Comments on: FREELANCE 411: BLOGGING – THE RODNEY DANGERFIELD OF FREELANCE WRITING http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2008/07/freelance-411-blogging-%e2%80%93-the-rodney-dangerfield-of-freelance-writing/ Mutual Respect Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:25:14 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: lornadoone http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2008/07/freelance-411-blogging-%e2%80%93-the-rodney-dangerfield-of-freelance-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-32395 lornadoone Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:10:00 +0000 http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/?p=1024#comment-32395 @Louise - I have several blogs, and one of them is actually devoted to my everyday life. I don't necessarily think of it as "self-indulgent crap" because it is literally a means of communication among me and a certain group of friends. Now, I don't have my personal blog open to the entire Internet, rather it is accessable only by those with permission. It's been a valuable tool in maintaining relationships started back in college when we really were all involved in each others' day-to-day lives. I will admit to having made a few actual friends through the blog, too, before I restricted access. I don't think that blog makes me a narcissist, but it doesn't stop me from thinking that there are most definitely some blogs out there that are nothing but Internet clutter. @Louise – I have several blogs, and one of them is actually devoted to my everyday life. I don’t necessarily think of it as “self-indulgent crap” because it is literally a means of communication among me and a certain group of friends. Now, I don’t have my personal blog open to the entire Internet, rather it is accessable only by those with permission. It’s been a valuable tool in maintaining relationships started back in college when we really were all involved in each others’ day-to-day lives. I will admit to having made a few actual friends through the blog, too, before I restricted access.

I don’t think that blog makes me a narcissist, but it doesn’t stop me from thinking that there are most definitely some blogs out there that are nothing but Internet clutter.

]]> By: Louise http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2008/07/freelance-411-blogging-%e2%80%93-the-rodney-dangerfield-of-freelance-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-32391 Louise Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:57:24 +0000 http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/?p=1024#comment-32391 "...the countless blogs maintained by hobbyists." I prefer the word narcissists. I have never understood why people reveal the minutiae of their lives in a blog. At the same time I am cognizant of the fact that everyone's life has value and everyone should have a voice. And journaling (whether online or off) can be therapeutic. So I am torn between thinking people should be able to use a blog to talk about their lives and to connect with other people, but I am also thinking that many blogs are self-indulgent crap that should be removed from the Internet. “…the countless blogs maintained by hobbyists.” I prefer the word narcissists. I have never understood why people reveal the minutiae of their lives in a blog. At the same time I am cognizant of the fact that everyone’s life has value and everyone should have a voice. And journaling (whether online or off) can be therapeutic. So I am torn between thinking people should be able to use a blog to talk about their lives and to connect with other people, but I am also thinking that many blogs are self-indulgent crap that should be removed from the Internet.

]]> By: lornadoone http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2008/07/freelance-411-blogging-%e2%80%93-the-rodney-dangerfield-of-freelance-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-32383 lornadoone Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:04:15 +0000 http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/?p=1024#comment-32383 "People wouldn’t take a few science classes and call themselves a doctor, and yet when it comes to writing, they feel qualified to hang up their cyber shingle and call themselves writers." Exactly! I think there's a difference between being a blogger and being a writer. It just so happens that some bloggers are also writers! Some of the biggest, most "important" blogs out there aren't actually all that well written, and that's fine. It just sticks in my craw, though, when some people try to claim they're "writers" just because they have a blog. Yes, you do technically write, but that doesn't mean you're a writer. I love your science class analogy. Hm. You got me going there! “People wouldn’t take a few science classes and call themselves a doctor, and yet when it comes to writing, they feel qualified to hang up their cyber shingle and call themselves writers.”

Exactly! I think there’s a difference between being a blogger and being a writer. It just so happens that some bloggers are also writers! Some of the biggest, most “important” blogs out there aren’t actually all that well written, and that’s fine. It just sticks in my craw, though, when some people try to claim they’re “writers” just because they have a blog. Yes, you do technically write, but that doesn’t mean you’re a writer. I love your science class analogy.

Hm. You got me going there!

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