Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Plus Best Time for Blog Posts, New Releases, and Ninja News

Double shot today!
I am visiting Roan Publishing with The Importance of Community – How to Get Involved and the Unicorn Bell with What If?
Special thanks to Terri and Liz for those opportunities.

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

My awesome co-hosts today are Charity Bradford, S.A. Larsen, AJ, Tamara Narayan, Allison Gammons, and Tanya Miranda!

I wanted to point out that the awesome Julie Flanders wrote an article for College and Research Libraries News about some of the best websites for writers, and she listed the IWSG site! Thanks, Julie.

Thanks also to everyone who helped announce the boxed set of my trilogy, CassaSeries! (And if you’ve read all three books, the series could use with some love on Goodreads.)

At the moment, I’m working on a short story that will take place after Dragon of the Stars. Truedessa has read the book three times and she told me it was because she was hoping for a different ending for Aden and Tamsin. So I am writing one for her that promises some happiness in their future.

And finally, this just blew me away. Thanks to Edi at Edi’s Book Lighthouse for finding it. The Best Sci-Fi Books site listed The 21 Best Space Opera Books and CassaStar was number four. FOUR!!! Ahead of Dune and Ender’s Game. In reality, no way, but it was really awesome to see.

Be sure to visit other members of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group!


Ninja News

Thanks also to Edi for this one – Dark Roasted Blend listed the World’s Strangest Theme Parks. (That site always has the wildest stuff.)

The the WEP-Write...Edit..Publish Bloghop is back!
Hosted by Denise Covey and Yolanda Renee, this is a fun monthly event you don’t want to miss.

Damyanti is hosting a blogfest on July 24, 25, and 26 – The Cherished Blogfest.

MsMariah at A Space Blogyssey is hosting a blogfest – This is How I Work Blogathon. The deadline is July 20 to join and post.

Liesel Hill gave me the Creative Blogging Award.
Thanks, Liesel!
I’m passing it on to Pat Hatt and the Cat at It’s Rhyme Time.

New Releases

Hands by L. Ashley Straker (Known to the blogging world as Ash-Matic.)
A novella
Find out more about the book HERE and purchase it Amazon

A Taste of Pain by G.B. Miller
For an autographed copy, visit his site HERE







When is the Best Time for a Blog Post?

I’ve always heard that it was best to post around 5:00-6:00 am Eastern. I thought I’d do a bit of research and found some interesting stats.

According to the Huffington Post:
70% of users say they read blogs in the morning
More men read blogs at night than women
Mondays are the highest traffic days for an average blog
11am is usually the highest traffic hour for an average blog
Comments are usually highest on Saturdays and around 9am on most days
Blogs that post more than once per day have a higher chance of inbound links and more unique views

From the graphic, it appears that the lowest times are in the middle of the night for those of us in the USA. 12:00–4:00 am are the worst. However, I’m not too sure about the highest comments coming on Saturdays. (Mine come on Mondays, except for IWSG Wednesday.)

Kissmetrics had a great graphic, breaking down times and readers. They also stated:
The average blog gets the most inbound links on Monday and Thursday.
The average blog gets the most inbound links at 7am Eastern Time

Bang for the bucks, I’m sticking with my 5:00 am Eastern Monday postings.

When do you see the most comments and visits?

What are your writer insecurities today? Signing up for any of the bloghops and fests? Picking up some new books? And when do think is the best time for blog posts to go live?

Don’t forget to visit Roan Publishing and the Unicorn Bell!

Happy Fourth of July to my American friends!

171 comments:

kaykuala said...

No.#1
Hank

Karen Jones Gowen said...

I used to set my posts to publish at 5 am, then changed to 3:30 for some reason. Maybe I should go back although I've found views and comments depend more on content than time of day posted. And on how well I go to other blogs and leave comments!

Elephant's Child said...

Congratulations on yet more (deserved) success and recognition.
I am not certain when is the best time for posts to go live. And does it matter? It isn't as if we take them down and don't allow further comment/interaction after that narrow window of 'best' time. Very few posts (by any of the bloggers I follow) are time critical.

Denise Covey said...

Hi Alex. I haven't had much luck posting blog comments from New Caledonia, but I'm going to try. Thanks for your shout outs for blog feasts, including WEP permanent blog fest. I'll be checking some of the others. Re posting times it is difficult when you post from Oz. :-)

kaykuala said...

A bountiful this time around. Congrats at being highly placed at 21 Best Space. There'll be more certainly.Visited both Roan and Unicorn. Both are great for support in future. Perhaps to subscribe first and get to know them. Hank has no best time except lurking for Pat Hatt's. Otherwise it is whenever there is time available. Thanks Alex!

Hank

Ash-Matic said...

Number four on a best space opera list? Sweeet! Congratulations! There's tough competition there by anyone's opinion.

Thanks for mentioning my novella release!!

TBM said...

Congrats on the placement. That's awesome!

Very interesting stats about blog postings. I should keep track of my stats and see how it matches up. Of course, I say that, but will I do it?

Shah Wharton said...

Number 4!!! Awesome :) I'll stop by the other two posts.

Alex, I appreciate the stats, but they're lost on me. My head turns off at the mere mention of numbers, and perhaps because I'm in the UK, so planning to post for US bloggers and UK readers gets complicated. :(

shahwharton.com

J.L. Campbell said...

Congrats on making that top 21 list, Alex. I kinda figured that Mondays are good days for posts because that's also when I see the most traffic. It tapers off as the week goes by. I've been out of things for the last month, so there was a lot to catch up on here. Thanks!

Patsy said...

I do my posts early morning UK time (as I'm in the UK) That's mostly because if I do a guest posting and say when it'll go live, it'll be up when the person looks.

Rhonda Albom said...

Interesting, so if I understand this correctly, most people read blogs while they are at work. I struggle with timing, as I am in New Zealand, the first country in the world to see each new day. I generally get most of my comment overnight which would include the times you said.

And Big Congratulations on Number four!

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

Congrats on your placement!

I usually schedule my posts to go live at midnight. I suppose they don't have to be published until later, but there's something satisfying about that time.

I'll have to check out the WEP blogfest.

Natalie Aguirre said...

Congrats on IWSG making the list and how high your book is ranked. Interesting stats. Monday is definitely the day most people blog now. I post at the same time as you do. I tend to get comments throughout the 2 weeks my contests run, though Mondays often have the most comments.

Jennifer Hawes said...

Great book news!! Definitely a week to celebrate! Hope you enjoy the holiday weekend. I'm ready for our family vacation. I think.

Sheila Renfro said...

That's interesting about the post times. I may have to try that out!

Just Keepin It Real, Folks! said...

Awesome news on your placement! Thanks for the tips on blog posting. I definitely read blogs in the morning but I tend to take off on the weekends. Maybe I need to change that.

Donna K. Weaver said...

Congrats on the boxed set, Alex.

That cover for HANDS is kind of creepy and intriguing.

Unknown said...

Happy Fourth to you, too Alex! Congrats on being fourth on the Space Opera List--well deserved.

mshatch said...

I schedule my posts to appear at 7am, my time, which seems to work out fairly well, and by the time I get home from work I will usually have received most of the comments.

Congrats on your boxed set; that's pretty cool!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Well done, Hank!

Karen, that second part really matters.

Denise, you're welcome!

You're welcome, Ash!

TBM, I know I won't.

Shah, the time difference can mess you up.

Joy, glad you're back!

Rhonda, I know I do most of my blog reading at work.

Just Keeping it Real, I don't do much blog reading on the weekends. Too busy.

Thanks, everyone!

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

I tend to post and read blogs in the morning and usually only during the week - I try to spend less time doing social media stuff on the weekend. That's when it seems I get the least amount of traffic and comments anyway.

cleemckenzie said...

It seems I have tons to catch up on! Happy First Wed.

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

Number four for CassaStar is fantastic. Congratulations.
I'm always picking up new books. Some day I'll catch up on reading them.
Happy Fourth of July.

Jennifer Lane said...

Interesting stats about blogs! The Saturday comments surprised me because the internet seems quieter on the weekends. Of course IWSG is one of the best writer sites!

Jennifer Lane said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Diane Burton said...

Congrats on your placement, Alex. You gotta feel good about that!

Crystal Collier said...

Thanks for the stats! I haven't researched blogging recently, and those patterns change so regularly.

Huge congrats on your books! You totally deserve it.

Toi Thomas said...

That's so cool that CassaStar got that Space Opera recognition.
The blog hops look preety good, I'm gonna try to do at least one.
I don't think I have a big enough following to tell when the best time to post for me is. For it seems to be more about actually posting. If I go too long without posting, people stop coming back. Also, the subject of the post seems to be more important than when I post.

Chemist Ken said...

Great news about the books and IWSG's placement. I get most of my comments late Wednesday or Thursday after my Wednesday posts. I think my readers have learned not to depend on me posting "early" on Wednesdays and wait until the afternoon to check them out. :)

Rachna Chhabria said...

Number #4 on the 21 Best Space Opera Books is way too good. I am doing the happy dance for you. Congratulations, Alex. Now isn't that a strong incentive to write more books?

Rachel Schieffelbein said...

Mondays, huh? That surprises me.
Happy IWSG day! :)

Pat Hatt said...

Thanks for the award. See, you are writing more. The cat knew you would. Saturdays have the most comments? Err umm, that is wrong. Mine is pretty spread out through the week, except weekends. Mondays i find is when people post the most.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Congrats on making that list.

Posting first thing in the morning seems like the best time.

Unknown said...

Congrats on the #4 spot for CassaStar! I'm glad your're writing a sequel short to Dragon. It's goo d to keep characters alive that way.

Congrats to L.Ashley and GB for their new releases!

That's funny about blog post times. I always schedule posts for midnight, but it's not like the posts fall off the face of the earth. It's still there for anyone to read at 9AM. I've just hit 150k pageviews on my 3-yr-old blog, so that's pretty good. (Too bad all those hits don't translate into book sales, right?)

Joanne said...

lots of great stuff on this post. My timing is all wrong for blog posts. I need to work on that, but my schedule is sporadic. No excuses, I know. Happy 4th to you Alex.

Michael Di Gesu said...

Hey, Alex,

Congrats! Awesome news being number four! You must be super excited!

Blogfests are great... nice to see a few coming back. The blogosphere has been a bit quiet these past few months... Such fun.

Glad to see the WEP back!

Congrats to Ashley and G. B. for their books!

HAPPY FOURTH TO YOU TOO!

Mason Canyon said...

Congratulations on the placement, awesome. I've always tried to post at 12:10 a.m. (EST) and thought it worked okay. Maybe it's time to rethink my schedule. The Saturday comments part surprised me as it seems (especially in the summer) fewer people are online on Saturdays.

Sarah Foster said...

AHA so you're writing again! :)
I'd agree that Mondays are definitely the busiest blogging day. I hardly ever get weekend comments. I don't really look at other blogs on the weekend, either, so I'm thinking it's a common practice. Maybe?

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Madeline, same here.

Lee, glad to have you back!

Jennifer, that one surprises me as well.

Toi, it's true that lag time in between posts can hurt.

Rachna, no pressure!

Pat, I also think that's wrong.

Lexa, too bad indeed!

Mason, change your posting time and see what happens.

Sarah, I think it's common.

Thanks everyone!

Michelle Wallace said...

Congrats on CassaStar placing 4th on the 21 Best Space Opera Books list. Awesome!
I'm glad to see the revival of WEP. The Cherished Blogfest sounds interesting too.
With regards to blog posts and timing - those are interesting stats.
Now I'm off to Roan Publishing and Unicorn Bell.

Nicki Elson said...

Hey, #4 on the list for the 4th of July! Well done.

I love studying statistics (really) but for some reason I have such difficulty actually applying them to anything in my personal life. i think I'll stick w/ your easy peasy 5amEST posting plan (that's 4am for me! Thank goodness for pre-scheduling.)

Unknown said...

I usually set my posts for 8:00 am EST but I end up getting the most views/comments in the early afternoon. Hmmm...perhaps there's a science to this...

Kristin Smith said...

Yay for CassaStar being #4!! That is quite an honor to beat out Ender's Game!

For my blog posts, I guess I've never really thought about it. If I schedule in advance then I post @ 2:00 am, but then there's the last minute scrambling (like this morning) :) to get my posts ready. That is some interesting info on the best time of day and day of the week to post. Thanks for sharing! :)

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Congratulations on a winning spot on the listing. It's well deserved!
I have the Western/Pacific time advantage. I can post before going to sleep, and I wake up to a slew of comments. I like it.

Happy Fourth, Alex.

Tonja Drecker said...

Congrats on being so high on that list! And interesting stats. . .not that it will change anything for me. But fun to see. Happy 4th!

Unknown said...

YAY for #4!! that's huge, Alex! big congrats!! My insecurities are probably that my current WIP still needs a ton of work. that knowledge sometimes prevents me from moving forward. But I will push through! and yep, I've heard that too about blogs in the early morning. I post mine around midnight thursday/fri morning b/c I always read them all in the mornings. Have a great fourth!

Charles Gramlich said...

Hoping this will be a good Wednesday for us all.

Chrys Fey said...

See? I knew you weren't done writing! I knew you'd get a new idea and start another story! YAY!!

I agree that Monday is the best traffic day, but I don't get that many comments on Saturdays.

Loni Townsend said...

Woot on being #4! Grats!

I find I get more comments if I actually schedule my post ahead of time, but most of my comments come in on the same day that I post. I also tend to comment on other blogs on Wednesdays, because that's when I have time to put towards blogging. :)

Unknown said...

Wow!!! #4 ... I don't read much space opera, but that doesn't surprise me at all! Congrats, buddy 🎉🎉🎉🎉

Melissa said...

That's interesting about the blog comments. I wonder how the data would change if the focused on writer's blogs only. I've heard Monday is the biggest day for blogging for us.

I prefer to visit blogs in the morning. It's frustrating when people post late, especially for things like IWSG, but I know everyone has different schedules and reasons for how and when they post.

Fwiw, I sometimes get visits from foreign bloggers during the wee hours. That's why I often launch things and 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning.



Julie Flanders said...

Congratulations on the space opera list, how wonderful!! And deserved. :)
Thanks for the shout out. I'm glad I could include the IWSG in the article.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Congrats on the ranking for Best Space Operas. Pretty great. I man going to sign up for those blogfests. It's a great way to meet new bloggers. I usually have my blog go live between 4 and 5 am.
Susan Says

SpacerGuy said...

The exciting Nebula Awards are next Alex, congratulations! I'll put the word out on twitter. I've temporarily stalled signing up for IWSG until my Wednesday Star Trek TAS blogfest is over. Theres lots of sci fi infinite diversity here, spending the day catching up with everyone is next.

dolorah said...

Awesome. Soon your books will be a Syfy movie release :) Happy endings are overrated, lol.

I post at 3a Pacific time. No particular reason, and I certainly don't expect comments at that time. Since my posts are up for a few days they sort of trickle in.

Happy 4th to you also. Enjoy your weekend.

Botanist said...

Interesting stats. Maybe I should try scheduling posts. I usually blog in the evenings, and being out on the west coast hours behind everyone else is a handicap. Not that I'd choose to be anywhere else, of course :)

Great recognition for ISWG.

Anonymous said...

Congrats to CassaStar being #4!
Interesting stats. More often than not, I don't have my post ready to go early and so must post when I get to it. When I am ready early, I post at 5:00 AM.
Off to visit Roan and Unicorn! Happy IWSG Day!

Charity Bradford said...

Congratulations!! I'm not surprised you are #4 on the list. You write great space opera.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Nicki, because we're not getting up and posting at that hour!

Chrys, I am writing again...

Melissa, considering what my Feedly looked like this morning, I'm glad it's a bit spread out.

Julie, appreciate you using it!

Spacerguy, thanks, and that would blow my mind. Join us when you're ready!

Donna, that equates to 6:00 am Eastern, which is good. And no SyFy Channel!

Ian, I can't remember when I didn't schedule my posts.

Thanks guys!

Mark Koopmans said...

I can't believe Saturday can be anywhere close to being the top for comments... but pollsters on the Internet are never wrong :)

I post at midnight EST, but that's just a personal choice... I think if I blogged a little more *consistently* that would help much more than posting time :)

Happy Fourth to you and the Missus and thanks for the offer on my blog :)

Sherry Ellis said...

Congratulations on your book being #4. That's awesome! Those are some interesting stats. I would have never thought that 5:00 AM would be a big time for blog visits.

Yolanda Renée said...

Thanks so much for the shout out about the WEP - it's awesome to find such wonderful support, and I am so looking forward to the first challenge!

Interesting facts on blogging, must only be for the most popular sites, of course.

I'll be checking into most all your links today, blog fests and posts galore!

Anonymous said...

Congrats on getting #4. That's awesome. Go eat a cookie to celebrate (any reason to break out cookies is a fine reason in my book. ^_~)
I would think Saturday mornings are the worst for comments. I never get anything then. Actually, mine tend to spread throughout the day.

Carrie-Anne said...

I usually schedule posts for about 6:30 AM, though my Friday and Sunday posts tend to go up in the midnight hour. Most of my traffic seems to come on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays, with not many views or comments on Saturdays, Fridays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

Rachel Pattinson said...

Congrats on getting to number 4 on the list!! That's awesome!! I don't get many views or comments over weekends, so I try to stick with just posting during the week. I normally schedule my posts for midnight GMT, but may have to experiment with my timings a little and test those stats out!

L.G. Keltner said...

Congratulations on the #4 ranking! That's something to be seriously excited about!

J.H. Moncrieff said...

It was really difficult to come up with an IWSG post today--hopefully that's a good thing, because last month it was all too easy.

I took a class where I was told Mondays were a bad day to post, that Tuesdays are best, and Wednesdays almost as good. I usually experience a slowdown on the weekends. People are out having fun, not commenting on blogs.

I wonder if that class steered me wrong?

ELAdams said...

Congratulations on hitting that list! That has to be an awesome feeling!

I usually don't pay too much attention to when I schedule my posts, because I know I'm in a different time zone to most people who read my blog. It's worth considering, though!

ELAdams said...

Congratulations on hitting that list! That has to be an awesome feeling!

I usually don't pay too much attention to when I schedule my posts, because I know I'm in a different time zone to most people who read my blog. It's worth considering, though!

ELAdams said...

Congratulations on hitting that list! That has to be an awesome feeling!

I usually don't pay too much attention to when I schedule my posts, because I know I'm in a different time zone to most people who read my blog. It's worth considering, though!

Heather M. Gardner said...

Alex!
Alex!
Alex!

Hi.

How are you! I feel like I haven't been here in forever! I hope that's not the truth, but I may have missed a few days.

AH-HAH! You're writing again! I love it! See. It's not something you can control. Sorry. :)

I have so many people to visit now, thank you!

I just ordered my son the Jurassic World Lego X-Box game. Looks like a lot of fun!

Later!
Heather

Anonymous said...

Those are interesting statistics. I don't get a lot of traffic and it's spread out for the most part, so I couldn't say how true this is. I have found though that I'll get more comments if I post before noon than after.

Andrew Leon said...

John Scalzi frequently puts up 3 or 4 posts a day. I just don't think I could do that.

Tyrean Martinson said...

I've noticed that since I stopped posting three days a week, I've received more visitors and more comments. Mondays are definitely the best days to post for visitors and comments, but comments trickle in all week long when I leave a post up for a while.

Thanks for the infographics on blog posts!

And, Congrats on being #4!!! :)

Gail said...

Hi, Alex. I'm Gail and I'm an insecure writer. Also a uneducated writer of all the ways to get my words out there.

How do you find a publishing company that wants you?

Is there a market for short stories or poetry?

These and a thousand more questions...

Michael Abayomi said...

Congrats, Alex, on the website and book receiving some well-deserved recognition. :)

P.S: Will you be going to see Terminator: Genisys anytime soon? I am kinda on the fence myself; the early reviews seem to suggest that the movie is dead on arrival.

Elizabeth said...

Those are some interesting blog statistics. I usually set my posts for 6am CST, and I don't get comments until about 2 hours later. Maybe I should post earlier to catch the early morning/overseas crowd. Personally, I comment during my lunch hour at work or late at night.
Congrats on making the Space Opera list!
I hope you have a great Independence Day as well!
Elizabeth @ Liz's Random Ponderings

Patricia Stoltey said...

For the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Blog, we publish early in the morning to make sure we're there in case we have readers from the east coast (especially those who might be thinking of coming to our Colorado Gold Conference in September). For my personal blog, I don't think it's time of day that attracts new readers but rather blog topic and blog title.

Jenni said...

Congrats on getting #4 on the Best Space Opera books list! Awesome! I'm also not surprised that ISWG blog got a mention. I really enjoyed seeing your stats about when blogging is most effective. Hmm, I guess blogging on Mondays is good.
Happy ISWG!

Birgit said...

I think being #4 is awesome!! You should be so proud of yourself for all you have accomplished. I don't think about the stats of blogging since stats gives me hives:)I am just content with the amount of blogger buddies I do have. I guess I am not a type A eh? (how Canadian of me. Off to see the weirdest theme parks now

Mary Aalgaard said...

Whenever I schedule posts, like during the A to Z Challenge and IWSG, I schedule it for 2:00 am my time. I figure it will be there for the early risers. But, really, what difference does it make when it goes live? It's 5 o'clock somewhere.
I get the most comments on Mondays or IWSG days, too.

Congrats on your success!!!

Play off the Page

H. R. Sinclair said...

Huge congratulations, Alex!

I've read contradictory articles on the best time to post -- Thursday night or Friday morning being best. BUT to be honest, I think it changes. I have access to my direct stats and Monday used to be number one, Wednesday is higher now. I have also notice that within the past few months more people are posting on Wednesday. I think people tend to visit and comments on their posting days.

Arlee Bird said...

I'm with you on the posting time. I don't intend to change as that time has served me well. I don't get much traffic anywhere on Saturdays.

Lee
Tossing It Out

nashvillecats2 said...

I post my blog usually before I go to bed, Can't keep up with the different time zones.
Just to let you know Yvonne(Me) has her fighting spirit back regarding her travel insuraance.
Yvonne.

Unknown said...

I set my posts to publish at 6am on Wednesdays. Works for me. Congrats on CassaSeries getting so high on the Best Space Opera list. That's exciting.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Mark, I can't believe either.

Sherry, I guess I picked a good time.

Yolanda, you're welcome!

Patricia, I will eat a cookie.

Rachel, try something different and see what happens.

JH, after almost six years of blogging, I would say Monday is definitely the best.

Heather! Go ahead and laugh.

Andrew, I wouldn't read that many.

Gail, there are some greats lists over at the IWSG site. And Milo James Fowler is the short story master. He knows all the places to submit.

Michael, the reviews are so awful, I think I'm skipping it.

Elizabeth, try it for a week or so and see what happens.

Mary, good point!

Holly, THIS Wednesday is certainly my busiest day!

Yvonne, get 'em!

Murees Dupè said...

Congratulations, Alex! #4 is great. You should definitely do a happy dance :)
Because I live in South Africa, I post whenever it's convenient for me, but I suppose I should consider my audience instead, as everyone is from overseas.
As always Alex, thank you for the great info. I hope you have a fantastic week.

Suzanne Furness said...

Interesting to read those blog stats. I usually post around 7.30am UK time as that is before I go to work! Comment times vary but I guess that depends on where the readers are located. I tend to comment mostly weekday evenings.
Congrats on reaching #4 in the list.

Cherie Reich said...

Ooo, congrats, Alex! That's awesome! I do believe Mondays are a high traffic day for blogs, but I don't know about the comments. I get very few comments over the weekend and most on the day I post.

Pat Garcia said...

Hi,
Thanks for the information. I really appreciate it because I am in the process of setting my blogs up so that they can post automatically on Monday morning.
Shalom,
Patricia

S. L. Hennessy said...

A short story! That's so exciting!! I can't wait to read it.

Jo said...

I always post at 1 a.m. the European contingent seem to catch me early in the morning.

msmariah said...

Alex-- Thank you so much for the link!! Those stats are interesting. I would have figured Wednesday, not Mondays. Good to know when to post. I don't know if I can post more than once a day. I just don't have enough material.

Kimberly said...

Wow - #4, that is awesome!

How cool that you are writing a happy ending for your readers - that's such a great idea.

And happy fourth of July to you too! Hope it's a fun-filled awesome weekend!

M Pax said...

Mine go off at 1 a.m. Pacific time. Maybe. The clock doesn't always work right. Comments very. I usually only post Wednesdays unless it's Realms Faire week or I'm on a blog tour.

Scribbles From Jenn said...

Congratulations on being #four!!! It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

Those blog stats are interesting. Since I only post once a week, I never give much thought to traffic patterns. I'm just glad my blog friends stop by, no matter what time it is. :D

Lan said...

I've never even thought about the best times to publish but I guess in terms of visibility it makes a lot of sense. Too bad I'm on the other side of the world and have no idea how to automate my posts! Oh well.

Congrats on the great listing for CassaStar! At least you know somewhere someone thinks your book is that awesome regardless of whether you think it should be that high up or not!

Liz Blocker said...

Hmmm, interesting stats. Thanks, Alex. I'll have to comb through my blog and see if they match up.

Bish Denham said...

The 100th comment, that's me. I seem to be getting fewer visitors now that I'm only posting on Mondays... I wonder if I should feel insecure? Naaa.

A HUGE congratulations to you, Alex for hitting the #4 spot at Edi's Book Lighthouse!!!!!

Elizabeth Alsobrooks said...

Great post, Alex! Thanks so much for posting and for your continued support of fellow writers!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Cherie, this is my high comment day of the month!

Patricia, awesome!

MsMariah, you're welcome. And once a day during the Challenge is all I can handle.

Mary, that's close to 5:00 am Eastern.

Lan, that's true. And need help scheduling blog posts?

Thanks, everyone!

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

If I am doing a blog fest I set my post to go up at 12:30 am of the day it is supposed to go up. You never know what time zone some other bloggers may be reading it in.

I usually read blogs at night, when I'm watching tv with my husband. During the day I'm busy (usually) writing, editing, cleaning, exercising or running errands. Yes, I live a glamorous life. :)

Liz A. said...

We're glad to have you over at Unicorn Bell :)

I get a smattering of comments in the morning, and then another smattering in the evening. I figure that those that come early for a post can get the previous day's post, so I'm good with my 8 AM posting. Although, maybe I should change that to 5 AM. It's a thought.

J E Oneil said...

The cover of hands looks really interesting.

I guess I'm one of the few who reads blogs in the evening. Most of my comments seem split up between the morning and evening, too. I might have to go look and see when I get the most.

Tess Julia said...

Congratulations on the success of your book series! That's huge. I'm always in awe of you, both as a writer and a blogger.

Tara Tyler said...

look at you! a little over here, a little over there and a nice big #4 spot!!

way to go, chief!

kimlajevardi.com said...

I tend to publish at night because that's when I have time, but I haven't looked closely enough at my stats to see if that's effective or not. Interesting stats, Alex!

Leovi said...

I wish you good luck in your next short story.

stephen Hayes said...

It seems like I used to get comments on my blog early in the morning, but now they seem to be coming in later in the day. You tend to leave them early, and I'm always grateful.

F. Stone said...

Wow, number four. So, how much is your autograph worth these days, Captain. LOL Congratulations, so happy for you.

Huntress said...

Congrats, Alex. Holy cats, number 4. OutFreakingStanding!

Cherie Colyer said...

Number 4.. that is awesome. Congrats!

The statistics on blog posts is interesting. Maybe I need to move my weekly posts to Monday.

Robin said...

I've begun writing my posts ahead of time and scheduling them to post at 6am EST time. I may try moving that to 5am and see if it makes a difference. I do find that posting earlier in the morning helps with the traffic.

Dianne K. Salerni said...

I've spent time lately trying to decipher the information my Stat Counter application for my WordPress blog/website gives me and seeing what, if anything, I can learn from it. I don't know if I've learned anything useful about when to blog, although I CAN track the progress of what appears to be students working on book reports ... Book Synopsis Page to Author Page to Download Picture and exit. (I wonder if they're just copying and pasting? Heck, I was a fifth grade teacher for 25 years. OF COURSE they are.)

Cindy said...

It seems that fellow bloggers tend to comment on other blogs mostly on Mondays. However, it seems that I get more traffic on Tuesday and Wednesdays. Friday and the Weekends are lowest in comments and traffic. This is just what I've noticed not only on my blog, but others.

As for posting twice a day...that's just not going to happen.

G. B. Miller said...

Thank you for the shout out, kind sir.

When I write my posts, it's usually somewhere between 8:30p and 10p. So what I do when I'm setting a pre-schedule date is to simply change p.m. to a.m. and I'm all set.

I've seen a drop-off in traffic and comments, mostly because I decided to start from scratch in 2013, and mostly because FB has been such a pain in the buttocks when it comes to my blog links that I now post a recap of my Blogger activities on my Tumblr blog, then post that link on FB to get traffic.

Father Nature's Corner

Donna McDine said...

Very cool on the The 21 Best Space Opera Books!!! Congratulations! Thanks for your well wishes for my husband!

Anonymous said...

If I have an auto-post, I set it for 3 a.m., but if I'm writing my post the morning of I'll post between 5 and 7.

I need to check out all your links. I also have to visit Elizabeth's, since I didn't find your post Monday morning.

Susan Kane said...

My blog days are MWF, at 5 am. that allows T and Th for traveling and reading other blogs. I can enjoy more that way.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Liz, thanks again! And change it up and see what happens.

Stephen, that's when I'm on the Ninja prowl...

Feather Stone, maybe a buck?

Dianne, wow.

GB, you're welcome!

Thanks, everyone!

AJ Lauer said...

Congrats on the #4 spot! Take the praise and bask in it a bit :) You have worked hard and deserve it!

Ink in the Book said...

Um, 5 am is still night. I sleep at night! hehe! And CassaStar is easily number four on any Sci-fi best novel list.. I can see it rising to the number one spot! Congratualtions:)

Powdered Toast Man said...

I am a night reader and poster. This is the time I have to myself when the kid and wife are asleep. Who has time in the morning to read and post?

Unknown said...

I'm bookmarking this post for sure -- gonna use those blog statistics to my advantage. >:]

Helena said...

Congratulations on being number 4! And you're in the same category as a few classics? Wow--but then you deserve it, Alex my dear.

Whenever I finally get my blog up and running again, I'm going to bear in mind some of the stats you list here. Thanks as always for your guidance.

Sharon Himsl said...

Ranking ahead of Dune and Ender's Game (a favorite of mine) is really a huge deal. Congratulations, Alex. You must be 'poppin your buttons' proud!

Empty Nest Insider said...

Congratulations on #4 for CassaStar! It's also great that Julie wrote about the IWSG in her article. You deserve only great things, Alex! It's reassuring to know that I'm one of the only gals who lurks around blogs in the wee hours. Have a fantastic 4th, Alex!

Julie

Laura Clipson said...

I'm so glad WEP is back, I can't wait to get started on my August story. Congrats on being number 4!

Annalisa Crawford said...

Congrats on being so far up the list of space opera books!

The stats about blog posts are interesting. I admit, I just post when the mood strikes me. If I'm scheduling, it'll be 6.30/7am UK time, but apart from that I have been known to post at 9pm on a Saturday evening before!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

PTM, I do because I blog from work.

Julie, you're just one of the guys.

Thanks, everyone!

Unknown said...

I read blogs usually in the morning .... perplexed I am...
Most of my hits are from people doing image searches, the other are the usual suspects. Going live is when I remember to click on the publish button. ;-)

mail4rosey said...

Monday is definitely my busiest day, even now when I'm on kind of a hiatus. I think those facts are interesting!

Stephanie Bird said...

Thanks for this very newsy post and for visiting my blog yesterday for the IWSG post. I usually go live around 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. That's as early as I can get them out b/c I write them that day and I wouldn't read anyone's posts before that time either so it seems a good time. Thanks for asking!

Shell Flower said...

Congrats on Cassastar being #4 for that reader. That must feel great. I tend to set my posts for 6:30 am Eastern time, but I find that it doesn't really matter when I post. This is cool info, though. I read blogs most in the morning before work.

Anonymous said...

I'm another UK blogger that has to think about time difference. In the end I post for my UK followers, especially the ones that find my blog posts via Facebook. I wonder if I'm making things hard for the US followers though? And what happens when I move to Idaho in a few months?

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your book success and thanks for the shoutout to the #Cherished blogfest.

I've found that posting at 5.30 PM EST gets me the most comments. I'm trying to experiment with different timings, though.

writing and living by Richard P Hughes said...

Congratulations on CassaStar's high ranking.

Cassie Mae said...

Huge congrats for you ranking!!! *shoots confetti cannon*

That's way interesting about the blog stats. I haven't hardcore blogged in a long time, but I use the Facebook stats to control who sees what and when. It helps a ton with getting views.

Nissa Annakindt said...

I've noticed on my 'controversial' Facebook page I get more views with morning posts. I also blog in the morning but don't get much response to anything.

http://myantimatterlife.wordpress.com

Unknown said...

Congratulations Alex!
Informative information on blog posts times. I really appreciate you posting about it.

Jeff Chapman said...

Sounds like you're having great success with your Cassa series. Congrats.

Unknown said...

The best time to post - that is very interesting, I have often wondered. Thanks for the guidance :0)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

David - funny!

Roland, that is quite a move!

Thanks, everyone!

Unknown said...

Darn! Missed ISWG again. I got sucked into the first day of Camp NaNoWriMo. I have to put a reminder on my calendar for next month. :)

Cynthia said...

Congratulations on having a boxed set for your trilogy!

Truedessa said...

Congrats Alex - #4 very impressive. The stats were interesting. I usually read blogs at night except for a few favs I try to read in the morning before I go to work.

Wow, honored that you will write a short story following up on Aden and Tamsin. I look forward to reading this new adventure. I really did enjoy the book all 3 times. For those who haven't read it you really should this book is action packed and holds a bit of mystery that will grab you and hook you for the duration of the adventure.

Wishing you a Happy 4th!

Ray Rousell said...

Loving the Blog stats, they were very interesting!
You'll be glad to hear I've finally started the first of your books!!! Byron just about to jump to the Tgren for the first time......

PK HREZO said...

Hey Alex!!! Just wanted to stop by and say hi. It's been toooo long. Everything is going well I see. So glad to know it. I haven't decided if I'm keeping my blog yet, but the break has done me a world of good.
I know I can always come here to see what's up in the blogosphere.
Happy 4th!!!!

Mason T. Matchak said...

Congrats for all the great press you're getting, that's awesome. ^_^ And I tend to read blogs in the evening, mostly to be sure that I catch the blog posts from everyone I follow if they've made one. But I set my posts to go out at 6:30 AM Pacific time, because I sometimes get comments as early as 7 or 8 AM and I want to make sure I have a new entry up.

Happy 4th!

klahanie said...

Alex,

I'm delighted to see you get the recognition you truly deserve, good sir. I also note that your writing bug continues rather unabated. This be a fine result.

You will know I'd rather be whipped by a wet noodle than join any of those blog hops or fests or whatever we call them this week :)

When it comes to writing, I'm never insecure because I don't take my writing very seriously and thus, no unwarranted pressure.

Have a peaceful, positive Fourth of July, my friend.

Gary

Elizabeth Mueller said...

I just followed your advice and post my stuff at 6 (okay, I'll change it to 5) and next time, will post on a Monday. I just need to write those darned posts! (I have a whole list of blog ideas in the rough draft section).

Thanks for sharing the stats!

♥.•*¨Elizabeth¨*•.♥

The Happy Whisk said...

Good luck on your short story. Have a great weekend and boogie boogie.

cheerfuloptimistic said...

Congrats on the #4 rank.

If I manage to write a post ahead of time, I usually schedule it for 1 a.m. (my time).

Al Penwasser said...

I actually see the most comments and visits with Captain Captions. I think it's because they're quick pictures with not a whole lot to read.
Or because my regular writing sucks.
Golly, I hope it's the picture thing.

Rena said...

Number four is pretty awesome! And it's great that IWSG is getting acknowledged like that. I've found it to be super helpful for me.

Bevimus said...

Congrats on the listing! #4 is way impressive!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Anna, no worries.

Truedessa, I think you will really like it.

Ray, awesome! Thanks.

PK, hope you do and we have missed you!

Mason, I'm up before 6:00 am Eastern reading blogs.

Gary! No pressure indeed.

Elizabeth, give it a try.

Al, it's the picture and the wit with it.

Rena, I like to hear that.

Thanks, everyone!

Shannon Lawrence said...

Hm, I post at 7 AM MT, so I guess I should move it back. Must think.

Congratulations on being number four! That's fantastic! I haven't read Ender's Game. Not sure I'm going to.

Maurice Mitchell said...

I could have sworn I already commented on this post...Congratulations on the number four ranking! That article on posting times is pretty insightful

Cathy Keaton said...

Those are interesting stats about blogging. I love stats, so it's great to know, but I don't blog for views or comments. I just blog because it's a way to stay connected to other writers like me and make friends with them. I need that more than visits.

Have a great one, Alex! XD

Leslie S. Rose said...

Four is a very nice number! Whoo Hoo. And while we're on 4's - Happy 4th of July.

Barbara In Caneyhead said...

Listed as number four! Wow! I try to spend an hour online in the morning with coffee and about an hour sometime in the evening. Saturday mornings are my "long" time. I just post whenever I have an idea I want to write about and usually right after I finish it, unless it is for a special day. As a visitor, I find the huge Monday list of entries in my feed overwhelming. Usually, when I want to visit and read, I start at the top of my feed and just start going to any post that the title grabs me, or the little intro hooks me or sometimes just because, "oh, look, so-and-so posted! Haven't seen something from them in awhile." All of this may not seem so scientific, but it works for me. Have a happy 4th!
Life & Faith in Caneyhead

Ink Dipped Moon said...

Thanks for hosting the IWSG. You guys help to keep me going. The blog hops look interesting. Thanks for doing what you do.

Cathrina Constantine said...

I'm a morning blogger. Sitting outside, early morn, birds singing, loving it!

Sandra Cox said...

Congrats to IWSG on getting listed as one of the best websites for writers...and well deserved.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Shannon, give it a try and see what happens. And I found the book good but very cold.

Maurice, no worries.

Barbara, you should see my Monday morning feed. And I skip around as well.

Ink, that's good to hear!

Stephen Tremp said...

Monday morning is definitely the best time for comments. But I've found if I visit blogs throughout the week some will reciprocate every day.

Carrie Butler said...

I post at 5:00 a.m. EST on Mondays, too! Great minds and all that. :)

Congratulations on making that sci-fi list!

Mina Burrows said...

CassaStar is #4! Woot!! That's awesome! Congrats!

The Happy Whisk said...

I post when it suits me to do so. I'm here for the fun and will keep on with my daily posts. Though that is subject to change once I start my video series.

XmasDolly said...

I usually put up my Posts late at night so people will read them early in the morn, but it's getting them there is what I need to learn. :( How do you do it? 171 comments! It's amazing! I've never had more than 22 comments, and that's on a Tuesday when my give-away linky is up. I need to get more unique visitors some how & I've tried everything :( Any advice??? Your blog is as amazing as you are. Have a great day my new friend! HUGS