The recurring theme of Norm's Thinking Aloud post centers on the tension between pouring significant effort into creating thoughtful, detailed blog content and seeing minimal interaction or feedback in return. This one-way communication leads to questioning whether maintaining a wargaming blog (two in Norm's case) continues to be worthwhile. When compared against simply enjoying gaming without the increased overhead of writing about gaming, the answer to this question, to some, becomes clear.
This diary entry argues that blogging has evolved from simply a means of sharing our enthusiasm for wargaming into another hobby of blogging about wargaming. This sub-hobby demands time, energy, and emotional investment often without reciprocal engagement from readers. This lack of encouragement may lead to a sense of fatigue and a recalibration of priorities.
Norm concludes that disillusionment about the current state is not the major driver of these reflections but one of reorientation. Perhaps reorientation allows a reclamation of the undistracted joy of gaming, itself? There may be times in which each of us asks similar questions. The answers may be different for each of us, but the theme may rhyme. Responses likely depend upon why we share our wargaming adventures through blogging and what motivates each of us to continue.
In the end, should wargaming be a private pleasure rather than a public performance? Do you share Norm's concerns and frustrations?
The floor is open for discussion.
"In the end, should wargaming be a private pleasure rather than a public performance?"
ReplyDeleteThat depends on you; I set up my blog as it was all the rage, then singularly failed to use it for many years! Mostly, I struggled with how to do things.
When I returned to it in earnest, my aim was to catalogue my progress, mainly on the Soldier King project - it was primarily for me and has provided considerable motivation in tracking progress and being a handy source for how I did things. I never really expected to gain an audience.
I now seem to have around 44 followers and perhaps up to 20 occasional and regular commentators. Some topics seem much more popular than others.
I try to comment on others blogs - not being able to do so except via laptop is a major frustration.
I think what Norm is experiencing is the exciting frisson of being noticed/ making a connection with someone / receiving the gratification of a response to his posts; the frustration comes from the tumbleweed reaction after sharing something.
It probably doesn't help that he's turned off comments! Many will assume he doesn't want to engage....some may be unable to comment due to Google.
I think it's easy to fall into the trap of seeking rewards or positive feedback from such things, much like social media "likes". Personally, I stop myself whenever I find myself waiting for a response to my posts or comments - get real- it's a tiny blog in a niche hobby! Should I care whether others respond? Does my self-esteem depend on it? Maybe to some extent but it's not why I started....
Some of my early posts had no or one or two comments - does it matter? In some cases I know others have looked back through my blog (and said so in comments) and when I look back I occasionally find a comment posted some time (years even) after the post. I know I have looked back through others blogs for inspiration.
"Do you share Norm's concerns and frustrations?"
No, not really. Like "blogging is dead" I kind of ignore it. Blogs are a great source of inspiration, wkth posts long after they were written being of interest and especially photos. I do mine for me. That others find anything inspiring or useful or even want to follow and comment is just a bonus.
Neil
Thank you, Neil! You tackle each question in great detail. Good job! I agree that blogging is a personal choice and how you approach it differs, individually. For me, it is a journal of my wargaming journey. I am delighted when others choose to comment but I make requirement to do so.
DeleteAs you say Jon I’m sure something we have all considered on occasions. I have a couple of rules with my blog……which I try to stick to. 1. Don’t blog for the sake of it, ie I only post when I have something specific to share this means the number of posts has reduced over the years. 2. Don’t save stuff just to create more ‘content’ that is why I often combine posts with battle reports and stuff I have painted, for me it is first a record of what I have done and second a way to share with others who might be interested. Primarily the blog is a record for me not for others. 3. I try to avoid blogging anything not specifically related to wargaming/ military history (this does get broken of course when sharing railway pictures or mountain pictures) 4. Keep it brief, this is in my nature I guess. 5 and finally, I only blog when I feel like it and often I prefer to paint or something else that is fine as for me it isn’t an independent activity more a way of recording what I have done. Of course everyone to their own and it depends why each person is blogging…..
ReplyDeleteThanks, Matt! Like you, I blog mostly for my own entertainment and record keeping. Having thoughtful reader feedback is a terrific motivator to press on. Brevity is an important attribute, I reckon. As in the old Zork text adventure in the early days of PCs, my writing often has "Max Verbosity" turned off. I find replying to combined posts with multiple themes more difficult to respond to than single-threaded posts. That may just be me, however. Good feedback!
DeleteI blog about wargaming because it’s a comfortable way for me (being socially VERY anxious) to engage with other likeminded individuals wherever they happen to be in the world. I view it as a way to have a lot of arms length friendships - without the stress of direct commitments.
ReplyDeleteI don’t have a lot of followers because I started blogging long after it began to be superseded by the likes of Facebook but I do have a very high percentage of comments and interactions with those that follow it. In truth it’s those interactions that keep me blogging and focussed on the hobby. I suspect that without these interactions I would spend less time painting and gaming rather than more and eventually I’d probably drift off to do something else entirely. I may be a bit of an outlier but I suspect that my blog drives the hobby rather than it being the other way around.
I think I'm in Matts camp, in that I try to post when I have something and don't feel it necessary to post unless I've got something worthwile and also it's primarily a record of figures painted and I'm more a painter than a gamer in many ways. Unlike Matt I like to keep AARs and painting seperate so I can refer back to posts when I need to, do I like comments? Yes but they're not essential as I said above ,it's a record for me, everyone else is a bonus! I remain disappointed Norm has turned off comments as I enjoyed the discussion but if it causes him grief to have them it's fair enough he's turned them off. His posts are always polished and considered, whereas mine are at best slapdash and rapidly knocked up, so maybe I don't value my posts as much as him?
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThere are probably as many points of view as there are bloggers.
ReplyDeleteI think it's nice to leave a mark on another blog – out of gratitude for the time another creator has dedicated – through painting, playing, and writing about it.
Personally, it makes me happy and motivates me to continue blogging.
It's a sacrifice – home, children, work, other activities.
In my case – unfortunately, for many years, it's been a dilemma – whether to play, participate in wargaming events, or paint (for pure pleasure!), edit photos, and publish.
There's no time for either...
I blog therefore I am...
ReplyDeleteFor me, blogging is as much about recording my hobby endeavours for my own enjoyment as it is for others; much like a journal or public diary. It doesn't really compete with my time gaming as games are few and far between due largely to the fact that there are few historical wargamers within 100Km of me. It is a shame that blogging has been left behind in the wake of other forms of social media as it is a great platform for documenting our hobby.
ReplyDeleteI shall comment on this from a slightly diffrent angle, as I don't blog (I'm not reliable enough to keep it going, tbh) - though I'm a forum moderator, one of whose duties is to keep a flow of "chatter" going, so I empathise with some of the issues.
ReplyDeleteOne mistake that some bloggers make (not, I think, anyone here) is being unclear what they are doing it for. Are you wanting to share learning or experience? Do you want to build a virtual friendship group? Do you intend to try to be interactive, shaping content based on reader demand, or simply just to express yourself? If you don't think about this, you won't produce something that will develop a loyal following.
As to comments, the dull thud of a well-considered post which you have spent time crafting going live and no-one seems to notice is a killer. You challenge yourself - am I that dull? Or is it just more random what does and doesn't catch the attention? So, like throwing the dice, you get ones and you get sixes and, no matter how much it feels like it, there is no eternal conspiracy. Pick up and go again.
Final vaguely connected comment. I don't often comment on blogs, even Jon's. I know folks have said about it being polite to say something and I have admitted being miffed when I think I'm being ignored, but I do like comments with content. If I can make a suggestion, or, even better, engage in conversation on the blog topic, I happily will. But I feel being artificial and saying "Great brushwork" or similar every post (and, frankly, given how jealous I am of Jon's painting skills, this could happen a lot).
I'll leave it there - probably the longest comment I've ever put on a blog as it is. : )
Last year, I made an effort to stop taking pictures of every game I played (and writing, in my head at least, a draft for an accompanying blogpost). I felt I was too caught up in creating posts and thinking about "the audience". The result has been a greater enjoyment of the games, with more immersion - much the same as when I began wargaming (2005, well into the internet age). That said, I am a chronic journaler, so I started an offline Google doc for my hobby thoughts. I still post on the blog, because I like seeing the pictures and text laid out together and being able to pull it up easily to read it on my phone, compared to the Google doc which is over 100 pages, with no pictures and loads like molasses.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of my phone ..
A quick search of the web suggests that the vast majority of blog readers do so via smartphone. I certainly am one of those - and leaving a comment via my phone is neigh impossible unless it's a thumbs up or an emoji. An actual comment typed on my phone is a doomed enterprise.
I can't recall, but I'm fairly certain this is why Facebook added the "like" button way back when (2009). Sadly, Blogger does not have a "like" option built into its posts (and there's no widget available to my knowledge. WordPress users can install a third-party plugin that does it - the Lone Warrior blog has one such plug-in installed - if it's not already native to the platform, but Blogger users don't have that luxury.) Now, I'm not convinced people desiring comments would find a "like" any more satisfying than no response at all - for me, "likes" were probably the 1st nail nail in the FB coffin - but it *is* a way to express appreciation and to do so via a phone's screen easily.
Try again :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jon for bringing the topic to a place where it can be discussed. I hope your readers want to add their thoughts and would add that I don’t need to be handled gently ….. i might be talking a load of old tosh (again) :-)
I would like to be clear that my post was NOT reflecting a ‘need’ for people to comment on my blog or to stroke me, the fact that I have comments turned off for so long should attest to that ….. rather, my disappointment is that there is a widespread sentiment amongst the internet audience that they do not themselves see the need to offer a quick thank you or comment and that applies across the board to things like YouTube etc, where there is relative low engagement. I.e. I feel the creator and their work is generally taken for granted and that general internet etiquette is lacking.