Writing in a vacuum

I write this blog as a means to record that which I regard as interesting about my daily family life. I intend to make a record, for my children, of any characteristic moments of their childhood. For this reason, I shall continue to write: for them. However, until recently, there was another reason to write: for those who read my articles and commented on them. Over the last few weeks, those who used to comment have stopped doing so and there have been very few new commenters. I cannot explain this change, other than to note that my posts became less frequent for a time, since my life was just too busy, to give my blog writing its usual portion of time.

So, now, I feel that I am writing in a vacuum. It feels as if I am sending my words off into cyberspace, not to be read, now, but to be read at some distant time, in which they will find an appreciative reader. The immediacy of the experience has been lost. Once, my writing would attract comments the very day I wrote, and for the next few days. Now, many of my comments go unremarked upon. This is strange, for it is not a matter of blog traffic: if anything my traffic is UP slightly, since this new silence fell on my readership. So, I have more readers, but fewer commenters.

One factor that is not insignificant is that I had to change my open door policy and put a bar on anonymous commenters. I had no choice but to do this, since some of the anonymous commenters abused their privilege and wrote what can only be described as vile comments, unsuitable to a family blog. Perhaps they have mental health issues – but whatever the case, their comments were not suited to this blog, which my children can read. This is a pity in some ways, since some of my anonymous commenters were erudite and interesting...just a bit secretive about quite who they were.

Another issue is that I have taken to publishing a blog feed, owing to its requirement for the Kindle. This means that people can read the blog without a direct visit. Thus, people who might have commented end up not doing so.

If you have any further insight as to why fewer people comment these days, please (ironically), say so in the comments below.

In the meantime, I shall continue to write, in my pristine new, and very quiet, vacuum. (Then again, I should expect that, since all vacuums are, by definition quiet...Star Wars films not being sufficient contrary evidence.)

Thanks.

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I also write of gifted education, child prodigy, child genius, adult genius, savant, megasavant, HELP University College, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, Malaysia, IQ, intelligence and creativity.

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