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.
Mark, you are not alone! I came into blogging late in the life cycle as well. The camaraderie gained through the blogging community is priceless. Interesting perspective that your blog drives your wargaming rather than the converse. I wonder how many others of us fall into that same bucket?
DeleteI 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
As I mentioned in my reply to Matt, above, I find replying to multi-threaded posts more difficult than single themed posts. Perhaps it is hard for me to have more than one thought on a given post? I agree that Norm's post are well polished as are his comments here! Like you, my posts tend toward hammering something out and letting it rip.
DeleteThanks for your comments, Iain!
There 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 agree with you Michal! There are many ways in which to slice this pie. There never is enough to do accomplish all we wish. Tradeoffs must be made and any content should be savored.
DeleteI blog therefore I am...
ReplyDeleteGood one!
DeleteFor 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.
ReplyDeleteYep. Blogging is about archiving our individual journeys. For me, blogging still holds a center place in My Wargaming Life. Thank you for your comment!
DeleteI 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. : )
Anthony, great response full of your own observations from your moderator's experience. Whether one chooses to comment or not is a personal choice. I am always grateful when someone takes the time and effort to reply to a post. I am doubly grateful to see a comment from you, a self-confessed lurker!
DeleteLast 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.
John, I am happy to see that you have found a sweet spot for your blogging activities. Writing battle reports takes a lot of effort. Effort that I have brought up more than once. Keeping an archive of your battles offline is a good solution. I recently found software that allows me to archive my entire blog for offline search and retrieval.
DeleteI agree that commenting via phone is a difficult ask especially for me since I am not a frequent texter. I would much rather see even a brief comment than an almost automatic "Like."
Thanks for your feedback, John!
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.
Thank you, Norm, for taking a second swing at commenting here!
DeleteI figured most readers would have already read your post. I left the link as a reference for those wanting a refresher. I encourage readers to follow the link to read your original post.
My summary and take-aways from your post may have been influenced by your earlier writings on lack of feedback. One take-away was that you were redirecting your efforts only partially due to disillusionment in the current state of etiquette and low reader engagement.
Thanks Jon, yes I think the Forum entry just brought those things you mentioned back into immediate focus for me. I rather connect with John Y’s first paragraph above.
DeleteAs a fellow Chronic Journaler, I agree with John's comments above too!
DeleteI view my blog as a form of record-keeping, or cataloguing my progress primarily i terms of painting output. I do wish though I had recorded more AARs as I play upwards of forty or so games each year and so many have either been totally forgotten, or vaguely remembered by just one or two of the participants. The trouble is though that we become so engrossed in the game that I either forget, as happened with a recent game of Midgard, or I am reticent to keep stopping the action to take photos especially as none of my other gaming friends maintain a blog and are just not interested in recording things for posterity.
ReplyDeleteI am constantly surprised how much effort goes into writing an AAR in the few I have done, which makes me appreciate the output of others such as yourself even more.
I find other people's blogs a great source of inspiration and motivation, so approach the viewing of them with a different mindset than I do in the maintenance of my own.
Yes, I view my blog and blogging in the same light. Writing AARs is hard work, indeed! I would like to see more of your 40 games per year chronicled if only briefly. Blogs are a good source of inspiration, motivation, and camaraderie. Thank you, Lawrence!
DeleteI must admit that my blogging activity has been in a slump lately, and this has caused me to think about it. Frankly, I have been enjoying "hobbying" without the added weight of taking pictures and thinking about putting a report together. Some of this probably has to do with the flow of life in general: sometimes, there just isn't that much energy or free time (has nothing to do with enthusiasm). Having said all of the above, I do think blogging as an extension of the hobby still has value for me, but like other bits of the hobby, there are periods of burnout when you need a bit of a pause to get going again .
ReplyDeleteYour blogging efforts may be in a slump now, but it may be only part of a downcycle. I always enjoy your sword collecting posts and seeing your thoughts on 19th Century wargame design. Keep it up and post when you are moved to do so!
DeleteFor me, blogging has been more about cataloguing my own progress on various projects, which helps motivate me to keep going sometimes. My post count goes up and down depending upon my enthusiasm.
ReplyDeleteAny games I've enjoyed are normally just given a quick report and a few photos, I'm often too immersed in a game to make detailed notes, preferring to just roll the dice. But I can still look back on them at a later date and reminisce.
Thank you for your feedback on your own blogging adventure, Neil! You are in good company!
DeleteJon -
ReplyDeleteInteresting conversation Norm has begun. Seeing his post the other day, I was moved to comment and discovered his blog wasn't accepting them.
I like to receive comments on my blog, and years ago I formed the habit of responding to them. I sometimes think my comments are really beginnings of a new posting - and very occasionally have indeed led to a follow-up posting.
I began the 'Archduke Piccolo' blog as a convenient record combining word and picture. In more recent years it has been mostly chronicles of campaigns and battles, though 'army building' projects have now and then featured. I don't 'do' padding or 'fillers' (though I have done, early on). I find myself with ideas for presentation without actually following through on them (and right now have two postings that have been months 'in draft', and a couple of pic essays in my files that were supposed to fetch up as more postings.
These days I'm a bit more sparing with my comments on other posts. There have been a lot of occasions in which I have thought about commenting - occasionally got off a sentence or two - and then decided I really had nothing interesting to say. A 'good work' comment is as nice to give as to receive, but there are just so many way to convey that. I will make some such comment is I'm looking at something eye-catchingly new and interesting!
And if the topic is especially thought-provoking, I like to get conversational, even if the exchange is just 'read and respond'.
Cheers,
Ion
It is clear that the blogging moment has past but I find Facebook or Instagram are not the same and it is also impossible to ever find anything again on those platforms. I have thought about Youtube but it just doesn't seem the appropriate medium for my wargaming. I would find learning all the tools to do the videos a pain as well.
ReplyDeleteMy blog posts are written to diarise my efforts and also to help "up my game". I find that when I am writing a scenario for a game that will go on the blog I put in more effort and as a result the game itself is so much more enjoyable. I have blogged all of my 16th century games and am very pleased I have done so as it forms a great record to look back on and also to think about what to do next.
I try and do one post a month, which is normally not a problem as I paint pretty quickly and normally do at least six games a year. I have found the blogging a great addition to the hobby and have made some very good friends through it.
I guess I will stop as soon as it becomes a burden.