Last year I took part in “National Blog Posting Month” - also known as “NaBloPoMo” - the quest to write a blog post on each day of November. I discovered it after dropping out of a rather more well known madcap pursuit - “National Novel Writing Month”, where you attempt to write a fifty thousand word novel within the same timeframe. NaBloPoMo is an unashamed rip-off of it’s altogether more frightening literary brother.
At the time both challenges sounded like rather fittingly eccentric pursuits - just the kind of thing an Englishman with a bent for writing might be seduced by - and I was. I published blog posts throughout November, and took it upon myself to comment on many other participant’s posts. A daily routine formed around writing, reading and commenting. While at times wearing, tiring, and even a chore, I walked away from it with many new friends and blogs I still read today.
The 13th Apostol, Sarcomical, Blogapotamus, Banjeroo, and many more. We took part in something whimsical, and turned it into something great.
I’m not sure if it’s just my advancing years, or the effect of another year of corporate software development, deadlines and stress under my belt, but the shine seems to have gone from NaBloPoMo this year. The self proclaimed owners chose to turn what had been a simple directory of participating blogs into a social network without consulting any of the likely participants.
Several people have tried to help - tried to broaden the reach of the idea - and have been knocked back, myself included. After doing a little digging, it’s not been difficult to discover a possible reason why. The NaBloPoMo portal site, and the private blog of the person who claims ownership over it both display Google Adsense banners to make revenue. Both banners share the same client identification code. I’ll let you figure the rest of that out for yourself.
While not wishing to rock the boat too vocally myself, I am wondering just how far the discontent is spreading. It seems such a shame that an apparent attack of “it’s my football, and you’re not playing with it” is threatening to consume NaBloPoMo.
Quite apart from the organisational aspects, I have a coupe of other issues…
- Why does the name have National in it? I’m guessing it’s for the simple reason that a great many Americans often look no further than their own borders. This always surprises me because I know lots of wonderful people who were born and brought up in America and have travelled the world. Of course the reason could also be that “IntBloPoMo” sounds awful. * NaNoWriMo proudly donates everything made during the month to charity. What is happening to all the advertising money pouring into the Fussy.org coffers?
I find myself caught. I am tempted to take part in NaBloPoMo this year purely via an export of the Blogroll, but it turns out that is broken too (either that or it is being censored of anybody who speaks out of turn towards she who might be in charge, but I couldn’t possibly suggest such a thing).
Finally I sit back in my chair, relax, and tell myself “you’re supposed to be taking part in these things - not running them - you promised yourself”. It’s so hard though - knowing you have the skills and experience to build just about anything on the web (it’s my job), and resisting the temptation to do so - especially when your presence seems to cause such ill feeling among those who you might help.