I’ll preface this post by saying, with enough coffee, I could probably write a post about the 100 things I love about blogging. However, another bad Sunday in Cleveland sports history has left me a bit cantankerous.
Therefore, I give you five things I hate about blogging:
- Haters. Jason Calacanis summed it up best, regarding the practice of blogging, saying, “It’s basically become a mud pit and it’s very loud. Today the blogosphere is so charged, so polarized, and so filled with haters hating that it’s simply not worth it.” I’ll add the anonymity of such cyber hating makes it particularly distasteful. (Sidenote: Hating would make my things-I-love-about-blogging list too. Weird.)
- Spam. Fortunately, software has become much better at fighting comment and trackback spam, but it’s still a constant battle. Having your blog content jacked by spambots and placed on splogs is doubly frustrating.
- Journalistic responsibility. This is a blog. It’s not The New York Times. We do our best to get the facts right and be objective, because trust is paramount to our success, but holding this blog (or any blog) to the same journalistic standards of the best publishers in the world is folly.
- Commitment. I like to blog. But I’ve been doing it for almost 4 years. Having the burden of writing on a regular basis is daunting and even unhealthy. I’m lucky to have help, but the ongoing pressure to create content still looms like a dark cloud. Throw in the fact that I have a lot of other things going on - not to mention ideas for new projects - and being tied to Cheezhead becomes a hindrance.
- Drama. Who said what about whom? What comment was left where? The blogosphere - hell, humankind - takes itself way too seriously. Me included. At the end of the day, we should all chill out a bit. Blogging isn’t waging war or making public policy. As far as I know, we’re not curing cancer or heart disease. The world has much bigger issues. And there’s little chance anyone will care about something a blogger says in 100 years anyway.
Ahh. I feel a little better now.
September 15th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Drama queen.
September 15th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
@lruettimann - Ha! Yeah, not very punk rock of me, huh?
September 15th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Dude, not a horrible sports day, we covered the spread (I know it’s not a lot, but I take what I can get).
September 15th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
You’ve put a smile on my face. So this post was worth it :)
September 15th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Amen!
September 15th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Me thinks the blogger doth protest too much! :-)
September 15th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Cleveland should be used to losing to Pittsburgh by now. The Browns have not beat the Steelers in what….. the past 10-11 games?
Go Steelers!!!!
September 15th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Joel –
Romeo must go? Is it time for Brady?
Happy Bills fan.
September 16th, 2008 at 12:42 am
> but the ongoing pressure to create content still looms like a dark cloud.
If it makes you feel better, everyone really benefits from bloggers like you.
I’m a believer that a blog posts are only interesting when they provide insight. That is where the hard work comes from. ;-)
There is a reason people like your blog.
September 16th, 2008 at 1:03 am
Well said, Joel. I was just sploged for the first time the other day and I feel completely bamboozled. I have no idea what to do about it, or if I can even do anything about it. Someone call the EFF!
September 19th, 2008 at 1:03 am
5 great points. I’m in the same boat. I started blogging 3 years ago which is about the same time that I got into seo. Since then I have had family health problems and the recent loss of my parents. Compound that with that fact I had unscrupulous business partners who would rather smoke pot than take care of their clients. (Not kidding on this one!)
Now with a new company, I still find it difficult to blog. However, I still recognize and stress the benefits of blogging for business. Setting up blogs for each of my clients have helped their sites achieve first page rankings quickly. An achievment that I enjoy.
With being back in graduate again, I am trying to get back in the saddle with blogging on my personal website writing mostly about psychological topics since these types of topics have become more personal to me in recent times.
September 19th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Joel,
I don’t have the discipline that you do but I can certainly relate.
Dave
September 23rd, 2008 at 1:44 pm
I have read blogs and commented on blogs for a while, but only recently set up a blog. This post is quiet entlightening for a novice like me and awaiting the dramas, spam and commitment discipline with trepidation!
Cheers
September 24th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
We have not spoken for a while, just thought I would add my support. Blogging isn’t easy that is why so many have dropped out over the years.