Thursday, December 15, 2011

Analytically Speaking, This Blog is Dying


There's no denying it -- since beginning this blog in April of this year my readership has steadily declined.

As a graph it is beautiful, simplistic, and hilarious. I'm not even convinced I should care at this point (but, of course, I do).

Really? Isn't this supposed to be going the other way?
I just had a conversation about this yesterday with my wonderful painter-friend, Adam, and this hot bar graph further illustrates my concerns: that I have become too concerned with "where" my writing or music is going, and not concerned enough about the "why the fuck should anyone care" what I am writing about.

Or to take it a step further, I should be more concerned with production than advertising. In other words, my sweatshop is not churning out enough product to make a profit. I need to be more prolific, I need to care less about who reads this and more about what it is anyone might be reading once they get here. Of course, that is not going to stop me from looking at this graph and wondering...are my posts getting staler?

Did I start with a bang and then slowly dissolve, like Metamucil in a cup of lukewarm water?

Sadder, still, is the fact that I even looked at my site's analytics after only making 12 posts. Which just brings my concern back to myself -- why do I care? Who am I hoping to reach and why?

This post might even just be an excuse to create POST 13, and thereby increase my production with an artificial meta post. In fact, it is. I apparently have nothing better to write about this morning.

And if this post gets less than 16 pageviews I will confirm my own suspicions: that I have less than 15 more blog posts before readership hits ground zero and I can go back to doing what I was always meant to do: trout fishing.

8 comments:

  1. Remember that parable in the Bible (or maybe not) where God spared the city from total destruction because it had 1 just person in it?

    Keep your blog alive even if you have 1 just reader (and, therefore, you can play God).

    I personally don't look at my blog's stats because it isn't so much about my readers as it is about me having fun posting and creating.

    I enjoy your posts so I vote for keeping it on life support.

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  2. I think you first have to love the act of writing. If you do, you'll write because you love the process, the feel of the keys, the motion of the words as they clatter across the screen, the delicate interplay between form and function as you express yourself in that uniquely human construct of written language. Who gives a flying monkey's ass if anyone reads what you wrote; the important thing is that you have written.

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  3. @Sarah,
    Thank you. I have recently come to the conclusion that the most important audience I have is my friends -- not sure why I am not content with that, but that's what I am striving towards.

    @Tom,
    Eloquently put. A comment that betrays a serious understanding of the process. I have found that I really look forward to writing this blog, and that I do enjoy crafting short pieces. SO I will plow on!

    Thanks, both, for reading!

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  4. Am I less of an artist because my drawers are filled with creations most of the world will never see. I think not. My joy and satisfaction come from the making, doing, creating. Keep writing. It's for you....and of course, for those of us who enjoy your writing.

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  5. Readership will never hit ground zero because it's obvious that the curve generated by the bar graph is asymptotic.

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  6. @Anonymous #1: Indeed. And I know this is true for you. I am trying desperately to reach that point -- closer every day!

    @Anonymous #2: I had to look up "asymptotic" (and, no, I am not ashamed for doing so) and yes, you are correct, insofaras the fact that I read the blog three or four times after I write it to double check for spelling errors and other inconsistencies, so, therefore, readership will never truly hit ground zero :)

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  7. It will be the saddest of days when Robby Zar allows viewership to determine his exercise of and love of art. I read and love what you do. Fuck the stats and carry on. It's for the love, not the fame, right. The Partist will live on...

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  8. @Melissa: for the love, indeed. I shall!

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