Discussions

starting discussions in my blog

Posted by LaurenM622 • 8/22/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: book reviews, reader discussions

hey everyone - i'm trying a new thing in my blog. this is the second week i've done it (although... i'm ashamed to say i ended up posting a day later than i had planned) and i'm not sure exactly how to handle the approach.

my blog is basically myself recounting my "journey" with chemo, but i've decided that i want to be able to continue it somewhat seamlessly once i'm done with my treatments (i really like writing it!) so last week, i decided that i was going to start reviewing books and articles weekly (alternating books and articles) with the idea that i'd do a new one each thursday.

ideally, i'd really like to interact with my readers THROUGH these book reviews, and i've been letting my readers know what i'll be reading for the next week. however, i'm not sure how to get a discussion going with only comments - is there some sort of other discussion platform/widget i can set up for those entries to encourage more of an interaction? also, any advice on how to kind of... get these discussions initiated? (as i'm typing this i realize i should probably put questions or something at the end of the entries to get people thinking...)

...maybe i'm being impatient and/or too ambitious, but i'm pretty bored a lot of the time, especially when i can't go out in public because my immune system is too low!

User Comments

8/22/09

HollytheHousewife

so your trying kinda to start a bookclub maybe? I'm game,what is it u wanna read,and discuss?

[reply]
8/22/09

LaurenM622

mostly i'm trying to read things (books, articles, blogs even) that are uplifting resources for young adults with cancer... a lot of the stuff you get when you're diagnosed is really medically-oriented or for older adults (more "typical" cancer patients) or, in my case, for little kids (because i'm being treated at a children's hospital) i've found books and things, but they're all spread out and i'd like to put as many of them in one place for people my age to find. also, i'm trying to educate my friends a little bit - they're all way more worried about me than they need to be, and a lot of them are afraid to ask questions.

this week, i read a book called "everything changes" by kairol rosenthal - it was FANTASTIC, and for next thursday, i'm doing an article she recommended off the NYT website called "Mortality Can Be an Aphrodisiac" by Jennifer Glaser (also published as "Sex and the Sickbed")

haha after i started this discussion, i realized that "discussion questions" at the end of each review would probably be a good plan.

let me know what you think :-)

[reply]
1. 8/22/09
  
  HollytheHousewife
  
  Hey girl,where are you being treated at?
2. 8/23/09
  
  LaurenM622
  
  i'm being treated at the children's in cincinnati... since i was diagnosed under 25, they just barely snuck me in :-)
3. 8/31/09
  
  DollinNYC
  
  I was there a few weeks ago and was really impressed. It's a beautiful hospital and everyone there was super nice.
  I'm sure you are well taken care of there.
8/22/09

timethief

Great idea. Your review was so interesting that I'm going to try and find the book at my local library. I commented and I stumbled too.

I'd like to suggest meebo www.meebo.com/
Any computer, any IM network
Just go to meebo.com to chat with your buddies on every major IM network in a single buddylist. Login with the IM account you already have, there's nothing to download or install, and it's totally free. www.meebo.com/products/

[reply]
8/22/09

LaurenM622

thanks, timethief - you're fantastic!

[reply]
1. 8/22/09
  
  timethief
  
  No you are. Stay strong and happy and that's an order.
8/23/09

alexfreshalex

wow meebo is awesome, it is like a desktop inside ur browser!

[reply]
1. 8/23/09
  
  timethief
  
  I take it that you went for the firefox extension. Way cool isn't it?
2. 8/23/09
  
  LaurenM622
  
  yeah, the meebo looks PERFECT - i haven't had a chance to play with it, but i'm pretty sure it's exactly what i was going for.
  
  woo!
8/23/09

aspotofblog

One thing you could try with initiating a discussion is mentioning parts of the book that you liked, or parts you disliked.
For instance, if you didn't relate to a certain character in a book, you could ask something along these lines: 'I didn't relate to this character for so and so a reason. Does anybody else agree? If not, please let me know if I'm missing something.' Or: 'I found the book to be too long-winded, did anyone else experience this'?

I know that you can also start forums for such a purpose on certain blog platforms.

[reply]
8/23/09

muffin

hi stay determined and you will win over the illness.

[reply]
8/31/09

voiceofbragg

comment removed by the community.

[reply]
1. 8/31/09
  
  dbowles1017
  
  you are really persistent...
2. 8/31/09
  
  LaurenM622
  
  for real... did he put the same comment on every single discussion for the past week???
3. 8/31/09
  
  crpitt
  
  Please don't humiliate the thread bumper by pointing out that he is an absolute arsehole.... Whoops.
8/31/09

HollytheHousewife

I think he is trying to bump every thread and steal my title

[reply]