Back to basics

I have removed the comment feature on this site and have added a “do not expect a reply” note to my contact page.

There are two reasons for this. The first is undeniably selfish. The second is, hopefully, less so.

First, I have become acutely aware that I suck at socializing - both online and offline.

It isn’t that I don’t enjoy it; it’s that it derails me.

When I respond to comments and e-mails, I’m not writing content. And when I don’t respond to comments and e-mails, I feel bad for not doing so and, as a result, I find it difficult to write content.

Yes, I realize other writers have found a way to make this balance work. But I haven’t.

And second, I think it is unfair to my readers for me to encourage them to respond to my work if I am not willing or able to do so in kind.

So from now on it is back to basics around here.

My twitter updates will continue - for now at least - though I’m using it less for networking purposes and more to help clarify my thoughts.

P.S. I am considering a few other changes as well. For example…

Scrapping the slogan, “Deep thoughts for shallow times.” Given the nature of what’s popular these days, that slogan probably wasn’t one of my better ideas.

Making this blog - or maybe a portion of it - private and limiting access to a small number of readers. Maybe 25 people or so. This would allow me to be more candid and hopefully reduce the risk of suffering collateral damage as a result of something I’ve written. And yes, I’ve suffered quite a bit of collateral damage here. Especially in the last year or so.

And finally, a doomsday scenario. I’m considering killing off this blog entirely and taking the lessons I’ve learned and starting over from scratch. Possibly with another domain name and even writing under a pseudonym. I have a friend doing this with great success. And I must admit, the phrase “great success” has a certain appeal to me.

Stay tuned.

Posted on Sunday, March 23, 2008 at 06:48 PM

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