Blogging Blues… It Sucks!

Thu, Jun 12, 2008

Well today was the dawn of a new day for me guys and gals… it’s the day that I’ve dreaded having for the last three weeks now and it’s finally reared its ugly little head. If you’ve been blogging for any amount of time you’ve likely experienced such dread but how do you combat it? Combat what? C’mon, it’s depression people and it really bites the big one.

I need a Xanex on the fly!

I’m not sure what spurs it on. Is it the fact that I cannot dedicate all of my time to blogging when that’s what I’d love to do? Is it the fact that it’s that nature of the business we’re in… to find ourselves amidst frequent bouts of depression due to issues beyond our complete control? The questions and emotions are running high and I’m in search of an answer… and quick. I’ve felt this before in plenty of other ventures but for Piss Biscuit, this is a royal first. Usually, this is the feeling that I get within hours of starting something new. Buyers regret of sorts. But why the hell am I getting it now? I don’t like it at all… In fact I really hate it if I’m being honest.

Trying to uncover the mystery that is me, I’ve broken it down to a few issues that have shot ot the top of my list. You ready for this?

Bye-Bye Commentators

Commentators feed me. They motivate me. It’s you guys that inspire me to do things like write fun, inspiring, argumentative posts… it’s not that I’m bored… I promise. I live on the idea that my visitors are here to participate, to communicate, to be a part of good old fashion organic blogging once again. You know, the roots of it all. But is that what readers are looking for? At this point I’ve got my doubts because my comments have been dropping like an anchor.

My comments have gone down substantially in the last week and I fear that it’s for one of two reasons. Neither are good enough for me to accept, but none-the-less it’s happening and it’s really kind of crappy. I need to fix it and fix it fast. So what do I think is my problem?

I don’t have focus here, which is what people really are looking for. You want a reason to be here, not just a pit stop. I’ve got a fast food joint when you all want to sit down and enjoy your dinner. I’ve read a number of comments as of late asking about my focus, where it is, and why haven’t I gotten any. Maybe it’s been such a turn off that you’ve moved on?
I’m being overly anticipatory about what I think Piss Biscuit should be doing. We had a great start. I’ve been thrilled with the comments up until that pas few days. I’ve even been happy with the traffic, in fact, it’s pretty much stayed balanced. But maybe, just maybe, the great start was just a quirk. Maybe, it was a fad. Don’t know, but it’s bothering the hell out of me the more I think about it.

The other day someone mentioned to me that they were feeling REALLY burned out with blogging and they needed to take a break. Is this the same feeling I’ve got? Am I just burnt or do you guys really just mean that much to me?

No Focus = No Posts?

The math is simple really. Without focus, it’s really hard to maintain something interesting enough to dictate a daily read… I know this and I’ve tried really hard to combat the issue. I’ve offered to give away goodies like preium themes… I’ve tried to give away web hosting, I’ve even tried to pawn off a conference ticket worth $1000.00! As of yesterday, I even offered to let you guys spend my money trying to do a little advertising experiment! To me it’s such a cool idea… let someone else spend their money, on your recommendation. It’s a bloggers dream to know where to advertise and where not to… then I’ll share the results! What more could you ask for? New comers and seasoned pros all should find some sort of value there right?

What do you do?

So I’m well aware that this “depression” is the root of most blogging failures, but to those of you all still out there pluging away at it, what do you do when this happens. I mean, what do you do when it happens this early on. Some people take vacations, others might pop pills or binge drink. How do you all handle the blogger blues?

Tags: blogging, Business, Personal

25 Comments For This Post

robin Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 4:37 pm

I’ve been blogging now for 6 months and I often get the feeling I am talking to myself The difference is that I don’t give away goodies, I just blog about what interests me, with a clear focus on video and partially photo. My blog is for a big part my own big personal favorites folder. If I see something interesting, I put it in my blog for later reference.

So the biggest difference between me and you is that I do this mainly for myself and a small part for others. Sometimes i write a tutorial on video, just because I like doing it. Because I get reactions sometimes that is enough for me to continue. I also see in the stats which posts are read and sometimes people call me because they read a post on my blog and have specific questions which are usualy about video, camera’s and stuff like that.
That’s the only reason to continue giving information I know and that might benefit others.

But I also use it for my personal development, I”m not writing kind of guy but with my blog I learned to pay attention to what I write, how I write it, how I structure it.

I even got invited by a videoclub a few weeks ago and they want me to talk about the weddingvideobusiness and they want to know how I do my job, that is all just by writing about stuff i like. It takes a lot of time but I have met some nice and interesting people who share the same passion and that is video.

So as I see it, just write about what interests you but don’t ask what interest others. Do YOUR thing and the rest will follow. Don’t ask too much participation, most people don’t care. They just stop by to see what is happening in your life, what drives you and if they can pick up some interesting things they come back again.

You are a webdeveloper right? Well I guess you have some pretty interesting stuff to talk about to fill a complete blog. It’s like learning to run, you need to start walking first.

@ nick: see? no negative comments, no stirring up trouble and certainly not malicious towards PB, If we want to we can be very friendly.

Hang in there PB, the blues will pass, just think about your wedding and you’re up and running before you know it.

Matt Hanson Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 4:40 pm

Good writing. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed my Google News Reader..

Matt Hanson

PB Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 4:43 pm

Awesome Robin! Thanks for the motivational comment. No it wasn’t negative and though we publicly disagree many times, I think we privately agree more often than not. I love this part for sure…

“So as I see it, just write about what interests you but don’t ask what interest others. Do YOUR thing and the rest will follow. Don’t ask too much participation, most people don’t care. They just stop by to see what is happening in your life, what drives you and if they can pick up some interesting things they come back again.”

Thanks again Robin!

PB Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 4:59 pm

@ Matt: Thanks for stopping in and subscribing. If you’re interested, you can subscribe via Feedburner instead and get entered for my shameless promotional giveaway. Here are some details if you haven’t seen it. No pressure, just a thought.

http://thepissbiscuit.com/pbs-premium-theme-giveaway/

theaffiliatepost Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 5:17 pm

@ Robin: That is the single best comment I have ever read to date. I was half way through writing a post along these lines myself when I stopped to read some other blogs and I am so glad I did. Even if you failed to cheer up our friend PB, you certainly have inspired me. Thank you. Not being the writing type myself I can totally see where you are coming from.

@ PB: Keep your chin up and as I said to you earlier…don’t expect so much. You rule the blog don’t let the blog rule you.

To be perfectly honest I had not posted on my own site for a while and was going through the same sort of thoughts and emotions before I got a comment from you. It has been an inspiration to me not only reading this site but commenting too. I would even go so far as to say that I am finding my own writing style through the interaction I have with people on this blog. The bloggers blues hits everyone but don’t let it get you down….a lot of this is trial and error for all us if so just keep at it. You have great ideas and I need not remind you that you have only been at it for two weeks. Robins advice is superb and I agree totally that learning to walk first is a must. Let’s hear more about you, your skills and what you are learning from this experience. Your advertising experiment will be great and you will no doubt pick a whole new host of readers as a result but it won’t happen all at once. That much I know.

It’s nice to know we mean so much to you

zania Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 5:26 pm

Great post PB,
See, when you write from the heart it makes damn good reading!
I agree with a lot of what Robin said here and particularly his suggestion that you tell us more about your life as a web developer. I bet many of us would be interested in that for a whole variety of different reasons.

But one part of your post stands out to me:
“I’m being overly anticipatory about what I think Piss Biscuit should be doing. We had a great start…”

What happened with The Piss Biscuit was unusual. It usually takes months, or even years for a blog to attain the interest you received in those first weeks. It was bound to drop off and leave you feeling disappointed I’m afraid.

But most of this is nothing to do with you or the posts you write. It’s just the nature of blogging.

You cannot write scintillating posts every day, or receive rivetting comments. Conversely, sometimes you make a post you may be proud of, but do not expect a full-on reaction, but out of the blue it receives loads of comments and often a discussion develops which takes the whole post to new levels. That happened early on with the PB. It was bound not to go on indefinitely.

Many people read a blog regularly for a while and sign up to the feed, and then you may not see them for weeks. It doesn’t necessarily mean they have lost interest, it is more likely they are simply too busy to drop in every day and post a comment.

It appears to me that the majority of people who read The Piss Biscuit are bloggers themselves and we are mostly commercial bloggers who try our best to get our online work done. And it’s hard – you know that, to stay focused. Sometimes we just have to switch off to what is going on in the blogosphere and do our own work – it’s often more boring than coming here, but we just have to do it!

At the end of the day, I don’t think it’s about offering free gifts. We are more interested in coming here for our ‘Blogger’s Soapbox’. Giving away free gifts may get you more readers for a while, but they probably won’t last.

Just keep writing what you feel like writing.
Just my (very long…) two cents

Nick Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 7:07 pm

@Robin- I detest, and concede that my comment in that other post was way out of line. I’m publicly offering you an apology and I hope you accept it.

@PB- I’m not going to lie, I was jealous (that may be a strong word to use, but for the lack of a better one, I’m going to use it) of your fast start, albeit proud of what you were able to accomplish. But, as others have pointed out, it was a small sample size, and you were bound to level out. You can’t generate 50 comments on a post each time out. There’s several reasons for this, but I’ll just post a couple that come off the top of my head.
1.) Not everything you say is going to strike a cord with your readers to the point that it’s going to inspire them to say something.
2.) Look at your posts with the most comments: One Man’s Goal (48), Full Tilt Blogging (44), and The Premium Theme Give Away (31) are the highest. Then you have is your blog sexy at 27, then the rest sit under 20. The One Man’s Goal post is a hot topic on the internet, and it was mildly ‘controversial’ (again for lack of a better word), as was the little battle with Aaron. The Theme Give Away speaks for itself, clearly the numbers on something like this is going to be higher. I would consider these posts with the high numbers to be somewhat of an anomaly.
3.) Just because people aren’t commenting doesn’t mean they aren’t reading. Believe me, I know this. Sports blogs generate a very mild level of discussion, outside of the few super blogs, the rest would appear vacant. The Sporting News Blog, ESPN’s site, these sites are lucky to generate 50 comments on a post unless it’s a topic with some controversy behind it. Sometimes I have to remind myself of this and look at my stats to stay inspired. You happen to be in a field where people are generally talkative, but I think you should be very proud of being able to generate the discussion you have so far. A lot of people would kill to have 20 comments on a post on a consistent basis.
4.) DUDE YOU’RE AVERAGING 18.75 COMMENTS A POST AND YOUR BLOG IS 15 DAYS OLD!!!!

I think you are doing excellent, and to get discouraged and allow productivity to decrease at this point would be a travesty. You have everyone’s attention right now, your site is hot, your so ahead of the curve right now it’s disgusting. I watch in amazement at how you have captivated such a large audience so quickly. Let me put it this way, right now, your so ahead of your time that your parents haven’t even met yet. Lol, some people may not get that, but I think you will.

Nick Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 7:10 pm

AHHH!!! I apologize for the grammar in that post. The last para has your for you’re twice

PB Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 11:28 pm

@ AP: First off, I second your motion for a great post by Robin. I’ve said it once on another blog and I’ll say it again on my own… Robin is one of the greatest conversationalists I’ve ever run across and this post simply proves it. Not bad for a Belgian!

Secondly, it’s inspiring on its own that you find inspiration and direction here. In fact, it’s amazing to me, especially being in the rut that I was in today. So thank you. Just as you develop your writing style, I continue to develop my own… it’s interesting how this seems to work sometimes huh?

@ Zania: I’m really really, really impressed with your ability to sift through things and point out ones validity… and I’m sure lack there of when required J You’re so very right when you mention writing from the heart makes a good read. It’s true, or so it seems, and I’m really glad in some ways that I went ahead and published the post

If nothing else, this shows the human side of us all. We’re not just mindless machines writing away about random things that will feed our faces. We’re not throwing rice at the ceiling just to see what sticks. We are all people, and together we are building a community and Zania, you’ve helped make that quite clear. So thank you.

I also KNOW that you guys don’t come just for the freebies. Believe me I know. I guess it stings a little when you try so hard to make a difference and you don’t feel as if your efforts are appreciated. I stand corrected, and now I know better!

You made mention of long lasting visitors, rather than fair weather friends… those are some words of wisdom if I’ve ever heard any my friend.

Not to mention I know exactly how it feels to NEED to do our real work! I haven’t been whole hearted in my real job since starting…, which by the way might be attributing to my stresses. Time to fix that and get my ass back into gear I guess Oh, and I’m actually surprised that you all would want to hear more about my corporate world… but hey, I’m game, so watch what you ask for! LOL.

@ Nick: Dude! It’s really an honor to know that someone who’s been around as long you have is a bit envious (lack of proper word in my vocabulary). Thank you, and I applaud you, as you must be a better man than I. I could never deal with the line of work you’re in. I have got to have my communication. In a cynical kind of way I hope to keep making you “jealous”… but I have a feeling after I’m done with your blog, the tide might turn

As for the math… it does put things into a bit of perspective now doesn’t it? Bryan told me that some people have been blogging for 6 months and don’t have the traffic or response that we’ve got here. After I wrote this post, and started reading the replies, I went around and took a look at some other blogs that I visit daily and you know what… Not one had participation or comments that could even come close to what we’ve gotten here. Maybe not in numbers… but in quality!

@ All: Truth be told, I was never worried that anyone left, I was worried that I was not living up to your expectations. I see that I was wrong. I’m going to take the advice of people much smarter than I, and I’m going to continue to do whatever it is that we do here… communicate, make friends, and build one killer blog!

It’s time for some much needed sleep. Tomorrow is a new day, and with it will come renewed spirits! My sincere thanks goes out to everyone of you.

robin Says:
June 13th, 2008 at 2:54 pm

“Not bad for a Belgian!”

*Ahum*, we are a very small country mr PB but are greater then you think, seen the latest news about a Belgian Brewer trying to buy Budweiser? Huh? How about that for a Belgian.

Nick, no worries mate, I already forgot about it, one thing I will not forgive you though and that was when you thought I was a woman but eventually I will get over that as well.

Bryan Clark Says:
June 13th, 2008 at 6:23 pm

I didn’t know it was that depressing having me not comment on one post. *BAM* Magic comment. You’ll feel better now.

Nick Says:
June 13th, 2008 at 7:40 pm

Robin,
Honest mistake. I got an aunt and a Grandmother named Robin, I mean, it’s not like I can see you or hear your voice. If my name was Tracey you’d probably originally think that I was a woman too. I know that sounds horrible, but it was an honest mistake.

Tor Says:
June 13th, 2008 at 8:51 pm

“So what do I think is my problem?

I don’t have focus here, which is what people really are looking for. You want a reason to be here, not just a pit stop. I’ve got a fast food joint when you all want to sit down and enjoy your dinner. I’ve read a number of comments as of late asking about my focus, where it is, and why haven’t I gotten any. Maybe it’s been such a turn off that you’ve moved on?
I’m being overly anticipatory about what I think Piss Biscuit should be doing. We had a great start. I’ve been thrilled with the comments up until that pas few days. I’ve even been happy with the traffic, in fact, it’s pretty much stayed balanced. But maybe, just maybe, the great start was just a quirk. Maybe, it was a fad. Don’t know, but it’s bothering the hell out of me the more I think about it. ”

First thought before reading the rest of the post and the comments before me (oh and being drunk on a few beers and high on some rather lousy hashish):

I think it’s focus, you got it right. As I can assume from what blog I followed into here (theaffiliate post (that I found the same night via nerdynomad (but I’ve been visitning him less than you if that tells you something))) the you are about making money from affiliate websites? (note the ? mark, as I write this I can’t remember if you ever said what your goal was. And while we are at it (thought I risk (not) the destruction of the blog that I’ve taken this much interest to write about: then what is the name about? The piss biscuit, it´s a name that is repulsive to as a first impression, so I assume you are using it because it sticks in the mind (smart tactic, I’d just use something pornographic without being disgusting).

Anyway before I continue, is there some story behind the term “Piss Bisquit”, exactly what does it mean?

Tor Says:
June 13th, 2008 at 8:55 pm

A ” missing at start of last comment.

Anyway, I’d (If you) make it clear what this blog is about from something visual in the template.

Nick Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 12:39 am

Tor, I think I am completely confused about your comment. You have like 800 statements, and 400 extra parenthesis, inside an initial parenthesis. So let me try to answer your questions the best I can, as I am not the author of this blog:

It’s not an affiliate blog in anyway. Affiliate products have not been pitched thus far. As far as I can tell, this dude is a webdesigner and just talks about stuff on the web that he feels like talking about.

Then you say this:
And while we are at it (thought I risk (not) the destruction of the blog that I’ve taken this much interest to write about: then what is the name about? The piss biscuit, it´s a name that is repulsive to as a first impression, so I assume you are using it because it sticks in the mind (smart tactic, I’d just use something pornographic without being disgusting).

I think you answered it yourself. I don’t see how this could destroy anything, everyone knows that a piss biscuit is a urinal cake, and I think you answered the motive behind the post. How would it destroy anything? I’m just curious to see your line of thinking. Do you think no one realized this, and it was a dirty little secret? People don’t really get offended in this day and age, I think it would take a lot more to get people upset.

Bryan Clark Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 12:43 am

I dunno, I did have a “stumbler” get pissed off because I used the word “stupid” in a title at my blog.

PB Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 1:07 am

@Tor: I’ve got to agree with Nick here… I’m quite confused by what you intended to say.

From what I understand, you;re saying that you found The Piss Biscuit via The Affiliate Post, to which was found via the Nerdy Nomad… Okay I got that part.

I’ve also got to say that even though you may have found this site through an “Affiliate” blog, I do not offer, nor do I promote affiliate links. Does this mean I never will? Of course not. But for right now, Nick has it nailed. I am a website designer/ developer and this is my place to talk about ANYTHING having to do with blogging, life, website design, and running a business. It’s a little something for everybody. It’s a change of pace from the norm. It’s different because I don’t have a niche market and I’m not out to earn “clicks”.

I’m not a professional blogger and I’m not making money from this blog, but again, that was NEVER my intent. I’ve never promoted a product other than some really cool Premium WordPress themes, because as a designer, I find them to valuable to bloggers of any niche. I did notice that you “questioned” what I do here, so maybe that clarified it just a bit?

As for the repulsive name… LOL I don’t find it repulsive at all. Granted, my father thought it was a bit crude, but watching it EXPLODE in two short weeks, he’s changed his tune quite a bit.

The Piss Biscuit was never supposed to be serious. It was a crazy idea I had while in a bathroom at a casino here in town. I talked about it for days as if my new “idea” was the best thing since sliced bread… Cassey, my finace, decided that as a gift she would go track down the owner and buy the domain name for me. After a few weeks of piddling with the idea, I got burned out. I actually couldn’t remember why I thought it was so amazing to begin with… none-the-less, I held on to it for sentimental reasons I guess.

Then one day it happened. It was a complete accident, but it happened. I posted a comment on another blog that I read and forgot to change my login information. I ended up posting my comment under the name “Piss Biscuit”… after numerous e-mails, comments and a spike in traffic on my “dead” domain, I thought wow, the name hold interest. It’s something different tht the norm. Perfect.

I worked on this for a few days and on May 28, 2008 the Blog was born. It’s been an awesome ride since then, with the occasional bouts of depression, but all in all, I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Maybe this answered your questions?

Dirty secret? The blog’s destruction… I think you’ve read to deeply Tor, and I’m again going to side with Nick and ask for some clarification here. I’d like to know what you’re thinking as well.

@ Bryan: That was me that did that No seriously, I’ll be online tomorrow… PLEASE check in with me in between cocktails and bikini babes!

theaffiliatepost Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 2:59 am

LMAO – Tor, It does not appear that the hashish was as lousy as you make out!! I just don’t know what to say about that!

robin Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 3:24 am

Nick, I was joking about not forgiving you, typical Belgian humor. If you want I can call you Tracey if you’d like. OK, enough BS, this is a very serious blog.

Nick Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 4:05 am

@PB- I also generate my best ideas while drunk in dirty casino bathrooms, the difference is, I’m usually hung over a toilet puking from a combination of too much liquor and losing all my money.

Tor Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 5:55 am

The blogs destruction refers to a cosmic and psychological chain of events that seemed perfectly plausible at the time but makes little sense now … Seems like I was just rambling, pay no mind.

Didn’t mention anything about a dirty secret where did that sneak in?

It’s a good story how you thought up the name and idea, thanks for the clarification.

Nick Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 8:14 am

the dirty secret was that no one realized the name of the blog. In context with the post it makes perfect sense.

PB Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 8:18 am

@ AP: I’ve never been a hashish smoker, but I’ve got to agree with ya here.

@ Nick: I know the feeling however, I NEVER get sick (I spin my ass off though) and I ALWAYS lose. Okay… not always, but damn might as well be always

@ Robin: I’m not sure what’s better! Your waffles, or your humor… I like both.

@ Tor: Cosmic and psychological chain of events… I’m still lost but since you don’t seem to know either… I’ll nix it from the record. The secret is mentioned because just as Nick thought, I to believed that you “thought” the name was a dirty little name to secretly create a buzz…. or at least that’s what I think Nick was getting at.

zania Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 11:25 am

LMAO!
Intelligent conversation mixed with getting high, getting drunk, disagreement, humour, a Cosmic and psychological chain of events, a dirty secret that wasn’t, and Belgians who could have been called Tracey but weren’t…
You’ve got it all here PB
What more could you ask for

Piss Biscuit Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 12:19 pm

@ Zania: Hmmm… nice looking blonde in a scantly clad bathing suit would be nice… LOL! (That one was for Britt a.k.a. UBTC)

When you lok at it that way…. it appears we’ve gone from soapbox, to soap opera. All in fun I guess!

1 Trackbacks For This Post

Getting down to business | The Piss Biscuit | A Blogger's Soapbox Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 3:06 am

[...] In fact, many times, it’s like going to a funeral, or reading my post about having the “Blogger’s Blues“. After weeks of daily interaction, you’re left with a feeling of relief that [...]

robin Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
I’ve been blogging now for 6 months and I often get the feeling I am talking to myself The difference is that I don’t give away goodies, I just blog about what interests me, with a clear focus on video and partially photo. My blog is for a big part my own big personal favorites folder. If I see something interesting, I put it in my blog for later reference.

So the biggest difference between me and you is that I do this mainly for myself and a small part for others. Sometimes i write a tutorial on video, just because I like doing it. Because I get reactions sometimes that is enough for me to continue. I also see in the stats which posts are read and sometimes people call me because they read a post on my blog and have specific questions which are usualy about video, camera’s and stuff like that.
That’s the only reason to continue giving information I know and that might benefit others.

But I also use it for my personal development, I”m not writing kind of guy but with my blog I learned to pay attention to what I write, how I write it, how I structure it.

I even got invited by a videoclub a few weeks ago and they want me to talk about the weddingvideobusiness and they want to know how I do my job, that is all just by writing about stuff i like. It takes a lot of time but I have met some nice and interesting people who share the same passion and that is video.

So as I see it, just write about what interests you but don’t ask what interest others. Do YOUR thing and the rest will follow. Don’t ask too much participation, most people don’t care. They just stop by to see what is happening in your life, what drives you and if they can pick up some interesting things they come back again.

You are a webdeveloper right? Well I guess you have some pretty interesting stuff to talk about to fill a complete blog. It’s like learning to run, you need to start walking first.

@ nick: see? no negative comments, no stirring up trouble and certainly not malicious towards PB, If we want to we can be very friendly.

Hang in there PB, the blues will pass, just think about your wedding and you’re up and running before you know it.
Matt Hanson Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Good writing. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed my Google News Reader..

Matt Hanson
PB Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Awesome Robin! Thanks for the motivational comment. No it wasn’t negative and though we publicly disagree many times, I think we privately agree more often than not. I love this part for sure…

“So as I see it, just write about what interests you but don’t ask what interest others. Do YOUR thing and the rest will follow. Don’t ask too much participation, most people don’t care. They just stop by to see what is happening in your life, what drives you and if they can pick up some interesting things they come back again.”

Thanks again Robin!
PB Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
@ Matt: Thanks for stopping in and subscribing. If you’re interested, you can subscribe via Feedburner instead and get entered for my shameless promotional giveaway. Here are some details if you haven’t seen it. No pressure, just a thought.

http://thepissbiscuit.com/pbs-premium-theme-giveaway/
theaffiliatepost Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
@ Robin: That is the single best comment I have ever read to date. I was half way through writing a post along these lines myself when I stopped to read some other blogs and I am so glad I did. Even if you failed to cheer up our friend PB, you certainly have inspired me. Thank you. Not being the writing type myself I can totally see where you are coming from.

@ PB: Keep your chin up and as I said to you earlier…don’t expect so much. You rule the blog don’t let the blog rule you.

To be perfectly honest I had not posted on my own site for a while and was going through the same sort of thoughts and emotions before I got a comment from you. It has been an inspiration to me not only reading this site but commenting too. I would even go so far as to say that I am finding my own writing style through the interaction I have with people on this blog. The bloggers blues hits everyone but don’t let it get you down….a lot of this is trial and error for all us if so just keep at it. You have great ideas and I need not remind you that you have only been at it for two weeks. Robins advice is superb and I agree totally that learning to walk first is a must. Let’s hear more about you, your skills and what you are learning from this experience. Your advertising experiment will be great and you will no doubt pick a whole new host of readers as a result but it won’t happen all at once. That much I know.

It’s nice to know we mean so much to you
zania Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Great post PB,
See, when you write from the heart it makes damn good reading!
I agree with a lot of what Robin said here and particularly his suggestion that you tell us more about your life as a web developer. I bet many of us would be interested in that for a whole variety of different reasons.

But one part of your post stands out to me:
“I’m being overly anticipatory about what I think Piss Biscuit should be doing. We had a great start…”

What happened with The Piss Biscuit was unusual. It usually takes months, or even years for a blog to attain the interest you received in those first weeks. It was bound to drop off and leave you feeling disappointed I’m afraid.

But most of this is nothing to do with you or the posts you write. It’s just the nature of blogging.

You cannot write scintillating posts every day, or receive rivetting comments. Conversely, sometimes you make a post you may be proud of, but do not expect a full-on reaction, but out of the blue it receives loads of comments and often a discussion develops which takes the whole post to new levels. That happened early on with the PB. It was bound not to go on indefinitely.

Many people read a blog regularly for a while and sign up to the feed, and then you may not see them for weeks. It doesn’t necessarily mean they have lost interest, it is more likely they are simply too busy to drop in every day and post a comment.

It appears to me that the majority of people who read The Piss Biscuit are bloggers themselves and we are mostly commercial bloggers who try our best to get our online work done. And it’s hard – you know that, to stay focused. Sometimes we just have to switch off to what is going on in the blogosphere and do our own work – it’s often more boring than coming here, but we just have to do it!

At the end of the day, I don’t think it’s about offering free gifts. We are more interested in coming here for our ‘Blogger’s Soapbox’. Giving away free gifts may get you more readers for a while, but they probably won’t last.

Just keep writing what you feel like writing.
Just my (very long…) two cents
Nick Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
@Robin- I detest, and concede that my comment in that other post was way out of line. I’m publicly offering you an apology and I hope you accept it.

@PB- I’m not going to lie, I was jealous (that may be a strong word to use, but for the lack of a better one, I’m going to use it) of your fast start, albeit proud of what you were able to accomplish. But, as others have pointed out, it was a small sample size, and you were bound to level out. You can’t generate 50 comments on a post each time out. There’s several reasons for this, but I’ll just post a couple that come off the top of my head.
1.) Not everything you say is going to strike a cord with your readers to the point that it’s going to inspire them to say something.
2.) Look at your posts with the most comments: One Man’s Goal (48), Full Tilt Blogging (44), and The Premium Theme Give Away (31) are the highest. Then you have is your blog sexy at 27, then the rest sit under 20. The One Man’s Goal post is a hot topic on the internet, and it was mildly ‘controversial’ (again for lack of a better word), as was the little battle with Aaron. The Theme Give Away speaks for itself, clearly the numbers on something like this is going to be higher. I would consider these posts with the high numbers to be somewhat of an anomaly.
3.) Just because people aren’t commenting doesn’t mean they aren’t reading. Believe me, I know this. Sports blogs generate a very mild level of discussion, outside of the few super blogs, the rest would appear vacant. The Sporting News Blog, ESPN’s site, these sites are lucky to generate 50 comments on a post unless it’s a topic with some controversy behind it. Sometimes I have to remind myself of this and look at my stats to stay inspired. You happen to be in a field where people are generally talkative, but I think you should be very proud of being able to generate the discussion you have so far. A lot of people would kill to have 20 comments on a post on a consistent basis.
4.) DUDE YOU’RE AVERAGING 18.75 COMMENTS A POST AND YOUR BLOG IS 15 DAYS OLD!!!!

I think you are doing excellent, and to get discouraged and allow productivity to decrease at this point would be a travesty. You have everyone’s attention right now, your site is hot, your so ahead of the curve right now it’s disgusting. I watch in amazement at how you have captivated such a large audience so quickly. Let me put it this way, right now, your so ahead of your time that your parents haven’t even met yet. Lol, some people may not get that, but I think you will.
Nick Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
AHHH!!! I apologize for the grammar in that post. The last para has your for you’re twice
PB Says:
June 12th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
@ AP: First off, I second your motion for a great post by Robin. I’ve said it once on another blog and I’ll say it again on my own… Robin is one of the greatest conversationalists I’ve ever run across and this post simply proves it. Not bad for a Belgian!

Secondly, it’s inspiring on its own that you find inspiration and direction here. In fact, it’s amazing to me, especially being in the rut that I was in today. So thank you. Just as you develop your writing style, I continue to develop my own… it’s interesting how this seems to work sometimes huh?

@ Zania: I’m really really, really impressed with your ability to sift through things and point out ones validity… and I’m sure lack there of when required J You’re so very right when you mention writing from the heart makes a good read. It’s true, or so it seems, and I’m really glad in some ways that I went ahead and published the post

If nothing else, this shows the human side of us all. We’re not just mindless machines writing away about random things that will feed our faces. We’re not throwing rice at the ceiling just to see what sticks. We are all people, and together we are building a community and Zania, you’ve helped make that quite clear. So thank you.

I also KNOW that you guys don’t come just for the freebies. Believe me I know. I guess it stings a little when you try so hard to make a difference and you don’t feel as if your efforts are appreciated. I stand corrected, and now I know better!

You made mention of long lasting visitors, rather than fair weather friends… those are some words of wisdom if I’ve ever heard any my friend.

Not to mention I know exactly how it feels to NEED to do our real work! I haven’t been whole hearted in my real job since starting…, which by the way might be attributing to my stresses. Time to fix that and get my ass back into gear I guess Oh, and I’m actually surprised that you all would want to hear more about my corporate world… but hey, I’m game, so watch what you ask for! LOL.

@ Nick: Dude! It’s really an honor to know that someone who’s been around as long you have is a bit envious (lack of proper word in my vocabulary). Thank you, and I applaud you, as you must be a better man than I. I could never deal with the line of work you’re in. I have got to have my communication. In a cynical kind of way I hope to keep making you “jealous”… but I have a feeling after I’m done with your blog, the tide might turn

As for the math… it does put things into a bit of perspective now doesn’t it? Bryan told me that some people have been blogging for 6 months and don’t have the traffic or response that we’ve got here. After I wrote this post, and started reading the replies, I went around and took a look at some other blogs that I visit daily and you know what… Not one had participation or comments that could even come close to what we’ve gotten here. Maybe not in numbers… but in quality!

@ All: Truth be told, I was never worried that anyone left, I was worried that I was not living up to your expectations. I see that I was wrong. I’m going to take the advice of people much smarter than I, and I’m going to continue to do whatever it is that we do here… communicate, make friends, and build one killer blog!

It’s time for some much needed sleep. Tomorrow is a new day, and with it will come renewed spirits! My sincere thanks goes out to everyone of you.
robin Says:
June 13th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
“Not bad for a Belgian!”

*Ahum*, we are a very small country mr PB but are greater then you think, seen the latest news about a Belgian Brewer trying to buy Budweiser? Huh? How about that for a Belgian.

Nick, no worries mate, I already forgot about it, one thing I will not forgive you though and that was when you thought I was a woman but eventually I will get over that as well.
Bryan Clark Says:
June 13th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
I didn’t know it was that depressing having me not comment on one post. *BAM* Magic comment. You’ll feel better now.
Nick Says:
June 13th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Robin,
Honest mistake. I got an aunt and a Grandmother named Robin, I mean, it’s not like I can see you or hear your voice. If my name was Tracey you’d probably originally think that I was a woman too. I know that sounds horrible, but it was an honest mistake.
Tor Says:
June 13th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
“So what do I think is my problem?

I don’t have focus here, which is what people really are looking for. You want a reason to be here, not just a pit stop. I’ve got a fast food joint when you all want to sit down and enjoy your dinner. I’ve read a number of comments as of late asking about my focus, where it is, and why haven’t I gotten any. Maybe it’s been such a turn off that you’ve moved on?
I’m being overly anticipatory about what I think Piss Biscuit should be doing. We had a great start. I’ve been thrilled with the comments up until that pas few days. I’ve even been happy with the traffic, in fact, it’s pretty much stayed balanced. But maybe, just maybe, the great start was just a quirk. Maybe, it was a fad. Don’t know, but it’s bothering the hell out of me the more I think about it. ”

First thought before reading the rest of the post and the comments before me (oh and being drunk on a few beers and high on some rather lousy hashish):

I think it’s focus, you got it right. As I can assume from what blog I followed into here (theaffiliate post (that I found the same night via nerdynomad (but I’ve been visitning him less than you if that tells you something))) the you are about making money from affiliate websites? (note the ? mark, as I write this I can’t remember if you ever said what your goal was. And while we are at it (thought I risk (not) the destruction of the blog that I’ve taken this much interest to write about: then what is the name about? The piss biscuit, it´s a name that is repulsive to as a first impression, so I assume you are using it because it sticks in the mind (smart tactic, I’d just use something pornographic without being disgusting).

Anyway before I continue, is there some story behind the term “Piss Bisquit”, exactly what does it mean?
Tor Says:
June 13th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
A ” missing at start of last comment.

Anyway, I’d (If you) make it clear what this blog is about from something visual in the template.
Nick Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 12:39 am
Tor, I think I am completely confused about your comment. You have like 800 statements, and 400 extra parenthesis, inside an initial parenthesis. So let me try to answer your questions the best I can, as I am not the author of this blog:

It’s not an affiliate blog in anyway. Affiliate products have not been pitched thus far. As far as I can tell, this dude is a webdesigner and just talks about stuff on the web that he feels like talking about.

Then you say this:
And while we are at it (thought I risk (not) the destruction of the blog that I’ve taken this much interest to write about: then what is the name about? The piss biscuit, it´s a name that is repulsive to as a first impression, so I assume you are using it because it sticks in the mind (smart tactic, I’d just use something pornographic without being disgusting).

I think you answered it yourself. I don’t see how this could destroy anything, everyone knows that a piss biscuit is a urinal cake, and I think you answered the motive behind the post. How would it destroy anything? I’m just curious to see your line of thinking. Do you think no one realized this, and it was a dirty little secret? People don’t really get offended in this day and age, I think it would take a lot more to get people upset.
Bryan Clark Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 12:43 am
I dunno, I did have a “stumbler” get pissed off because I used the word “stupid” in a title at my blog.
PB Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 1:07 am
@Tor: I’ve got to agree with Nick here… I’m quite confused by what you intended to say.

From what I understand, you;re saying that you found The Piss Biscuit via The Affiliate Post, to which was found via the Nerdy Nomad… Okay I got that part.

I’ve also got to say that even though you may have found this site through an “Affiliate” blog, I do not offer, nor do I promote affiliate links. Does this mean I never will? Of course not. But for right now, Nick has it nailed. I am a website designer/ developer and this is my place to talk about ANYTHING having to do with blogging, life, website design, and running a business. It’s a little something for everybody. It’s a change of pace from the norm. It’s different because I don’t have a niche market and I’m not out to earn “clicks”.

I’m not a professional blogger and I’m not making money from this blog, but again, that was NEVER my intent. I’ve never promoted a product other than some really cool Premium WordPress themes, because as a designer, I find them to valuable to bloggers of any niche. I did notice that you “questioned” what I do here, so maybe that clarified it just a bit?

As for the repulsive name… LOL I don’t find it repulsive at all. Granted, my father thought it was a bit crude, but watching it EXPLODE in two short weeks, he’s changed his tune quite a bit.

The Piss Biscuit was never supposed to be serious. It was a crazy idea I had while in a bathroom at a casino here in town. I talked about it for days as if my new “idea” was the best thing since sliced bread… Cassey, my finace, decided that as a gift she would go track down the owner and buy the domain name for me. After a few weeks of piddling with the idea, I got burned out. I actually couldn’t remember why I thought it was so amazing to begin with… none-the-less, I held on to it for sentimental reasons I guess.

Then one day it happened. It was a complete accident, but it happened. I posted a comment on another blog that I read and forgot to change my login information. I ended up posting my comment under the name “Piss Biscuit”… after numerous e-mails, comments and a spike in traffic on my “dead” domain, I thought wow, the name hold interest. It’s something different tht the norm. Perfect.

I worked on this for a few days and on May 28, 2008 the Blog was born. It’s been an awesome ride since then, with the occasional bouts of depression, but all in all, I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Maybe this answered your questions?

Dirty secret? The blog’s destruction… I think you’ve read to deeply Tor, and I’m again going to side with Nick and ask for some clarification here. I’d like to know what you’re thinking as well.

@ Bryan: That was me that did that No seriously, I’ll be online tomorrow… PLEASE check in with me in between cocktails and bikini babes!
theaffiliatepost Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 2:59 am
LMAO – Tor, It does not appear that the hashish was as lousy as you make out!! I just don’t know what to say about that!
robin Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 3:24 am
Nick, I was joking about not forgiving you, typical Belgian humor. If you want I can call you Tracey if you’d like. OK, enough BS, this is a very serious blog.
Nick Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 4:05 am
@PB- I also generate my best ideas while drunk in dirty casino bathrooms, the difference is, I’m usually hung over a toilet puking from a combination of too much liquor and losing all my money.
Tor Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 5:55 am
The blogs destruction refers to a cosmic and psychological chain of events that seemed perfectly plausible at the time but makes little sense now … Seems like I was just rambling, pay no mind.

Didn’t mention anything about a dirty secret where did that sneak in?

It’s a good story how you thought up the name and idea, thanks for the clarification.
Nick Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 8:14 am
the dirty secret was that no one realized the name of the blog. In context with the post it makes perfect sense.
PB Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 8:18 am
@ AP: I’ve never been a hashish smoker, but I’ve got to agree with ya here.

@ Nick: I know the feeling however, I NEVER get sick (I spin my ass off though) and I ALWAYS lose. Okay… not always, but damn might as well be always

@ Robin: I’m not sure what’s better! Your waffles, or your humor… I like both.

@ Tor: Cosmic and psychological chain of events… I’m still lost but since you don’t seem to know either… I’ll nix it from the record. The secret is mentioned because just as Nick thought, I to believed that you “thought” the name was a dirty little name to secretly create a buzz…. or at least that’s what I think Nick was getting at.
zania Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 11:25 am
LMAO!
Intelligent conversation mixed with getting high, getting drunk, disagreement, humour, a Cosmic and psychological chain of events, a dirty secret that wasn’t, and Belgians who could have been called Tracey but weren’t…
You’ve got it all here PB
What more could you ask for
Piss Biscuit Says:
June 14th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
@ Zania: Hmmm… nice looking blonde in a scantly clad bathing suit would be nice… LOL! (That one was for Britt a.k.a. UBTC)

When you lok at it that way…. it appears we’ve gone from soapbox, to soap opera. All in fun I guess!

Getting down to business | The Piss Biscuit | A Blogger's Soapbox Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 3:06 am
[...] In fact, many times, it’s like going to a funeral, or reading my post about having the “Blogger’s Blues“. After weeks of daily interaction, you’re left with a feeling of relief that [...]

ThePissBiscuit.com