Another Contentious Reader Switches to Feeds

I’d like to share, with permission, a letter I received recently from a longtime CONTENTIOUS reader who is leaving my e-mail alert list because she now reads my feed instead. (What’s a feed?) I hear this a lot, and I thought I’d post it to provide an example of what such a switch can be like. Like any change, it has advantages and disadvantages. Nothing’s perfect.

Here’s how this person responded to the goodbye letter automatically generated when someone unsubscribes from my e-mail alert list…

D.M. wrote:

Hi Amy, I’m not really leaving at all. I’ve been reading Contentious since the very early days. These days I use your feed and try (in vain) to keep up from my news reader (Awasu, by the way). I’ve maintained the subscription to the email update as a prompt to get me to check the feed. (I susbscribe to so many feeds, and only get time to check a few each week.)

I’m heading off on a long overseas holiday with my family, and am just trying to reduce the amount of e-mail that will come into my work account while I’m away.

Keep up your wonderful work!

Regards,
D.M.

…In a followup message, D.M. also noted:

“I didn’t actually stop to mention why I enjoy reading Contentious. It’s because of your clear passion for communication in all its forms, and the way in which you stir people to think about how they communicate and who their audience is. I’m not a journalist, but I started reading your site when I was working as a Techncial Editor [for a Fortune 500 company]. I was hungry for perspectives on writing and editing that you often don’t get from inside a big company. You provide that.”

Awwwww, thanks! It’s so nice to hear that my work on CONTENTIOUS is benefitting others!

…On a related note, D.M. asked for resources on kids’ blogging (weblogs written by kids for kids). She’s intrigued by this as an option to teach her own children better writing skills. Actually, on this front I’m at a loss – it’s not a field I’ve investigated.

However, I’m sure there are some CONTENTIOUS readers who can suggest other resources. If you know some good ones, please comment below. Thanks!