Help Me, Readers, You're My Only Hope

I don't think any of you are hermits who can effectively throw your voice to ward off Sand People, and I don't have two cinnamon buns stuck to the sides of my head.  But I need your help just the same.

Oh, and it is a little less urgent than my entire planet being blown to bits.

But just the same, I have a few questions for you.  I like to ask you questions because it makes it seem like I care what you think.  Though for the most part, it appears that deception hasn't been pulled off effectively, because I'm usually lucky if I get one response.  But maybe, just maybe, this is the time the comments come pouring in and my world is rocked, and I get the help I desperately need.  Oh please oh please, help me.

Okay, so 2012 was the all-time highest visited year for the blog.  It was magical.  I ate a cinnamon bun to celebrate -- that one never touched the side of my head either.  The numbers started to reach levels that had me talking to larger and popular sites about making a possible partnership.  As you can guess that fell through (my decision actually), but things were several levels above spiffy -- maybe even super spiffy.  But 2013 came along, and so did a few projects and other such things.  One massive "such thing" was that I now had to dedicate a huge part of my morning hanging out with one very, very, very cool little dude.  It has been grand and great, but it did mean certain things got cut out.  My focus on the blog was the biggest hack victim.

It was also the time that I started exploring adding podcasts to the blog.  I was also lucky enough to get a few rather big clients for sales copy and corporate writing.  My attention moved farther away from writing fresh content on here.  If my mind wasn't prone to wandering and I was a bit better organized (read: organized in any way at all), then I'd likely have been able to still consistently add original content on this blog that didn't consist of just links to my articles from other websites.  But I wasn't, and so you got what you got.  You can check out the archives for a refresher.  It got a little barren around here.

Anyway, people tend to not just pop over to a website to find links to other sites that they already know about.  2013 took a pretty massive hit.  At the end of March, I had over three times less traffic than I did at any point in 2012.  It was a ninja kick to the ego.  But I also understand things weren't really rocking here either with anything to read.

But there were a few moments that warranted a happy dance over the number of page views on the site.  For example, my Academy Awards live blog (and the Academy Awards week content as a whole) had my biggest traffic of all time.  2013 can't mope forever; it has had some pretty awesome moments.  I've also had a few other articles that attracted a lot of eyeballs, and rank high in views.  It usually is either content about Survivor or most things that are discussions on movies.  For example, yesterday's list of movies I'm eager to see is one of my highest viewed articles of the year and had one of the highest single day views ever.  You seem to like to read about my thoughts on motion pictures.  This is fine, because I like to talk about them.

But I don't just like to talk about film.  I've got a bunch of little ideas doing jumping jacks in my head.  They are working out hard to be fit and ready to showcase themselves to the world.  After all their sweaty jumping, I'd really like for them to strut their stuff.  But they also tend to cry in their milk when no one comes to see them.

For example, I wrote a piece on the Boston Marathon Bombing, and well, it kind of tanked in views.  This actually shocked me.  A few years ago, I wrote a lot more about real news and politics and social issues, and they almost always ranked very high on this blog.

So, my question is what do you want to be reading on here?  Has my recent work for Collective Publishing and my podcasts made you see me as a strictly pop culture guy and you're not interested in my other thoughts?  Would you prefer more podcasts?  More Everett? More Pop Tarts?  Hmmm, I could use more Pop Tarts, actually.  I could just use a Pop Tart, because I haven't ate one of those in too long of a time.  I vote for Strawberry.

Focus Christopher.  Focus.  You can't lose them now.

There is a strong chance I'll likely just ignore you if I don't like your answers.  At this point, I don't make money off this blog.  I use it as a way to help lead to actual paying work.  It is also my form of personal release where I can write what I want.  But I would really like to grow this site again.  I'm also curious if you only come here when I'm writing about a particular topic.

Do you like the fact this site has moved into being more about pop culture?  Or do you miss the days I ranted about major hot button issues and quite honestly, talked more about things that mattered in the world.  Or do you want the site to be more balanced with a variety of topics including some personal stuff and my adventures with Everett.

I also know I've got a percentage of fledgling writers frequenting this site, so do you want to hear more about my writing career?  Or possibly some advice on what has worked for me?

Or maybe you just want me to complain about whistling again?

Or for me to interview my teddy bear?

Or show off my dog?

Okay, I'm just listing past articles now.

But it is kind of fun.

So, maybe you want more completely inane and insane short stories?

Or poetic like pieces on important social issues?

Honestly, is the more creative writing type stuff interesting?

Now, let me stop this crazy stream of conscious rampage.  I'm going to really focus now.

I am aware that I have a few programs that actually tell me how many people (and for how long) view a specific page.  I just have to observe those stats to sort out what people want to read.  But I'm also aware my numbers from a year ago are different than today.  Plus I want to plan out how to take this blog forward.

Help me out.  What is it you like about this blog?  What don't you like?  What type of content causes you to come on here?  What type of stuff do you wish I'd write about?  Do you want creative writing?  More podcasts?  More articles where I ask you questions about what you want on the blog?

Help me, readers, you're my only hope.

Though, I'll likely just end up doing what I want anyway.

I have some plans for this blog.  I want to grow and expand it.  In order to do that, it works best if people actually come here to read stuff.

So once again. . .

Help me. . . okay, the Star Wars reference was cool the first time.  It is out of my system.

Promise.

Now, it is your turn to blabber away.