I’ll be taking a break through the end of the year, and thought this would be a good time to size up this blog creature I created.
In nearly two months I’ve posted about 20 essays. Over that time I’ve also read a number of other psychiatry and general medical blogs, having started this one with little prior exposure to blogs at all. I see that “Reidbord’s Reflections” is atypical and, to be honest, rather unbloglike. Unlike mine, most are anonymous, allowing more freewheeling commentary. The popular ones are more casual, personally disclosing, and include human-interest tidbits, photos, graphics, and sometimes embedded videos from elsewhere on the net. They don’t stick to the topic, but are more warm and human.
As a psychiatrist who conducts psychodynamic (neo-Freudian, sort of) psychotherapy, I tend not to disclose facts about my private life to patients. Likewise, I am reticent to offer a lot of personal details here. At some point I’m sure I’ll post something about this; I’m well aware there is no absolute prohibition regarding self-disclosure, and sometimes it can really help. Nonetheless, most blogging is more exhibitionistic than I care to be. My intent is to write about psychiatry, not about myself.
Google Analytics tells me I have a modest readership of about 150 unique visitors so far, widely scattered across the US, with a few in Canada, Europe, and the rest of the world. (Don’t worry, the data do not identify you, just your general location.) Technorati ranks “Reidbord’s Reflections” about number five million in the blogosphere. (Now there’s a humbling statistic.) I’ve been told that readers rarely comment because I am not controversial or inflammatory enough. The post that did attract the most notice was perhaps the most contentious, about my almost becoming a speaker for Wyeth.
On the bright side, I enjoy writing. I have more topic ideas, and I plan to continue doing this. The page hit rate is slowly increasing over time. I also have ideas for improving the blog, and would be very grateful for yours as well. Here are mine:
1. Include some photos to add interest and color to the page
2. Invite colleagues to write guest pieces
3. Include more day-to-day type reflections
4. Change the font size or colors to make the page more readable
Dr. Reidbord:
Please continue your blog! I am a psychiatrist and train residents and we enjoy your comments. Your blog is very cerebral and informative. We don’t need another Furious Seasons type blog. We need incisive and critical essays to make our field better. You are doing that. To steal from “A Field of Dreams” — continue to post, and they shall read!
Thank you! You made my day. (Although I enjoy Furious Seasons sometimes.) I have every intention of continuing. I really hope to get some dialog going, so please don’t hold back if you or your residents have comments on my posts. It’s hard to be the first ones out on the dance floor, but that’s who gets the party started.