Should you care about what other people will think when they read your blog? It’s a funny question, because the answer is so obvious. But what’s the answer?
A) Of course you should! You’re writing for an audience, and their opinions matter. What they think about your blog is going to determine whether they actually read your blog, so how can you be indifferent? It’s impossible to be nonchalant about your contet, because thoughts have weight, and you need to consider the thoughts of your audience. They drive your hits, anyway, so you better cater to their tastes.
B) No, if you care about being judged, then blogging isn’t for you. If you’re worried about that, you won’t be true to yourself, and your content will cease to be an extension of yourself. Your blog really is you, so if you try to be someone you aren’t, your blog is a fraud. If you really worry about what your readers think, you’ll shy away from actually sharing your genuine thoughts, out of fear of judgment. You’re blogging for your benefit, so don’t worry about what others think.
Which answer makes more sense to you? I’ve been struggling to come to an answer ever since I started blogging, and I still don’t think I have a full understanding of the topic. Here’s what I think right now, though.
It’s a fine balance. You need to walk a tightrope in terms of how much you should care about what others think. First of all, you can’t be completely indifferent to the views of your audience when you write. They are what makes your blog successful, so you can’t ignore them completely. That being said, if you spend too much time worring about how you’ll be judged, maybe you should journal instead of blog. You do want to try to be yourself as much as possible, so you can’t write false opinions. You can sugarcoat issues, but you can’t actually lie about your thoughts. So I think you need to be both aware and indifferent at the same time. You need to be respectful and open-minded, but at the same time you need to lay down your thoughts as they are without lying. If you know your views will cause some backlash, admit to it, but remind your readers that hey, at least you’re being honest with them. So be aware of how you’ll be judged, but not so much that it’ll stop you from sharing your views. That may mean writing a little differently, and not representing yourself to the fullest. But then again, are we ever truly ourselves when we interact with others? Of course not; respect and social conventions dictate we maintain a basic level of tolerance and decency, no matter what our opinions may be. Blogging is no different.
TL;DR? Yes, but not so much it prevents you from sharing your thoughts…and no, but at least enough so you don’t grossly offend your audience. A little decency never killed anyone.
