Over the last week or so, I've shown some presence over at Nature Network. I've been reading Stephen Curry's blog and getting inspiration for a post or two of my own. I've been leaving comments and, most of all, noticed how many comments Stephen's blog commands.
I've been starting to think. Blogging is good fun, the putting of thoughts into words, the practicing of verbal skills, the writing under time pressure, the development of wordsmithery. The benefits are countless, but the occupation feels a bit lifeless if there aren't readers. Now I know that my blog has followers, and I value each one (that I know), but I'm wondering if there's a way to increase my exposure, especially in light of possible employment opportunities.
Nature Network seems to be a great place to put a blog. There are only few bloggers, but they post regularly and with much skill. The writing is generally good and focused on topics all visitors to Nature Network expect – something science-related. The audience appreciates that and comes back. Nature Publishing Group (NPG), in turn, appreciates that, and promotes Nature Network. (Truth be told, they started it.) They highlight active users and most-commented blogs and because of the manageable nature of the content, it's all quite helpful. Everyone who writes a decent amount will eventually get attention.
Contrast that with Blogger where a user is one in millions and each blog inevitably lost in abundance. That this is not the place to get the word out is obvious. So obvious, in fact, that others have approached me, by email and online, full of exasperation about my ignorance and urging me to move. The latest initiative came today from a most unexpected source, NPG itself. I found my mug on their main page (at the very bottom in the middle).
Not that there is any rationale behind a humble script's visible effects, but being on the front page of the home of the Nature journals is just one step from being on the cover of Nature, isn't it? Even if it isn't, it would have been fantastic to have a stimulating and insightful blog behind this behatted face. The move is inevitable.
And yet, and yet, I'm not convinced. I would lose the privacy of this blog, the freedom of telling my friends what's going on. I would have to write science and abandon nonsense like electronic New Year's resolutions and walks in the park. The blog would be by me, not about me. I'm not ready to make that jump, no matter the potential benefits. What I might do, though, is split this blog in two – continue here as I have and publish at Nature Network the smart things that might come to my mind. However, without a catchy title, I can't get started. Docandreas doesn't cut it among scientist. Any suggestions to help me move on?
2 comments:
Hey Andreas,
I like the idea of splitting between the two. I think it would be great to have your stuff read by more people, as I think it is very worthy. However, I would woefully miss the non-science posts if you totally converted. It seems quite obvious that your enjoyment of blogging comes in part from the freedom to write about whatever you feel like, which I think you should hold on to, lest it becomes a chore to always write about science. Anyways, that is my two cents.
Go for it Andreas! You can always keep the more personal stuff for and:F (what does that stand for, by the way?). Writing to catch interest on NN is quite a good discipline, I find (though I have to try not to make it too time-consuming).
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