Good grief, what am I supposed to do? Wear a freshman beanie?
As a relative newbie to this world of the blogosphere, who knew I was supposed to go through some kind of orientation class?
But there it was the other day, a missive over the transom from a reader of these scribblings informing me I needed to learn the “rules.” This was probably from one of those types who aspires to be a homeowner association president so he can walk around with a whistle on a laynard and armed with a clipboard all the better to inform on his neighbors who don’t keep the hedges at the appropriate height.
The writer lectured me on my obligation to be “involved” with the blogosphere and to become a greater participant – oh else!
And thus I was ordered to “…link up with other bloggers, lest you be savaged by us.” Ooooooo, so scary.
Savaged? Oh really? I’m sorry to let the writer of this silliness know that I’m pretty well savage-proof.
A quick story.
A few years ago when I was still laboring away at a local pamphlet, my colleague and fellow columnist Judy Hill received a letter from yet another satisfied customer who was outraged over something she had written that morning. The reader was furious with Judy and proceded to call her every name in the book, including a massive c-word carpet bombing.
It was just another day at the office.
The letter prompted Judy, Steve Otto and myself to compare notes and we quickly realized there was absolutely nothing – NOTHING – anyone could accuse us of that we hadn’t already heard countless times before. Over the years, as a reporter, film critic, television critic and columnist I’ve hit the daily double, the trifecta, the lottery of lathered up readers.
I certainly have had my writing skills – or lack thereof – berated. I have had my sexuality, my parentage, my literacy, my integrity, my spine, my patriotism, my right to exist all questioned and vilified. Insert yawn – here.
It has never occured to me blogofying is answerable to some star chamber of folks sitting around in their underwear sucking on a Blatz, deciding who is and who isn’t pledging proper fealty and/or obsequiousness to this medium. I don’t view this form as a collective gaggle of peasants with pitchforks.
So dear writer, savage away. Have a nice time. I don’t care.
I would only offer this caution. If you are going to go into savage mode, please, please, please try to be creative. Here’s a small piece of advice. Once you decide to savage these writings that’s fine with me, but remember one thing.
As soon as you finish with your savaging, read it over and realize whatever you’ve written you’ve probably been beaten to the punch, oh at least 758 times by other like-minded savagers. Some people have no sense of humor. So delete it and start all over again. Consider it a challenge.
Want to call me a sleazy, pinko, commie dirtywratchitfrachit? Been there. Seen that.
Want to suggest I’m a low-life, yellow-belly, sick, twisted, perverted, piece of scum? Yeah? So? Get in line. Take a number. All our operators are busy.
You see the problem.
In the meantime, I’ll blog my way and you can blog yours.
I’m really not interested in becoming part of some sort of cyber community. I’m not a joiner. I’ve never belonged to any journalistic associations. I never joined a fraternity in college. Or put another way, if I was going bald I still wouldn’t join the Hair Club for Men.
So I’m sure not about to sign up fo the International Amalgamated Association of Blogging.
Thanks, but no thanks.
Wow, you and Tommy at “Sticks of Fire” are really getting beat up lately. What is WRONG with people? (Not you and Tommy…the trolls and others with no life).
I can’t speak for anyone who complains you don’t follow their “rules.” Especially someone who writes such prattle as “lest you be savaged by us.”
However, as someone who has been in both camps I fear you have already joined the club.
Merely responding to comments makes you part of a community. Albeit, it is a community of your readers and one where you’re President for Life. Or, at least until you get sick of the back and forth and start clicking “comments closed” button.
OMG are you serious? Did you just put dan ruth in the same sentence with sticks?
Dan you’re right. Just ignore these folks and chuck is wrong. You are exactly right.
It’s YO BLOG, brother.
Ain’t no rules insomuch as your grasp on what’s what is better than most.
You respond to what you respond to. Anything else is a waste of time and who’s time is it?
Yours.
So … that said …. while it away as you will.
I was laughing when I read this post.
savage away ……
blogofying is answerable to some star chamber of folks sitting around in their underwear sucking on a Blatz
(VERY MUCH LAUGHING HERE)
oh not that I don’t agree with chuck’s assessment of prattle. LOL chuck !!!
I just disagree that you have a. joined the club.
b. have two choices
c. dan ruth defined community most of the time for many of us ….
so I think we’ve thankfully been invited BACK IN to his.
But, Laura, I didn’t say Ruth joined “the” community of blog writers. (Though, of course, he has. And most of us, ex-journo or not, wouldn’t have bothered him with faux “rules.”)
However, you’ll note I wrote, “Merely responding to comments makes you part of a community. ”
“A” community. And that is exactly what forms around a writer who interacts with his readers.
It can be vibrant and uplifting, with plenty of back and forth. It can be like the community of those who have read “Catcher in the Rye” and only get a gruff “get out of my way” from J. D. Salinger. And every level in-between.
You can’t publish on the web — especially with Ruth’s profile — and not start a community of readers.
Damn. Itchy publish finger.
“and not start a community of commenters”
Also, while Tommy Duncan may not have the experience or audience Ruth enjoys, he has performed a well-needed job as a Tampa critic.
Sticks of Fire was the site I first read when considering a move to the region. It gave me a better understanding of the concerns of my demographic than did the Tampa Tribune.
In my time here I’ve met and worked with Duncan and consider him, and his site, a strong and extremely helpful resource for our region.
selective. I’ll leave it at that.
Oh damn, Now I gotta go back and find the comment that got you in such a lather.
Now, you have a right to do with your blog what you want. If you want to link to other sites, it’s your prerogative.
Most blogrolls are too long and not selective enough to mean anything, nobody can read 50 blogs a day, even if they aren’t working and living in their parents’ basement in t-shirt, boxers, bunny-slipper regalia.
But a blogroll does give readers a glimpse of who you are by showing who and what you are reading. Used selectively, it can be like “Oprah’s Bookclub”, highlighting writers or sites you appreciate.
And “mutual listing” can drive site traffic. After all, I only found this site because of the mention on “Sticks of Fire”, one of two (now, with yours, three) blogs from Tampa that I check weekly, the other being “out in left field” by Catherine Durkin Robinson, who is from the “Sticks of Fire” fold.
And, if you intend to profit from this blog (I assume that is the purpose since you are a professional writer) getting readers to your blog is important.
Again, do what you want. I’ll be checking in to read you, anyway.
Even though you are a sleazy, pinko, commie dirtywratchitfrachit,low-life, yellow-belly, sick, twisted, perverted, piece of scum.
But, like Eva Braun said of her attachment to Adolf, “Yeah, I know, but he makes me laugh.”
that’s too funny to even think about for long.
I have other things to do besides laugh myself silly at the lies people tell. People who voluntarily hand over junky, self-serving crap for free in order to spread hate v Dan Ruth and his idea to do it his way.
Wow.
Or as Adolf would say, ‘that’s okay, I’ll eat you TOO.’
Give it a break. Dan Ruth is Dan Ruth. If they don’t get it, screw ‘em
exactly.
Hey Dan, just for the record.
Tampa Tribune: I always knew where you and a few others could be found. The rest went unread.
St Pete Times: found ya there, too !
BlogoWorld: I type in Ruthington Post. Damned if it doesn’t bring me rightCHERE.
Google tries to hide some blogs … it won’t work.
The ‘thing’ is …. this: The people who worry abot links are the people you need to worry about the LEAST.
It’s like worrying about whether you’ll be seen at Valencia Gardens or not.
Oooops I mean … standing on the pavement in front of the gated and barred Valencia Gardens.
Believe me … you built it. They’ll be here. Some will go to any lengths to disguise that fact.
Some will have big meetups to try to get you to come and then intimidate you.
This reminds me of a story …..
Anyway … carry on.
So far, it looks like you’re on the right track.
Whatever you do, don’t disable the comments. THAT is what drives the traffic not any poopy links. LOL.
better to be noticed than to be ignored!