8/14/2007

History of Qxh7#

BDK -- I really don't like to call him that, it reminds me of serial killers or presidential assassins for some reason -- has an interesting post up about getting/deserving/cultivating readership for your blog. It got me to thinking about this blog. Do I have a readership? Do I deserve one? What is the purpose of this blog? In an attempt to answer all this and more I thought about what I've done here in a little over 2 years time.

  • Chess Web Site - Round 1

My first attempt at a blog, before I found blogger, was a self maintained CSS website dedicated to my high school chess team. This was to try and create a history of something I found important in my life, and I am sure the other members of the Monmouth Academy Chess team did too. I also wanted to recognize the positive role-model Walter Law, my chess coach was for me. However, I quickly found that the material just wasn't readily available to make an interesting site, and those static 1 page web sites with no evolving content are extremely boring.

  • Chess Blog - Round 2

Later I found blogger. I was playing regularly and trying to improve my play, and thought, if I post analysis of my own games, maybe I can get some feedback here and it will help me improve. This was a great thought, its the follow through that lacks. Unfortunately playing, analysing and posting games is alot of work. Even when its fun it grinds up alot of time.

  • Chess Blog - Round 3

Beyond just chess, I am also an IT professional. When I got bored with blogging my games, I found an interest in modifying my Blog layout. Adding widgets, changing the template. Minor stuff really but I enjoyed making a unique look and feel for this blog.

  • Chess Blog - Round 4

Recently this blog has been about me keeping an interest in chess. Making chess a part of my life. I like to post bits of information I find, interesting links, a game here and there.

I don't really put effort in to cultivate a readership. I doubt many people find my posts awefully useful. People do hit the site. I occassionally visit sitemeter and check the referals, and the active pages. I find it interesting that people from all over the world come here. I would like to offer content that people found funny, provocative or interesting, but in the long run I think the blog is more about keeping me interested in Chess, than getting people interest in my blog. I would certainly rate most of the blogs on my sidebar as much higher quality than this one. But I appreciate when people pop in and comment on my posts and say hi. Hopefully you find something here at least occassionally to keep you coming back.

2 comments:

Blue Devil Knight said...

Frankly I am a very superficial reader of blogs. I like to spend my serious thinking time looking at my puzzles and games, so when blogs post very detailed analysis with lots of variations I tend to not read them (I suck I know). I like your blog partly because you offer up a lot of little easy to digest tidbits.

And you are a Red Sox fan, which is a Good Thing.

How many games until the freakin' Yankees pass them? You are a fan. You know it will happen. I frankly can't even watch. Every year the Sox come into the second half with a lead, and then the Yankees inexorably pass them to take the division. But this year the Sox should at least make the playoffs!

Jeff said...

I can't talk about the Sox right now. It's like talking about an impending train wreck. All you can honestly do is watch, unable to turn away, wondering why you feel like you must witness this.