Blog Stuff

~ beetleypete

As we come to the end of the month, and Autumn looms, I felt prompted to have a review of my blog once again. Regular readers will be aware that I cut back on my posts recently, and that has a significant effect on views and followers, just as I had expected. That isn’t a complaint, as that was my intention. And it worked.

On my Home page, WordPress now lists my follower total as 8,481. I am happy to report that I have had a reduction in ‘fake followers’ lately, and only a few companies trying hard to promote their goods by following my blog. There are also fewer followers without Gravatar links or posts on their own blogs. That’s great to see.

Including this one, I have posted 3,482 posts since 2012, and had 541,620 views of my blog. Even after posting less, I still get between 225-400 views a day, much easier to deal with than the 600+ I enjoyed previously.

I am currently following 114 other bloggers, and with six exceptions, they are all posting and active. If nothing arrives from those six bloggers by the end of 2021, I will follow six different ones after Christmas.

Guest Posts are still popular, and I would like to remind all my followers, old and new, that the offer remains open indefinitely. If you would like a guest post here, just send me an email to petejohnson50@yahoo.com

The latest series of fictional short stories has been well received, with views more than comparable to my usual serials. Each first line was suggested by a fellow blogger, and this is a good way to engage with others in the community. Using links to their blogs also helps make us all better known to each other, further developing the feeling that we are all in this together.

Any post about my dog Ollie guarantees a lot of interaction. As he gets older and slower his popularity never wanes, and he remains very much the heart and soul of my blog, with his many admirers and his ongoing adventures on our dog walks.

My blog trundles along in the same old way, and I still love being a blogger as much as I ever did.

68 thoughts on “Blog Stuff”

  1. I do not know how regular bloggers find the time to post so frequently. In 2019, I went on a three-week trip to Europe. It took me a full YEAR to blog about the experience and those 3 weeks. I am full of blog ideas I want to write about—but may never get to. It is what it is. I also have 4 separate blogs. One is a general blog, one has become a travel blog, one chronicles my vintage movie poster collection, and the last shares my love of all things tiki. Having four blogs may be biting off more than i should chew…but it keeps them organized for me and anyone who should care to read them. But posting to them happens when I have the time. It’s not a job. You shouldn’t feel bad about cutting back on your postings.

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    1. I am retired, and since 2012, blogging has been my main hobby. I really enjoy writing, and being part of a great community. However, over the past couple of years, I let it start to take up too much of my life, as well as putting demands on readers and followers with an output that often reached four posts a day, every day. Then when I realised I was neglecting almost everything else, I cut back the amount of posts. But I still look forward to blogging, and still post more or less every day.
      (I have another blog that I rarely post on, but it is very different to this one)
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  8. I’m writing more and blogging less these days, Pete, but I take a peek when I have time. Keep up the good work. Following one of your serials gets more challenging when I’m busy, which is why I haven’t caught the last two.

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  12. Cheers to one of my favorite bloggers! Reading your blog is something I always look forward to and I have to say I love the posts about sweet Ollie! Congratulations Pete on your well deserved success, you’re an extraordinary writer and may Beetleypete always carry on! Warmly, C

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  14. I love your short stories too. I find it difficult to keep up with the story series though. I was curious to know how frequently did you blog in your early days? I am able to read all your posts as they come on most days, but sometimes I miss out on some on busy days. 🙂

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    1. I have always blogged more or less every day. But I am retired from work, so have a lot of free time. By the end of last year, I was posting up to 4 posts a day, every day. I decided that was too much, and cut back.
      The good thing about my stories or serials is that they are always there. If you cannot keep up with them, you can always read them later, when you have more time.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  16. Thank you for that excellent cataloging Pete. I very much enjoy your writings and as a latecomer ‘fan’ to the Beetlypete page? I know, unquestionably there is some absolutely fabulous prose I’ve missed, though ‘catching up’ is highly unlikely. You see I too have that ‘stack’ of DVDs unviewed which tells a story all its own.
    As such? The thought of adding another ‘spinning plate’ on a stick to my balancing act here on the stage of life means I’ll just have to try and keep muddling through from here.

    Must say in closing Pete, the sheer volume of content listed is amazing and scarily ‘off putting’ at the same time. If I did decide to try and catch up, I would very much have to follow through on it. That is just how I am wired. As such, based on the volume? Not sure there are enough days left for me to accomplish the endeavor! 😉

    Cheers!

    CT

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    1. No problem, Chris. I am always open to suggesting older posts of mine on topics you might enjoy. Nobody can live long enough to read all of my stuff and still have an everyday life!
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  17. I am a very modest blogger but it’s better that way as I would never be able to cope. I am full of admiration for people who are so prolific! So glad my journey through the blogs brought me to yours and Ollie’s. Best wishes to you both.

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  19. Always great to have good reaction to a post, especially if it prompts a lot of comments…and without controversy! I say that because some stories out there are designed to inflame passionate reactions for the sake of “clicks” and they are never worthy of the debate in my opinion…looking forward to the next 3,000+ Pete!

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  20. (1) Ollie is your blog’s trundle of joy.
    (2) I really like your First Line Fiction series. Maybe you’ll do a Last Line Fiction series next?
    (3) No sign of autumn here. I assume it’s lurking around the corner, though.

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  22. Your blog is wonderful Pete as is Ollie. Happy blogging as you continue to inform us, interest us and sometimes make us laugh or smile. Congratulations on the huge success of your blog. May it ever continue Best Wishes, Lorraine xx

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  23. I have had to strike some new balances myself as far as my blog is concerned, but I still love blogging and cherish this community. (I am really enjoying your first line stories very much.) It is always good to hear about Ollie, too.

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