The Reasons I Started
One of the reasons I started blogging was after reading some top blogs out there, I felt that they were missing something. Me (I know, that sounds like I am being conceded, but I will add on this later). I started at the beginning with my favorite farming spots, then got more into the AH game, what to look for, what to buy/sell, and finially I decided on just writing about what I do daily: if I look at patch/hotfix notes, if I farm mobs somewhere, if I am doing a new style of an old AH trick, you name it, if I do it, I write it.
So in other words, you get a taste of how I am where I am (one server, just shy of cap, spread on three toons, net worth fluctuates, but around 1.3m currently, with 900K liquid). Now I am not a writer by any means, and make quite a few errors, but I feel I get my main point across to you folks, and that is my goal.
My Take on Blogs- Others and My Own
As I wrote in my comment earlier, Bloggers are like newscasters. In wow, there are only so many things you can do. You start to see overlaps of the same processes. How about the Obsidium Shuffle? I think every blog hit on that. Or 4.0.6?
They all cover the same information, but some cover it differently. You might have one taking from a desk, very educated I might add, talking with a picture adding to his/her commentary. There is another that uses video. And yet another interviewing folks on the street. Then you have what I feel my blog is, "in the field". I am out there. I am doing it. I screen shot to explain my process. And why did I decide to do it that way? Because that's what I was looking for in a blog about WoW. And didn't find one. Hence the "me" above. I wasn't being conceted by any means, but even though I write all my posts, belive it or not, I still go back on my own and read them. Call it forgetful memory, or stupidity, but I read them and don't even really register that I wrote it. That might not make sense to you, but it does to me.
My Take on Comments
This is what made me write this today. Back to what I hit on earlier, I was reading comments on JMTC, a fellow blogger Kammler had a guest post on JMTC. Well written. I was going through the comments and everyone had their two cents on the post. Some were hating, some were loving, others hated on Mage. Now reading these, I agreed on some, disagreed on others:
* One bashed his grammar. Grammar Police. I get it. When I was reading his post, I didn't think about that. I was reading his take on the topic of the article. Notice I said "his" take. But, that is what they saw in the post. This bothers some, others can give a
* A few of them bashed his thought process. What he felt the topic meant to him. That is a thing us bloggers deal with. People have different viewpoints on EVERYTHING. "Well, I do it this way, so it's right, and everyone else is wrong". I fall into that trap sometimes, because when I do something and it works, I say to do it that way. If someone comments to do it another way, well, that what works on their server. No hating, just a different view on the same topic. CNN vs. Fox.
* There was a bash towards Mage not reading other blogs before posting on his (Markco's) blog, that this post has been out in the blogosphere three times already. Now I feel I keep up on other blogs, but somehow I missed the three post part. That would bother me too, if I was expecting fresh information from JMTC, and I got hit with something like that. But, I wouldn't comment about it, just not how I am. On the flipside of this, I haven't seen this article yet. If it wasn't for JMTC, I wouldn't have seen it, and had a chance to read it's content. JMTC has an easy 5-10K (probably more, just guessing here) reads a day, and Kammler's blog has a small percentage of that (once again, just a guess). I feel that I am correct when I say that's why Markco does that, he wants other blogs to be known by his readers too (I get almost 50% of my readers referred from JMTC- so I know this and have thanked him often for that.).
* Another comment said something I love, they were basically asking for Markco's "two copper" on the post. The reason I started reading JMTC was for the fact that I loved the way Markco supplied his information to me. Great insight, great writing, well thought out. I would enjoy seeing his comments on guest posts. So Markco, if you read this, know there is one more vote for you to do that.
Learning from Comments
Quite a few times, when you folks leave comments, I learn from them. Many times, if a comment is viable and works, I will *edit my post to add that information, so the masses that don't read comments can see this great tidbit of information (that I either left out, or that is new to me- I never claimed to have the "best" wow information, as you know from the title of my blog). In a perfect world, everyone that reads my posts would write a comment. Now there is my goal. Too bad I have zero control on that one.....
Double Posts with No "Link Love"
Once again, another pet peeve of mine. I will write a post, and a few hours later see someone cover the exact same topic. At times, word for word. Like they took mine, copy and pasted, and added a few other things. I read it, get pissed, and soon get over it. If they don't have something to cover and have to "steal" my post, at least give me a link to my page.
Now on the flipside of this, I have been guilty of my own pet peeve. Now I do my best to view my WHOLE blogrolls posts, there are times when I miss things. Just last week I did a post (OreCrusher) and there were two different bloggers that already posted this information, one I knew about (so I gave the link love), and one I didn't remember where I saw it (and added an update after they commented). I hope I didn't bother anyone, but that "for instance" falls back on my comparing ABC to NBC to Fox News. Three different viewpoints. And due to my style, I don't think I caused hate by anyone, as all my posts are my viewpoints, using my own screen shots, with my own information inside.
Random
Ok, a few other things here. One, bloggers that are against the "ads" that are used. So if you don't have ads on your page you are better than those that do? Cmon. Ok, I agree. You are better than me for that. Happy? I have ads on my page. I will always have them. Cmon, 21 bucks for a 60day gametime card? Yeah, Amazon baby. I buy em, do you? Cheapness. Once again, something I saw that I am showing the masses. Buy gold here? Nah, google adwords, you are wrong. My readers dont want a diamond ring. They want wow gold, and they want to make it themselves, not buying it from you and getting the banstick....
Last one, I promise....Those that think blogging is a popularity contest. Hating on other blogs, while promoting others. Really, I don't care one bit which "club" you are in, if you are an "elite" member somewhere, and "brag" about it constantly. If that is what makes you happy, by all means, be proud of it. But don't lose readers because you talk about it almost every post. Or do lose them. It's up to you.
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So overall, the whole Alto vs. WoW blogging got canceled. No fight card. We are buddies. And will continue to be. I am sure I didn't cover some scoops on blogs, and overcovered others. It happens (probably due to ADHD and Adderall- or just the fact that this post was written in two hours, when in all reality with no distractions would have been 30 minutes).
I do want to reiterate my "sorry" to all my readers that were expecting a gold'ish post from me. I guarantee you will get some "hot of the press" scoops on the patch today later this evening. I will make up for this rambling I had this morning. Promise. Pinkie swear. Oh, speaking of swearing, I used a bit of profanity, and sorry if that bothered you, but sometimes I don't have a better word for it.....
Now it's your turn. Comments. 3........2.........1.........GO!