The End of an Era (Take 2)

Including this one, I've got seven posts to write before I hit my 500th; after that, I'm going to shut things down here at Second Drafts (or at least take an early sabbatical until fall) so as to focus on getting the ThirtySomewhere book finished by then. Few seem to be reading here anymore, and even fewer comment, so it would seem a good time to embrace the inevitable, at least for now.

Other than switching from WordPress to TypePad, I honestly don't know what's changed, but something apparently has - my readership is down over 50%, and many folks who used to be regular commenters have seemingly dropped out of the blogosphere. I wrote a few months ago that I disagreed with the rumors I'd heard that personal blogs were dying, but apparently the rumors are true and I was wrong. I don't know if I've become either too general or too focused in what I write for people's tastes, but I'm not one to hold on to stuff that doesn't seem to be working; thus, after six more posts, I'm shutting it down.

With this in mind, I'd ask your help in making these last six posts count. Is there anything in particular you'd like for me to write (or not write) on? Is there something you'd actually consider commenting on if I wrote about it? I'd appreciate hearing your ideas, as mine don't seem to be too interesting to anyone but me (and that and a wooden nickel will get you a nice cup of Jack Squat).

If I write at my normal pace of about two posts a week, my plan should take me through the end of March, at which time I'll begin the final push to finish up my seminary studies, finish up the semester teaching, and prepare to focus solely on finishing the ThirtySomewhere book by the end of summer. Maybe I'll be ready to blog again by then; maybe I won't. Regardless, if these last few weeks are the end, I'd appreciate your help to make them the best they can be.

Six posts and counting...

Comments

[nickg]

Well, for what it's worth, I still read every post. And I'll miss the blog when it's gone. I guess I'll just have to listen to you pontificate at the bookstore.

I don't comment often on many blogs anymore (even my own), more for lack of time than lack of interest. I still read blogs though, and hope they don't "die."

I do hope the book writing goes well. I don't really have any ideas for final posts; I've always liked your mix.

[sruddell]

i too read every post and will miss your thoughts. i'm with nick on non-commenting due to time, i'll also add that i use Google Reader to subscribe to a lot of blogs and read the postings inside that tool, which does not facilitate responding.

i'm with nick again regarding ideas for posts, one of the things i've appreciated about your blog is that it is not a niche blog. i've liked seeing a sliver of your personality and your family through your blog.

thanks for all your time and sharing your thoughts/feelings. may your blog go out in a bang and not a whimper.

[Matt]

I have enjoyed reading regularly and will miss it. I too agree with the Google Reader comment.

For future posts, I am interested in what you are reading as well as Thirty Somewhere-excerpts, ideas, directions. Also, I greatly enjoy hearing you process what you are learning and what the future holds for Craig.

I appreciate your wit, wisdom, and humility. Keep writing if you enjoy it. I'll keep reading.

[Darryl Brooks]

Well, I can understand your trying to prioritize. I would never be able to keep up with all that you're doing AND write a worthwhile-to-read blog -- which yours has always been. I've read almost every blog and enjoyed the range of things you write about, including the things that are personal to you and your family. And how could I ever forget the time you told us you could never be a woman, because you hate long fingernails. Not every man would have shared that with his public.

I surely understand your need to take care of pressing business, but I'll look forward to hearing from you again when you decide to start back up. My guess is that you have too much cooking in that 30-something brain to keep it to yourself (I hope).

[Margaret]

Oh, the sadness! I read your blog regularly, and I enjoy your thoughts.

I would like to hear more from a Dad's perspective on fathering daughters and from a husband's perspective on relationships.

[martha10]

i too have enjoyed reading your blog altho' a full-time job has prevented my commenting much in the last year. (i know you don't miss the long comments and run-on sentences:) i enjoy your perspective both as a man and as someone from a different generation. you think and are provocative, yet you don't always come up with the same answers i do re politics, aspects of church, etc. that is a good thing and i enjoy the challenge of it all.
i admire your desire to be wise in prioritizing, i just hope you make those decisions based on good information and not on such unimportant information as how many people comment on your blog. i think we are entering a time when we will need people to challenge the status quo in a wise way. take your "break", but keep up the provocation. we like it and when we don't, it is still good for us. m

[Lyra]

Something that I've discovered with my own blog is that many people are hesitant to comment. And, I find myself doing the same thing when I read blogs. I, also, read in google reader, so it's usually not worth it for me to click out of google reader to comment. I even added a gadget that would allow me to comment within google reader, but have never taken the time to figure out how to use it. I have said many times that having a blog is one of the best sociological studies a person can do. I won't get comments for the longest time, but if I ask for an opinion (ie. "should my husband cut his hair?") or write about my kid sticking his finger in his poopy diaper and ask for advice on what to do, they will all come out of the woodwork. I guess people want to feel like their comment will make a difference, and if they don't think it will, they're happy to just be lurkers. I have to say I'm guilty of the same thing.
I wish I could offer you suggestions on your next 6 posts, but my mind is blank at the moment. If I think of something, I'll let you know!

[Need A Nap2]

I came over from Half-Pint House (Megan's blog). As I've come over lots of times! :) Please share about Uganda. I'm not sure if blog reading is down but changing formats does seem to decrease readership, not sure why.

[Jared]

I agree with the previous comments: (1) this is among the few blogs I read anymore (I've purposefully trimmed down to only reading blogs of people I know);(2) the switch to typepad facilitated me reading in google reader, which may affect your stats; (3) I do enjoy reading what you have to write!

[Jamie]

For what it is worth, I noticed that it took a while for my (few) readers get their feeds caught up when I made the switch from Blogger to being self-hosted.

When it comes to commenting on blogs--and I comment regularly on just a few compared to the number I read--I find that sometimes life gets too busy to leave comments as often as I'd like. Lately life has been so busy that I'm behind on reading the half a dozen blogs that I like to check daily -- never mind commenting on all of those posts. I suspect it is the same for many people, which might explain the ebb and flow of stats and comments.

OH, and to your Google Reader readers: there is a great Firefox extension called Better GReader, and it allows you to view your blogs, comments and all, within your reader. Makes commenting a bit easier. :)

Anyway, hope you get lots of writing done during your break and come back to the blogosphere soon.

[Leura]

Bummer. How am I gonna get my Craig fix now?

You know how few comments I get, but I've decided that's not what it's about. Besides being my own personal therapy, my blogging is about letting my friends more deeply into my life—especially when distance and schedules make that impossible in person. You've always reached a wider audience and had more robust dialogue, but I encourage you to consider how you can still write for those of us who are your friends and just want to hear what's going on in that one-of-a-kind mind of yours. At the very least, you've got to keep publishing your best reads list every year.

[Britney]

I will be so sad if this blog leaves! Even though I don't get the chance to read it every time the posts are new, when I do come back and catch up it always gives me lots of food for thought and encouragement! Don't stop writing, Craig.