Game 22: #2 Seed Content Maven Versus #6 Seed Write From Home
April 24, 2008 by J.C. Hewitt
The Matchup
Both Content Maven and Write From Home won relatively tight matches to get into the second round. Sixth-seeded WFH upset a third-seed to move forward while second-seeded CM edged out a seventh-seed in its match. I noted in the first round that community was a problem for CM. It wasn’t a factor then, but it will be now. CM has been hard at work making changes though, so let’s see if it is enough.
Community
Content Maven
Since we last saw CM, Meryl K. Evans has been hard at work trying to revamp her comment section and build on her community. I think she has gotten off to a good start. Comments are definitely on the rise, but the numbers are still relatively low. She averaged a little less than two comments per post over her last 10 posts. Compared to where she was, that’s a big jump. Not all the comments are substantive but it is a good start.
Result: Content Maven picks up a point at the free-throw line.
Write From Home
WFH has a fantastic community for a blog its size. Blogger Amy Derby averages 23 comments per post. About half of those comments add something of value to the conversation. Amy responds to just about every comment, which means it isn’t surprising to see as many as sixty or seventy comments stacked up for a posting.
Result: WFH Hits the three-point shot.
WFH jumps out to a 3-1 lead.
Value
Content Maven
The focus of CM is a bit scattered lately. The focus seems to be on web tools and motivation more than content generation. Motivation seems to be an issue that a lot of bloggers are dealing with. Both of these blogs tackle the subject in their own way. Evans does provide some good information, but I would like to see more of a focus on writing/content.
Result: CM shoots a short jumper for two points.
Write From Home
Motivation is a problem for blogger Amy Derby as well. In fact, her last post, Mental Health Break: Coming To A Blogger Near You, discusses the fact that she is taking a break from blogging for a while. She doesn’t feel she has anything interesting to say at the moment. Some of her other articles deal with motivation, but she also discusses freelancing standards, client requests and networking.
Result: WFH hits a layup for two points.
WFH maintains its lead, 5-3.
Top Commented Article #1
Content Maven
Blogging Lessons from a Match up
I have to admit it gets a little eerie when I see a discussion of my tournament is the most commented article on another blogger’s site. To Evan’s credit though, she discusses the problems and qualities of her site with an objective eye, and you can learn something about web content from the article.
Result: CM gets two in the paint.
Write From Home
HELP: an Acronym, a Tall Order
This article discusses overwork. Considering the meme going around the net about bloggers working themselves to death, this is a well timed piece, but it is actually addressing the author’s own problems. She has decided to team up with another writer in order to lessen her workload. She also discusses the writing projects she intends to drop or avoid until she gets her life balanced again. The community kicks in with 48 comments, mostly of support, with many people discussing their own experiences.
Result: WFH scores a slam dunk for two.
WFH continues to maintain a two-point lead 7-5.
Top Commented Article #2
Content Maven
It is CM’s turn to discuss overwork, although the real topic is a lack of motivation. Evans’ solution is to accept that she is putting off her least appealing project and working on the others, so that she can avoid disappointing all of her clients because she doesn’t want to do the work for one client. In an attempt at building her blog’s feeling of community, Evans includes comments from her Twitter community as part of her article. She is attempting to spur one community with another. The move does help create conversation because one of the Twitter commenters continues the discussion in the blog comments.
Result: JA scores two on a mid-range jumper.
Write From Home
Derby defends her dislike of organization in favor of doing the things that works for her. She says that she is not unhappy with her system, although that is contradicted by some of her other recent posts discussing the writing (and general) burnout she is suffering from. The audience embraces the general message of using what works for you.
Result: WFH puts two more in from the paint.
WFH remains up by two, 9-7.
Top Commented Article #3
Content Maven
Blogging Features: Comments and Social Network Links
Evans discusses the use of special features for social media. She is caught between one feature that adds a click to the process and another that adds clutter to the page but eliminates the extra click. This is more of a blogging conversation than a writing conversation, although it does fit in with her blog’s purpose. The commenters discuss the feature.
Result: CM puts the ball in off the glass for two points.
Write From Home
When Good Clients Ask for Bad Stuff (or, Why I’m at the Poop Conference)
Derby discusses the good that can come from blogging as she attends a conference about E. Coli and other diseases and creates a web tribute to a boy who died from eating tainted meat. It is a bit of a sad story, but speaks to the emotional and societal influences on her blogging. It is an emotional story and the community embraces the emotion.
Result: WFH finishes with a three-point basket.
The final score is 12-9 in favor of WFH.
Post Game Analysis
Content Maven is making an effort to build her blogging community, and it is starting to yield some results, but there is still a ways to go. These things happen slowly most of the time. Evans is a good writer though, so I think she can get there. Write From Home has a great community, and I hope that Derby is feeling up to blogging again soon.
Good call, John. I figured I had no chance against the 20+ comment blog. I’m impressed with Amy’s work to make the community a very active one.
Good call, Ref, on Daily Writing Tips. We comment there pretty regularly and have enjoyed the discussion. Of course, considering what we do, it’s no surprise that we participate in blogs about writing well.
Next year is the year for you and me, Meryl. We’ll get those comments eventually!
You blog has a lot to offer Meryl. I always look forward to reading your next message. I’ll try to step up my commenting.
David,
DWT has a lot to offer. It can be hard to compete with group blogs. They have so many writers that coming up with fresh material every day is no problem, and creating community is easy when you’ve got so many people in your immediate community that can spur conversation. They are going to be hard to beat.
Bob,
Community comes slowly. I’ve had my own struggles because I began this site long before blogging. My traffic would have made me a #1 seed if I was competing, but I still only average about five comments per post, maybe less.