My first Blog...and it's a question. - Debra Squyres's Blog

Hi Poets and Storytellers...

First I'd like to say thank you to all that take the time to read my scribbles.  I enjoy your comments.  Love it when you get it and when you see something different within the words.

Now...for the question.

What is it with Views vs Comments ? (EXAMPLE:  60 views and 4 comments)
 I'd love to think that each view actually read the poem, but I'm thinking "Not".  Is this a numbers game?? 

If I view your writes, I actually read them and comment on them all, but from comments sometimes on my poems I realize that many did not actually read. They simply post a "generic" comment (copy and paste). At these, though I appreciate your time, I wonder what is the point??   

I'm thrilled when someone actually comments on content of the poem....I also assume you post to be actually read.  

Perplexed !!! ?? 

Sharon Smith Date: 1/12/2013 8:48:00 AM Hi Debra, I try to comment on what I read, but, as a relatively new member, I sometimes lack confidence in my own abilities and knowledge, especially when it comes to forms of poetry I'm not used to, in which case I usually chicken out of saying anything, or if I do, it ends up sounding somewhat generic. Saying that, when I recieve comments, and the occassional soupmail, with hints and tips, that really helps me to develop as a poet, so perhaps I should try a little harder to leave constructive/encouraging comments. I hope that as I progress I will leave more useful comments for others. Login to Reply

Deb Wilson Date: 1/10/2013 9:32:00 PM hi Debra...I try to always comment on the ones I read in a positive way. The only time I view and not comment is if I just don't get it or really don't like it at all.That is rare tho..I'd rather not comment then leave something negative... Login to Reply Debra Squyres Date: 1/11/2013 9:23:00 AM Thank you for your response, Deb. Good point !!

Debra Squyres Date: 1/10/2013 11:46:00 AM I am thrilled with the responses I have recieved here and feel I now have a better grip on this subject. I've also learned a few new things. I will keep reading and commenting the way I have since joining the soup... Thank you all for your time and Nice to meet those here I have not met before. Off to read now ...and comment (sorry, couldn't resist lol ) Peace, Light and LOVE to all my Poet friends here on the soup !! Login to Reply

Tracy Edwards Date: 1/9/2013 10:29:00 PM Welcome to blogging Debra... enjoy it and have fun xxx Login to Reply

Poet Destroyer A Date: 1/9/2013 10:11:00 PM Your first contest win!!!!! Login to Reply

Poet Destroyer A Date: 1/9/2013 10:09:00 PM And this dedication goes to my newest Best friend and Soup sister... Leonora... she is the best on here.. I am happy to have meet her on this poetry site... Login to Reply Len Gasun Date: 1/10/2013 7:52:00 AM Thank you so much for the dedication my dearest sis PD! I'm deeply touched (tears of joy); but, I am more than happy and grateful to have meet you here my dearest greatest poet. My pleasure to meet you, too my dear Debra. Welcome to blogging. Poet Destroyer A Date: 1/9/2013 10:10:00 PM hugs to Lucy C... and a new friend of mine named Juanita...

Poet Destroyer A Date: 1/9/2013 10:06:00 PM By the way did I mention,,, I miss Nikko... so much... I think only she understood me... I did get the best soup mail, a week ago.... from her... pd Login to Reply Poet Destroyer A Date: 1/9/2013 10:09:00 PM lol....way off base.... does not matter.... i miss these blogs....

Poet Destroyer A Date: 1/9/2013 10:05:00 PM Like I said I can go on and on.... Debra, poets are good to me here. and I am adored and loved by many... I make my way on the soup with smiles. and that helps more then you know. one other thing,,, I do not post daily or weekly poems. I kind of post one every 2 weeks or so. so you see... by the time I post a poem..I've already commented over 1000 comments. in 3 weeks... now you see why many poets are always searching for me. and my poetry.... . Login to Reply Poet Destroyer A Date: 1/9/2013 10:11:00 PM okay...i'm just in a god mood now... gonna go ask the soup for some cookies now...... weeee.... love PD

Poet Destroyer A Date: 1/9/2013 9:51:00 PM i can go on and on about this subject. After all I have a large set of views... SOmetimes many of my poems have over 1000 views, in each of them poems have reached from 80 -200 comments. ((Not bragging)) YOU ARE ASKING.. on my latest poem I have over 120 comments. I am honored to have such a volume of comments. After all I am loyal to my poet friends. I give honest feed back when I have time.. If I do not understand or get a poem. I will simply leave a smile or an xox~ PD...who knows.. maybe I will leave my name on poets page just to let them know I was there... and if for some reason I know the poet does not like me... LOL... more power to my comment.. I love leaving my smiles Login to Reply Poet Destroyer A Date: 1/9/2013 9:57:00 PM okay,, lets say... i run into a name on the soup.. and I know the poet stays clear of me so obviously. Anyways ~ I will still comment that poet.. I am made of love.. and I will give to them no matter the energy between us. Sometimes I run in to poets whom have tried banding me from the soup.. and still i will show their poems kindness...

Poet Destroyer A Date: 1/9/2013 9:43:00 PM Hi Debra, making my ways down these blog... might as well.. I've been here for the past 2 hours... an interesting blog.. let me see.. I am guilty... LOL... when I'm at work I will read so many poems in between customers. and not leave one comment. but, when I get home,,, I will try to find them poems on the list and comment if I can.. another thing I love doing is reading to my kids... LOL...they get a kick of watching me on the soup.... Login to Reply

Andrea Dietrich Date: 1/9/2013 5:58:00 PM Debra. many views and fewer comments is THE rule here. Probably you can count on one read per ten views! I truly do not understand this phenomenon. When I go to someone's poem, I comment to it 95% of the time. The only time I go to a poem and do NOT comment is if I notice. oops I already saw this one and have commented OR it is REALLY long and I do not like to read super long poems OR if it is something beyond my comprehension or I just hate it too much to know what to say. That last thing rarely happens, thank heavens. The first thing happens to me all the time. If you rarely post, your last post will get MANY views. I do not like copy/paste comments. I think many of those are not reading . Login to Reply Debra Squyres Date: 1/9/2013 6:17:00 PM I think I have only read one so far that I just really didn't know what to say...because I found it offensive. But...when I view I read, I can say 99% of the time I will leave a comment. Thank you for your time !! I appreciate the candid responses I have received.

Debbie Guzzi Date: 1/9/2013 3:28:00 PM Hey Deb...I do read every write, but I also have been scolded so often for actually commenting with a poetic critique..I stopped actually 'trying to help?' by giving advice on the write. I see no point in NOT commenting if I read the write..yes it is very hard to understand why someone would read it and not say at least 'hey! I've felt like that too!' And it takes alot of time to actually help someone only to find out they took it as 'picking on them?' Login to Reply Debbie Guzzi Date: 1/9/2013 5:55:00 PM write some new free verse Mr. O ..fall in love again if you have to just write for us [and not the short skimpy one! LOL] and PS you didn't say UNCLE! Debra Squyres Date: 1/9/2013 5:26:00 PM Thank you !!

David Williams Date: 1/9/2013 3:21:00 PM Hi Deb, I never cut and paste, but I admit I don't always leave a comment, most times I do but not always... Login to Reply Debra Squyres Date: 1/9/2013 5:27:00 PM Thank you for your reply !! (Not copied and pasted lol )

Skat A Date: 1/9/2013 2:43:00 PM Debra, I've been reading poetry here at the soup for the last 3 years or so. I went a year reading over thousands of poems without trying to place one single comment or even logging on. Sometimes I would fall helpless and comment a few friends or paste the same comment on all the winners from any closed contest I helped sponsor. I never answered my mail or returned a comment unless you were on my favorite list. My sister on the other hand would try to say hi in my place. However, it is as Joe said on the bottom. It might be all about the community points, and loyalty. Now I wished I wasted my time here last year building them points. CHUCKS! I did make it a point to check the soup back then and comment on Sunday's only. This year I plan to build my community points and adore the poets who have always followed the poetry and me on my account. I cannot take credit for all the poems on the SKAT account. About the views, I'd seen them grow on the SKAT account, because poets never stopped following or reading from the skat account (thank you poets.) Sometimes I think they read out of curiosity. lol;-) The only reason the views build on some, is that the poet has not posted a poem in weeks or months. On the other hand, maybe the poets are adored and search by many. By the way, the entire contest I helped host always brought poets back to the SKAT account. Glad, poets never gave up following the SKAT account. I’ve been bad at keeping up with many dear friends here on the soup. I like your blog. Thanxs 4 posting~SKAT Login to Reply Debra Squyres Date: 1/9/2013 5:28:00 PM I appreciate your answer.

Mandy Tams The Golden Girl Date: 1/9/2013 2:23:00 PM Hi there if I feel moved I will comment but this is something we get used to. 200 views a handful of comments. I am guilty of generic congratulations only because of time, sometimes there can be three or four winners lists which can be 60 congrats posted in a day and I would rather do a copy and paste congrats than none at all xx Login to Reply Debra Squyres Date: 1/9/2013 5:23:00 PM I understand the generic congrats some post. And, I appreciate the time it takes to do even that. Skat A Date: 1/9/2013 2:48:00 PM Mandy, I love pasting my congrats. I think the winners know we have read them poems over and over. how else would they be on the list.

Cyndi Macmillan Date: 1/9/2013 12:27:00 PM I read and comment for a variety of reasons. Sometimes I have only 10 minutes in the day, minutes I've claimed but can be taken back by my wee girl - spilled juice, help in the potty, toy frustration- so at times I just read and fly, with plans to return. I comment when something delights or moves me. I have one poem that has over 200 views and only 2 comments. 1) either the poem is not polished enough 2) the poem is so disturbing and unusual that people don't know what to say 3) people didn't like what i said or how I said it -- all is okay. I write to write, I post to share but the writing always comes first. When I do comment, it is always individualized. Must fly. LOL. 10 mins over! Login to Reply Debra Squyres Date: 1/9/2013 5:31:00 PM You are a busy lady !! Thank you for taking the time to comment. Skat A Date: 1/9/2013 2:52:00 PM cyndi I read all your poems ~ I have not missed one single poem of yours;-). i do not leave comments, cuz I have nothing 2SAY 2 certain poets. does not mean you are not well enjoyed.

Carrie Richards Date: 1/9/2013 11:52:00 AM I am not a fan of "cut and paste" comments, but they persist to be commonplace, so maybe it is me being old fashioned in what I think is common courtesy.? It just means more to me to know someone has truly read my poetry...even if it means fewer views. I agree with Frank in what he said about our 21st "lazy" century....when people are 'too' busy to pay close attention to detail... I may not view as many poets...but usually try to make a meaningful comment when I do, and let them know how their poetry touched me. Congrats to your first blog...and a subject that I often think about. Make your comment count,...is my motto. Login to Reply Debra Squyres Date: 1/9/2013 5:33:00 PM Thank you for your candid reply !! I think I'll just keep doing what I do, read and make individual comments. I appreciate your time.

Joann Grisetti Date: 1/9/2013 11:47:00 AM A number of the poems I read just do not move me to comment. I do not want to be insincere, nor disparaging. And I often go back and read a poem several times, not always commenting. Login to Reply Debra Squyres Date: 1/9/2013 5:35:00 PM Ok...thank you for your comment. I appreciate your time.

Seren Roberts Date: 1/9/2013 11:21:00 AM I know what you mean Debra, i have hundreds of views and sometime just a few comments..i ddnt know about the community points. You live and learn. I might just say congrats, but its not copy and pasted...Seren Login to Reply Debra Squyres Date: 1/9/2013 5:39:00 PM I thought about checking it out....these points. But, then ... well I'm not here for points. I so enjoy reading when time permits and I also enjoy writing. Nice to meet you by the way !!

Joyce Johnson Date: 1/9/2013 11:20:00 AM I comment on those for which I have something to say. I never comment without reading. You will find as you stay with us that some folks comment and some do not. It may be that they enjoy reading but just do not have the time it takes to log in and comment. We do not have to log in to read poetry but we do to make a comment. Hope this helps. Love, Joyce Login to Reply Debra Squyres Date: 1/9/2013 5:41:00 PM Thank you, Joyce and Suzette. I wasn't aware you could read without signing in. You have taught me something today. I appreciate your time !! Your time as well Suzette Crous.

Joe Flach Date: 1/9/2013 10:46:00 AM Debra, I can only make assumptions here. PS has this thing called "Community Points". On the left of your screen is a link to the top 100 Community. One way to receive Community Points is by leaving comments. The more comments, the more points. I think some folks here might value those points. Even so, they might read your poem and have nothing in particular to share, but, just to let you know they saw it, they leave a generic, cut and paste comment. And by leaving a post with their name on it - you might then read their poems. I think their heart is in the right place. As for me - I am a poor PS member. I read many but leave few comments. No excuses - I'll try to do better. Login to Reply Debra Squyres Date: 1/9/2013 5:43:00 PM Joe, thank you for your response. I think I need to rethink some of my thoughts. I do always read those who leave a comment, before I read from the posted list. You have explained some things...much appreciated.