Happy birthday, us!
Yes, although the snippet on the side of the blog says that Absurd Intellectual was proudly established in ‘aught-eight, there were really only a couple of late-December posts before the blog really got underway in January. Yes, it was a New Year’s resolution, and I’m proud to have kept it — three to five posts a day, every day, just things that I find interesting and would like to share or comment on.
But what next? That’s partly up to you.
I am soliciting opinions on how best to serve the readers of Absurd Intellectual. What do you like best, here? What could be improved? What should be dropped? I’ve already heard from readers who miss “Cheese of the Week”, so I’m going to get back into that very soon. But what else?
Would you like more videos? Some short stories? Politics? Humour? Celebrity gossip? Music?
How about the design? Sure, we need a logo (we’re working on it), but from a reader’s perspective, would you like bigger pictures? Wider, full-screen videos? More colour? Different colours?
Is commenting easy? Too difficult? Too hard to get a conversation going?
I’m toying with the idea of allowing regular commenters the ability to write posts or suggest content. Would you like more voices on the blog?
Please comment below. Your feedback will have a direct influence on this blog’s direction over the next 12 months. As always, if you’re a first-time commenter, your comment will be held for moderation, but so long as you use the same email address, we’ll trust you forever after that.
And we don’t spam — use a fake email address if you like, I never look at ‘em.
Every comment with constructive criticism that we get below will qualify for a FREE piece of Absurd Intellectual swag. If I know you in real-life, I’ll give it to you (when I get them made). Otherwise, I’ll have to contact you somehow and ask for a mailing address.
No, I don’t know what it is yet — it might be a mix CD, or a pen-with-logo, or maybe even a T-shirt or a hat. Partly, it depends on how many comments I get and therefore how much I can afford. But it will be something real-world. Free. Mailed to you, if you need it. And all you have to is comment.
Grant Hamilton
13 Responses to “State of the blog: One year old, so what’s next?”
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Let’s keep politics out of it, there are lots of sites where one can get that fix. I’d vote for either some insightful reviews of obscure but struggling musicians, artists, poets etc. – or Porn.
I like what you’re trying to do alot – it’s what I hoped blogs would be, instead of what they’ve turned out to be. But there’s something missing. Figure out what it is, and start doing that.
Burn the politics. Push harder on mass-obscurity. Break free from news comment and invite folk to find the appropriately obscure, research it, and then drown in it. And shorter, more direct headlines.
I don’t need schwag, just the warm fuzzy sense that someone is succeeding at something that no one else is trying.
More debacles! Maybe even something that we can all participate in our own little corners, and then post about our experiences?
Thanks so far, ya’ll! Keep ‘em coming.
@thebanana and Reader — the problem with finding/promoting worthy-but-obscure is that it’s hard! It’s been an aim of the site to have three-to-five updates a day, which often requires passing on viral videos and relatively-easy-to-generate news comment. Would you be okay with less fresh content if the content itself was higher “quality”?
@Stumpy — did you just ask for homework?
The freshness doesn’t concern me. There are lots of great discoveries to be had that are years, even decades old.
Not so much that — I meant, what if the blog only had one entry a day? Or only two a week? But each entry was “better.” I find that I personally prefer sites that update multiple times a day, but I’m not sure that’s how everyone peruses the internet.
Hmm, I tend to prefer 1 or 2 updates per day, but maybe that’ s just an indication of too much time spent in front of a computer
One every day, or even every few days, works for me. Most sane bloggers are headed that way anyway. And to be (constructively?) blunt: when you’re good, you’re really good. But when you’re just passing on the latest blurb of the day, well, it’s blurb. I can find bad news for vegetarians anywhere.
By way of example, what you did with the Guardian piece today was great. I will likely read that hidden corner of the Guardian because of how you sold it. My life may change because of it. Or maybe not. But it’s a nugget that leads to more nuggets. It’s… intriguing, much as the sabre thing was. A touch of suspense, what has AI found today?
I thank people for that calling attention to that sort of thing and giving it a bit of a description so I know what might be intriguing about it before I click further.
(So, er, thanks)
Have to say this is one of my favourite blogs to read, anywhere, even if not every post is for me. Why SHOULD every post be for me?
So, as disappointing as this may be, I vote for you folks to keep on keepin’ on.
One a day, two a day…little difference. I think boxing yourself into that will start to move the blog away from its freewheeling nature.
There’s 3 of you working on this thing — that should remove any worries about going a day without at least one post.
For me, one of the things likeable about the blog is its serendipity. The problem I’ve always had with online news delivery is putting customization above randomness. I know what I’m interested in, but I can’t possibly know what MIGHT interest me among all the many things I don’t (yet) know about. That’s why sites with your approach (and mine, whenever I get it going this year) are appealing
My main suggestion is keep the content varied, unpredictable and based simply on “geez, that’s really interesting.”
Now gimme my schwag.
I agree with Colin on all points. A loss of eclecticism would make my heart sad.
Yes I agree with Colin and MPot.
I’m glad to hear cheese of the week will be back!. I also enjoy Amy’s music reviews.
Personally I love the 3-5 per day, even if a few of them are just quick links. Granted I’m on the internet a lot though.
As a personal note I love the “newspaper watch” articles, working in the newspaper industry right now, its also interesting to watch it all go on around us.
Also its funny you had mentioned the logo again, I had actually pulled out my scrapbook and had been doodling new ideas again, this will have to be our next discussion over bevvies and wings.