Mean Bloggers

Sorry I didn't post yesterday. Somehow the day just got away from me. Me being so busy is actually a good thing, I suppose. Makes me obsess about the book less. :-)

Literary Chick Alesia Holliday has a great post on meanness and blogging.

I don't mean to go all preachy here, but so many friends have been hurt by vicious and ill-considered blogging, so it's been on my mind a lot. I know there's diatribe as schtick; the shock jocks of the blog-o-sphere. I just don't read it. I wouldn't buy books written by those people, either. Does that make me too naïve to live? Maybe. But it's easier than dodging all that bad karma in these three-inch heels . . .

The post really hits home to me becuase I was a victim of some pretty nasty blogging back in December. Though the blogger didn't mention me by name, she made it obvious who she was talking about - even quoted from my website. I don't want to get into details, but it really hurt at the time and was really embarassing as well. It's one thing when someone doesn't like you and tells their friends. It's another when they post on a public forum for millions to see. Did I deserve her ire? Probably, though it was for something stupid I'd done like 3-4 years before.

That's another good point to make, actually. Be nice and respectful to everyone in the writing world! Always!! From the very start. When I was a complete newbie writer I joined this critique group that was way too advanced for me. And when I realized it wasn't working out, I didn't leave gracefully. Instead I fired off a nasty email - basically out of anger and not thinking it would ever make a difference. As you can see, it did. So please, always, always, always practice netiquette and treat people with respect. And not only cause karma can come bite you in the butt, but becuase it's just the right thing to do and your fellow writers deserve it. :-)

Marianne