As a relatively recent blogger, I found the NakedPR blog a refreshing, if acerbic, means of bringing a sense of reality to some of the blog hype. So I was sad to see that Jenn Mattern is hanging up her blogging trousers for a while. I was, however, more saddened by the way she signed off. Her last blog was a truly scathing attack on the whole of the PR blogosphere: the final set of comments, a bitter postscript to some clearly personal online spats. I’m sure she won’t give a toss what I think, but her present and future clients might recommend a more dignified exit.
Which makes me wonder: if blogging is such a bitter experience, why do people do it? DaveDorm, not unsurprisingly, took personally someone’s desire for Schadenfreude (pleasure taken from someone else’s misfortune) in reading his blog. His response only serves to reinforce my thoughts that perhaps social media should actually be re-defined as ‘anti-social’ media. Dave asks “is that why you people really come here? To revel in my pathetic life? Is that what this is? Enjoyment in my misery?” – which, of course, raises the obvious question – why would you lay your misery out for others to read? In fact, Dave’s blog has a lot of fun, left-field, ‘you really couldn’t make it up’ stuff which helps lighten the day.
He goes on to say “Being on my list is an extension of my trust. Don’t violate it.” But doesn’t that miss the whole point about blogging? In putting yourself out there and poking at issues, whether it’s NakedPR, DaveDorm, Net.Mentor, Greenbanana, Strumpette or Uncle Tom Cobley and his carthorse (sorry, couldn’t find a link to that one), we’re constantly being told that the beauty of blogging is that it’s personal communication rather than corporate puff. If that’s true, then I think we all have to be prepared to get our hearts broken once in a while and try not to feel bitter about it.
Tags: blogging, communication, PR, public relations
I’m not “hanging up my blogging trousers” completely… just at NakedPR for a while. I’m sorry if the post wasn’t clear, but the comments weren’t related in any way to “personal spats.” They were just summarized commentary about recent issues in the PR blogosphere, and it just happened to be that one particular blogger caught the most flack because he’d been acting particularly hypocritical in recent weeks, making himself stand out.
Also, I hope it really didn’t come across that I’m leaving NakedPR for a while because of “bitterness.” That’s not the case in the slightest.
As I mentioned there, I recently suffered some personal upheavals, and decided to re-evaluate how I was spending some of my time. Talking about problems in online PR that never get fixed just isn’t a priority with so much else going on, from trying to finish a book proposal and launching a few new online publishing ventures to overhauling other blogs I manage (I’m still a very active blogger elsewhere) and taking care of an unusually-increased client load. So am I cynical about much in the online PR realm? Certainly. But “bitter” is a bit off the mark. 
Jenn
Thanks for the clarification. I suppose this is also a danger of the blogosphere, when it’s not always easy to know what’s gone before. There’s certainly nothing wrong with the cynicsm – I think it’s part of what prompted my own comments. The fine line between separating the personal and the business tone is difficult, particularly because, as I said, blogs are meant to come from the ‘heart’. It’s a bit like writing e-mails, it can be easy to misinterpret because of the more relaxed way of writing.
Best of luck with the blogging elsewhere, (send us some links so Net.Mentor can read and track) and also with the personal stuff – I certainly know what that’s about right now!!
On most of my blogs (with an exception or two), I’m very personal with my readers… talk about things going on in life, business, etc. Since beginning to blog a bit more that way (such as on my freelance writing blog), I’ve noticed the traffic, income, conversation and trust all increase significantly. Most of my blogs have been “sitting” through most of February while I dealt with some things, but they’ll be alive and kicking again soon enough if not already. Here are a couple of them – BizAmmo.com (being overhauled, old articles being edited and updated, etc. before getting it to a new daily schedule), AllBookMarketing.com (one I previously took a break from and which I’m scheduling back in shortly), and Jentrepreneur.com (a much more personal one related to blogging and online business – still trying to hash out a new approach for this one before jumping back in). There are others, but these will be the primary focus moving forward. So that’s where I’ll be “hanging out” instead of NakedPR for a while.
Sometimes life just happens. Blogs serve as both an outlet and a distraction. When they cross that line, that’s a sign that it’s time for a break from them.
Thanks Jenn. I’ll follow your new activities with interest.