So... Should I continue posting to this blog at all? If so, what's working in the concept and design, and what's not? I haven't actually checked my stats in quite a while, so my current impressions are based more on intuition than hard data, but I suspect that readership and interest have waned significantly, especially if comments and trackbacks are any indication. That never mattered to me overmuch, since all along this journal has been as much for my own benefit than for an external audience, but as work, my relationship and my other online interests--like Flickr--continue to vie for my attention, and additionally as I've increasingly avoided talking about the more intimate details of parts of my life--notably romantic and professional--where I know the people involved are reading the blog, I've begun to wonder if this exercise really has (if it ever did) any continued relevance for others.
If so, are there things you'd prefer I did differently? For example, would you rather I separated the quicklinks and/or the photos more distinctly from the personally written entries? Should I provide separate RSS feeds for the links and photos, rather than consolidating them all into a single feed as I do now? Are the personal entries themselves just too few and far between, or lack sufficient intimacy to keep you interested and engaged?
I'm looking for honest--though, I hope, constructive and respectfully offered--criticism. I'm open to suggestions, receptive to change, and even willing to hear that this site just isn't particularly relevant or engaging. I no longer need to post here solely for myself, since I have plenty of other good tools--flickr, del.icio.us, to name just two--for managing my links, photos and other data. And I have a partner with which to discuss most of the personal thoughts, emotions and fears I might once have shared here more intimately, lacking other outlets nor fearing reprisal. On the other hand, I'm not averse to continuing writing here, whether the site remains as is or evolves based on comments and suggestions, if there's a sense that it has some value to others.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the matter, whether through comments posted here or through private email, and I thank you for your consideration.
Dear Elf
I wonder how many sites of whatever nature you visit in a day/week...? How many of those do you keep returning to? How many of those do you bookmark or capture in RSS? How many do you look at & think 'I love how that's done'? How many do you look at & think 'How do you do that'? And how many do you do all of these things & never post a comment thanking that person for the inspiration? I'm afraid I do it every day. I've been looking at your site daily for about a month now. I can't remember how I came to it...maybe from flickr, maybe from another link...but I think it's just lovely & an inspiration. Do with it whatever's best for you; in your life right now you might think it's time to move on...most things can get left behind at some times in our lives. Whatever you do there are many like me who look but say nothing.
Cheers.
John
Cambridge UK
Thom,
Comments should not be a measurement for those who come to your pay. I come daily. Usually 99% not in a comment mood.