DISQUS

abacab · 1 year ago

I've said it before. Cut the head off the long tail, and while a new head will certainly grow, at least it's new and different, and for a while at least, probably more interesting and engaging and smart than anything you'd find in a Scoble/Winer/et al blog post, ever.

Jeff Crites · 1 year ago

Thanks for listing some bloggers you enjoy. I"m always on the lookout for interesting voices and unique content, so I'll check any out I haven't read yet.

My new attitude when blogging is to "fight for every reader". That means making every post count, and bringing a different angle and voice to the table. Hopefully, the list of readers will grow. But there are those times when you wonder if you are a tree falling in the woods ...

StevenHodson · 1 year ago

You'll also find in the sidebar My A-List of bloggers. It's definiely a copy of the Technorati listing but I think they are worthy of being there over some others.

Jeffro2pt0 · 1 year ago

That is a great attitude to have Jeff. Stay in line with your focus and whenever possible, add value.

Louis Gray · 1 year ago

I hope the lazysphere isn't a tag you'll be using often. We've talked a lot about why we blog, and it certainly isn't to follow the A-listers and beg for Diggs. We don't mind the occasional traffic spike, but it's hopefully organic through good content and discussion.

We appreciate your often unique view and insight, and have you in our personal A+ List as well.

StevenHodson · 1 year ago

Personally Louis I can not stand the term and other than the two posts you have seen it in so far you won't be seeing it again from me at all. If anything I think the majority of bloggers out there today are really hard working bunch and a term like that is borderline insulting.

Thank you for the kind word and I truly hope that if I ever stray into the realm of becoming a pointless blogger that you and my other regular readers will give me the good old slap upside the head.

Brett Nordquist · 1 year ago

Hey Steven,
Wow, I'm humbled you mentioned my blog as one you recommend to your readers. I've been going through your list and have added most of them to RSS feed. I too get a little tired of the A-List, and it's great to come across interesting blogs from those who have a lot of passion, if not name recognition.

Alfred Thompson · 1 year ago

Thanks for including me in your list.

One of the things with some of the people on the blogging A-list is that while they actually have good minds and lots of ideas they spend too much time just pointing to other people and not enough talking about their own ideas. The blogs I follow the most are the ones with new and often unique ideas. That is the real value of blogging to me.

Paul OFlaherty · 1 year ago

Wow! Thanks for inclusion Steven. Isn't the "Lazysphere" just a simple result of human nature?

I mean, some folks will always just regurgitate material due to lack of motivation, skill or ability. There is no changing the fact that a "Lazysphere" exists, especially and the entrance barrier to creating online media gets lower and lower,

Jeffro2pt0 · 1 year ago

You make some good points. I've noticed myself that it takes quite a bit of effort and work to produce good quality blog posts. Because of the amount of work and effort involved, you have to imagine that being the biggest barrier for most bloggers.

Matthew K. Tabor · 1 year ago

Thanks for the nod - I appreciate these lists a great deal because they always introduce me to a few great sites that I otherwise wouldn't have known about.

It's difficult to read lots of education blogs because it's definitely an echo chamber - I think that effect is what Rubel was getting at. The great irony here for Rubel is that his post about "The Lazysphere" is just another echo. It's been said 100 times before and his post adds nothing new to the debate aside from veiled insult and snobbery.

Rick Mahn · 1 year ago

Hi Steven! First, I'd like to thank you for the mention and link above. I think it means a lot to all of us when we get feedback from people we respect and trust.

I did enjoy Steve Rubel's post, and think the underlying theme is true - especially in this day of social media attention sinks, where it's more work to blog than to tweet or poke. However, he does indeed link back to some of the same A-Listers that always get the attention of other A-Listers. The cycle repeats itself.

However, with posts like the one above, you've proven that the blogosphere is alive and well. While I've been a bit lazy myself, spending a bit of time with Twitter, I too want to keep up an intelligent, helpful blogging routine - it's rewarding to me just to write. I hope it's rewarding to those who read.

Also, thank you for the links to even more great bloggers to read. Some I've found previously, but there are several I hadn't. I'm looking forward to getting to know these bloggers!

Regards,
Rick

Jeffro2pt0 · 1 year ago

Honored that you gave me some link love within this post Steve. I can vouch for the fact that the reviews I write, whether it's about a website, service, wordpress theme or plugin, they all take quite a bit of time and effort to write. Sure, I could go the way of the tumblr attitude and simply link to stuff. But I think theres a limit to the less is more approach. I have the attitude of trying to add value to the net instead of adding crap. I think the net and the blogosphere has enough crap, there is no need for myself to add to the pile.

But what I've loved about the blogosphere that is far below the A-List radar is the fact that most of these individuals are writing from the heart. They tell it like it is and they really give you a piece of their mind. I find that aspect of the blogosphere to be invaluable.