Schmutzie, Jenandtonic, and Sweetney had this idea to make today “The Great Mofo Delurk.” You’ve probably seen stuff like this before. The idea is to coax bloggers from out of the virtual woodwork and have them say hello by delurking and commenting.
This is a great idea. I love hearing from readers, but I feel a little guilty asking readers to delurk for me. I’m already blessed with the best commenters in the blogosphere. I can hardly keep up with the blogging friends I already have. I don’t even comment enough on THEIR blogs! I’ve even lost touch with some bloggers because I haven’t been keeping up with them, which makes me a little sad. Do I really need more virtual friends in my life? What am I — blog selfish?
That said, I think it is important to keep adding new people to the mix. The blogosphere is cliquish enough, without me adding to it. We are supposed to be a community, and you are part of the community. Yes, YOU, whether you like it or not. Now, I know the feeling many of you have, especially when you are a new blogger: everyone is in-groupy except for YOU. Here’s my advice. Take a deep breathe and repeat after me, “Blogging is Bullshit.” Feel insecure in real life, but never in virtual life. Even the writers at Techcrunch or Engadget write in their underwear. I don’t care if you have 10,000 readers, or 10 — you will be treated the same crappy way here at “Citizen of the Month.” Don’t be intimidated by me. Don’t be afraid that your comment isn’t “clever” enough. Very few people write clever comments, and the ones that seem good have usually been rewritten by me.
If you choose to delurk, don’t do it for me. Do it for yourself. It is the best way to interact with others. And if we don’t become best buddies, maybe you’ll hit if off with someone else who visits this blog. I met 99% of my blogging friends from reading the comments of other bloggers, and following the link. You’re in luck here at “Citizen of the Month” – the commenters here are particularly smart and sexy, even if they are somewhat eccentric.
And in honor of “The Great Mofo Delurk,” anyone who comments today on this special day and says hello, whether you are an old or new reader, will get back three times the LOVE! That’s right, if you comment today, I will promise to write a comment on your next three posts. That’s right — THREE comments for just ONE comment. You think Dooce is ever gonna offer you that?! A deal like that doesn’t come too often!
(small print — this special deal is valid only until 11:59PM October 3, 2007)
A Year Ago on Citizen of the Month: Class Trip
I haven’t been over here in awhile so I’m glad I stopped by. I am happy to delurk myself. I did a delurking day on my blog about a month ago and it was really nice to meet many of the folks who were reading but not engaging. You’re right about the pressure to be witty in comments. I think that’s why it sometimes takes me so long to respond to the comments I do get…I’m trying to think of the “right” thing to say. Anyway, nice to meet you, Neil!
I comment from time to time … just not a serial commentor! No need to comment back dude … you are busy enough probably!
good morning neil.
i’m not delurking today so no need for you to rewrite my comment into something clever today. phew! i’m also not posting on my own blog, maybe spread those three love comments to new delurkers instead:)
I always drop by your blog but sometimes when I’m late and the number of comments get too long, I leave without saying hello.
No, I’m not delurking.. dang, I’m too big to be hiding. (put on some weight recently…._) lol
Hi Neil,
I’m always interested in how you say things…just don’t get here as often as I might. Always fighting the hermit instinct.
Had I known ahead of time, I would’ve included “The Great Mofo Delurk Day” on my blog. Just because I like banners with profanity in them.
just a quick “hi.” I’m not a lurker (as you know, Neilochka) but it’s always fun to play along here at Citizen of the Month.
Hello! I’ve commented before, but I’m afraid I’m mostly a lurker.
Please, Neil, don’t visit my blog three times. I couldn’t stand the pressure of even one visit.
Give me the big love, Neilochka! oxo
I don’t think I’m really a lurker, but I can’t deny the offer of three times the love. Bring it.
The word lurking has such dark connotations.
Well I don’t post on a fast paced schedule so I feel certain I won’t wear you out. Folks rarely comment on my blog. They e-mail or call me on the phone, I hang with a pretty lo tech crowd.
Not a lurker, but just wanted to say hello to my fave male blogger.
If you get thousands of comments, you’re going to be very busy for the next couple of days!
I think that I am going to go from daily blogging to yearly blogging so I can drag out my Neil comments a couple of years…
Casual lurker here. No need to reciprocate, just following the rule of the day. Love, love, love you Neil! I may be quiet, but I’m always here.
I’m about 80% lurker. And it’s not that I don’t feel like my comment is clever enough, it’s the fear that you’ll do exactly what you threaten– Come to my blog and find out it’s not cool at all! And three times!?!?! Can’t –take–the— pressure!
you know i am here.
HELLO.
I’M AN OLD READER.
AND I HAVE MET YOU.
COMMENCE LOVE.
Delurking. But like some of your other readers, I’m not sure that I could take the pressure of thinking you’d be reading my own rantings/ravings. Or of thinking that I’d have to post with any sort of regularity in order to maintain your interest. Yikes! Also, public “hi” to villanovababy. I’m wearing my new pirate tights!
Thank you for taking the pressure off! Just saying hello on this most special of holidays.
But lurking, and stalking are so much fun. Keeping to the shadows allows more time to watch and learn. Its what I was trained to do?
Hey, I’m only a semi-lurker… (I guess that makes me more legit than real full-time lurkers? Less so?)
Anyway, just stopping by to say hi… and… to announce that I’ve just tagged you with a meme.
*ducking and running*
I heard Dooce sends either cookies or whiskey to her commenters (their choice).
I’m just saying.
Since I don’t have a blog yet, I’d like you to send me your love in the form of unmarked tens and twenties, please. Thanks in advance!
I am a classic Mofo. I read every single one of your posts in Google Reader, but I rarely have anything to add that another loyal commenter hasn’t already beat me to saying, and generally they cover it more extensively and with better vocabulary.
But I adore you, and have for ages!
Hmmm…I’m not sure if I count as a lurker or not…probably at this point I am. In any case, it’s hard to pass up a 3-for-1 deal like this. And a good way to make lurkers delurk (thus confirming that I’m probably actually a lurker).
Boy, you’re really comitting yourself here. I try to read my blog roll every day. I don’t always get to all of them, but I’m sure I hit everyone, every other day. It’s hard to add any more to that without having some kind of a break-down.
Some other point: Let’s be honest. We can’t read each other EVERY DAY, especially when you begin to know more than 100 bloggers. I see nothing wrong with emailing someone and saying, “I wrote one hot post about hockey, and I know you love hockey. Come read it and give your opinion.” In fact, I know I would be flattered if someone did that.
Twitter is a perfect way to quickly tell someone that you finally wrote a good post, with a link. I’ve seen other people do it. Just don’t do it every day, cause that would be like the “boy who cried wolf.”
Writers tend to be shy, but you really can’t be shy anymore online if you want to be read.
We should also start appreciating commenters more. I like when people say they enjoyed a post I wrote, but I feel like I am failing as a blogger when I’m not interacting more. The world could probably live without me talking about sex for one day a week so I could spend more time commenting.
Wow Neil, you’re going to be commenting 24-7 because of this promise! Good luck!
I’ve been slacking lately, well actually I’ve been working too much and there is not much time for play.
I did find your choice of color for the MOFO button intresting. Ask your therapist what it means.
Psychomom — “Purple is royalty. A mysterious color, purple is associated with both nobility and spirituality. The opposites of hot red and cool blue combine to create this intriguing color.”
It also reminds me of Prince, who said, “Party like it’s 1999.” And I remember 1999 as a very good year.
Thanks for posting a button and joining in! I’m loving watching everyone come out of the woodwork today. It’s like Christmas.
I am a Lurking Commenter.
I love you Neil, and I know you love me. You don’t have to say it. (I’m goin’ for Creepy Lurker. Is it working?)
I’ve been a regular reader for, like, a week or something. Happy to be here. Can’t remember if I’ve commented yet. Happy Mofo Delurk Day to you and yours. Drive safely.
I read your blog every day and yet I never comment…
I would love to have the readership that you have so that I could make the same offer to my readers. (uh, reader.)
TamiW — So, why don’t you ever comment? How do you think I met these readers? How are we supposed to know your blog exists? You need to get out there. A blogger is not just a writer. A blogger is a combination of writer AND high class hooker.
yay for delurking! and dude, you are SO going to have bloody little fingertips by the end of today!
Now I know why my comment end up sounding so boring.
Please stop editing. Sheesh!
I promise to comment on any post you make about Dancing with the Stars.
hi
I’m not a lurker really. I’m just not one who comments on everything. But hi just the same.
back to the grind!
Your offer would mean so much more if I ever posted anything any more. But I do read every day, Neil. I may not comment, but I read.
Lovely idea. Have any of the readers from Finland, Korea, or Hungary delurked yet? I’ve got tons of those sneaky bastards on my page all the time. Perhaps I should stop posting about “racy american love scenes.”
I don’t comment as much as I used to. Probably for the same reasons. So this is me commenting –
Hi! I’m a regular reader. I comment once in a while. You rock. I enjoy your blog.
3 for 1? How can I resist such a bargain?
It would only be sweeter if your talking penis did the commenting for you.
I sometimes find commenting too tiring to do every day, especially the constantly typing in my name and email. I wish some clever programmer would create some application where you could click a checkmark, saying “good post!” on the days you read someone and don’t want to say anything special, but still want to say you were there.
Oh, and Maribeth, weren’t you shocked that the male model was kicked off Dancing with the Stars? Sophia and I spent all morning debating this important issue. I guess no one knew who he was, so he had no fan base.
And doesn’t Wayne Newton look like he is made of plastic. Poor Cheryl Burke! Did you know she’s dating Matthew Lawrence from Boy Meets World? Lucky guy.
And Drew is a better co-host than whatever her name is. Dump her, even if she is a new mommy! That’s showbiz.
OK, enough Hollywood gossip. Back to delurking.
Not a lurker! Just commenting to prove it.
DamnitDamnitDamnit, I would have commented no matter what this blog post was about! Now, wouldn’t you know, looks like I’m not only trolling for your charming attentions, but adding to your karma comment workload. Well, let me fix that. You are completely off the hook in my case. This is a freebie. I just wanted to stop by and say hi online, since we met in person at the Dave LA thingy, which was fun. You made more of a deep impression on me than you may have guessed. And I really dig your Talking Penis Cartoon.