A Scenic Route
  • Welcome Back
  • Blog
  • About
  • Other Projects
    • Feathers In A Blender
    • From My Drawing Board
    • Backstage At The Blog
  • Privacy Policy

Backstage at the Blog: K is for Karma

  • Blogging
  • Writing Journal

K © A Scenic RouteToday, for lack of a technical term that goes with the letter K, I wanted to talk a little about what makes the blogging world a happy place to be … what I call karma.

I’ll come clean though. I had written a few things about what I believe good blogging karma is, but then I wasn’t sure anymore.

I’m pretty sure it’s good karma to check out bloggers who comment on my blog, and leave a comment if so inspired.

But, even though I think it’s important to respond to every comment on my blog, I don’t feel slighted if busy blog doesn’t respond to my comment. Thanks to the A-Z Challenge, I know how time-consuming it can be to reply to every single visitor!

I also think it’s good karma to thank another blogger who inspired a post and to link back to their blog. If I learn something interesting, and it causes me to post on a similar topic, I’m happy to link my readers up with some further information.

What about blog awards? Is it horribly bad etiquette not to accept every award that comes one’s way? I’ve accepted a few, but sometimes, if it doesn’t fit my schedule, I’ve had to hang my head in shame and leave the award unclaimed. I know that I’m not upset if someone doesn’t accept mine!

So, I’m curious. How about you? Do you do your best to visit everyone who stops by your blog? What do you consider good blogging karma?

(Here’s your link back to the A to Z Challenge Sign Up list.)

 

A-Z Challenge Blog Karma The Letter K
April 12, 2014 Kirsten

Post navigation

Backstage at the Blog: L is for Link → ← Backstage at the Blog: J is for JPEG

20 thoughts on “Backstage at the Blog: K is for Karma”

  1. sandy says:
    April 12, 2014 at 7:56 am

    I absolutely visit everyone who visits my blog and leave a comment. I go out of my way in fact. Example …people who use google+ and some don’t realize their blogs are set to only receive comments from other google+ people. I try to contact them by email if possible to let them know. Hate not to be able to return the favor of a visit and comment. Just hit one that was Discus only, not going to join something in order to leave a comment and wanted to reach them, but they also had no means of contact; that was frustrating after reading a long post, typing up a long response in the comment section to realize I couldn’t leave a comment. Some have it so you have to sign in with facebook in order to leave a comment….I don’t do that either, like my blog world to be separate; but I truly try to reach everyone………..some though make it next to impossible to do so. I always wonder if they think it’s rude they don’t hear back from people, and wonder if they realize they’ve put road blocks in the way. Happy A-Z to you.

    1. Kirsten says:
      April 13, 2014 at 1:27 pm

      Hi Sandy,
      Yeah, I hit a Discus blog as well, and wasn’t really sure what to think about that. I do appreciate an email or comment to let me know when something has gone haywire with my blog since I want it be easy for bloggers to interact with me and others here.
      I’m always impressed by how helpful the blogging community is, and am happy to pay that good vibe forward. 🙂

  2. Alex J. Cavanaugh says:
    April 12, 2014 at 9:14 am

    I think you nailed it. I do my best to visit everyone who visits me, although this month I know I’ve missed a few, And I don’t post every award. (I have most of them anyway.) Again, sometimes it just doesn’t fit one’s schedule.

    1. Kirsten says:
      April 13, 2014 at 1:31 pm

      I’m glad you agree with me, Alex. 🙂
      I know I’m not perfect about getting to everyone that I want to visit, but I do my absolute best to keep up–even if it means I don’t post just so I have time to check out more of my favorite blogs.
      Of course, with A to Z, not posting is not an option!

  3. melinda says:
    April 12, 2014 at 11:11 am

    I’m still learning about blog etiquette and karma, so this post was very interesting to me. I do always check out the blogs of people who follow or comment on mine, and I often wind up also following them. There’s so much interesting stuff and talent out there! I’ve also learned to respond right away to comments, because if I don’t, I’ll forget all about it. That’s happened a couple of times in the past and I am determined to make sure it doesn’t happen again. (I don’t know anything at all about awards.)

    1. Kirsten says:
      April 13, 2014 at 1:35 pm

      You don’t know about awards? Well, I’ll have to see if I can’t do something about that! 😉
      I’m naturally curious to meet people who comment on my stuff, so it made sense to visit their blogs anyway. Later I learned that it’s considered good manners to check them out.
      Most blog stuff is pretty obvious if you think about it, but I sometimes wonder what some people are thinking!

  4. Shell Flower says:
    April 12, 2014 at 11:44 am

    I agree that it is good to reply to comments and link to those that inspire you to post on a similar topic. Sometimes it’s so hard to find a blog to comment back due to the commenter’s profile set-up or that they have a weird commenting system installed. Even Google+ profiles can be a pain in the butt to find a way to get to the person’s actual blog. I do what I can to find them, but if it takes more than 5 clicks I’m done.

    1. Kirsten says:
      April 13, 2014 at 1:38 pm

      I know what you mean about the Google + profile. If they don’t list their blog on the profile, it’s very hard to find them–and I end up googling the name of the blog just to find it! Not a good plan if you want to get comments.
      But then, I just discovered today that my blogger workaround has room for improvement as well! I just keep learning new stuff all the time. 🙂

  5. Sammy D. says:
    April 12, 2014 at 1:59 pm

    You hit the highlights for me.

    I agree with other commenters – the bloggers without a “like” button, or a choice of only Google+ or email as following options, make me think twice about the time it takes to be an active follower. I don’t use Google+ and I have found I don’t engage when posts come in via email. Too unwieldy.

    As for the awards – I’m sure new bloggers like me appreciate the exposure they potentially bring. If I’m busy when nominated, I accept and commit to do my “work” by a specific date. It that’s not compatible with the award rules, I’m sure someone will tell me!

    1. Kirsten says:
      April 13, 2014 at 1:44 pm

      I’ve never considered how much potential commenters can be put off by unwieldy interfaces. It is something for me to keep in mind.
      I look at blog awards as something that should be fun to do, and a chance to pay forward the exposure other blogs have given me. But I’ve had some where there are like twenty questions and eleven other bloggers and on and on. Frankly, it starts to feel like work! I try to balance posting my own content with an occasional blog award to keep everybody happy. 🙂

  6. susan says:
    April 12, 2014 at 2:08 pm

    What you call karma I call good manners. As to awards, I rarely respond to all the questions they entail. I’m not that public. I do respond in a comment to the person giving the award. And you’re right – very time consuming and often questions I don’t enjoy answering
    As to the gogle + thing someone I really wanted to comment on for the challenge had google so I did email him

    1. Kirsten says:
      April 13, 2014 at 1:48 pm

      I had one blog award where the questions were just too personal for me as well– so I answered them as my main character. 😉
      I’m still struggling with exactly the best way to exchange comments with Blogger folks, because I notice that even experienced Blogger commenters don’t have an image up here.

      I’m learning a lot on the A to Z challenge, that’s for sure. 🙂

  7. Teresa Cypher says:
    April 12, 2014 at 3:10 pm

    I can’t think of anything else. You and the comm enters have covered it all, in my opinion. I share youor frustration about sites that demand you join to be able to leave a comment. And Google+ is getting way too big for their britches! I wonder if there will come a time when you won’t be able to use the Blogger platform (Google owned) without filtering everything through G+. I hope not. ~sigh~ Best wishes finishing the A to Z. 🙂

    1. Kirsten says:
      April 13, 2014 at 1:51 pm

      Thanks, Teresa!
      I admit the whole Google thing confuses me a bit, and I wonder if, like you say, they aren’t getting in their own way as they try to move more of us to the Google/Blogger platform.
      It’s interesting to watch from over here on WordPress though. 🙂

  8. Arlene says:
    April 12, 2014 at 5:24 pm

    Completely agree on all points. I’d admire you and everyone doing the A-Z Challenge – great topic for K!

    1. Kirsten says:
      April 13, 2014 at 1:53 pm

      Thank you, Arlene!
      This challenge is something I never thought I’d be able to do, but here I am on K! Still a little worried about Z, but at least I’ve got Q covered already. 🙂

  9. lexacain says:
    April 12, 2014 at 11:57 pm

    I agree. I think there’s definitely a blog etiquette. I could do a BIG post on all the things peeps do that tick me off, but I wouldn’t change them. All I’d do is make myself look like a b***h. So I just do the best I can and try not to take the blog-verse too seriously. 🙂

    1. Kirsten says:
      April 13, 2014 at 1:56 pm

      Hi Lexacain,
      Oh, yeah, I rant about some stuff in private as well, but I have to admit that the positives about sharing my words and thoughts with the world in this way still outweigh the negatives.
      Still, it’s good to know that I’m not the only one that feels this way sometimes!

  10. armchairauthor says:
    April 21, 2014 at 10:50 pm

    I make an effort to respond to all comments, visit the blogs of commenters and followers, and comment on their blogs if I can add something meaningful. That hasn’t been too difficult thus far, since I think I’ve never had more than four unique individuals comment on a single post! I did recently crack 200 followers, though.

    1. Kirsten says:
      April 22, 2014 at 7:03 pm

      I don’t usually have this many comments either! I really didn’t expect to see this much traffic for the challenge, but I’m thrilled to have it. 🙂
      I admit, it gets harder to keep up the karma when there’s this many comments though.

Comments are closed.

Calendar

February 2021
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
« Mar    

Recent Posts

Dearest Novel

Dearest Novel

Hopping on board the blog again, and look! It’s like riding a bicycle … just gotta get the rust out of my fingers. Not that I’ve been neglecting my writing, […]

More Info
IWSG: Fear, Love, and Writing

IWSG: Fear, Love, and Writing

It’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group, again. I know, don’t remind me– I was insecure two months ago, and haven’t been here since! But it’s the first Wednesday of the month […]

More Info
IWSG: Why Can't I Write Like Everyone Else?

IWSG: Why Can't I Write Like Everyone Else?

Welcome to this month’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group post, which you’ll notice is the only post on this blog since last month’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group post. I know. I […]

More Info
IWSG: The Siren Call of NaNoWriMo

IWSG: The Siren Call of NaNoWriMo

Wait. IWSG? And NaNoWriMo? I know you’re staring at your screen thinking, “What’s with all the acronyms? She’s really lost it now. Things haven’t been the same at A Scenic Route […]

More Info
Stories and Trees

Stories and Trees

The arrival of fall got me thinking … Since I love walking in the woods, I find it often feels as if my Muse is wandering in a forest full […]

More Info
Infinity Edge

Infinity Edge

Since when do Muses need vacations? Apparently mine does, which is why he’s been suspiciously absent from the blog. Oh, wait, here he is … I brush aside the palmetto […]

More Info
IWSG: Enjoying the View

IWSG: Enjoying the View

Warning: This will not be the usual Insecure Writer’s Support Group post. Believe it or not, this month I’m actually a secure writer. Shocking, I know, but it’s true! I’ll […]

More Info
The Meet My Character Blog Hop-Nick Moore

The Meet My Character Blog Hop-Nick Moore

The cold wind gives me goose bumps as climb the front steps to Nick Moore’s beach house, gripping my laptop to my chest like a lover. I knock on the […]

More Info
Powered by WordPress theme Stained Glass