Friday 20 May 2011

I Flatline at Weekends


I’ve been neglecting my blog. And like a sick patient in an understaffed hospital, my blog is suffering as a result. But don’t take my word for it, just scroll down to the very bottom of this screen and take a look at its cardiogram. Eek!

Obviously, the ideal pulse rate would be a once-a-day (or at least twice-a-week) rhythm of site traffic spikes, as my scintillating wit and industry relevant infoblasts bring waves of visits to each post, but, um… I’m still warming up to that. In the meantime, while I wait to be industry relevant and scintillating (and rather than resort to posting pictures of kittens), maybe a detailed study of my blog’s stats will suggest a suitable medicine.

My most visited (I won’t say ‘read’), blog post is without doubt my claim-to-fame one. There’s nothing surprising there: write about something famous and people will find it. But my second most visited post, and by some margin too, is a throwaway piece I knocked out in a few minutes, whose popularity seems to be based on the fact that the play on words in its title is also a popular spelling mistake. So clearly the best shot in the arm I can give my blog is a dose of…

…Harry Potter and the Googled Myrrhmaid!

There. Long term though, there’s no alternative to getting back into the driving seat and making the effort to blog more regularly, but I have to move house first. In the meantime, please don’t worry if the patient slips into a temporary coma, it should be over by the end of June. And don’t go away, because there’s loads of news about my novel coming up (hey, I saw that look!), and more about Dan and the Dead, as well as my adventures with websites, my thoughts on branding (cowboy!), the experience of being edited, and the ups and downs and headaches of working with ideas. I’m also going to be giving stuff away.

See you soon (I hope!)

13 comments:

  1. Hey - what's wrong with posting pictures of kittens? I did just a few minutes before reading this! ;-)

    But I think weekends tend to be rather quiet for blog traffic anyway - especially if it's sunny!

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  2. Ha ha, sorry Kate:) It's different if they are your own kittens, of course. Dinah and Mimsy look like they're going to keep you busy.

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  3. when all else fails on Planet Penny I find pictures of a small stumpy legged dog always helps!

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  4. Moving house - you surely do that more often than I blog!
    Take care, don't give yourself cause for flatlining!

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  5. Thank you. This will be my sixth move in ten years. Maybe I should paint a caravan and do the thing properly.

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  6. I was a bit worried by "bog post" but I see now that was deliberate misspulling!

    Blogging is good. Not blogging and getting on with other stuff is good too ...

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  7. Thanks, Simon, but 'bog' was definitely a typo. I've flushed it away now.

    Thanks, Anita.

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  8. I've just recently signed up for you blog by email, so I'll get it when you write it. I've enjoyed it so far.Good luck with the move.

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  9. Thanks, Julie; Thanks, Stacy (he said, from somewhere near the bottom of a cardboard box).

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  10. Moving is such a pain! I've recently moved to Ely, with my girlfriend moving to Germany (I'll join her in 6 months - so another move to look forward to!) and it's such a nightmare.

    Are you moving locally or elsewhere? Sorry for being nosey!

    Either way, good luck with it!

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  11. Thanks, Ian. I'm trying to make this move as easy as possible by spending ages over it.

    Are you off to Germany for good? Sounds like quite an adventure! Viel Gluck, und, er... don't be a stranger:)

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