> You'll check the analytics. Abysmal. Nobody is reading!
> You may write a few more posts, but it's always the same story. A lot of work goes in, but not much comes out.
I never understood this sentiment. Who cares if no one is reading? You blog because you have something to express on the internet, not because you're seeking attention from others. Content creation for the sole purpose of views is incredibly superficial.
It's great to have a community of sorts. I've found that in gemini space, there's a small number of active bloggers that run in the same circles and occasionally make replies on each posts they feel interesting (because almost virtually all pages are static, almost no comment fields).
It's not so much about the attention as it is about the sense of community and belonging.
Of course a lot of blogs were hosted on services like Blogger or Livejournal (which I also had,) and being able to create networks and friend/interest groups definitely increased visibility, but even then most things went unread and uncommented on.