The plan

So, this plan about reminiscing, what’s that about then?

Well, I wondered recently about why I start blogs, and then end up never posting anything after a while. I like the idea of blogging, but actually sitting down and writing about Eve just doesn’t work for me. When it comes to writing about what’s going on in Eve, I’m clueless, since I’m still a noob after all these years. When it comes to writing up what I’ve done in Eve recently, its quite boring since I don’t really do anything other than talk with people.

However, it struck me that there is one thing I do very well, and that’s sit on my e-rocking chair on my e-back porch and blather on about the ‘good old days’ in New Eden. Nobody has ever complained when I go into my running monologue about the introduction of level 4 agents, or the glory days of mining pre-Castor, so it must hold some interest… Right?

The idea then, is to hone that and do a fairly frequent entry on ‘Eve Retrospective’. I’ll look at what happened in Eve 5, 6 or 7 years ago this month (obviously 7 isn’t an option…. yet, and my chatlogs are limited from 2003 anyway, nuuu). To make it more personal I’ll add in snippets from chatlogs here and there, screenshots I might have, and throw in whatever RP, or political flim-flam was going on at the time. It’ll be a history lesson for you youngin’s who don’t know your m0o from your Space Invaders, or your Yulai from your Jita, or your Jove from a baked potato (common mistake, that last one).

Image courtesy of secretlondon123 via Flickr: http://flic.kr/p/5vXNyE

The format is what I’m stumped on though. I can do it one of three ways:

  • A monthly roundup – this will likely take a long time to research, and end up a very very large post, and almost certainly lack a lot of info
  • A weekly roundup – smaller than the above, more frequent, less likely to miss stuff, but more likely to burn me out
  • A ‘whenever’ entry – where I’ll talk about whatever I happened to stumble upon in my time travelling adventures

I personally like the third one, but what do other people think would work best?

Comments for this Post

23 thoughts on “The plan”

  1. 10th Feb '10 at 6:47 pm

    Don’t feel bad, you are not the only blogger that encounters these issues. I myself struggled with my format and to be honest, I still have not decided and it’s been 3 years now. 😛

    Many writers try to blog once a day and for a new blog, that can work, but you do tend to burn out. Others blog 2 times a week with a events summary as one of the posts. It’s a format that I have been trying to keep to and it’s working well.

    Making a weekly post about events that you experience and how they may or may not effect you is a worthwhile thing to do. New Eden is a huge gaming area and there are things that happen in your corner of space that no one else may know. If you doubt that, look at the posts that ISD makes. They don’t report on everything simply because they are no aware of all the in game events.

    Set aside time to write each week. I usually write every Sunday morning when the missus is sleeping in and the puppy is sleepy enough to just sit in my lap.

    If there is something that you want to write about but you are not sure about posting it, just save the draft. I have multiple draft posts on various things sitting about for weeks on end. I do use them from time to time when I am in a rut. It’s nice to have a reserve of material to post from.

    The best advice I would give is blog in a fashion that you enjoy. If you are not enjoying how you are blogging, you will be less likely to write.

    • 11th Feb '10 at 2:37 am

      Thank you for the input, and the more general ‘blog keeping hints’. This is very much appreciated. 🙂

  2. 10th Feb '10 at 6:50 pm

    This sounds interesting. I suggest the “Whenever” approach…it’ll be less stressful for you and probably you’ll post more often that you think.

    • 11th Feb '10 at 2:45 am

      Looking at everyone else’s comments as well, it seems like ‘whenever’ will work best – some good arguments for it. Thank you for your input as well, Mynxee. 🙂

  3. 10th Feb '10 at 7:23 pm

    Your posting frequency should match your goals. If your goal is just to have a place to throw stuff up when you feel like it, then “whenever” works very well and you shouldn’t feel like “ur doin it rong”.

    I have learned that people don’t really like reading too much about “what I did last night in EVE” for the generic fluff that comprises 90% of our gameplay. If you did something exciting or new (even if just for you), then people like that, or if you want to discuss whatever issue DOES come up for you, then do that.

    This is your personal space. Nobody else can decide what’s right for it, so if you’re happy, that’s all that matters.

    • 11th Feb '10 at 2:41 am

      Yes, you’re right. Pretty much everything I do these days sits in that 90%, but pretty much everything I did do way-back-when was in the other 10%, so I will at least have things to talk about. This is why I feel I can get some kind of a theme going here, because I love to get all nostalgic, but I by no means remember everything – I just have 6+ years of archived chatlogs. 😀

      Thank you for the comment, and I appreciate your support regarding posting what -I- want. 🙂

  4. 10th Feb '10 at 6:47 pm

    Don't feel bad, you are not the only blogger that encounters these issues. I myself struggled with my format and to be honest, I still have not decided and it's been 3 years now. 😛

    Many writers try to blog once a day and for a new blog, that can work, but you do tend to burn out. Others blog 2 times a week with a events summary as one of the posts. It's a format that I have been trying to keep to and it's working well.

    Making a weekly post about events that you experience and how they may or may not effect you is a worthwhile thing to do. New Eden is a huge gaming area and there are things that happen in your corner of space that no one else may know. If you doubt that, look at the posts that ISD makes. They don't report on everything simply because they are no aware of all the in game events.

    Set aside time to write each week. I usually write every Sunday morning when the missus is sleeping in and the puppy is sleepy enough to just sit in my lap.

    If there is something that you want to write about but you are not sure about posting it, just save the draft. I have multiple draft posts on various things sitting about for weeks on end. I do use them from time to time when I am in a rut. It's nice to have a reserve of material to post from.

    The best advice I would give is blog in a fashion that you enjoy. If you are not enjoying how you are blogging, you will be less likely to write.

  5. 10th Feb '10 at 6:50 pm

    This sounds interesting. I suggest the “Whenever” approach…it'll be less stressful for you and probably you'll post more often that you think.

  6. 10th Feb '10 at 7:23 pm

    Your posting frequency should match your goals. If your goal is just to have a place to throw stuff up when you feel like it, then “whenever” works very well and you shouldn't feel like “ur doin it rong”.

    I have learned that people don't really like reading too much about “what I did last night in EVE” for the generic fluff that comprises 90% of our gameplay. If you did something exciting or new (even if just for you), then people like that, or if you want to discuss whatever issue DOES come up for you, then do that.

    This is your personal space. Nobody else can decide what's right for it, so if you're happy, that's all that matters.

  7. 11th Feb '10 at 1:20 am

    I’d go with option 3, like the others have said.

    Kinda intriguing seeing this though, as just two days ago I was digging through old news articles and screenshots. I was planning on tracing the history of Eve Online from Second Genesis to Dominion, but I think your posts would be more interesting as you were actually there for it (I joined during Quantum Rise). 🙂

    • 11th Feb '10 at 2:44 am

      ‘From the horse’s mouth’ so to speak. Well, we all have bias and such, but yeah.

      If you are interested in Eve’s history though, check out the Evelopedia and the Eve-History wiki: http://eve-history.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

      Thank you for the support. 🙂

  8. 11th Feb '10 at 1:20 am

    I'd go with option 3, like the others have said.

    Kinda intriguing seeing this though, as just two days ago I was digging through old news articles and screenshots. I was planning on tracing the history of Eve Online from Second Genesis to Dominion, but I think your posts would be more interesting as you were actually there for it (I joined during Quantum Rise). 🙂

  9. chocolips
    11th Feb '10 at 2:37 am

    Thank you for the input, and the more general 'blog keeping hints'. This is very much appreciated. 🙂

  10. chocolips
    11th Feb '10 at 2:41 am

    Yes, you're right. Pretty much everything I do these days sits in that 90%, but pretty much everything I did do way-back-when was in the other 10%, so I will at least have things to talk about. This is why I feel I can get some kind of a theme going here, because I love to get all nostalgic, but I by no means remember everything – I just have 6+ years of archived chatlogs. 😀

    Thank you for the comment, and I appreciate your support regarding posting what -I- want. 🙂

  11. chocolips
    11th Feb '10 at 2:44 am

    'From the horse's mouth' so to speak. Well, we all have bias and such, but yeah.

    If you are interested in Eve's history though, check out the Evelopedia and the Eve-History wiki: http://eve-history.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

    Thank you for the support. 🙂

  12. chocolips
    11th Feb '10 at 2:45 am

    Looking at everyone else's comments as well, it seems like 'whenever' will work best – some good arguments for it. Thank you for your input as well, Mynxee. 🙂

  13. willamurdoc
    02nd Mar '10 at 8:04 pm

    Whenever and whatever, that sets off that “Oh yeah, that was…” I find my best post come from just such moments. I would love to hear some more “Back in the day” from players, being a much younger role player that has a healthy respect for her elders. *Grins*

    • 02nd Mar '10 at 11:28 pm

      Willa my dear! Good to see you. You should check out the Khumaak posts I made, you might like ’em! 🙂

      • willamurdoc
        03rd Mar '10 at 3:56 am

        Already did, lol. Put one in my story I am working on. 🙂

  14. willamurdoc
    02nd Mar '10 at 8:04 pm

    Whenever and whatever, that sets off that “Oh yeah, that was…” I find my best post come from just such moments. I would love to hear some more “Back in the day” from players, being a much younger role player that has a healthy respect for her elders. *Grins*

  15. 02nd Mar '10 at 11:28 pm

    Willa my dear! Good to see you. You should check out the Khumaak posts I made, you might like 'em! 🙂

  16. willamurdoc
    03rd Mar '10 at 3:56 am

    Already did, lol. Put one in my story I am working on. 🙂

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