I’m ashamed. So much so, that crimson has flushed my cheeks and not in that good Marie Antoinette way. Lipstick Lady A.K.A. Alanna wrote a hilarious (for others to read) but deeply embarassing (for me to read) Open Letter to myself here. Her letter has very very rightfully accused me of being just about the most non-participatory blogger about, despite people commenting here regularly. So I want to take this opportunity to apologise/explain. It’s a little bit of an edited version of the comment I left for Alanna under my real name ‘Susanna’ – whilst we’re doing the bare-all-thang:
In the beginning, a long long time ago when Style Bubble was basically read by my sister and the best friend whose laptop I hijacked and placed Style Bubble on her favourites, I had so few commenters that I cherished each and every one and wanted to practically stalk them and just about stopped at seeking them out and sending them flowers of gratitude.
Then it got bigger. Then the research for Style Bubble, the daily posts you see took longer. The photoshopping, the image editing, the image requests, the writing all got a little complex for my teeny tiny brain.
And so the gratitude, though felt thoroughly in my heart, became hard to express. I do randomly click on links of commenters and if I likey, I’ll link back. If people send me emails for linkage, I’ll also link back. As for commenting on blogs however, I’m afraid if I did that, I’d have to give up some essential bodily function of mine like peeing and eating.
My day is like a pie and it is split like this: 50% at work ( the little-mentioned day job that baffles everyone when I tell them I don’t work in fashion but in MEEDJA), 25% blogging/blog research, 2.5% eating (you don’t want to see me ripping through a Sub), 15% sleep, 7.5% etc time (the woefully little time I have for the ‘real’ people in my life, the ones who want to throttle me with my laptop cords for spending so long on the internet).
I am currently campaigning for more than 24 hours in the day. For some godforsaken reason, nobody is hearing my plea. I want to read everyone’s blogs, comment on them and give them some love. It’s like my name suggests. I’m in a bubble in this supposed ‘blogosphere’ staring painfully at everyone’s blogs go by whilst not being able to participate. I can offer content and though I don’t actively seek out comments for Style Bubble, obviously it pleases me mucho mucho when people do so I am ashamed of myself that I’m unable to do the same for other blogs.
So the pleas to the time gods go on and the struggle to slice up my day pie differently also continues.
This apology goes to not just your wonderful self (during this time of commenting, I have also been flicking through your posts on nifty IE7 of tabbed browsing – you are wonderful. Period.), but to others as well. Your letter has pointed out that I need to be clicking more, reading more, as I can now add a wonderful UK-based fashion blog (and there aren’t that many are there?) to my list of reads
A shamed Susie who needs to be slapped.
P.S. Extra note to Alanna: You are the first to write an open letter to myself and I hope it’s the last. In my head, I’m way too insignificant to be deserved of an open letter of any sort.
I read a few blogs (this one for one)and occasionally comment, but I can’t really understand how anyone not getting paid for it can have the time to regularly maintain a blog (like this one). I can’t even keep up with my email. Kudos to all of you!
You don’t need to justify your actions to anyone, Susie. Do it your own way – as you always do.
I honestly can’t see what you’d have to apologise for. You’re obviously a busy person. Doing Style Bubble at least once a day must be like working an extra job, albeit an enjoyable one.
If you really felt like it was important that you composed interesting comments for other people’s blogs then you’d go ahead and do it. But you’ve rightly surmised that it’s more important to spend your (obviously valuable) time composing posts and researching features for your own project, which you simply do as a labour of love.
So yeah. No more guilt trips!
Ahaha, yes indeed it was comedic. But I agree with everyone here… No need to apologize. You sound terribly busy already. My suggestion is, spend more time with the “real people” in your life. ;]
I don’t like when people consider comments as an ad. I comment here, so “you have to” visit my blog and comment there. That’s stupid. You comment when you’ve something to say. Nothing’s more annoying than boring comments from people who don’t have anything to say and just want more visits.
i can’t even begin to fanthom why posting comments on a blog and expecting or should i say NEEDING a response from that person is an absolute necessity for some. I for one thoroughly enjoy reading stylebubble. For me, comments are secondary. Keep up the good work!
To be honest, I don’t think Alanna meant it in an attention-seeking way at all… Susie you don’t have to feel bad about it, but honestly, people, quit being so harsh, it’s just a blog and Lipstick Lady is one of the better ones out there. And erm, it isn’t wrong to want comments, it’s just feedback after all.
Yes, keep up the great posts, i really appreciate it! i can tell it’s requires so much work/ research. i do love visiting here, i work full time and am a single mom in the evenings, this is my escape from work + tests of life. no need to appologize we know you have a life as well.
I must say, when I get comments I ALWAYS visit the commenter’s blog, and where possible try and leave comments on theirs too, at some point. For me personally it’s a kind of self imposed etiquette. But I TOTALLY understand how hard it is finding the time to write a blog, update it daily AND check out other people’s. But by doing this I have discovered some fabulous blogs and engaged in discussions with some amazing people, which I wouldn’t have had I not bothered to repay the compliment of commenting. It’s so hard to keep up though – the people in my ‘real life’ now HATE my friggin’ blog as it’s taken over my life!
hey love,
i think one of the reasons why your blog is so successful is because of the original content you post on it. you do it every day. and my blog, the coveted, has half the amount of verbiage, and it takes forever. and i work full time, and i have analog friends & a cat… i know, it’s crazy doing this blogging thing, but keep it up. and people will say all kinds of things, intentionally or not that will bother you, but that doesn’t take away the fact that you (and your blog) is wonderful.
(you’re still on my blogcrush link list)
you are so adorable! and i really don’t care if you don’t comment on my blog because you linked me without me even having to ask you and that was just the most wonderful thing ever! so i thank you for that.
your personality makes this blog be even more worth reading!
keep it up!
hugs and kisses
that was really sweet. Yes there are days when i comment almost every blog i come acros just to get more readers . but in most of the times i comment blogs it’s because i want to leave a mark. to tell what i feel about that thing. I don’t expect that people who i comment to would comment me.
she should get a life
Honey you are such an inspiration. You owe nobody an apology for living your life the way that you do. I myself am constantly praying for the extra hours in a day also. You keep doing what you are doing the way that you do and feel good about it.
You sound like a very very busy lady. I’m sorry that this letter was written to you, it was uncalled for.
Also, I am totally with you on campaigning for more than 24 hours in a day. It’s just a thing that needs to happen!
Oh wait, so sorry Susie. I was mixing up her letter with your writing. You probably are a very busy lady yourself 🙂 I should pay closer attention before I start typing, eh?
Who has time to read ALL the comments? Please. Susie you have nothing to apologize for.
don’t feel obliged to comment on anyone’s blog, unless something they write actually interests you. and please don’t apologize for yourself – you didn’t do anything wrong.
There is no law that a comment requires any sort of response. I think this apology is unnecessary.
My response to Lipstick Lady’s post? No content, no comment. It is nothing but a whine for attention… and she got what she asked for =(
There is only one Susie Bubble. You’re too busy being amazing to thank all of your fans individually, appreciate your wonderful posts, I always look forward to it!
hahahha! gosh it doesnt really matter!
Yup, that’ll do it. You have my apnetciariop.
Susie, I don’t think you need to apologize, either. I read and comment on many blogs, but I would never expect the blogger to swing by my site and comment in turn. If they’re inclined to do so because they’re curious and they like what they read, that’s great. But to *expect* it seems kind of silly (and self-serving).
And I also work a full-time job (in meedja) and try to post at least one new item on my site during the week – most of which involve some sort of research, interview or event attendance – so I know first hand how much of a time suck it is to juggle everything. But it’s a labor of love, right?
I also agree that spending more time with the “real people” in your life should be a much higher priority than commenting on other people’s blogs. Lipstick Lady’s letter just sounds like sour grapes. Oh, and ps to LL – just because you’re first and second on Google doesn’t necessarily mean you’re famous. How I wish that it were so…
Stylebubble recently published an apology to an open letter she received criticising her lack of interaction with people who leave comments. Someone here has missed the point of a blog and its not Stylebubble, people who crave acknowledgement should go to typepad. This blog is for fun not a career I love doing it and get huge amounts of pleasure reading other blogs, my list of favourites grows weekly. In common with Stylebubble I have become very jaded with fashion magazines, the endless smug back slapping merry go round between advertisers and editors has created a celebrity driven creative black hole with no inspiration or creative dynamic. Stylebubbles blog is more innovative than 90% of fashion journalism with more fresh ideas in a week than most magazines feature in 6 months Until editors can break away from the iron grip of sponsors and produce a magazine as wonderful as Bloom like Li Edelkoort be grateful that so much talent exists on Stylebubbles blog.
Please dont apologise. Its already very amazing that you post everyday and with so much content about fashion, and the like. Thats almost like a full time job!
I think you oughta spend more time with the people whom you value in your life. While I hate to say that blogging should be secondary since I really like what you write.. but your personal time is yours and precious to you.
So Please dont apologise..
I think that this is a really interesting comment on blogging communities and whether there is a community or not really. Having said that, I really try and comment on smaller blogs (like mine!) to let the blogger know someone’s reading – otherwise its a comment when I actually have something to say. To go commenting everywhere would just take forever though, wouldnt it??
Thanks for all the ‘No need to apologise’ comments but I do take it seriously when readers aren’t satisfied by my conduct on the blog. After all, how do I expect to have readers who click here day after day if I don’t give something back. It’s something that I am conscious of but tied with constraints of time…. I do feel sometimes I’ve bitten off more than I can chew with increasing freelance writing gigs, blogging, full time job and oh….the ‘real people’ in my life and all the fanciful activities I’m used to indulging myself in….
Indigo16: Your comment was particularly touching…. really I’m blushing that you rate this blog in that way as I certainly don’t like to rank blogs ‘up there’ with mainstream fashion media….
I also forgot to say that I don’t think it’s right to direct hate towards Lipstick Lady and her blog either….. her letter was very much tongue in cheek but for me, it raised an important issue. Like I said, it’s a funny read for others but for me, a little shaming…. and rightly so….
Someone is clearly trying to piggyback off your success. Please Susie, I know you really take these comments to heart but please see it for what it really is – someone trying to get more hits and comments on her blog.
Keep going Susie because you have a huge fan base and do a great job.
See you in September for LFW!
Not that anyone has any kind of blogging obligation (blogligation?) but if anything I think it is more important to respond to comments posted on your own blog – not all of them individually, but at least for there to be the possibility of a dialogue. This is what, to me, distinguishes blogging from traditional journalism. And you do this pretty well as this whole item illustrates.
hey susie, I read your blog a lot, and dont think you have anything to be sorry for. I think Lipstick Lady was being a tad… mean.
There is no way she should expect you to have time to comment everyone’s blogs…
i know your busy, and i’m busy too but I think it’s common etiquette that if somebody comments on your blog you comment back, maybe not right away but at least eventually.
but that’s just me
maybe you should remove the comment feature.
meh
anyway.