I like blogs

I really like blogs, I really do. I would estimate that I spend about 75% of my time on the world wide web reading "Gun" blogs.

I like to read about other people's opinions and experiences, especially when it concerns interests that we have in common (like guns), and I don't guess that a week goes by that I can't find another blog to put on my "List" to check back with on a regular basis.

There are many blogs out there that are interesting enough but usually it has to be something extra special to keep me coming back again and again. All of the blogs that I have linked to are ones that I check on a regular basis, at least 2-3 times a month. Many I check more often than that. A "good" blog keeps you coming back for more. Besides the writing a blog has various other "things" that can help it rise above the competition. Below is a listing of what I believe can make a "good" blog even better and most of my favorite blogs have most (if not all) of these features. It is of course what I strive for myself with wilsonblog...

I Like Pictures - I like to see pictures. Any substantial topic you write on should have photo(s) to help illustrate it. I am a very visual person myself (as are many) and just one or two good photos will attract the readers and help keep them. We want to SEE what you are talking about. The last thing I want to see is line after line after line of text and nothing else...

I Like SMALL Pictures - small as in download time. I'm one of those dinosaurs that still have dial-up internet access. You might not believe this but there are still plenty of us around. People like me really don't have the patience to wait several minutes for your nice photos to download because you have no idea how to properly size them for the web. I have lost count of the times that I have become frustrated with a blog over this issue. It certainly makes me visit them less and in a few very rare cases not ever again. Great photos are nice (see above) but it shouldn't take forever to download your page either.

I Like Links - If you are writing an article about some new thingamajig that you just bought and absolutely love that's great! If your wonderful story makes me want to go out and get one too you should help me find it. If you write about some subject and some other background info might be needed to help me understand, link to that. Help me out a little. Also, as a general rule I prefer links that take me away from a blog to open in a separate window, but that's just my personal preference and I can see both sides of that argument.

I Don't Like Too Many Links - The opposite side of the coin above are bloggers that offer nothing much of their own, just links to others sites. Links to other sites are great but they shouldn't be all you have to offer. There are many blogs out there give you nothing more than a short comment from the blogger about some news article and a link to said article. Blogs like this hold my (short) attention for about five seconds, if that long. I read several news sites a day and the "lounge" of several more gun forums every day. I can assure you that any news story you can come up with (especially if it concerns guns) I have already seen at least once or twice before I hit your blog.

I Like Topic Lists - Sometimes I just want to read about your thoughts on guns, or photography, or whatever. I might not be in the mood (or have the time) to read everything you've ever written. I might like your take on a certain subject and might want to read more of the same. Having your blog posting set up with particular subjects help me use my time more wisely and it is appreciated.

AND FINALLY - AND MOST IMPORTANTLY

I Like Enthusiasm - I want to read about what you like, hopefully it will be something that I like too, but in any case I want to read what is important to you. There are many instances of blogs that I like to read that also have subjects that I couldn't give a hoot about. You know what? I usually end up reading those subjects too. There is just something to be said about someone that writes from the heart, you can just feel it when someone cares about the topic they are writing on. Conversely, there is just something sad about bloggers writing about some mundane details of their life that you can just tell they don't give a @#$ about, it's just something to blog about that day. Hey, if you don't care about it why should I?