Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Knitting Bloggers - reflection

Recently, there have been a few posts on a forum raising issues about knitting bloggers that have touched a nerve or too. Although the replies have been from both sides of the fence I think it is important to mention how some of the comments will affect the confidence of new bloggers and new knitters alike.

As many of us have pointed out, blogging is a personal thing. We write about what moves us, what inspires us and what amuses us. Knitting bloggers read about other knitters experiences, other knitters lives and other knitters likes and dislikes. We choose to stick to a particular topic or to diversify and explore other avenues. Clearly, we are all individual and unique, which makes for a very rich knitting blogging community.

Personally, I think it's important to remember that what is said within a forum can affect the confidence of newbies and that the more experienced members should be sensitive to this. Obviously it is a free world and we have (thankfully) the freedom of speech. But not to the point where people have to defend what they write about or talk about within their own domain.

What's important to one person, is mediocre and immaterial to the next. But to undermine the value of something that is important to another person is hurtful.

My blog is mainly a knitting blog with the occasional reference to cats. That's the description in the title. It's what it says on the tin. If somebody doesn't want to read about cats, then this is not the blog for them. I may not have copious amounts of photos of my cat on here but I do like to refer to her. She makes me laugh. And cats and knitting together are just funny.

This may make no sense to some, but perhaps it will to others.

7 comments:

Amie said...

I agree. My "subtitle" is "life through the eyes of a feral knitter and dizzy spinner". That's "life" as in everything I encounter in mine, not just my fiber play. People coming to my blog may feel I don't spend enough time talking about knitting. Frankly, I don't spend enough time actually knitting either - life keeps getting in the way, in my time and in my blog. And I'm okay with that!

Someone complaining about what is written in others' blogs is akin to someone complaining about what is written in any magazine. You don't have to read it, and there are certainly plenty of others out there you can read.

AR said...

You're totally right. I stopped reading the replies to that thread at that forum.
I love the help I've gotten, and friends I've made through that knit forum. It is a great one!

Terri H. said...

Thanks for this Bernie; it's something I've been thinking about since the thread started. Absolutely no one is forcing anyone to read a blog, and no blogger should feel obligated to write to an audience unless she/he chooses to. Suggestion: cross post to Knit 1 Blog Too.

Ms. M said...

Bravo Bernie! Complaining about someone's blog is akin to complaining about their diary. I now have two blogs, one for knitting which is very inactive and needs more pics, but taking and uploading pics is not my thing.

I have another blog for whatever comes to mind, which is why it has miscellany in the title.

Becka said...

You are dead on, my friend..I agree totally. I often have to sit back and wonder what some people think about!!!!

Ruth said...

amen!! i think its so dumb to complain about other people's blogs. well, HELLO is anyone forcing you to read them? close the browser if you don't like it that much. sheesh.

Alliesw said...

Thanks, a good and thoughtful summary. And thanks to everyone who puts time and energy into writing and reading blogs. To me, it's a really important community.