It's Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. I don't feel like doing anything ... heavy. I find myself wondering about something, and I'm hoping you can help me with it.
How many of you just read the first paragraph of most of the blogs you read and don't go any further? (I suppose if that's the case, you wouldn't have read this question, would you?) Is it better to more fully explore/explain, or is brevity the best course? I really want to know.
16 comments:
It depends on the blog. I subscribe to over 100 so many times I do just scan the 1st paragraph. I figure brevity is always best, especially on blogs. And having something catchy in the first paragraph is important.
So, Neil, what you're looking for is something in the first paragraph that catches your attention enough to read on?
Sir you need to be packing anyway and hitting the road. The K's have been boning up on our ping pong skills...we're ready.
I normally read the whole thing on the "my favorites" blogs. If I'm trying out new blogs many times I, as you say, read only the first paragraph.
starflyer, as you are well aware, the stan clan (senior members) do not participate in ping pong. You'll have to take that up with the junior members. But we'll be on the road tomorrow morning, early, if not bright.
Dan, so new ones get evaluated from the first paragraph (or so). I get it. Thanks.
I read the first 10 words of your blog and make up my mind...okay, really I read all of your blog most of the time.
The only time I may evaluate the first paragraph to see if I'll continue - is when I open to your page and your blog is from top to bottom with no end in sight...
then I say something like, "sheesh, how does this guy have the time and brain power to produce a novel a day?"...if it looks like it's going to require an hour of study from me just to keep up, I may not get to it.
But if the first paragraph grabs me, or if it looks like it'll produce commentary from your readers, I'm more interested...I like the conversations from your readers, especially when it is controversial or a "hot topic".
"... to produce a novel a day"
Funny. I only know how to do short stuff ... but not nearly as short as so many others. Maybe I'm not concise enough.
Short is definitly nice, because there's generaly more stuff for me to read in a day than I can keep up with in the hour I read (more time than I have really, and lots of days I don't even get that much time). But I like the content in a long post even if I don't have time to read it.
(Sometimes it does seem like a novel a day, or at least, a novel a month)
With blogs I read regularly, I usually take my time to read the whole post... and comments, look up Scriptures, and sometimes even take notes - maybe it's the student in me, maybe it's this new God-given hunger to seek Him and find the truth.
I guess the only time I read bits and pieces if if I'm perusing a blog I've never read, but often, in those cases, I read several posts at once to decide if it's something I want to read regularly.
Sometimes I enjoy short posts, the little bits of praise and encouragement I find in blogs or devotional books, but the lengthy, detailed posts are good food for thought and study. Both have their place, I think, as each of us seek what God wants us to write about and what He wants us to read/learn/consume.
Hope you have a good Thanksgiving!
I only look at a few blog sites--feel honored!
I tend to skim through the entire blog, and then if I find it interesting, go back and read every word. The first paragraph is not particularly crucial.
Interesting. So, apparently for some people, the first paragraph is the most important. For others, it is irrelevant because they're going to read their favorites anyway. Still others skim. And there's Ruth who studies. No hard and fast rule, I guess. So (and despite the references to novel-length writings), I suppose I'll keep doing what I'm doing.
I was interested between folks like Dan and then Lee. I was honored that some would count me among their favorites among many and read it all, and I was honored that some would read very few and count mine among them. That's gratitude for you. ;)
I read the whole thing, when I get a chance to read them!
Stan, your blog is currently my one and only. Woohoo.
I've tried following others but they just haven't worked as well at consistently keeping my attention.
When looking over a new blog, the titles and first few paragraphs usually DO tell me if I want to stay very long. I don't judge a post only by its first paragraph however. If the first few don't grab me, sometimes I'll skip down to the last paragraph to see if I want to spend time reading what was in-between.
Most of us are quite busy but you take on some pretty darn heavy topics sometimes, so my vote would be for your current "more fully explore/explain" method over brevity.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Sherry and Science PhD Mom,
I'm honored. Thanks.
For me it depends on the topic most of the time. But, there are some who just do a great job with how they write, so I look forward to seeing what's next. If one is a good writer, length isn't a problem, except that I spend time I might not have to read the whole thing. I like what you write about and how you do it. The same with Neil's blog and a couple of others I regularly visit. I love reading Bubba's comments and wish he'd start his own blog soon.
But as far as length, it's subject matter and style that keeps me reading it all. If the writing is boring, I won't stick around for the whole thing or I'll skim and see what the comments are like.
For you, I wouldn't worry. You do a fine job and once I start, I generally read the whole post and feel glad I did once finished. Don't think in terms of trying to please everyone. Take the time you think an issue warrants. I think that's the best rule of thumb.
Thanks, Marshall Art, for the comments.
"Don't think in terms of trying to please everyone."
From the variety of perspectives, I think it's a given that I won't please everyone. But that wasn't my aim. I'm well aware that I haven't "arrived" and I'm always looking to see if there are ways I can improve. On this, it seems, I suppose not.
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