image via weheartitA quick mini-survey.- Were you friends with every-single person in your school year?
- Do you get along with every work colleague, 100% of the time?
- Do you enjoy every band that exists/every book ever written?
Why it's okay to hate that blog.There are certain blogs I don't like, and so I don't follow them. Sometimes it's because I find the layout too hard to navigate or harsh on the eyes, I find their content boring or sometimes I just find the blogger boring. Hate to admit it - but I do.
There are other blogs however, that I really don't like but I follow them anyway, just because they are really popular. Somehow, their popularity makes me feel like there's something wrong with me, 'why don't I like this blog? Everybody else does.'
This, invariably has a knock on effect onto how I feel about my own blog. This self doubt of my own taste and enjoyment makes me look at my own blog with a new eye. A critical eye. I wonder if by doing something different, I'm actually doing something wrong.
imageDislike in the blogging world seems to have become a bit of a taboo subject. The sheer volume of negative comments from readers that some blogs get has made any kind of negative comment a complete no-no, from anyone that's a blogger themselves. Surely they should know better. Which is totally understandable, but then surely there's a line somewhere between being nice, and being fake? It's not considered bad etiquette for me to say I don't like Jessie J for example, or Cheryl Cole, or Katie Price for that matter - and yet they all have huge fan bases. So, why is it such a crime, to say I don't enjoy a certain blog without prompting a backlash?
There is a very distinct difference between being supporting of fellow bloggers, and being BFFs with them all. In future, I have no intention of compromising on my opinions, and make myself feel bad about it.
The Kind and Honest Blogger Pledge
- Live and let live. Every blog has their own unique fan base, doesn't mean you have to be a part of it just because everybody else is. Be true to your personal tastes.
- The only good criticism is constructive. Unless you have something positive or useful to say, don't bother. Calling someone boring, annoying, shallow or any other number of petty negative words is a waste of everybody's time.
- Don't compare. Comparison breeds jealousy and ultimately misery. If you're happy with your patch of internet, that's all that counts. Don't be a successful blogger with a blog you hate, because you caved to the 'popular' way of doing things.
- Out of Sight, Out of Mind. The best way to show you don't enjoy a blog (ya hear me internet trolls?!) is to just not follow, not comment, not mention. Don't become a troll. A blogger's fan-base will eat you for breakfast.
- Support your fellow bloggers. Just by being gracious of their right to post as they please, and have a zero-tolerance policy of cyber bullies. Sounds like common sense right, but I've just seen so many bloggers say nasty things such as 'bloggerX has no right to put her rubbish on the internet.' It happens.
"Treat others how you'd like to be treated."Whilst I've been lucky and my readers have only ever presented themselves to be bright and charming young women - we can all slip up occasionally. If whether you're a regular reader or just happened upon this post one day - I urge you in future to self censor your comments, and ask yourself before clicking 'Publish' - would I be pleased to receive this comment? Is it encouraging or constructive, even if you're pointing out that you don't agree with them on some issue.
Have you ever received negative comments? Did they really hurt you, or was it no big deal? Do you wish other people had better manners when commenting?
