4 people

      • Marleen February 2, 2022 / 1:38 pm

        I’m considering a blog or website (no sense of urgency or idea of timeframe for arrival), and I agree with that as a starting point.

        Liked by 2 people

        • Fandango February 2, 2022 / 10:56 pm

          You should start your own blog, Marleen. I’d be one of your first followers.

          Liked by 1 person

  3. Carol anne February 2, 2022 / 12:24 pm

    Great answers Fandango! I agree, an about me page is important to have IMO!

    Liked by 3 people

  4. Taswegian1957 February 2, 2022 / 2:18 pm

    I agree that there should be an About page too. A lot of blogs that I come across don’t have them and I do like to know something about the writer. I also wish more people would include some form of navigation on their home page whether it be pages, categories, tags or just a search box as I often have no idea how to find the subjects I might be interested in.

    Liked by 4 people

    • Fandango February 2, 2022 / 10:58 pm

      I agree about showing broad categories as well as a search box.

      Liked by 1 person

  5. donmatthewspoetry February 2, 2022 / 2:28 pm

    I’m a little blogger
    i can spel
    Sintax perfect
    Clear as bell

    Ding ding…….

    I got 700 followers Fan…..

    Yay……..

    Liked by 5 people

  6. bushboy February 2, 2022 / 2:47 pm

    I’m with you on styles, colors, or fonts. Stick to basics and everyone is happy

    Liked by 3 people

  7. JT Twissel February 2, 2022 / 3:12 pm

    I have blocked bloggers who try to use my blog to promote their products.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Fandango February 2, 2022 / 10:59 pm

      That’s a good reason to block someone.

      Like

    • Fandango February 2, 2022 / 11:00 pm

      Thanks, Lauren. I’m very pleased to hear that.

      Liked by 1 person

  9. wrookieschu February 2, 2022 / 3:24 pm

    Great points Fandango! I also dislike when WP changes features that are not warranted 🙈

    Liked by 3 people

  10. Marilyn Armstrong February 2, 2022 / 5:06 pm

    AND add a contact page! You have no idea how many times I want to say something privately but can’t. A “contact” link is private and makes it easy. It SHOULD be easy.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Fandango February 2, 2022 / 11:01 pm

      Another good add.

      Like

  11. Maggie February 2, 2022 / 5:46 pm

    All great things to consider Fandango. Thanks for adding the About Me page and thanks to Marilyn for the comment about the Contact page. I do appreciate good grammar as well although I find I slip sometimes myself.

    Liked by 3 people

  12. Sadje February 2, 2022 / 6:41 pm

    Very good advice Fandango on “about page”. I agree with you on the WP antics.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Nope, Not Pam February 3, 2022 / 1:26 am

    I don’t think I have an About Page, I wouldn’t know what to write. 🙁

    Liked by 3 people

    • Fandango February 3, 2022 / 7:45 am

      Just a brief blurb about who you are (to whatever extent you wish to share), what your blog is about, and why you blog.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Stuart Danker February 3, 2022 / 3:01 pm

    Oh yeah, I’m always captious of blogs with a high number of followers but with two bits of engagement per post. Those really look super dodgy to me. Thanks for introducing Maggie to me too. Will definitely check her out.

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Forestwood February 4, 2022 / 8:53 pm

    Most of us should have an about page, but is it up to date? My About page was one of the first things I did and I do update it but not constantly. I also have a contact page.
    As I mentioned to Judy, above, most serious bloggers seem to agree with each other with minor differences. Many followers never unfollow even if they disappear from regular visits to the blogosphere so followers isn’t relevant to bloggers, only perhaps to marketing folks. The main interactions with your posts are an indication of who is reading.

    Liked by 1 person

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