There are tons of really good blogs you can visit and read nowadays. So, you begin blog slogging. You enthusiastically search through piles of blogs hoping to find that one special site that will make it all worthwhile. Instead, you find a few that you really like. You start checking them daily to see if they have any new postings. You then decide that they are bookmark-worthy. You start visiting your favorite blogs more than once a day. Uh-oh! Some of the authors post more than once a day! You ask yourself, how can I make my blog-checking more efficient? RSS feeds!
After a few weeks, you feel like you are ready to comment on their entries. Aha! You feel so proud after making your very first comment. And...and...and...your comment was approved & published! You think to yourself, this is great. I can just comment anything I want and see my messages on their blogs! Cool!
Not cool. This was the second reason why I turned off commenting on my blog a few years ago. (The first reason was SPAM.)
Having your own blog has been almost as common as having your own email address. It's your online journal. You get to share information with whoever stumbles upon your blog. You gain online readers who like what you post and become regulars. Unfortunately, you may also get the occasional blog stalker.
Which one are you?
Are you a Blog Fan or a Blog Stalker? Let's dissect these words and consult the ever-dependable online dictionary.
Fan - an enthusiastic devotee, follower, or admirer of a sport, pastime, celebrity, etc.; someone who has an honest appreciation for something(s) or someone(s)
Stalker - someone who prowls or sneaks about; usually with unlawful intentions; obsessively following or constantly observing another person
The main difference? Blog fans are harmless. They are there to support you. They sometimes provide logical or constructive feedback on your entries. Blog stalkers, on the otherhand, are Blog Fans Gone Wild. A blog stalker is someone who:
- Obsessively leaves comments that have nothing to do with your entry
- Gets angry at the author when their comments are not approved/published so they start sending abusive messages to the author
- Constantly pesters others about updating their blog
- Frequently attacks regular commenters with angry criticism that are posed with grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes, sometimes & sometimes not on purpose.
So, which one are you? And why?
Note: Commenting is back on but moderated :).
Rambling Gypsy
Nice analysis. I have both - give me a fan anyday! The 'Delete Comment' option is a beautiful thing...
Here's my take on this from a long time ago. Since then I've swung back and forth depending on the nature and frequency of my trolls.
Understood. When I visit a blog & don't like what I read, I leave. I'm not one who responses with an attack. The blogger has the right to his/her opinion & I respect that. It's his/her own space.
Now, if you run across a negative comment, do not let the comment control you. You have control over you, your published comments, and your own response. Think things through before doing anything.
Consider your choices. You can respond directly to them, publicly, or delete the comment.
There's one more thing you must consider. Several angry trolls want your reaction. If they get what they want from you, you might blog about them. Some trolls may provoke you to attract attention to themselves and their blog.
For whatever reasons they may have for posting a personal attack on your blog, think whether they just want attention or just have nothing better to do. If you respond & initiate a 'healthy' dialogue with them, but they come back with more negative remarks, you might want to just ignore & delete their comments. You can probably even auto-delete comments from them. Bottom line is: they are not worth your time.