NaNo Update and Blog Followers

If you’ve been keeping track, either as one of my NaNo Buddies, or by dropping in on the blog periodically over the past few days, you’ll know that I’ve been doing quite well on the NaNo-front. Not as well as some of my Buddies (Cole, for example, who either types very quickly, doesn’t sleep, or both!), but better that I expected. I’m pleased with the way the novel’s going, too. There’s some character development happening that hasn’t happened in previous attempts at writing this thing, and some story elements I hadn’t thought of before that I think definitely enhance it. You can see my current word count in the little blue NaNoWriMo widget in the sidebar.

You might also notice in the sidebar that I have removed “Linky Friends.” In fact, I now have no “Friends” or “Followers”-type widget. This doesn’t mean you can’t follow my blog. I still have multiple means for you to keep track of my blogging activity (RSS feed, e-mail, etc.–see the sidebar). But here’s why I’m no longer providing a visual tally of who’s following this blog:

• I honestly don’t know how many people are subscribed to this RSS by some means or another. Aside from the handful of Linky people, and those that tell me they’re following, or who seem to comment regularly, I have no way of keeping track. By far the most useful means of tracking followers was Google Friend Connect, largely because a lot of people used it (and still do). But since the demise of GFC on WordPress blogs earlier this year, nothing has come along to replace it for us WP users that’s of equal popularity. My reasoning, then, is: what’s the point of showing a tally (i.e., Linky Folllowers) that I know isn’t a true representation of the number of people following this blog? It may not be far from accurate, but it’s still inaccurate.
• Let’s face it: there are people out there who will value a blog by the number of followers. If you’ve got 10,000 followers, you must have something important to say. If you’ve only got 10 followers, perhaps you’re still finding your voice and, who knows, your blog may not even be around in six months. That’s the thinking, anyway. Personally, I don’t subscribe to this view. I follow blogs because I like what they have to say, or I feel I connect in some way with the author (common interests, similar sense of humor, etc.). I’m not criticizing those who evaluate blogs by the number of faces on their follower widget; that’s their choice. Rather than try to persuade them to think differently, I’d sooner just remove what might be an obstacle to them taking my blog seriously.
• Related to the last point, I have to ask myself: why am I showing those followers? Is it to say “look at me–I have followers!” or is it to encourage me in my blogging? The latter has been a reason for a long time, but it’s becoming less of one. I know there are people who read this blog fairly regularly, so if I need encouragement outside of my own love of wordsmithing, there it is. I don’t really need a follower widget to keep me blogging. That leaves the first reason (“look at all my followers!”), and if that’s the only reason for having a widget, I’d sooner not have one.

So, for those reasons, I’ve removed the Linky followers widget. Thanks to all of you who make time in your week to read this blog. You’re a large part of the reason I’ve been encouraged to keep going over the past year. And as long as people read and comment, I’ll carry on blogging.

Finally, a big CHEER to all my fellow NaNo-ers! Keep up the great work and the amazing word-counts! 🙂

P.S.: To all my friends in the UK, have a fun and safe Bonfire Night!