Some Say Weeds
June 4, 2009
In my daily jaunts through the blogosphere I come across many interesting blogs. Quite often I will stop and read or even make notes of something about the design I liked that might work with one of my own blogs. This morning I came across a blog entry on I Love/Hate America, a blog that I have visited before. Her recent post which is now closed to comments was the inspiration for today's blog post. She mentioned feeling she could not be herself on her own blog, getting annoyed and upset about comments left, always posting on schedule, not posting just for the sake of posting, some complaining about her pictures and the blog police. I think every blogger out there can empathize with this blogger's feelings!
The only real blog police I have come across were the narrow minded owner and moderators over at Entrecard. They thought they could dictate content and design of blogs in their system. Well that worked out well as the decent bloggers left in droves leaving them a splog (spam blog) haven. The only folks that can actually police you are your blog host if you are doing something illegal. That's it!
With respect to my own blogs:
If I thought I could not be myself I would certainly not be blogging! They are my blogs, my rules, my values and my views through my eyes. My blogs are a reflection of me, what I believe in, where I've been, where I'm going and what's important to me. If I'm not happy blogging then you are either going to hear about it in a rant or I simply won't blog. Blogging is always and should always be about the blogger! I determine content, design, colours and tone of the blog.
I always encourage comments and while they are moderated as most bloggers do unless they are blatant spam or purposely nasty, they are approved. Here is the problem with comments. Some people under the cloak of anonymity feel they can say whatever they want. They feel they can criticize to high heaven and sometimes it has nothing to do with the post itself! Sometimes it is little more than a personal attack likely because the comment felt compelled to lash out at someone because he or she was having a bad hair day. I had one criticize the colours I chose for my cooking blog without even knowing why those colours were important. I had another tell me that with such good content it's a pity I didn't use a spelling and grammar checker. Now in the comment regarding colour my attitude was "oh well, c'est la vie" but in the comment about spelling and grammar I thought "ok, time to proof read a bit more carefully". Comments can be constructive or destructive but they are just that. I don't let them get to me but at the same time if someone feels compelled to leave a nasty or personal attack comment I don't feel compelled to pass it along to my readers!
Blogger came up with scheduling blog posts which is really a fantastic tool when used properly. I use this feature if I know I'm going to be away for an extended period of time and for certain special posts that run on the same day each week like Wordless Wednesday posts. Other than that I really feel that blog posts should be spontaneous. Something catches your eye as you're surfing, blog about it. It's the right now, in the moment that makes blogging fun and interesting. To blog simply to blog is what blogging is all about. I can't tell you how many times I have taken a picture then spontaneously blogged about it.
Pictures are a wonderful addition to any blog and they are a reflection of the blogger. How dare anyone ever criticize a picture a blogger has put on their blog? True it might not be something you like but it is something the blogger liked. There was something about that picture that even for a brief moment caught the attention of the blogger enough to include it in the post. It doesn't matter whether you see the relevance it matters that the blogger saw the relevance.
With respect to the blog police:
You have no authority over blogs so don't even bother trying. You can leave a comment and I may or may not consider it. In fact I may or may not publish it. If you think you can do a better job, set up your own blog and do it! In the meantime quit trying to force your views about what a blog should be on other bloggers.
Garden Gnome
©2006-2009
Liked your post.
ReplyDeleteIn the past there was a group called Blog Police.
Way before people knew that stealing photos and graphics and even texts from other blogs is against copyright.
Now most people know. It's a smalle effort to credit the original maker, or create your own photos and post them.
Having more than one blog is fun, because it's easy to check whether a comment is a copy and paste event. Some people do, in order to push their links.
I delete them without a second thought.
Very well said, and I couldn't agree with you more on all counts! I love to blog and probably have waaaay more blogs than any one person needs, but there you have it. I guess the good news is, rarely does anyone ever read mine... so no hating occurs! *G* Good for you for persevering no matter what others say.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I think this is a good post for newer bloggers to see - as well as the well-seasoned ones. I think we all need a reminder now and then that really, we're doing this for us. And if someone else takes something away from it all - that much better.