I've been thinking about links and how they work on this new blog-based model of the internet. When I noticed that someone has linked to me, usually via the referrer system or through site meter, I go and check out their website. If I like it, I link to it. Most of the time nobody bothers to tell me that they've linked to me, and I prefer it that way. I generally don't bother to send an e-mail to let people know I've linked to them, either. I post a shout-out if I do anything. Sending an e-mail that says, "Hey, look at me, I linked to you!" seems sort of rude. I'm not entirely sure why.
Speaking of shout outs, I've added a few new links to my sidebar. I found In Sequence through Blogshares, which everyone knows I've been playing entirely too much lately. I also added Scott McCloud, since he's a comic guy, and he's got a blog going. I think I already mentioned Baghdad Burning, which has a very interesting point of view for me. And I also added Amy Langfield, as her essays on the blackout were so interesting I want to read more of what she writes.
I'm to the point now where I cannot read every blog on my blogroll every day. This depresses me a little since I like just about everyone that I added. But I guess too much of a good thing is still a good thing when you are referring to blogs.
Anyway, getting back to the concept of linking on the blogosphere, I think it may have to do with the nature of blogs. My blog is my own personal domain. I can say whatever I please on it. It's mine. And nobody has to read it if they don't want to. That's a key point, I think. Every person who comes to this blog and reads any of my nonsense is doing so voluntarily. I'm not posting these notes to someone else's message board, where people might be reading because they want to see something about someone else. I'm not posting on Usenet, where people just download and read an entire newsgroup. I'm not posting in a newspaper, which people buy and therefore might feel like they need to get their money's worth by reading my column. No, I'm posting here, for myself, in a spot where only people who actually want to read what I have to say would go.
If I start sending out e-mails to people saying "Hey, look at me! Read my blog! Isn't it cool!" then I'm intruding. That sort of self-promotion isn't right for the blogoverse. Some bloggers do it, I know, but the only self-promotion I allow myself (besides telling interested family and friends where to find this blog) is in my signature on posts on some message boards, and in comments I leave on other people's blogs (where it asks for a website, I put my blog address). I guess that seems more polite.
I've seen some bloggers say, "If you want to convince me to link to you, show me a good article you've written." I guess that's a good method too, but I haven't written anything I would particularly want to point out to others, except maybe my Why Aquaman? essay. Even then, I don't really feel like I'm meeting anyone's needs. It's not really all that important to most people to understand why I'm a superhero fan.
I'm just not cut out for the kind of self-promotion it would take to keep a self-sustaining blog. There's that blogger, Andrew Sullivan... he had a pledge drive and raised enough money to survive the year, then promptly went on vacation for a month. That's self-promotion. I couldn't pull a trick like that. I don't think anyone would pay to read me babbling on. Heck, people won't even buy books through my bookshop, why would they give me money? But seriously, I think just linking to people and enjoying the world of blogs is enough.
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