Monday, 27 August 2007
Elder Storytelling Update
It has been almost five months since The Elder Storytelling Place was launched in April. Spring has passed into summer, fall is almost upon us and this is a good time to pause to see how we have progressed.
The stories posted here are extraordinarily varied and of high quality. I’m thrilled every time another lands in the inbox.
Readership is growing satisfactorily. Last week there was a huge spike in page views – more than 2300 one day – due to links from reddit and digg. That is encouraging and we hope some of those visitors will become regular readers and contributors.
But it is disappointing that few if any of them left comments or submitted stories. What I value most here (and at Time Goes By) is not the number of visitors, but the conversation and mini-stories in response that are added in the Comments section.
There are nearly 50 Storytellers on the roster in the right sidebar. Click on any name and you will get a page with links to their stories. Some contributors are prolific, sending a steady stream of stories. Others have submitted just one or two. I am grateful for each one because telling our stories enriches our own lives and the lives of all who read them.
Just so everyone understands, no judgment is applied to submissions, no stories rejected as long as they meet the general guidelines. In all these months, only one story has been rejected - for its misogynist content.
I’ll end this note with an appeal for more. More. MORE. Send in your stories, especially those of you who have been thinking about it, but haven’t gotten around to it.
This is more than an experiment now. It is a rich collection of elder stories that deserves to grow and flower.
Posted by Ronni Bennett at 02:45 AM | Permalink | Email this post
Comments
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Ronni
I am amazed at the lack of comments in MANY places where it is offered and available on the web. Readership at my blog has grown steadily, and the number of comments do not at all reflect that fact. The day I got the most visitors so far, (320)...I got only one comment.
Posted by: Candace | Monday, 27 August 2007 at 05:48 PM
I've really enjoyed reading the stories here, though I have had to miss a few. I also like to read the interesting comments of others, including those left on the few stories I've submitted.
I think some blog newcomers are hesitant about being visible by even typing a comment, perhaps due to unfounded concerns. As someone with some slight similar apprehensions only a couple of years or so ago, I can understand. But I soon laid to rest any such reservations, began commenting and later even started a blog.
Posted by: joared | Tuesday, 28 August 2007 at 01:48 AM
Ronni thank you for mentioning the *comments*.
They do give great encouragement and bring people closer together.
I know from my own Blog that over the months we have grown into a virtual family by posting comments.
Keep up the good work!
Posted by: Grannymar | Tuesday, 28 August 2007 at 04:59 AM
I am a lurker. I read the stories and enjoy them very much. Many thanks to all those that contribute!
Posted by: Sarah | Thursday, 06 September 2007 at 04:50 PM