Who is Your Editor?
Last week I was on a phone interview and I was asked the question “Does the fact that bloggers work without editors affect your content?”
That got me thinking. I never considered the fact that I don’t have an editor when I decide my content. Sure, I could post whatever I want, however, I have a family that I want to reflect well upon. And a church. And a community. And the blogging community .
In my four years in the blogosphere I’ve watched more than one mom blogger implode. She gets a bit of fame, forgets who she is writing for, forgets that her children deserve not only some privacy, but also her time, and a once lovely read turns sour.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that most bloggers don’t go into blogging to implode.
We all go into this blogging things for different reasons. I started my blog as sort of online diary, a writing exercise of sorts. Since then it has evolved into a space that (I hope) encourages and uplifts mothers (and some grandmas too) in their vocation. I don’t want to paint an overly rosy picture of motherhood (though I really am living the dream most days), but I don’t want to make my readers think it is all tedium and laundry (though some days it really is).
I have to think, very hard each day before I hit the “publish” button. There are times that I am very upset about someone or something and cannot wait to vent about it here. Then I realize that it is of no benefit to my readers, and may detract from my purpose. I may have a very funny story to share about my kids, but then I pause, reflect, and consider whether it is worth embarrassing my children to entertain my readers.
So in short, yes, I am very aware of the difficulties of being my own editor. By stating my opinions on matters plainly, do I turn some readers off? Perhaps. Do I miss out on chances for lucrative sponsorships? Maybe. However, most brands and companies that I have worked with appreciate my candor and my professionalism. I try not to take on projects that I cannot follow through with, and I only take on projects that I can stand behind. You’ll rarely find a negative review here, not because I just put a positive spin on everything, but because the things I feature here are really things I use, and love.
Chime in! Are you a blogger? How do you decide what to post or not? Do you have a mission statement? A policy for content? You know I’d love to hear from you!
My posts are pretty random, but I chose from the start never to bring negativity into it. I like to use my blog as more of a journal and as a way to share pictures with family members who don’t do facebook. I’m often surprised that anyone is out there reading! Our mutual friend Monica once likened myspace/facebook to the modern back fence—a place to yak about what’s for dinner and what the kids are up to. I do see a need, as they are getting older, to share less about their comings and goings. Another thing about blogging for me is that I’ve never really squared away my blog’s purpose. I like posting pretty pictures. I would like to do more actual writing than I do. But so far I have not been motivated to monetize it or to really go out there to get readers. I read somewhere that to be a good blogger you have to have a strong, polished, authoritative voice, and it made me laugh—I’m not an authority on anything! I’ve been posting less and less since we’ve been busier with life. I get in moods where I feel more than a bit self indulgent about the blogging, and don’t see the value in it. I get in moods where I’m posting multiple times a day. And yeah, most of all I sometimes get a little down because I’m making all these pictures that make every even seem wonderful and crafty and special and awesome, when of course every minute of the day is not like that.
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But now I am rambling. As for the topic at hand, the editing, I am most concerned about security—nothing on my blog links to my facebook or any account that utilizes our last name. I try to blurry out tshirts and things that might tell someone where my kids go to school, things like that. I don’t post pictures of other people’s kids, and seldom post anyone outside of our immediate family, and never without permission. I don’t steal pictures or content from other sources. Oh and I had a crazy incident a couple of years ago—I had done a group of my own childhood pictures that included me getting a birthday spanking from my grandpa. I was seeing my blog traffic increase from Germany, of all places, and they were sharing and linking that picture! It really creeped me out, I got it out of the google database and took the post down. Now I am much more careful. All that aside, I try to keep it very upbeat, and I try to connect with creative and upbeat people (like yourself) just for a little thought and conversation.
(Sorry this got so long!)
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Not too long! I wanted a conversation, to see what other people think. OUr family is more public due to my husband’s vocation, and we have a fairly anonymous name, so i don’t worry too much about that, but because people who read my blog know who I am, it keeps me all the more aware of what I write. I do protect my kids as much as possible. And yes, I get a little ooked out if I see an uptick of traffic over a picture of one of the kiddos, for instance. Mostly though I get random bursts of traffic from recipes or craft ideas or tips on dealing with the twins!
Dakotapam recently posted..Review: Truth in the Tinsel: An Advent Experience for Little Hands
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I’m constantly over-thinking this. What do I write…who am I writing to. My facebook friends are so eclectic. My connections are also eclectic. I read blogs from “super-mommies” (who falsely self-depricate) or “super-stay-at-home-ladies” (who don’t have kids but have the privilege of blogging for a living) or “super-spiritual” people (who are so godly it makes me feel like satan’s cousin once removed). I cannot compare…and I know I shouldn’t try to compare…but, of course, I do.
I write about things that I am passionate about, and I should not care or measure who is reading, because it’s not really about that. But sometimes I do care. Because I want people to care about the things I care about, because those things are important…not me.
There are times when I want to vent about personal things, but I think…”will those things get in the way of people hearing the other things I’m talking about?” You know, the important things. I have a lot of unpublished posts…just sitting there…dripping with frustration and irony and threats…and just writing them helps. And then, when I’m past it, I delete them. Or sometimes I keep them, to remind me that frustration will pass…but the things I’m writing about, the good things, they have purpose beyond me.
Yes Jill. All that and more. I think jealousy is a common blogging hang up. I think it is so easy to look at a pretty and flashy blog with a bajillion page views and comments and then look at my stuff and think, mine is better, why am I not noticed? And yet, I think all of us feel this way to a degree. FWIW, I love your Ernestine Edna blog. I love your voice and your vulnerability. I’ve known you long enough to know what a fabulous person you are, and others can see it as well, I’m sure.
Dakotapam recently posted..Review: Truth in the Tinsel: An Advent Experience for Little Hands
Twitter: dakotapam
I am new to the blogging world but I think it is important to respect the privacy of our family and friends. My blog started when I was learning how to sew. I think just blogging about sewing could be somewhat bland. I do write posts that combine stories of sewing and stories of my life. But, if I would not tell my neighbor, I am not going to post it in a blog for the world to hear. I am not going to share my innermost secrets, therefore I will not share anyone else’s. Like anything, it is about balance. If I think a post might be too over the top, too personal, to angry, I don’t post. I think about it first. It it also not my intention to sound perfect or self depreciating. But, I try to be honest. Sometimes I am proud of myself (shouldn’t we all be) and sometimes I feel down. If I am sharing a story, there are times when I need to show both sides of myself.
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Jennifer recently posted..Tooth Fairy Pillows: How the Legends of Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy Collided at my House!
Jenny, I think you are doing great and you blog like a seasoned blogger. I look forward to reading your posts. Your sense of humor really shines through.
Twitter: dakotapam