This is my 714th post. I have been playing n the gardens of dawn with words and images for over two years and much to my surprise–to the tune of over 1500 pages, including comments. How do I know the page count?
Over the weekend I used a free service called Blog Booker (donation suggested) which can convert a blog from WordPress or LiveJournal or Blogger and make it into a PDF book which you then can take to Staples or Kinko’s and they’ll do the rest. The instructions involve using WordPress’s export file which can be accessed on your Dashboard. My Table of Contents turns out to be 19 pages alone! As my lovely cousin-in-law would say, “Holy Crap!”.
I had been thinking for the past year that I should have a hard copy of this blog and didn’t like the built-in PDF format within my Apple OS Print option. I also didn’t want to spend hundreds of dollars for the Adobe product even though I prefer their PDF presentation above all the others I’ve seen.
I had no idea I’d have to fell a forest to print these past two years out but they are now on my dining room table in seven three-ring binders waiting for the answer to “Now, what?”
This is only one area of my life that I am trying to organize, sort, clean out and review. Last week, I had 1-800-GOT-JUNK truck come to take items from my basement and garage, leaving only “stuff” to be sorted that I ultimately can add to my weekly trash pick-up.
Wait….I’ve got some empty space now in my garage shelves! Perhaps, that’s where I’ll put my Blog Book (s).
And, so it goes, bloggers.
You have been as much a part of this dawn bloomin’ blog book as my words and images.
©Pat Coakley 2010
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Lovely phrase…”At play in the gardens of dawn”. And 714 posts, with 714 (at least) fabulous pictures! Wow. Congratulations! At my pace that will take me about 12 years.
Now before you put those 7 binders away, maybe you could do some research on the interests, preferences and habits of your readers. As an anecdotal example, I notice that your last post received only 2 comments, even though it was up as the most current for nearly 3 days, and had plenty of punch and feeling. Others get many more in only 24 hours. I’ve noticed these variations myself and wonder if it is the subject matter, the time of year, or just random variation. I have my theories, and wonder if you have yours?
Thanks, Don, and those binders are still on my table! I’m eating in a chair with plate on my lap! I have not thought a great deal about the comment indulations except this: I, myself, am visiting fewer and fewer new blogs since I first began over two years ago. Haven’t quite figured out why but do know that I used to spend more time blog surfin’ than I do now and leave fewer comments myself as a result. In the beginning, I realized that commenting on others’ work generated traffic to mine and vice versa. There are some of my readers who specialize spreading their pixie dust over a wide landscape of bloggers. I admire that but can’t seem to do it. Some of the posts I’ve noticed have many more visitors than comments and others many more comments than visitors..cuz my responses are counted as a comment! Also, I think the “tagging” and “categories” are important to generating traffic of new visitors and somedays I do a good job with that and some days not so good. OK. The post of mine viewed most often of all 715 is called “Stranger on the Train”:
http://singleforareason.wordpress.com/2009/01/28/stranger-on-the-train/#comments
It had 16 comments and reminds me that I used to put a bit more effort into the narrative than I’m doing these days. Somewhere in the course of these past two years, I began to rely more on image than text, I think. Interesting to think about.
That’s the extent of my theories! Now, your turn! What are your theories??
amazing, you’ve been creating several books of photographic arts all the while. thats the dedication of a creative person. you just do it. seriously though, i bet you could get them published. maybe four or five different titles like:nature, people, vegetables, politics, memories. fantastic work pat. your work always brings a new perspective. and those books would stand out on the shelves.