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Mythology and Paganism

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I want my blog to be relevant to others…but it isn’t happening.

26 Comments | July 15, 2007 at 11:47 am by mahud
Filed under Blogging

I have been neglecting the central theme of this blog for a little while. Mostly, I think that visitors don’t really know where I’m coming from and don’t know much about comparative mythology, or just thinks I’m nuts, plus I also think that mythology doesn’t really have much of a target audience on the internet.

As I state on my about page:

The focus of this blog is upon mythological traditions concerning the dying and rising god, or as Wikipedia terms it, a Life-death-rebirth deity, also referred to as a Pagan Godman, or Pagan Christ. I usually use the term Mythological Victim, because often he is not presented as a god, on occasion is actually female, doesn’t always rise from the dead, and is Pre-Christian.

My my goal is to study as many mythological traditions as possible and disclose the symbolic threads of meaning focusing primarily with the ‘death and rebirth deity.’

I’ve been working on variations of the site for three years, and hardly anyone has shown any interest, so perhaps I’m wasting my time. Either I continue with what I’m passionate about, perhaps, trying to make the content more visitor friendly.

I need some kind of strategy, to make this blog work. This may involve cleaning up some of my articles, that don’t really fit what the blog is about, and remove spiritual and religious experiences on to another blog.

I need to figure out a new approach to my blogging.

Anyway, just a few problems that needs to be addressed.

Any advice or feedback would be appreciated.

It may well be that my disappointment that I can’t make my blog work work, or appear interesting (and the fact that I’m much of a conversationalist in the comments area, despite my painful best effects has something to do with in)

Perhaps I just need to quit blogging altogether :(

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26 Comments (Have your say)

  1. kay

    Comment on July 15, 2007 at 12:20 pm

    Just so you know that you are one of only four people that are still on my feed reader. I am interested in what you say (if perhaps much of it is over my head).

    And I appreciate the random posts tossed in, but I also understand why having a topic specific website is good.

    If you set up a “personal experiences” blog, I’d love to know the site address so I can visit there too.

  2. Jeff | Druid Journal

    Comment on July 15, 2007 at 1:23 pm

    I also would be very disappointed if you stopped blogging, Mahud. Don’t be discouraged! If you’re looking for ways to try to make your blogging more relevant to others, how to drive traffic and maybe make some money too, I can suggest Slade’s blog, Spiritual Blogging. His articles are excellent, and he also offers blog critiques in exchange for donations (you set the price). Maybe the sense that it’s “not working” that you’re feeling is really an impetus to take this blog to the next level. I hope so!!

  3. Rick Cockrum

    Comment on July 15, 2007 at 2:58 pm

    Hi,

    I recently found your site through Modern Musings. What I’ve seen has been interesting enough that I subscribed to your feed. I’m not sure what you mean by blogging not working for you. Fewer readers than you expected? Less fulfillment than you want? Harder work than you thought it would be? The main point, I think, is do you enjoy it? You need to answer that question, then go on to deal with the aspects that you want to change.

    Jeff’s suggestion about a blog critique is a good one. Personally I would like to have a way to see what else is here. You have a search box, but no form of listing of your previous posts. It makes getting around hard when you don’t know where to go.

    I understand about engaging with your readers in the comment box being hard, but it is necessary. People want to be talked to, not talked at. A lot of people won’t return to a blog where the author doesn’t acknowledge there comments directly.

  4. Aquila ka Hecate

    Comment on July 15, 2007 at 3:12 pm

    Just another paw raised among the sea (and it probably is a fair-sized lake, anyway!) of people who’d like to see you carry on - I find your articles really interesting, often wishing I had such a comprehensive drive to mythological knowledge.
    I’ll get there, it just may take me longer than you.

    You’re contributing, Mahud.Please keep it up.
    I was sad enough to see Kay go -but I expect she has her reasons.
    Love,
    Terri in Joburg

  5. Danielle

    Comment on July 15, 2007 at 6:18 pm

    Mahud,
    I am very busy today but will come back and give my own suggestions. I am glad to have introduced Rick to your offerings here and have some pointers and encouragement of my own to offer and will do later today!!!!

    Keep your head up, kid.

    Danielle
    ~~~Modern Musings

  6. mahud

    Comment on July 16, 2007 at 8:21 am

    Kay

    Just so you know that you are one of only four people that are still on my feed reader. I am interested in what you say (if perhaps much of it is over my head).

    And I appreciate the random posts tossed in, but I also understand why having a topic specific website is good.

    If you set up a “personal experiences” blog, I’d love to know the site address so I can visit there too.

    Thanks, Kay. I’m glad you’ll still be sticking around, and stuff. And wow! I’m honoured to have a place in your feed reader :D

    I’ll make an anoucement if I decide to branch off with another blog. And if you start a new blog, please spam a post to let me know ;)

  7. mahud

    Comment on July 16, 2007 at 8:39 am

    Jeff

    I also would be very disappointed if you stopped blogging, Mahud. Don’t be discouraged! If you’re looking for ways to try to make your blogging more relevant to others, how to drive traffic and maybe make some money too, I can suggest Slade’s blog, Spiritual Blogging. His articles are excellent, and he also offers blog critiques in exchange for donations (you set the price). Maybe the sense that it’s “not working” that you’re feeling is really an impetus to take this blog to the next level. I hope so!!

    Thanks, Jeff. Without sounding to depressive, I feel discouraged from blogging on a regular basis, but still I keep at it, hoping I’ll make something successful of it, which I want to lead on to a book I’m writing.

    I’ve been reading Slade’s blog for a few weeks now, and he makes everything sound so easy, hehe, I dunno, perhaps it is, but there just seems like there are always tons of obstacles in my path, mostly they are my our doubts and fears and lack of confidence in my abilities.

    I’ll keep working at it :D

  8. mahud

    Comment on July 16, 2007 at 9:39 am

    Hi, Rick. Thanks for Commenting and subscribing, I really appreciate it :)

    I’m not sure what you mean by blogging not working for you. Fewer readers than you expected? Less fulfillment than you want? Harder work than you thought it would be? The main point, I think, is do you enjoy it? You need to answer that question, then go on to deal with the aspects that you want to change.

    You’ve given me quite a lot to reflect on there. I would be great to have more readers, as it would be some indication that I have something to offer. I think that’s been a problem for me me since I started publishing my mythology on the web. For the first couple of years I used static pages, but what I really wanted was some feedback, and allow other people to judge my work.

    It can be hard work. Sometimes I’ll spend days working on a post, that receives no interest, and that’s always disheartening, and makes me thing was it worth it? It’s always hard work when nobody seems to care. Although I’m sure that’s not entire true. I read posts every day that I enjoy, although if I have nothing to add, I don’t comment.

    Yep, I definitely enjoy it. I love writing and my subject. It has been a big part of my life for ten years now, long before I discovered the internet.

    Personally I would like to have a way to see what else is here. You have a search box, but no form of listing of your previous posts. It makes getting around hard when you don’t know where to go.

    I appreciate your critique on the navigation. I’ve added some recent post links to the side bar and single posts, and a page navi above the recent posts. I’ve also added a site map, and a category list. I still feel the categories need some work though. hopefully that will help visitors find their way around easier.

    I understand about engaging with your readers in the comment box being hard, but it is necessary. People want to be talked to, not talked at. A lot of people won’t return to a blog where the author doesn’t acknowledge there comments directly.

    This is something I’m trying to achieve. I want to participate in the comments area more, and respond to my visitors. I agree you should always welcome new posters.

    When I post at a blog for the first time, and no one responds (and I’m not talking about blogs that get a ton of traffic and commentors), it makes me feel like my comment was rubbish, and an being overtly self-conscious fellow, I don’t post there again.

    Sometimes, I have nothing more to add to the conversation, and so I leave it, but always say hi to new arrivals :D

    A blog post is like hosting a party and everyones invited! And I want the guests to enjoy themselves :)

    Thanks for the input Rick. I’ll have to thank Danielle,for sending you my way :)

  9. mahud

    Comment on July 16, 2007 at 9:49 am

    Terri

    Just another paw raised among the sea (and it probably is a fair-sized lake, anyway!) of people who’d like to see you carry on - I find your articles really interesting, often wishing I had such a comprehensive drive to mythological knowledge. I’ll get there, it just may take me longer than you.

    You’re contributing, Mahud.Please keep it up. I was sad enough to see Kay go -but I expect she has her reasons. Love, Terri in Joburg

    Thanks, Terri, I’m glad my stuff suits your interests, and all all your encouragement :)

    Perhaps we should create a ‘Come Back Kay’ Website, hehe. or perhaps that would be a bit over the top :D Hopefully Kay will be back when she gets a head full of inspiration :)

  10. mahud

    Comment on July 16, 2007 at 9:52 am

    Danielle

    Mahud, I am very busy today but will come back and give my own suggestions. I am glad to have introduced Rick to your offerings here and have some pointers and encouragement of my own to offer and will do later today!!!!

    That would be great! Some promotional tips would be nice :D ;)

    ps. Thanks for my new subscriber :)

  11. Jeff | Druid Journal

    Comment on July 16, 2007 at 10:27 am

    Mahud, do you use any service to keep track of your traffic, like Google’s Analytics? That’s a way to know how many visitors you get, and what the response to an article is, even if you don’t get any comments on it. Last month someone Stumbled my article on the Nature Church and it got something like 1500 visitors in three days (usually my traffic is closer to 50-100 per day). Not one of these people commented, and I would never have known about them if it weren’t for Google Analytics. (It’s a free service, BTW, and Feedburner provides something similar.)

  12. Cat Chapin-Bishop

    Comment on July 16, 2007 at 2:51 pm

    I’ll echo the comment about navigation. I have not added your blog to list of regulars, mainly because I just find your front page awfully complex. It’s pretty, but somehow hard to figure out at a glimpse.

    Staying focused on your main subject is a good plan, though from what I’ve seen, you do a pretty good job of that. So is trying to post at least weekly, so we know you are still active.

    And do–definately!–subscribe to a traffic tracking service. I use Stat Counter, partly because it does not share information it collects on my visitors with corporations; I like their ethics. I also like knowing that, even when I’ve just poured my heart out and heard a resounding silence (as with the last two entries in my spiritual journey series) it isn’t necessarily the case that I’m not being read. (One feature I like tells me how long visits last, and that is very encouraging during comment droughts. If noone writes to me, but most people are staying for over 5 minutes, I know I’m being read and appreciated–even if I don’t get the feedback I’m craving.)

    The big thing for me, though, is to streamline your front page. I was drawn to your subject when I first found the blog, but found it difficult to find my way around, and so have only been an intermittent reader since.

    Best of luck!

  13. Cat Chapin-Bishop

    Comment on July 16, 2007 at 2:56 pm

    Oh yes! Consider joining a Pagan bloggers community, like Metapagan, at http://metapagan.blogspot.com/ . You can easily add links through del.icio.us bookmarks–complete directions are on the site–including to your best stuff (though we’re really hoping you’ll point to excellent Pagan blogging wherever you find it.)

    The service is new, but starting to pick up steam. When it becomes more widely adopted, it should help encourage a kind of multi-blog conversation among thoughtful writers on Pagan topics.

    Come on in–the “tagging” is easy, and your insights will be welcome!

  14. mahud

    Comment on July 16, 2007 at 7:59 pm

    Jeff

    Mahud, do you use any service to keep track of your traffic, like Google’s Analytics?

    Our host provides site stats, that tell me how many vistors I’m getting, pages visited, search engine hints, links back, etc.

    One of my popular pages is The Island of the New Moon Passage. Unfortunately New Moon Island is a location in a Pokemon game, and so I reckon it’s mostly kids trying to find out how to get there :)

    I’ve signed up for Google Analytics to check it if it has any better features and stuff.

  15. mahud

    Comment on July 16, 2007 at 8:35 pm

    Hi, Cat!

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I had no idea that the main page had these problems. I appreciate you pointing them out to me. I’ll most likely use a more familiar blog layout, to fix things.

    Do you think the equal sized columns make it harder to understand what’s going on? And I’m wondering if I need to show complete posts on the main page rather than just the excerpt? Those are really the only two things that make the layout different from your average blog, I think.

    I’m enjoying Cat’s Spiritual Journey. Looking forward to reading your current installment :)

    I’ve bookmarked MetaPagan, and I’ll definitely be checking it out.

    Thanks, Cat :)

  16. Cat Chapin-Bishop

    Comment on July 17, 2007 at 2:18 am

    Hey, Mahud!
    I do think that the equal columns make it hard to follow. There’s just so much going on! BTW, I do like the look visually–very integrated and attractive. But it’s hard to tell at a glance what’s the primary content of the blog, which is discouraging to a casual eye.

    I admit, I go back and forth on the question of full or partial blog entries on the front page. If I could, I’d probably go to showing just the first paragraph or so of my own posts… because I can’t seem to help writing really looong entries. (I think that’s my own blogs greatest failing–its visually intimidating, and its hard to find posts when each is as long as mine often are.)

    I’d have made a lousy journalist. I suck at succinct…

    OTOH, I do find it sometimes off-putting to have a page that’s overly chopped up with excerpts, comments, and so forth, especially when it all merges together. Two of my favorite Pagan bloggers, Erik of Executive Pagan and Jeff Lilly of Druid Journal have layouts I find a bit visually confusing at times. But their content is so awesome I stick with ‘em… and, like me, they often have quite long (though usually not, like me ridiculously long) posts.

    It’s all about trade-offs, I guess… and finding your audience, which can take some time. (For instance, though my site traffic is overwhelmingly Pagan, my comments are mainly from Quakers. Why? Gods only know…)

    And thanks for tuning in to my spiritual journey series–it’s so great to know someone is reading it. :)

  17. Slade | Spiritual Blogging

    Comment on July 17, 2007 at 2:33 pm

    Mahud,

    I like the look and feel of your blog.

    The components and steps to a “blog make-over” are not likely to be as visual as you think. Each “thing” I would advise is easy or simple in execution — identifying them may seem overwhelming.

    Please contact me if you’d like my coaching — I can work something out for you such as your allowing me to publish part of the critique as a barter for the service.

    The big question is DO you want to keep blogging, or are you perhaps truly over it?

    If you want to continue, I’d like to help.

    Slade

  18. mahud

    Comment on July 17, 2007 at 8:30 pm

    Cat

    I do think that the equal columns make it hard to follow. There’s just so much going on!

    I think it’s because the mind is not being told where to look. It’s too uniform or something and there isn’t any focus.

    Maybe, I can fix the current template, although I’m itching to redesign it. I’m a bit of a re-design addict, but I must resist! :D

    I read part six, last night. And I’ve just discovered part seven! I’m really interested in your journey and experiences, both good and bad. Paganism is really a new thing for me. I know next to nothing of your gods and goddesses, wisdom, rituals, etc. So it’s all very insightful.

  19. mahud

    Comment on July 17, 2007 at 8:42 pm

    Hi, Slade. I’d like your help. I’ll let you know if a decision is reached to accept.

    I’m definitely not tired of blogging, but I do find it tiring, and wonder if it is beneficial or not. Although just the act of communication alone is good exercise for me, and that by itself, makes me want to continue :)

  20. Danielle

    Comment on July 17, 2007 at 9:16 pm

    Now I posted a comment and now am unsure that it was accepted or awaiting moderation, another blog issue of sorts.

    Much love

  21. Danielle

    Comment on July 17, 2007 at 9:17 pm

    http://www.copyblogger.com/
    http://www.copyblogger.com/relevant-engaging-content/
    http://lorelle.wordpress.com/
    http://www.problogger.net/
    http://www.problogger.net/archives/2007/07/13/how-to-write-excellent-blog-content-what-we-wish-we-knew/
    Darren Even linked back to me after I put my 2cents into the pot.

    Joseph Campbell Foundation become an Associate for free, participate in the conversations Forum.
    http://www.jcf.org/index2.php

    Technorati Widgets http://technorati.com/widgets/

    MyBlogLog if your a member you really should display your community widget which can be customized to match your blog template.

    Involve the reader with questions.

    Participate in memes such as Wordless Wednesday http://www.wordlesswednesday.com/ and Thursday Thirteen http://thursdaythirteen.com/ that can be customized to address your topics or niche.

    Keep your audience in mind, who do you want to reach?

    Combine mythology and current affairs

    Link love, contests with real prizes or link love.

    Let me interview you.

  22. kay

    Comment on July 17, 2007 at 11:25 pm

    And I’m wondering if I need to show complete posts on the main page rather than just the excerpt?

    Ooooh, that would be nice. I’m partial to seeing the whole thing at first glance, especially the pictures. :)

  23. mahud

    Comment on July 18, 2007 at 12:38 am

    Thanks for the Links and suggestions, Danielle. I’ll check them out more later. Your comment was caught up with the spam. It’s really annoying when that happens.

    Copyblogger is a good site. I was really sucked in, and read three really useful posts in a space of a few minutes :)

    To be honest, I’m not sure who my audience is. I think that’s my biggest problem.

  24. mahud

    Comment on July 18, 2007 at 12:45 am

    OK, I’ve modified the homepage. I think it looks much better :)

    I’m trying out full posts on the main page, and see how it goes. I think it will work. I definitely prefer using post excerpts for search results and categories, so I’ve added the custom-query-string plugin, that allows me to modify the home page, without effecting the other stuff.

  25. Cat Chapin-Bishop

    Comment on July 18, 2007 at 1:36 am

    Hi, Mahud,
    I’m liking the new look! It works for me, at least–easier to navigate, and still very attractive.

    On the question of audience, I can say that, the part of your audience who is me likes your personal experiences and thoughts/feelings on your spiritual life. Which has a lot of question marks–and I think that’s exactly what I like about it. You try on theories and ideas, you test out new techniques or approaches to old ones (like meditating) but all with a very open approach. (I think that’s where wisdom comes from, personally.)

    I also find your story as a human quite engaging and involving. So, though I wouldn’t tell you to shy away from blog memes and book or movie reviews if you get drawn to them, I myself would like to see your focus be on yourself–in introspective ways, not superficial ones, because I think you write well from that place.

    smile

    Whatever audience you write for, I’ve enjoyed joining yours, and I’m glad you look like you’re going to continue to write.

  26. mahud

    Comment on July 19, 2007 at 7:17 am

    Thanks, Cat. For your words of wisdom , and advice on the lay out. I’m really happy I have another reader. Hope I can keep you reading :D ;)

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