Comments on: Close to Pulling the Plug http://www.israellycool.com/2008/10/29/close-to-pulling-the-plug/ Down Under Punditry in the Middle East Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:48:34 +0200 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: ck http://www.israellycool.com/2008/10/29/close-to-pulling-the-plug/comment-page-1/#comment-21516 ck Sun, 02 Nov 2008 08:53:28 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/?p=7742#comment-21516 That's ok. I know where the fucker lives. That's ok. I know where the fucker lives.

]]> By: israellycool http://www.israellycool.com/2008/10/29/close-to-pulling-the-plug/comment-page-1/#comment-21515 israellycool Sun, 02 Nov 2008 08:20:06 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/?p=7742#comment-21515 You sure you want to be leaving your phone number in the comments. Your "admirer" might see it and start crank calling you. You sure you want to be leaving your phone number in the comments. Your "admirer" might see it and start crank calling you.

]]> By: ck http://www.israellycool.com/2008/10/29/close-to-pulling-the-plug/comment-page-1/#comment-21514 ck Sun, 02 Nov 2008 07:29:54 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/?p=7742#comment-21514 Aw man. Now I feel bad for not having left enough comments. You wrote "this is not a post designed to solicit complimentary comments" so I won't say anything complimentary. Your blog sucks and the only reason I visit is because I think you personally are a nice guy. OK, that was a lie. I don't even think you're a nice guy. Doh! Noooo! Israellycool is a great blog written by an awesome guy and I don't want you to go! Man, call me up and we can try to figure it out. I'm serious. 054 673 5873. Or lets just get drunk. Whatever works for you. Aw man. Now I feel bad for not having left enough comments. You wrote "this is not a post designed to solicit complimentary comments" so I won't say anything complimentary. Your blog sucks and the only reason I visit is because I think you personally are a nice guy. OK, that was a lie. I don't even think you're a nice guy. Doh! Noooo! Israellycool is a great blog written by an awesome guy and I don't want you to go! Man, call me up and we can try to figure it out. I'm serious. 054 673 5873. Or lets just get drunk. Whatever works for you.

]]> By: Seth Levy http://www.israellycool.com/2008/10/29/close-to-pulling-the-plug/comment-page-1/#comment-21513 Seth Levy Sat, 01 Nov 2008 17:49:50 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/?p=7742#comment-21513 I would hate to see you leave. I enjoy your blog as it represents a unique perspective on life in Israel. I would hate to see you leave. I enjoy your blog as it represents a unique perspective on life in Israel.

]]> By: Laura http://www.israellycool.com/2008/10/29/close-to-pulling-the-plug/comment-page-1/#comment-21512 Laura Fri, 31 Oct 2008 05:40:24 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/?p=7742#comment-21512 I hope you decide to stick with this blog. I hope you decide to stick with this blog.

]]> By: Solomon http://www.israellycool.com/2008/10/29/close-to-pulling-the-plug/comment-page-1/#comment-21511 Solomon Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:39:10 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/?p=7742#comment-21511 Well, Dave, for the record I check your blog frequently, but somehow don't get to posting comments much anywhere. Obviously, I have a lot to say about this subject, but let's keep this short. I think you're having some of the thoughts that an awful lot of bloggers have, myself certainly included. After all this time you certainly know some of the things you'd need to do or change to attract a bigger audience, and thus more comments, but as you've mentioned, it would just add to the burnout you're already experiencing with no promise of return (certainly not an immediate return), so you don't want to do it and I don't blame you. Hey, I bet if I told you that I had the formula to turn the blog into the "success" you define, and that you could "earn $150K from your blog while working at home", and all you had to do was change your habits in some minor way you'd do it. But I don't have that formula. No one does. Political blogging is incredibly time consuming. Either it's a labor of love done for its own sake or disappointment is sure to follow. I think the rolling political blog format doesn't lend itself to the growing of a community very well. I tossed a BBS onto my site in the hope that it would catch on, but other than getting some traffic for the organizing of an Israpundit blogburst a couple of years back, it's laid fallow. Yeah, I could do some things to encourage people to make use of it but...more time, more effort, questionable payoff -- fuhgetaboutit. So...where was I...oh, keeping this short. One thing to try might be to find existing online communities -- perhaps not related to politics or Israel at all -- where you can become a part and try to encourage people there to come visit you over here. But then...that's more time. Well, Dave, for the record I check your blog frequently, but somehow don't get to posting comments much anywhere. Obviously, I have a lot to say about this subject, but let's keep this short. I think you're having some of the thoughts that an awful lot of bloggers have, myself certainly included. After all this time you certainly know some of the things you'd need to do or change to attract a bigger audience, and thus more comments, but as you've mentioned, it would just add to the burnout you're already experiencing with no promise of return (certainly not an immediate return), so you don't want to do it and I don't blame you. Hey, I bet if I told you that I had the formula to turn the blog into the "success" you define, and that you could "earn $150K from your blog while working at home", and all you had to do was change your habits in some minor way you'd do it. But I don't have that formula. No one does. Political blogging is incredibly time consuming. Either it's a labor of love done for its own sake or disappointment is sure to follow. I think the rolling political blog format doesn't lend itself to the growing of a community very well. I tossed a BBS onto my site in the hope that it would catch on, but other than getting some traffic for the organizing of an Israpundit blogburst a couple of years back, it's laid fallow. Yeah, I could do some things to encourage people to make use of it but…more time, more effort, questionable payoff — fuhgetaboutit. So…where was I…oh, keeping this short. One thing to try might be to find existing online communities — perhaps not related to politics or Israel at all — where you can become a part and try to encourage people there to come visit you over here. But then…that's more time.

]]> By: What War Zone??? http://www.israellycool.com/2008/10/29/close-to-pulling-the-plug/comment-page-1/#comment-21510 What War Zone??? Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:27:23 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/?p=7742#comment-21510 Well, I've told you before, I think you post funny stuff. And there's not a lot of it out there (at least not in this country about these topics.) I think it's normal what you're feeling. This blogging world is still so new, it's hard to know where it's going or where it's supposed to go. I wonder how the hell I'm going to keep it up after X years and I've only been at it for two. If you're not enjoying it or having fun, it's probably time to re-evaluate. It's kind of like an addiction though, yeah? We all wish we were getting your kind of traffic though! Good luck, Benji Well, I've told you before, I think you post funny stuff. And there's not a lot of it out there (at least not in this country about these topics.) I think it's normal what you're feeling. This blogging world is still so new, it's hard to know where it's going or where it's supposed to go. I wonder how the hell I'm going to keep it up after X years and I've only been at it for two. If you're not enjoying it or having fun, it's probably time to re-evaluate. It's kind of like an addiction though, yeah? We all wish we were getting your kind of traffic though! Good luck, Benji

]]> By: Jack http://www.israellycool.com/2008/10/29/close-to-pulling-the-plug/comment-page-1/#comment-21509 Jack Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:08:37 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/?p=7742#comment-21509 I hear you. My blogging has slowed down quite a bit. I don't post as frequently and I spend less time commenting. Part of that is because I am pulled in so many different directions it is hard to muster the energy. And I too have moments where I get frustrated by lack of comments. Some of my best posts appear to go unread. What really gets my goat is when I see other blogs where they talk about nothing and still get 100 comments. But ultimately you have to do this because you want to. I haven't hung up the keyboard because there is still a lot to say and do. In the end if you are not blogging for yourself than you probably will drop it, unless someone decides to start paying you. You do good work. I hear you. My blogging has slowed down quite a bit. I don't post as frequently and I spend less time commenting. Part of that is because I am pulled in so many different directions it is hard to muster the energy. And I too have moments where I get frustrated by lack of comments. Some of my best posts appear to go unread. What really gets my goat is when I see other blogs where they talk about nothing and still get 100 comments. But ultimately you have to do this because you want to. I haven't hung up the keyboard because there is still a lot to say and do. In the end if you are not blogging for yourself than you probably will drop it, unless someone decides to start paying you. You do good work.

]]> By: Shy Guy http://www.israellycool.com/2008/10/29/close-to-pulling-the-plug/comment-page-1/#comment-21508 Shy Guy Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:10:25 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/?p=7742#comment-21508 Sense of community? I have a weird idea. Any way you can host a virtual kiddish? Sounds interesting but I'm not sure what it would be. In any case, we'd expect you to bring along several tasty 18 year olds. Whiskies. Sense of community? I have a weird idea. Any way you can host a virtual kiddish? Sounds interesting but I'm not sure what it would be. In any case, we'd expect you to bring along several tasty 18 year olds. Whiskies.

]]> By: Donkeyrock http://www.israellycool.com/2008/10/29/close-to-pulling-the-plug/comment-page-1/#comment-21507 Donkeyrock Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:58:36 +0000 http://www.israellycool.com/?p=7742#comment-21507 "Israellycool" and "Inside the mind of an Ozraeli" doesn't tell someone much about what they'll find inside except something about Israel. My point about focus is to see if you're finding a niche that needs filling, or if the posts are just commentary on the news someone else reports. Are you pushing for a certain action or idea?<br /><br /> And again, explicitly ask for participation from your readers; don't assume they'll give you input just because you wrote something. "Israellycool" and "Inside the mind of an Ozraeli" doesn't tell someone much about what they'll find inside except something about Israel. My point about focus is to see if you're finding a niche that needs filling, or if the posts are just commentary on the news someone else reports. Are you pushing for a certain action or idea?

And again, explicitly ask for participation from your readers; don't assume they'll give you input just because you wrote something.

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