The problem at hand:
How best to inform interested parties (friends, family, associates) scattered across the internet that I have babbled at length on my blog … in a way that irritates neither them nor myself, as well as not requiring an onerous amount of labor on my part.
Possible solutions:
1. Crossposting links to blog posts on Facebook/Twitter/Mastodon without actually having to put my eyeballs on Facebook/Twitter/Mastodon.
Twitter works fine and was how I’d actually always used that account. In light of current events over there though, not inclined to provide it any content. Facebook has become even more of a hellscape since I was last there, and now they don’t allow any posting to feeds from anywhere other than Facebook. My jury is still out on the usefulness of Mastodon.
2. Letting people sign up and subscribe to my WordPress install.
I don’t want anyone’s email address or other personal data in my database. Then I feel responsible to care for it and keep it safe. I mean, I do keep my database safe, but stuff can happen, and if it does, I’d rather it only be me that suffers for it. Also, I sometimes lost a LOT of times a day, and it could begin to feel spammy in people’s inboxes to get an email every time I post.
3. A newsletter.
This had been my very first thought on the matter, but I tossed it aside for three reasons: could be a lot of work for me, might require me to store other people’s personal data, felt too old school internet and like not a thing that’s done anymore by normal human beings.
End result:
I spent entirely too many hours last week exploring these three options, as well as a slew of others, and after asking around amongst the folks who have requested being informed of updates at my blog, it looks like my first thought was the correct one. A newsletter it is! Probably a weekly one, though with me that may be quite variable. I’ve never done a newsletter for myself before, but I have helped other people set them up. The biggest problem for me will likely be remembering to do it.
The first problem though is finding a service to use that’s reasonably easy for me and subscribers to use while also being worthy of trust. I already have a shortlist, due to having helped others with this before, so it shouldn’t take long for me to sort out the details. Guess that’s what I’ll work on this week.
But now I’m tired of thinking about internet stuff. I spent all day yesterday working on blog problems, and I’d like to spend at least some of my weekend having fun and being extremely lazy. So I’m off to thaw something for dinner and play some video games. Also cuddling with cats. We’re having nasty winter weather, and the cats are extra cuddly today. Bring on the pile of furry, purring pillows!