A Journal of My Journey Through Steemit -- Chapter 2
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So after joining Steemit in late July last year, I rattled around for most of August, getting my bearings, looking at posts, writing some more of my own. Like most people -- most new people -- I was appalled at how much literal junk there was on Steemit. (Maybe that ought to be a tab -- along with "Hot" and "Trending." Thoughts? If there were a way of voting something into that category, we could save others the time it took us to realize what we'd just stepped in.)
The "New" page was a stream of constant drivel. The "Hot" page wasn't much better. The "Trending" page was no help at all. I truly did stop and ask (more than once) "What have I got myself into?"
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I went back to Google Plus several times, just for the comfort of something interesting and topical ... and literate ... because I sure wasn't finding that here. "Get out there. Be social." went the occasional piece of advice. Ok. Fine. First of all, that's not easy for me. Secondly, I have a hard time connecting with people who don't interest me ... or who write on topics that do interest me but that I'm not very good at myself.
It's hard for me to make up something to say, because it feels so forced. I'd just rather say nothing and move on. (I still do that a lot!)
I could see some of the automatic responses from others like, "Very nice job. I enjoyed this a lot." -- no matter how sincere they may have been were considered "spam" and didn't leave a good impression or get a good reaction either. So, I didn't do that -- even when I found the occasional nice piece of writing or interesting, informative post. I just followed that person and hoped for the best.
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I will say Steemit has taught me how to schmooze better, but I still talk mostly with the friends I've made. Sometimes you have to understand where I'm coming from to appreciate what I've said, and that's not easy to ask of a stranger. Over and over people say the secret to success on Steemit is in commenting. Ok, they're right ... but even that is more complicated than it sounds.
Especially in the beginning, roaming around trying to find something worth commenting on is an unbelievable time-suck. Trying to contribute to the conversation is tough. Trying to contribute to the conversation and get noticed is worse. Before GinaBot, who isn't always reliable, notifications on Steemit were nonexistent, and searching through the "Comments" and "Replies" tabs was (and still is) grueling and tedious.
When you're small and new, you get blown off a lot. It's understandable. Your vote is about as welcome as ... nothing, 'cause that's what it's worth. And there's a 92% chance you won't be around in three months. Hardly worth precious resources best invested elsewhere. Still, the advice is spot on -- even when you think about it logically. Saying something is the only way to stop being invisible. If that's part of your game-plan, you need to step up.
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That brings up another set of "unwritten rules." Different people have different preferences from their visitors -- and you have to take your chances to find out. Some want you to at least say "hi" if you stop by their blog. Some think if you comment, you ought to upvote them. (This means you could be limited to ten comments a day, especially when you're little.)
Just upvoting and moving on is probably both the most welcome and most invisible way to interact on Steemit -- and wouldn't you know, that's usually my choice. If I upvoted you in one of my several guises, I read your post. I liked it. I just don't have anything to add -- or more likely, I don't have time to do a comment that does your work justice.
My "wall of text" comments are famous among those who know me. I don't seem to find much of a happy center between "Very nice work." and something longer than the original post. (But I'm working on it -- with spotty results. I have gotten better at commenting in general though.)
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But before long I was handed another of those wonderful "Steemit experiences" that reveals ... character. I got a comment on a post that seemed nice enough ... even encouraging. I answered it ... and life went on. But since I'm OCD about my work (especially on the immutable blockchain) I'm always proofreading, checking, fiddling with my posts. (For that, I really like having my own site much better than Steemit. It soothes the control freak in me.)
A few minutes later I was back on that post -- and noticed something ... interesting. My commenter had upvoted his own comment for $.34. And that was all. Not one penny did he drop on my post. That wasn't the only time he did it. And I wasn't the only one he did it to. (And once Cw had someone buy a chunky upvote on his own comment several days after leaving it.) Proving that when there's $$$ involved, the sleazy side of humanity always makes an appearance.
If you want to make yourself memorable on Steemit, try that little trick -- or some variation. I promise, you won't be forgotten -- for a very long time.
Although sometimes the background pictures in our visual essays support the topic and text, they don't always. Sometimes the connection is clear. Sometimes it's symbolic and subtle. Sometimes, there's no connection at all.
The scenes depict landscapes and natural features, buildings and wildlife. They were chosen because they show something lovely or interesting ... or simply because the photo appealed to me.
Our spectacular and remarkable planet is changing at astonishing speed. Rarely are these changes for the better. Few people seem to know ... or care ... or have the will and power to do anything about this. It may not be long before the world humans have known and lived in for centuries is forever lost. We certainly won't be able to make repairs as fast as we destroyed it.
So a few years ago I began collecting pictures of the way things were ... and still are for now, a record of the beauty we have while it is still ours to love and honor.
The photos here are part of that collection, with sincere thanks to the artists who saw these moments ... and with their cameras ... preserved them. All of us in our small section of the planet are profoundly grateful to them for their generosity and skill ... and for the added grace, depth and dimension their art brings to ours.
Original images used under this Creative Commons license or this Creative Commons license and modified by added text.
There is a huge learning curve for Steemit. I joined, tried it out and then quit a few months later because I felt it was too much to try to understand it all. It wasn’t until a year later I decided to try it again. I started to enjoy it once I starting interacting, commenting more and of course upvoting. When I got passed the “junk” and spam posts and start reading the really good ones interaction became a natural thing I did all the time. Then I found a community I really related to and that was the icing on the cake. Once you find that place where you belong you become even more comfortable with this plattform.
Thanks for sharing these points with us. I have seen firsthand when someone gets upset for people upvoting their own comments and not their post.
| There is a huge learning curve for Steemit.
There is ... and once you find some people to relate to it does become easier and more fun. But once you step outside that comfort zone, the old problems are still there. I guess that's no surprise though.
Yes that is true.
I don't see where you have a Dustsweeper account ... so I fixed that for ya. If you'll keep up with it, these tiny votes from my little accounts will turn into actual $$$. It is worth its weight in ... well, actual $$$. IMO, the best addition to Steemit since I got here a year ago. See the memo in your wallet, and no kidding, do check it out.
Oh wow thank you so much how kind of you! I have heard of this service but never looked into it. I will do so now and learn about what it is. Thanks again for your kind gesture! 😃☺️
I would have a lot easier time if you would pick one name and stick with it, just who the hell are you? Ah, I think I just figured it out, multiple personalities trapped in one body, I can see the need now for multiple names.
You are a gift to us no matter what name you are using and I appreciate that gift very much.
That junk button could sure come in handy and I might even be able to make the trending page there. Can't wait to read part 3, see I read everything too, at least all the words in the title.
Yes, but giving you a hard time is part of what keeps me going -- just as the "multiple personalities" are definitely part of the reason I seem to be cropping up in various guises. I don't know how to confine myself to enough of "one thing" to give myself a label.
Steemit stories mixed in with astrology mixed in with the seriousness / silliness of theweaselswife mixed in with whatever I decide to do next. People don't know what to expect.
I know Steemit frowns on multiple blogs. (For a "decentralized" place there sure are a lot of these unwritten rules.) They also frown on posting too often. (Ditto ^^^ ) So in trying my best to be me, it looks like this means multiple blogs -- regardless.
I find it so annoying when I find a really interesting post from someone new -- and when I investigate the backlog it's full of color challenges and freewrite contests and ulogs and terrible poems. If that person had any promise, it evaporates on the spot.
At least when you visit my various personas, you'll have some clue as to what you might find. (At least that's my noble intention ATM.)
I wouldn't change either of us, I like things just the way they are. Just my try at giving you a hard time, Peace.
some interesting points here, I have seen the self voters who think they are being clever self-voting their comments and not their posts,
but I have also seen those who are a supportive part of the community and they generallly stay and last longe ron here :)
Steemit is a fascinating sociological experiment. Sometimes I enjoy watching it; sometimes it makes me despair for the human race. But it is endlessly interesting.
The dividing lines show up pretty quickly between those looking to build a community and those who are just out for themselves. And as you said, one kind generally fares lots better than the other. (Gee, I wonder why!)
@unnamedsteemian And I see the same but thankfully i find the culture and respect is so much bette Ron Steemit than any other social platform
I've upvoted, and now I'm commenting. The best of both worlds, as @unnamedsteemian points out. Notice that I've already shown that I've read this post. If I'd said "nice post" and moved on you and Ms Steemian might assume that this comment was spam, even if I read the post from end to end and thought it was the best thing since sliced bread.
A junk button, good idea. YouTube has like and dislike buttons. No matter how good the clip, a few will always dislike. Some will be incompetents who don't know what they are doing, some may have twitched in the wrong place, and some may seriously not like demonic death metal. Whatever, they get to say they think the post is garbage.
Trust me, I'm a doctor.
Thank you. (I think.)
The concept of a Junk Button sure is appealing. I don't think I have ever "disliked" someone's post on those oh-so-rare occasions when I'm in the other social media sites. If it's not to my taste or not to my politics, I know how to back out the same way I got in. But, wow, I've seen some posts on Steemit where I'd have hit that tumbs-down in a heartbeat.
I know flags are supposed to serve that purpose, but they don't. Flags on Steemit aren't a way of squashing spam. They're a way to punish some who offended you -- or "just for the hell of it." Especially if they're smaller than you. And as in the real world, money talks way too loud.
Steemit is a fascinating sociological experiment. From that standpoint (and others) I enjoy it a lot. But it's not always fun. It is what it is.
Thank you kindly for stopping by. Even if I did have to prod you. Glad I caught you between naps.
Time is valuable. In fact, it may be the only thing of real value. So putting the time into a post AND a platform is valuable.
I really wish there were a better way of finding genuine talent. You guys (and you know who you are) and your curations help immensely but I KNOW there are hundreds of good posts every day that I'm just not seeing.
Nice Scorpion (you see, mentioning a specific photo PROVES that I read every single word of your post).
Thanks for a great recap. I really do appreciate you and all you do.
I wish there were a way to find "the good stuff" quicker, too. I'm convinced Steemit itself could do a better job to make the search easier. The fact that they don't tells me something about the leadership here -- and their commitment to the whole project -- the whole vision -- now that they've made their bundle.
Of course, that bundle retains its value only as long as people like you and me keep creating things that sustain that value. An 8% retention rate on new accounts is dismal ... and would scare the bejesus out of me if I were running the show.
Whenever I find a great article I just want to shout and wave it and make people read. But sharing on the other social media sites is different (and a lot easier) than sharing on Steemit. Here, many people treat resteems like some kind of toxic waste. (Yet that's where I find a lot of good new people to follow.)
The curation projects are kind of a compromise on that. They let me (us) say "Here's something we enjoyed reading." If your taste is like mine, you may enjoy it, too. We don't have anything remotely like the clout and voting power of curie, but sometimes someone else saying right out in public, "Hey, you did a great job here" is a morale boost all its own.
You know from experience when I find a good writer I practically shanghai them into The STEEM Engine. I'm really thrilled to help them succeed in ways my little account can't touch. Lately though most of the good pieces I've found are from people with 60 / 70+ rep. And they clearly don't need my help to get their stuff shown.
Thank you so much for the compliments. I read them all -- even when I don't have time to respond. And I do appreciate them all -- every one.
I read them all, too. It's hard to reply to all, particularly right now, I'm out on the road in Rock Springs Wyoming. Internet is painfully slow (we are talking 512 kb here) and I'm generally tired or wanting to get moving. But I appreciate them so...
Salt n Pappas and I have had a little discussion lately about the leadership or lack thereof. So much COULD be done quite easily....
I don't see where you have a Dustsweeper account ... so I fixed that for ya. If you'll keep up with it, these tiny votes from my little accounts will turn into actual $$$. It is worth its weight in ... well, actual $$$. IMO, the best addition to Steemit since I got here a year ago. See the memo in your wallet, and no kidding, do check it out.
We all do what feels best to us and that is completely fine, we are different. You have achieved a lot and I think you should give yourself a lot more credit 💚
I know. We each have our own style.
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