When I began this weblog I resolved not to talk at all about blogging - it is a narcisistic enough pastime without getting all philisophical about it.However, over the past week a few people have mentioned weblogs to me and raised a number of issues, making me think about why I write a blog.
The first was a friend who described my weblog as "very honest" - She obviously thought that that was a good thing but you could tell that the subtext was "very brave" and I think that she was suggesting that people may feel bruised because I didn't like their trade fair or contemptous that my life is such a muddle.
I don't think that it would be worth doing if I told lies, or covered up the days that don't go well. I already find that the process of editing days to find something to mention makes it look like I am more busy and productive than I feel. If I did a false chirpy thing and didn't mention the missing ducks, the feeling pissed off at Dunreath Christmas Fair or the mouldy hyacinths I would feel like I was trying to pass myself off as a cross between Doris Day and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (Isn't that an attractive image?).
The next comment that I got was from somone who had spent an evening doing a trail from linked blog to linked blog and who clearly felt (and in many cases I do agree with her) that there are a lot of people with weblogs who really should get out more.
She felt that I shouldn't post every day or it will look like I don't have enough to do. However, Ihave two speeds - either do it regularly, immediately, return of post type of thing OR don't do it at all / piss everyone off by doing it on the run at the last minute.
The saddest comment that I got about blogs though, was from a good friend whose wonderful, beautiful, teenage daughter has been being repeatedly slandered in a fellow highschool pupil's weblog.
It made all the fun I get from doing a bit of typing in the evening, and the high I get from comments, seem really lame in comparison to the hurt that can be done from what is - in the slandermonger's case - a true coward's medium.
5 comments:
There are lots of "kinds" of blogs. None are wrong. But some have nothing I want. I read yours.
To me, the attraction of blogging (my opinion) has to with the democratization of publishing. I like the idea that I can find timely and targeted material to read that is suitable to me and not written for massive/broad audiences. Remove the publisher and the marketing "machine" from the equation and we all get more choice. We are writing for audiences of tens and hundreds not thousands and millions (not to say that thousands and millions don't read blogs).
Anyway... I'm not interested in the social networking "media" aspects. I'm interested in finding an almost private and totally personal ring of "periodicals" on the subjects in which I am interested.
Keep writing your blog with this mind maybe...
Around the world there are some people who might be interested in reading about those things in which YOU are interested.
Nice work.
I just posted:
"There are lots of "kinds" of blogs. None are wrong. But some have nothing I want."
That's not true. Actually, some ARE irresponsible and hateful... just like people talking.
The trick is not to speak with those people.
Dear County Clerk - thanks for your comments.
The UK has been slower than the US to take to blogging - most of the UK blogs I read regularly were started this summer - and people are still very much feeling their way around.
One of the main reasons that I started my own business is that I don't relish being told what to do so I shall basically carry on as I have been with the blog, people can read or not.
My business and my life are very much entwined and both are based around connection - connection with the seasons, connection to the earth, connection with community and connection with customers.
It is the linked connection to disparate people that attracts me to weblogs.
Thank you for reading and for your comments.
Quite frankly Jane I would ignore some of these comments.
when I started blogging I saw it as a way of talking about Eie Flud - getting over the things I like doing - so people realised where I came from - made us honest and individual
But you realise soon there is a price to honesty. But I won't write something that is wrong or a lie.
I try not to be too depressing but sometimes life has a way of kicking you in the teeth.
If your ducks died (like my bees did) then unless you're heartless, that is going to hurt and get you down.
I had to close shops and make people redundent - its not something to be happy about - nor is it something in an honest blog to ignore or pretend didn't happen quite that way.
Keep the blog honest to you and you will have a reflective picture that will only help in the long run.
My blog has been going a long long time now and its hard to keep it going at a pace - but I have to keep a reign on it because sometimes its like a runnaway child and it needs a firm hand.
I actually don't invite comment on my blog content - people get what I decide they'll get and if they aren't interested well so be it.
Even down to discussing illness sometimes which is real for a great many people - me included, but not particularly jolly. I decided to do soaps for charities and it seemed reasonable I would discuss why I had chosen the charities I have. I wouldn't take the comments to heart but have a clear idea of why you blog, what the blog is meant to do for you and your business and trundle on
Sometimes you'll wonder why the hell you bother and then someone out of the blue will email you and say wonderful things and you think - yep thats why!
Heather
Thanks for your comments Heather - I have always enjoyed the honesty of your blog . As you know from past e-mails, I also have had illness in my life - it is only now that it is under control and I am feeling fit that I am contemplating mentioning it in a blog.
So there is honesty and there is honesty!
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