I am constantly debating about how to make Frum Satire better, and one of the things I have been thinking about lately has been what stuff to put on this here blog. It used to be a predominatly personal blog – but you should note that I was employed sporadically and could always find time to write and think about posts.
Flip to present day, the blog has become more of a portal to making fun of everything – not just my personal experiences, guest posts, news, current events and videos all of which I never posted durring my first year and a half of blogging.
Some of you don’t like this and would rather I just wait until my brain can churn out some lists or keen observations, but most of you like the way things have been going for the last year or so. I wish I could work on my blog full time and just churn out lists but I can’t, if you people paid my bills then maybe just maybe – I would be able to get my cabin in the woods and write full time.
I have heard complaints and praise about my habit of posting multiple times a day. Used to be that it was once or one and a half times per day, and since then it was bumped up to 3-4 times per day, but recently scaled back to twice a day. I have noticed that MOST people like more posts per day better, but I like to see feedback – but if this post only gets 10 people that’s not real feedback – I need 200 people telling me something.
Sometimes I don’t have anything to write, but as a blogger there is something that says “you must post” so I will post videos, links or news – do you people not want that???
Any other comments, suggestions, hate mail or whatever should go here…
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{ 44 comments… read them below or add one }
I think a whole forum dedicated to debates between the more heimish/yeshivish peoples and those of us who left yeshivah for college, work etc.
In all seriousness and I think most readers would agree with me, it is clear you are out of material based on the last couple months posts. 90% of it have a ’similar’ post that is almost exactly the same but different wording. For example: yeshiva rebel 90’s, shul attention disorder, how do you shake lulav, shaitels, bannings, etc. we’ve heard it all over and over, gotta get new stuff son.
sometimes ur funny, most times you are just immature and embarrassing. your material has gone downhill in the last few months.
You should post one a day. This way it will give you more time to come up with better material and it will give people a chance to comment. Sometimes you put up 3-4 posts a day so the readers dont get a chance to read them all and to comment and have discussions. Less people will comment on the posts from a day or 2 before because it is considered old news…if you want more comments post less!!
If my material has gone done in the last few months why is my traffic double? Please explain this to me.
All of the posts Powerman mentioned were old posts that were shared on Facebook – none of those were re-written.
Out of material and having time to write are two completely different things. I have a list of over 100 new posts to write of things I never wrote about – just don’t have the time.
You’re great, man.
(I’m not frum, so I don’t have to give obnoxious advice.)
I like what you’re doing. I used to look and chuckle from time to time, but now I feel like the blog has become more serious, and I end up checking it throughout the day to see the comments.
Crank em out whenever you can. The more the merrier, if some aren’t as funny as other, so be it.
If your main goal of the blog is to generate traffic, more content = more keywords = more search engine positions = more traffic = more comments = even more positioning+free content = even more traffic, etc. It’s obviously working if you’re getting lots of new viewers.
You’ll need to balance that with quality control. You’ll need to decide how much free to spare to write the quality posts that keep people coming back for more, otherwise you’ll end up losing the core viewership.
Compulsive posting generally leads to burnout or an ocean of sameness. I’ve seen it in a number of blogs.
Unfortunately I cant pin down “more of this” or “less of that” since much of your material is outside my experience. OTOH, I like that because I learn stuff. General jewblogs for the most part are not as interesting since they tend to be pretty bland. I’ve never seen a post on Jewcy or Jewlicious get 100 comments for example. I guess all I can offer for feedback is keep up the good work but dont over do it and burn out.
Personally, I’m a fan of multiple posts, but the videos are what brought me to the site and the hope of them keeps me coming.
http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/2009/05/13/jews-in-the-wood/
Get an editor.
Seriously, better writing would make the site better. There is no shortage of editors. As you are a writer, and as you are not particularly in command of the English language, it would – behoove – you to get a an editor.
You’d still be funny, and a whole lot more readable.
I dunno, I think you used to be funnier. Lately the material seems a bit more stale.
I second “One Thing Only.” I enjoy reading your material, but the spelling and grammar mistakes drive me NUTS to the point where I don’t bother checking anymore. It may not bother other people, but you’re a WRITER because of your extensive blogging. Write like one. Even though this isn’t your full time gig, you need to look more professional on paper in order to get more advertisers and attract more readers. It will also help others to take you seriously– One Thing Only is right when he says that trumping the English language will help you out tremendously. It has an effect, whether people say something or not. Either use a spelling/grammar checking tool or get an editor.
Really other than that, keep up the good work. Your posts are laugh-out-loud funny!
I use spell check – so anything that passes through I can blame on Bill Gates – maybe its time to get a Mac already.
If I could get the site redesign I crave it would let me have a staff of people who could access my stuff and edit it prior to it being posted – but once again my “web designers” who said they would help me out – have all gone AWOL
Very funny, a little sexist. What really bugs me is the “paid advertisement” and “advertising for a friend” announcements. I think the only reason someone would pay for advertising with you is if you genuinely seem interested in what they’re selling, enough to write your own post about it and make it natural. Ads are fine, but I wouldn’t pay for one that says, “Hi, I’m an ad. Stop reading now.”
I think you are HILARIOUS!!!! And have gotten funnier…..
you can be all over the place sometimes in your writing.
Sometimes because you crank it out too fast it leaves me going, “heh? why’d he post that? thats it?”
Also, it won’t be as well written, typos, bad flow.
My advice, quality, not quantity.
Honestly,I find your blogs to be insightful and amusing at the same time.I admire your style spiced with humor and sarcasm.You come across as someone being audacious and a bit controversial.Though sometimes I feel you go over the line but being an advocate for freedom of speech, I recognize your right to your own opinion as do for many others. I understand how some folks will feel a little uncomfortable with the level of crudeness in which some of the entries might contain.Maybe the innuendo may be a bit too much for others to handle. I feel the content may be a bit too mature for minors to read thought. Maybe you should make note of that.I think everything should have its measures and balances.This no way implies to change course of your critique.You asked for feedback and you will get one from me big time. I will continue to read all your posts as I always do. Keep up the good work and push out that hilarity.
Honestly,I find your blogs to be insightful and amusing at the same time.I admire your style spiced with humor and sarcasm.You come across as someone being audacious and a bit controversial.Though sometimes I feel you go over the line but being an advocate for freedom of speech, I recognize your right to your own opinion as do for many others. I understand how some folks will feel a little uncomfortable with the level of crudeness in which some of the entries might contain.Maybe the innuendo may be a bit too much for others to handle. I feel the content may be a bit too mature for minors to read thought. Maybe you should make note of that.Reader discretion should be advised for this site. I think everything should have its measures and balances.This no way implies to change course of your critique.You asked for feedback and you will get one from me big time. I will continue to read all your posts as I always do. Keep up the good work and push out that hilarity.
you’re a funny guy – the writing is good sometimes, your observations are sharp, but you do need to freshen it up a little. the food writing is excellent, the videos are generally good.
i say kudos, keep it coming.
Your site has started to become an eyesore to me; the layout is crap and the grammar makes me want to hurl. But this grammar is your style and it isn’t changing, so “meh.”
As to your material, I prefer the controversial items because they always escalate to full scale flame fests which always enable me to start trolling the mindless drones who post here.
Quality, not quantity, even if it’s only once a day. More videos, please. The black-on-white bare bones layout works; people at workplaces need something that looks like a Word document, not an amusement park (I’m exaggerating, but under the radar is good). Not going to waste time on your grammar and spelling; a mac won’t help, a copy editor could, but, whatever — be you. Don’t dream of your readers supporting you — you picked the wrong community (joking, but most authors will tell you that’s a poor strategy).
Ever have someone say, “Why don’t you write about …?” and you don’t feel like it, but it’s an interesting topic? Why not throw it out there as comment bait? Just label it as such and let your readers have fun with it. Less pressure, more playground. Just a thought; no idea if it would work.
I agree with Veebee in regards to the layout and grammar. But one of the things that I like is that at any given day, there are new things posted, so more is good. Not all of the topics under discussion are usually up my alley (constant mechitza peekings, modern orthodox events, kiddush clubs, Chabad, etc.), but that’s my problem, not yours.
And s(b.) that is one wicked toenail. Get the clippers on that sucker.
I have wanted to correct your grammar/spelling before.
I have sent you post ideas and you haven’t used any of them. What about that cheesy poem I wrote when your Facebook Id got stolen and you were afraid that people wouldn’t know who you were?
I have said before. You should try to bank one post every day or two so that you have something in an emergency. When you post something hot, keep writing but, bank the posts while the comments are carrying the blog.
If you want more hits, post controversial stuff, like posts about girls who want to sleep around and get their Orthodox conversion and then they say, “well, I didn’t really say THAT.”
The post about fat men wanting skinny girls had some mileage.
Try not to put the best stuff up on Friday. Put it up on Thursdays.. People will see it, tell people about it on Shabbos and come back and post more comments. Some of us almost never turn on our computers on Friday.
You posted A LOT between Purim and Pesach. That was a time to scale back. People are cleaning their houses and a lot of Jews are accountants so they are working a lot of hours. Posting a lot of seasonal stuff at that time would have been good and then bank the non-Pesach stuff that comes to you. I think chol chamoed would have been good time to post. I don’t think you have too many of those types that don’t use the computer during chol chamoed.
I found your blog when you posted K Ariella/ShomerShabbosSoprano’s guest post, “Funny Thoughts About My Conversion.” I was building my Yahoo group and tapping into converts or candidates who had their own blogs. Then I saw your fake conversation with the the shadchan with the stack or scrape and stuff and I was hooked. I think people like to make fun of shadchans so that’s good material.
Incidentally, anyone looking to discuss conversion in an online group, please note there is my all women’s group and then a co-ed group with Aliza Hausman. There is a third group but, it’s for early in the process straight (boring) types, not the Frum Satire readership. You may find my blog by clicking on my name and my Email address is in my blog profile.
Holy long comment! Sorry… I guess I got into a zone…
ure doing a really good job. dont let anyine else say differintly. do have one suggestion though. u should ration ure posts better. that way if u run out of ideas one day u can just choose one that u havnt wrote yet
Amarg… that’s EXACTLY what I said!
You mean wrote but not posted…
He used to bank posts. I saw in an old post where he said he was going on vacation, but don’t worry he already had the posts written.
I dunno if it is just me, but I can’t view this blog on my ipod touch for some reason.
hornball, I replaced the photo; I broke my leg in four places and had to wait 12 days for surgery, the four weeks to get it casted. It didn’t occur to me to ask anyone else to do that for me when I had it in a soft cast, and not falling again was of primary concern. You bet your sweet __ the first thing I did when I got out of that car (and into the house) was take care of that.
If there isn’t already a term for razzing someone about their blog content in the comments of another blog, I’m going to use hornball to cover that, as a verb. Thanks for the laugh, not the moment of self-consciousness, but, point well made. The brightness was what struck me.
In the new pic, the painter’s name is Josh, and he lives on the Jersey shore, and he’s an ehrlich guy. Not that he would know what ehrlich means, but he is.
Mosta da time, I think your stuff just barely qualifies as mildly amusing, but you have your occassional moments. Your strength is that you are the only one who does it consistently, so keep it up. Post no more than once a day – people want to see the new stuff – I would guess it’s by far the exception for people to look through your archives. Only your diehard, have nothing better to do anyway, fans are checking your site more than once a day. You can keep them happy by checking in to the comments and showing you are involved, guiding the discussion to the extent you can etc. Also, posting no more than once a day will give you the time to give your material one last read-through. An editor would help, but I think you can be enough of a self-critic to realize if a certain sentence should be deleted or to notice your more egregious typos. Also, if you are wondering if something may just be too explicit or going too far – it probably is.
I think you are repeating yourself too much.
You know, you are saying the same thing twice.
Wow, imagine using my name as common internet lingo! I’ll be famous!
I’d be entering the annals (two n’s) of online history!
Personally, I like my name used more as an adjective than a verb…it feels better that way…;) But I’ll take what I can get (the chicks know that already).
weekly dvar torah!!!
(for the frummies out there, lol)
Spike in traffic = candle burns brightest before it flickers and dies out.
You should totally do that regularly, they come up in google searches when I want to find out about a restaurant.
It is getting very sophmoric
Der Klapper,
No, he really can’t. He went to Orthodox schools, he wasn’t trained in English, he says it all the time. I’m sure people would be willing to look over your posts. If you had seven people, each one could take a day. I can take Monday.
Oh, yes, anon, I’ll agree sophmoric…
Sophomoric can be good. I dont come here for high brow humor. The bad grammar and word errors that spell check cant catch are a shame, but Heshy is still more coherent than many of the commenters.
more sex stories
like your first kiss….. hookup and what ur freinds “claimed” to have done… while teenagers ofcourse
also
name the yeshiva in israel, who’s rosheshiva is famous for asking new students if they ever had a bj!
Ok finally i have come tp the conclusion that i rlly dont like you. Well
Ur work, yea u are funny sometimes but i feel sumthings u say r completly imature. Also all you do is judge ppl, their clothing, the way they do this and that… Do u ever just accept ppl for who they r and enjoy their company. U sy something that rlly bothers me about “frummys” that we r fake judge by apperances….
I am “frumy” and i dont judge ppl from what they wear i actually just see the person by wat they say. And thats how im judging u,
I think i stopped being a fan after your teffilin date post