The Responsibility of Being a Blogger

Posted by Mommy Blogger Me on July 5, 2009

Even if you are a brand new blogger, you need to read this article!  The tips at the end have saved my emotional well being and allow me to be a celebrity blogger without unnecessarily wondering why the spotlight can be so tough.

I’m a big fan of Shoemoney (Jeremy Schoemaker), Chris Brogan, and Crystal Paine (Money Saving Mom), because they are all probloggers who are also at the top of our game.  Top bloggers running some of the top websites in the world are bound to get criticism, insults, and bad press on a daily basis, just because of the nature of their jobs.

As celebrity bloggers, some people look up to us, and others yearn only to find fault with our success and tear us down.  Being in the top 1% of sites in the world opens up a huge international audience that scrutinizes your every move, action, and choice of words.  It can become a huge burden, the responsibility of trying to field all these unsolicited opinions about your life. 

I’m lucky to have a naturally thick skin. Not many things get to me, I’m pretty easy going.  Even so, I tell my husband that Jeremy, Chris and Crystal get me through the days sometimes when the negativity from readers and non-readers gets to be too much. 

Jeremy Schoemaker gets back by firing back sharp words and making it apparent that his life and his choices are still his own, even as a celebrity. He uses humor to diffuse the situations, and he’s had a lot of experience perfecting his approach. 

Chris Brogan has taken the arrogant approach (in a good way) at times, with a “you obviously don’t know who I am – I’m Chris Brogan” attitude.  He chooses to produce results and succeed even more while the naysayers spend their time and energy focused on complaining about what he does. 

Crystal Paine chooses to step out of the public eye almost completely; you’ll barely even find photos of her on her site.

I rarely talk about the downside of being a celebrity blogger because I feel it’s my choice to be here so it’s my responsibility to deal with the side effects.  However, all bloggers should know that we all have to deal with these issues.

When trolls talk about my family or publicly wish me ill will (yes, even though I’m a 2-time cancer survivor, a reader actually wished me to get cancer in a comment last month), I draw the line and leave a firm but polite response on twitter.  Other than that, you don’t hear about the downside from me.

Now keep in mind that Jeremy, Chris, and Crystal are  more popular than I am.  I imagine the volume of public scrutiny they deal with is even more than mine.  My hope is that I will have perfected my thick skin by the time I reach their volume so that I can deal as well as they do.

I feel it’s important for any blogger, no matter how new or how small your following, start to gain a healthy perspective on this issue now.  Here is my advice to you:

The Hard-to-Face (but True) Realities

• As a blogger, you are now a public figure.  You made this choice when you started a public blog.
• People will expect more from you than they do of themselves or their friends. 
• People will feel you owe them explanations for your actions, your blog posts, and even the choices you make in your personal life.
• People will say negative things sometimes.  Never believe what people say about you. YOU decide what you are, no one else has that right.

Notwithstanding the above points,

• You are ONLY responsible to yourself, your family, and your values.  As long as you do and say what you believe is right, no one’s opinion of what you do matters.
• You are the only person that can tear down your blog, your choices, and your work.  You spent the effort to build it, so no one else has the right to criticize it but you.
• “When you are up at the top, you’re up for shots.” A very smart woman named Nina Elliot taught me that very early in my career.  I owe my thick skin in part to her teaching.  Jealous people can’t create, they can only destroy. As long as you are an example in the world of happiness or success, there will be some who try to tear you down.

These hard to swallow facts come with the territory of being a public figure.  The sooner you accept this for what it is, the sooner you can let it pass right by you so you can focus on what really matters.

Even if you haven’t received your first hate email or nasty comment, you will.  When it happens, remember to keep it in perspective.  You don’t have to be a hard or cold person to put up a protective shield around yourself and your family.  Be strong in knowing that at the end of the day, you only have to answer to yourself!

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