"The Future of Blogging, for me..." Topic

"I start the new year out wondering about gaming blog's and my efforts at this one.

I have mixed feelings on them. In aggregate they are great and provide tons of inspiration, information, and entertainment for their readers. Taken individually they are a real mixed bag."

Read the full story here.

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Miniature Machinations
Move, Shoot, Assault

I totally understand what you are getting at. I am on on my fifth(!) attempt at running a blog. It is nominally about Frostgrave, but also includes my other miniatures and gaming interests. I try to post twice a week: Wednesday is all of my random gaming thoughts for the week, Satyrday is for specific game content. If I am participating in a painting challenge, each challenge gets it's own post on Satyrdays.

I have been going at least two posts a week for almost three months now, so I hope I can maintain the momentum.

I post when I have something I think is of interest.
Don't worry about deadlines. Better to not post than saying nothing

I've got a gaming blog, I do it more to look back years from now to see what I did back when (sortof a public diary in that sense). If someone gets a kick out of it – even better.

That is sort of why I hobby blog as well. It also helps to connect to fellow gamers around the world.

I would describe my Blog as a Hobby Blog.

Tony
dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.co.uk

bunkermeister.blogspot.com

10,000 photos, years of entries, every day, nearly 800,000 hits so far.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek

I agree with "Dynaman8789" thats why I started my web site.

I'm with Roundie and Dynaman8789, first and foremost my Scrivsland blog is for my own amusement. It serves as a basic reminder of colour schemes I have used and is a helpful record of the games I have played.

… yes, that pretty much describes my blogging interest too Scrivs, but I have to admit to the thrill of picking up a follower every now and then (23 in 6 years). But I say, quality, not quantity! senlachill.blogspot.com.au

As has been mentioned my blog is for my own amusement…it is afterall a Hobby Blog.

It is an eclectic mix of my projects and thoughts but all very much focussed on my wargaming hobby. It does serve as a great diary.

I think some people like it – 375 followers at last count and will hit 500k views in the coming weeks.

Its taken time and perseverance – but I am proud of my 'Shed Wars'
shedwars.blogspot.co.uk

I run a blog that has quite long articles in it and over time, they hopefully build up into a collection of things that are useful.

For my more snippet chatty suff, I run some paid for web pages. I see an advantage in keeping both those things separate.

If a blog has a theme, then it is likely to talk to a specific audience and so who is to say what is a good or bad blog. Though my thoughts on a bad blog are;

Badly laid out, say with fine grey print on a black background.

Loads of pictures of exactly the same thing (use to be a killer on the old 56k modem download …. Anyone remembering those days :-). )

A blog post that is so short and irrelevant that it does not convey anything at all.

Good posts are rewarded by return visits or people delving deeper into your archive.

The one thing that is missing for many bloggers is some inter-action with the readership – if you are going to browse, considering signing onto a google account and then you can comment on the majority of blogs that you visit – it is the difference between acknowledging the blogger or taking them for granted.

After running what I think is safe to call a fairly successful blog for some time, the other day I made a post Thinking it might be my last and I would just revert to my web space and keep it as a sort of showcase. I was just fed up with feeding the hungry monster for hardly any response and decided I would be better of just spending some of that time on more gaming …….. But I got an unusual burst of interaction from readers and that alone made me think it was worth carrying on. I would not have mentioned that, only for this thread – so if you like a blog, say so,

Blogging is very much a personal thing for me, a method of recording, like a diary, the gaming exploits of the group of friends I game with.

I have done a number of tutorials on various painting projects with my one on basing WW1 Naval Ships being remarkably popular, it's great to pass ideas and techniques onto other gamers as well as having a record of the colours I used so that when I come to paint more in 5 years time I remember the paints.

For me it's important to blog about what I do regardless of its popularity, I love the Spanish Civil War and I know, regardless of how good my collection, terrain or write up is it will get significantly less reads than a average WW2 or Napoleonic post. My latest ECW post, for me is the best looking game we have done in a while, interest, nothing.

I would also be reluctant to criticise other blogs as being "bad" though, I'm not buying the content, blogging is just a hobby for many, if that's their best photography or writing style, then great, the writer is enjoying their gaming experience and good on them for that.

I will continue to blog for myself and if anyone else wants to come along for the ride the tickets are free.

Regards Ken
The Yarkshire Gamer
yarkshiregamer.blogspot.co.uk