Comments on: The life and death of a blogger

By: Executioner

Executioner — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 00:09:19 +0000

I second this suggestion from Josh (dates on comments). Jacob has offered his explanation as to why he thinks it is a bad idea, but clearly Jacob is on the wrong side of this issue.

By: Josh

Josh — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 17:42:10 +0000

@retirebyforty

If it is a re-post, it will state “originally posted on dd/mm/yyyy” at the bottom of the post.

I would like to see dates on the comments though as it is often pointless to respond to someone who posted in 2008 but is no longer active.

By: theevildrsin

theevildrsin — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 14:51:20 +0000

Jacob,
I like reading your reposts however the date of the repost should be up near the top so one can easily identify it as such, instead of the date being at the end. It’s confusing, even for someone who has read all your posts. Is that possible due to how your blog is set up?

By: retirebyforty

retirebyforty — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 12:53:58 +0000

You should put the date so I know if it’s a post from 3 years ago, for my information. Maybe update it with a bit of current information too.
I don’t mind reposts.

By: Rob

Rob — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 03:47:09 +0000

Yo dawg, I heard you like reposts, so I reposted a post about reposts, so you can reread a repost while you read about reposts.

Too much?

By: James Schipper

James Schipper — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 02:18:47 +0000

I am one of those who went back and read from day one. But that was a while ago.

I think that is a big thing that people don’t take into consideration when finding themselves running out of things to say. Sure, there will be the people like me who will go back and read everything, but new people will be joining in as the blog gets more and more popular.

Constantly linking back or referencing topics you’ve covered that are similar might be helpful. But reworking old content is not going to annoy the new people who didn’t hear it the first time, and your voice has likely changed slightly since then.

It may get annoying to you to think you’re just repeating yourself, but it really depends what you’re trying to accomplish with the blog, and I don’t imagine you will run out of things to say.

By: Chris L.

Chris L. — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 02:03:27 +0000

Repeating is fine. It keeps us all in the current and we can see new twists and takes on similar things. Why go back and read stuff in the past when we’re trying to move forward?

By: Roy

Roy — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 02:02:40 +0000

Philip Brewer says it perfectly. Just found your blog via Advanced Riskology. May stay a while…

By: Starshard0

Starshard0 — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 01:44:59 +0000

I’m a new blogger as well, and I’m working more on improving my writing skills then attracting readers.

I think that some blogs die because the people who write them can’t find the time to write them anymore (or claim they can’t find the time). I know I’ve had to stop writing regularly these past few months due to being away from a computer for long periods of time.

By: krantcents

krantcents — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 00:30:30 +0000

As a new blogger, I hope to become an more experienced blogger. Notice, I refrained from using the word old. I believe that rewriting old blogs for new people and adding new information is very worthwhile

By: BPT - MoneyChangesThings

BPT - MoneyChangesThings — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:30:09 +0000

I see my blog isn’t on your list anymore, but I was honored to be there – and often got referrals. However I understand it’s important to keep it fresh, and since early retirement isn’t really my blog-mission, no hard feelings.
I have been blogging more elsewhere and less on my own site. Part of my new job at http://www.greenmicrofinance.org is actually helping run the organization’s blog. It’s exciting to use my blog skills to further something terrific like helping microfinance organizations access renewable energy for electricity. Maybe you will move on to work you are excited about, too. Since you have a lot of great knowledge to contribute, on behalf of the planet, I hope so!
All the best on your journey of exploration!
Betsy

By: Dody

Dody — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:07:56 +0000

This is very interesting for me as a blogger. I thought may be it was just me.

By: Philip Brewer

Philip Brewer — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:10:12 +0000

I think there are several reasons this can make sense.

First, it’s only 90% of the information that’s the same every time. Fashions change, laws change, customs change–a bridal magazine from 10 years ago will seem oddly out of date, and one from 50 years ago wildly so. Lots of magazines make their money from exactly this fact–photography magazines, investing magazines, running and bicycling magazines–all recycle the slight variations on articles on focal lengths, asset allocations, and fitness programs, together with a smattering of stuff about the latest innovations. But even though focal length math hasn’t changed, a photography magazine from 1988 is no substitute for one you might grab off the newsstand.

Second, sometimes when you tell a story a second time, you tell it better. At any rate, you can tell it differently–maybe in a way that makes it accessible to people who would never have grasped what you were trying to say from the first version.

Third, sometimes the reader needs to be ready to learn something, and the readers all arrive with a different set of life experiences. Some readers need to start with the tactical money saving articles and then move gradually to the idea that you can apply similar thinking to all areas of your spending. Other readers need to come to the idea of extreme frugality first, and only then can move on to the nitty-gritty of how to eat well on the cheap.