I'm A Horrible Blog Responder

Since I've started my whole online endeavor, I've collected a healthy list of blogs I'm following. By reading them, I believe I've developed a stronger blog style and have found it easier to narrow down on a topic for each entry. I can't get to all of them, but I do read most of them. What I don't do is respond.

I read a post on Google + about reading blogs or social network comments. It stated something about reading being fine, liking or plus one-ing being better, but commenting is the best way to show the author you're there and you appreciate their work. It shows you read their entry and that you thought about it enough to have something to say. It's more than kudos, it's getting accolades for the time and effort put into the work. Whomever posted it (sorry, I don't remember who) said it shorter, sweeter, but it holds true no matter how it's said.

I just read. I don't really even show my appreciation through a plus one or a share, even if the idea flits through my mind. A lot of the reason is because I read through Google Reader and don't take the time to make that one more click to the real link. Wow, look at that excuse - because that's all it is, an excuse.

Do you want another one? I'm incredibly shy and wary of saying the wrong thing in a comment. I constantly second guess myself. Who am I to know what to write? What if I write something that's wrong and someone corrects me or - much worse - think in their Internet anonymity that they can completely tear me apart for making such a dumb comment?

These thoughts stall me, then stop me completely. They really shouldn't. They're just thoughts. The fact of the matter is, even if I do get cyber-mocked, I've been there before and have been able to just roll my eyes at it. As for content, my blogging should show me practice makes better and commenting should be no different.

This week I improved my stats. I commented on one person's blog. Yeah, I know, it's just one, but it's one more than I did before. I plan to improve on this one way or another, whether it's in content or quantity. I really don't want to comment just for the sake of the comment, but I do want to show that I've read, digested and appreciate what all these blogging authors have shared with me. My unexpected perk? I gained a new follower because of it. :)

So what about you? Do you read without commenting or do you find the time and the words to share? And yes, I do get the paradox of asking non-commenter's about commenting. ;)