I write long posts. (No surprise there.)
I also include a lot of pictures. (No surprise there, either!)
And so if you happen to be gone from Smithellaneous for a few days and want to catch up on what you’ve missed, you have to do a whole lot of scrolling to get through all the content that was added in your absence. Now I realize that endless scrolling is not a huge issue in the overall scheme of things, but I’m all about wanting to make things as easy for you as I possibly can.
I know that a couple of people have mentioned to me during my years of blogging that they don’t particularly care for blogs that have just a snippet of a post and then a “Read More” link to click on. And I get that. However, I am also guessing that most bloggers aren’t as long-winded as I am, and probably don’t use as many pictures I do which really lengthen each post. And that brings me back to my original point of my readers having to do a whole lot of scrolling to keep up (and catch up) with things around here.
So here’s the deal.
You’ll notice that the two posts preceding this one have been reformatted into “Read More” posts. And starting Monday (and going for the next week or so), I will be formatting all new entries into “Read More” posts. (However, I will leave the older posts on the blog in the longer format to give you a basis for comparison.) At the end of a week, I’ll conduct an informal poll to see which format you prefer because the bottom line? I want this to be a place that YOU enjoy!
So hang in there with me over the next week as we launch into this experiment. (And I promise you that this particular experiment will require no dissecting of frogs–which is more than I can say for some other experiments I experienced back in the day!)
P.S. Someone mentioned today that when they leave a comment, the lines are all scrunched together which she says is only happening for her on Smithellaneous (She uses a Mac.) Has anyone else had that problem? She also mentioned that it’s hard to see to write a comment because of the gray font against a gray background but we just got that fixed and now the commenting font is in black and much easier to see. Hooray!
Thanks so much for your encouragement and patience as we work together turn this new blog house into a new blog HOME!
Becky,
I love your new look! So *clean* and professional. However, I usually don’t *read more* when noted on a blog page. I don’t know why….just one more step I guess.
Angela, glad you like the look of the new blog; I have a lot of “sprucing up” plans for it over the next few weeks and months but I feel like I’m off to a good start. Thanks for weighing in on the “read more” issue!
Becky, well now when I type my comments, they are in black, BUT reading both
the blog and the comments is difficult as they are in GREY. HELP! And yes, I’m
the one who has the problem with the lines . . . still a problem, but it depends
on the post. For example, THIS post although grey does have adequate spacing
between the lines whereas the one that precedes it (i.e., the most current does not).
I’d love to keep reading your blog as I’ve done for years, but these ‘changes’ that
come with your new site make it nigh until impossible. Could your web friend
look into it?
Thanks!’
Christine, I am so sorry you’re having these problems! I am utterly and completely puzzled. (Not to mention sad that it’s so hard for you.)
Yes, I will ask around some more and see if anyone has any light to shed on the subject. And please let me know if anything changes–for the better OR the worse! We want to make this work for you.
Christine, I am so sorry you’re having these problems! I am utterly and completely puzzled. (Not to mention sad that it’s so hard for you.)
Yes, I will ask around some more and see if anyone has any light to shed on the subject. And please let me know if anything changes–for the better OR the worse! We want to make this work for you.
I will have to agree with Lisa, I don’t like having to click on the Read More button either. But I am also like all the others too, I have been following you since the beginning of Sarah’s Caringbridge days, and I love your style of writing and photos, so either way, I am going to click a few more times in order to read & see your pictures.
I also love that you have a Blog roll on the right side now. I always click on the other blogs that you follow and when the listing went “missing”, I haven’t been able to follow my other blogs because I always navigate to their page from your blog.
I also love the new style of the new page. As with me, anytime I am trying to learn something new, especially technical jargon, I get frustrated. But just think how great it will be once you figure it all out. You will be a pro and will be able to lend your great wisdom to others!!
Donna, yes I was also glad to get the blog roll reinstalled because I was feeling sort of insecure without it. Eventually I’d like to find a way to have it show recent posts but for now I’m just glad to have it up!
I have a Mac and have no problem with the type scrunching together (I believe that is the technical term for it, if you will). Just thought I would throw that in here. Other than that, I have nothing to add.
Sarah is almost 16, yes? Or is 16, yes? Shouldn’t you buy her a car? I have one that would be perfect for her. Just sayin’. Okay, just kidding. I am in a weird mood tonight and have been lamenting on Facebook about having to sell my car. Sigh. The things we have to deal with in life, huh?
Okay, and just so you know…I already don’t like the blogs that do the “read more” at the end of a paragraph. I like to see the entire post represented. But it wouldn’t stop me from reading or coming to your blog. So I suggest you do what is easiest for you. Aren’t I the great little permission giver??? 🙂
SUE G,
Sarah is aalmost 16½ 🙂 Go back to Smitheallanous Classic (the old blog) to re-read the lovely Sweet 16 posts 🙂 Sometimes it is great to re-read Becky’s posts.
Becky: By the way speaking of re-reading I think Becky you should re-post one of the old posts you wrote on Sarah’s caringbrigde from when she was 9 the one who ends with ‘Can you imagine her as a 17 years old? I can’. I find it so thoughtful to think back on since she is almost 17.
🙂
Trine, that’s a great idea but I would truthfully no idea how to find that post without doing an hour or two of searching. I would love to re-read it myself!
Dear Becky, I will spend some time to find the post for you 🙂 I have re-read Sarah’s caringbrigde a lot of times so I have a pretty good idea where it is 🙂
Sue, a great little permission giver you are.
And I’m sorry you have to sell your car.
But things will be fine if you wish on a star.
(And that’s the extent of my poetic self today!)
Becky, I have been reading your blog since it was caringbridge and I don’t care what I have to do
to read your entry !!!!! Do what is best for you. Bless you for caring.
Connie, nice to hear from another Caringbridge-er. Thanks for your encouragement!
I use the “Read More” button on my blog (actually, I have this same layout! Great minds think alike) and I don’t think it’s caused me to lose any readers. If I’ve lost readers (out of the 3 who probably read it lol) it’s because it’s really boring. 🙂 But your blog isn’t, so I think you should be fine with whatever decision you make. It’s really not a big deal to click a link. At least to me it’s not…
Amanda, nice to meet another “great mind” and to hear from someone who uses the “Read More” button successfully.
I love your blog and whichever way you decide to go with, I’ll be here. I couldn’t imagine a day without reading about your wonderful family. :). Xoxoxo
Nancy, you are so sweet!
I’m sure I’ll continue to read whichever way you decide to do it. I read blogs with both styles, and either is fine.
Thanks for your flexibility; I appreciate it!
I will read either way, I have a wireless mouse too, so it is easy to scroll or just as easy to click read more. What ever is easiest for you, just keep writing 🙂
Gail, a wireless mouse is pretty cool, isn’t it? I love mine at work. Thanks for being willing to go either way! And I definitely WILL keep writing! 🙂
I haven’t had a problem with commenting and I also use a Mac. Format doesn’t matter to me, as it is a pretty minor deal to click on “read more”. I do have the advantage of a wireless mouse that allows me to scroll very quickly if I need to. I’m always willing to read long posts!
Liz, glad to know the problem with the lines scrunching in the commenting area don’t seem to too widespread. Technology is so complicated–who knows what causes certain computers to act certain ways? (Not me, that’s for sure!) 🙂
I know already that i like the long post all on the first page, but, well, i’ll go along with the experiment 🙂 When I comment, nothing is smushed together and the black looks terrific! I think when all is said and done you will be able to teach the rest of us how to do it!
Lesley, thanks, you’re always so sweet. 🙂 Hope you and Sarah are staying warm up there!
I’ve followed you since Sarah’s caringbridge page – and even with you being one who writes a lot and uses a lot of pictures (much like Matt Logelin – he typically uses even more lines, though less words…it’s all in his spacing – but he’s someone I’m guessing many of your readers follow, too) and he also uses “read more.”
I don’t read on his blog anymore and only use reader (which doesn’t get him the traffic with clicks that helps with ad income that ad income that I know some of you want) because I really do NOT like the “read more” thing.
If you set it to only happen to old posts after a few days that’d be one thing, but by and large, most bloggers I’ve seen switch mid-style have switched back b/c they’ve lost readers because it is just annoying not being able to just scroll and read.
I don’t suspect most of your readers read only some entries – which then means doing “read more” then having to go back to get to the main page just to do “read more” again…And that’s especially annoying for those using mobile devices to read.
If your blog were one that had more of a variety of topics I could see it being more feasible, but I know I personally probably won’t click through to the “read more” if you end up going that route. And, ultimately, with ones that have stuck with doing it that way and I don’t bother clicking through, I know most of them I’ve stopped really following regularly since only getting a small portion of the post is rather counterproductive. I hope you’ll reconsider – I’d be sad to stop staying up on your lives after all these years!
Lisa, it’s always a privilege to get to “meet” people who have been following the blog since back in Sarah’s Caringbridge days! That seems like such a long time ago–I guess, because it was! 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on the “Read More” issue; I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment.