Tuesday 15 July 2008

is anyone out there?

Traffic to this blog has slowed almost to a standstill. I'm currently getting less than ten page hits a day. *Grace extracts her violin* I have the following theories about why this might be...

1. I bore all first-time visitors so they never come back, never link me, never tell their friends about me. I mean, do most people out there care about how Grace can't find a church that'll welcome her husband? Wouldn't they rather be hearing the more intimate details of our sex life?

2. I'm so intent on keeping this blog anonymous that I can't really promote myself to anyone. I've scribbled down the address to Steve, to Lampbus and to One of Beloved's Students (all of whom seemed both particularly interested and exceptionally discreet) and I've carried over a few trusted friends from previous blogs (Erika, Erin, Lilwatchergirl, MadPriest, Eileen, my Mum) and then there's Caroline, with whom I got into blogging in the first place. I'm not going to be advertising myself on my Facebook page (which is still getting multiple visits from former colleagues) or linking my blog to the Proper Bits of Writing I do...

3. I don't get involved in blogospheric controversy and dramas. I love reading the sparring matches which take place on OCICBW, Doorman-Priest, and MentalNurse, but really, I've got enough to get wound up about in offline life already...

4. "Jesus Wept" is hardly a cutting-edge or sexy title. I'm sure that if I renamed by blog "Grace has 32B cleavage" or "Hot new nude Paris Hilton vids", I'd be getting a few more page hits through Google...

But still, at least I've got nothing much else to worry about now...

9 comments:

Erika Baker said...

Your blog is one of only 7 I read regularly, so I'm definitely a convert.

I wonder whether the most visited and commented blogs aren't the ones that have more abstract/theoretical/theological questions, or a mix of those and the personal things.

That makes it easier to get into a conversation/discussion, and you end up talking with the other commenters as much as with the author.

grace said...

"I wonder whether the most visited and commented blogs aren't the ones that have more abstract/theoretical/theological questions..."

True. I just really, though, wouldn't want my blog to host discussions which provoke some of the disrespect, bitterness, acrimony I've seen on other blogs... how does one prevent that?

I feel a post maybe coming on...

Steve Lancaster said...

Got back from holiday yesterday, and frantically caught up with the regulation fix of "emerging" blogs, only to feel increasingly as if some are emerging the way our cat emerges halfway through its catflap before its belly gets in the way.

Then I checked into your blog. Big smiles; real warmth and depth; relevant and unblinkered issues dealt with over an extended period; challenge re: the recent faith/healing story... should I go on? The other blogs wound me up: yours extended me. I rant about some blogs to my wife: I enthuse about yours.

So: I'd love to link your blog (anonymously) elsewhere. I know I'm not the only one who'd find it helpful (and a great read). In fact, I'll mention it here: http://asbojesus.wordpress.com/2008/07/14/512/#comments
- reckon that might be you in the cartoon!

Last thought: I guess different people blog for different reasons and it sometimes takes a new reader a while to suss out the culture on a particular blog ('cos there is one).

Just a note re: comments - you've more than many! Oh, and please don't change the title to anything in (4) as it'd be a real hassle trying to explain why I'm interested in blogs about hotel chains or corsetry to Emma! (Though easier than explaining my fascination with church...)

grace said...

Hi again :-)

And don't worry... I won't change the name to relate to any popular google searches of Paris Hilton's escapades. That girl gets enough free publicity as it is..

Erin said...

:) I don't get many more hits than that at the best of times. But I don't really care about it. I mostly write for myself. The friendships are a super unexpected bonus. Anything else that comes of it...? Well more of an unexpected bonus, I suppose.

Anonymous said...

(((((Grace))))))

I've been nuts...I'm teaching a class this summer, and I've joined two multi-author blog projects - have I mentioned I'm nuts? Laughs.

I love reading your stuff, and I'll give you a plug, if you like (so the 10 people who read my blog regularly can come visit you too!)

I'm sorry I've been busy and neglecting you!

grace said...

Hi Erin, hi Eileen :-) But please... I didn't want to make anyone feel guilty..

And don't worry, I won't start promoting my bra size here. There's nothing much to advertise, anyway (sorry, TMI).

Anonymous said...

I read in bloglines, and so do 5 other people.
Trust me, having a lot of traffic etc is no easy ride! As you can see things are very complicated. Don't knock it too much!!

Anonymous said...

Grace - I used to be RC - guilt is a natural by product of breathing...although I fight mightily against it...