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Thoughts on the “Why I Won’t Read Your Posts” Posts

I have a few pet peeves when it comes to blogging.  Thankfully they are limited in number and I rarely encounter them, but when I do, I find myself shaking my head, gritting my teeth, and biting back a response.  Today, for some reason I thought I would address one of my pet peeves.  Perhaps you feel the same way?  If not, that’s ok…..different opinions are allowed and valued here.  Let me just get this off my chest though.  Here’s an open letter to the bloggers that share the “Why I Won’t Read Your Posts” posts.

Thoughts on the "Why I Won't Read Your Posts" Posts www.lovethehereandnow.com

Dear Blogger Behind the “Why I Won’t Read Your Posts” Posts,

Let me just start off by saying that I am certain that you mean well.  I mean honestly we are all in this together, right?  We are a group of supportive and encouraging people.  We want to lift others up.  We strive to create a sense of community and positivity.

And then you come along with that post that lets everyone know that you will not read someone’s blog because of some blogging infraction that you have deemed big enough for you to quickly hop off their post and quite possibly never return to their blog again.  That infraction or infractions (imagine the horror!  Multiple things that go against your taste!) may lead you to lose out on following an amazing blogger.  We all start somewhere and learn in varying degrees.  Lord knows how many people I tick off on the daily that hate the color pink or my fondness of using styled stock photography instead of my own photos.  I look back at some of my own posts and cringe at various things…content, design…you name it. I often stop reading my archived posts out of embarrassment for myself.  How I hit publish on those posts I’ll never even know!

Oh wait….I know why I hit publish on them….those posts are a snapshot in time.  At that point in time, I was doing the best I could with what knowledge I had.  I was expressing myself with the words and design that I loved back then.   I often think of deleting some of those posts yet can’t bring myself to do it.  If our blogs are an online journal, so to speak, shouldn’t they have everything not just the highlight reel of the latest and greatest up to par posts?

I get the point of your post.  I do.  Your intention is to draw attention to something that you think needs fixing.  And perhaps it does.  Am I a fan of centered text throughout a whole post?  Not typically.  Do I love when a blogger writes in all lower case and uses absolutely no punctuation?  Nope.  Do I squint at the screen at the pale font color choices on some blogs?  Yep.  Guilty as charged on all three things (and more, if I’m being honest).  BUT is it enough for me to say I won’t be reading your posts again?  Not at all.

Content brings me back.  Community brings me back.  Information brings me back.  The blogger brings me back.

Personally I feel as if those letters, however well written, are a tad bit condescending in nature.  It’s as if the blogger is saying, “If you want to keep ME as a reader, here’s what I want to see.”  I can’t imagine that anyone values me enough as their reader to go ahead and change something on their blog to match my tastes.

The beauty of being a blogger is owning your space 100% and making it reflective of you and your tastes.  We proudly show up and share our thoughts and words on a space that we have created.  Why can’t we allow others the same opportunity?

As I said, I know you mean well.  There may be some great points hidden in your “Why I Won’t Read Your Posts” posts.  Perhaps we can just be a tad bit more encouraging in our thoughts?  Maybe a little less know-it-all-ish?  Better yet…maybe we can just give the benefit of the doubt and allow other bloggers the chance to portray their thoughts and words in there manner they deem fit for their personal space?  Here’s an idea…put blinders on when you read a blog that distracts you with design, color, fonts choices and more.  Focus on the content and the message.  Give some grace and allow others to be themselves.

So next time you get the urge to publish a post urging others to meet your blog standards think twice.  Think of a better way to get your thoughts and opinions across.  Perhaps a tutorial on designing blogs?  Maybe a tutorial on pairing fonts?  Whatever it is that irks you, try putting a positive and encouraging spin on it if you feel the urge to post.

Let’s just all be a little kinder and a little less judging, okay?

Signed,

The Blogger that Refuses to Read One More “Why I Won’t Read Your Posts” Post

Thoughts on the "Why I Won't Read Your Posts" Posts www.lovethehereandnow.com

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  • Alexis @ Chemistry Cachet

    I love everything about this post! I feel the exact same way about it too. I thought to myself last week, if I see one more of those blog post titled that, I am going to scream! Why can’t everyone just blog about anything they want to. Some just do it for a hobby, others for a business, but ultimately we just blog about what we love. Thanks so much for sharing!

    • Seriously! Let people blog how they deem fit and how they want to and stop judging them and trying to make their blogs reflect your tastes and opinions.

  • Emily of Em Busy Living

    Can I just say…I love when you “have a bone to pick” with things in the blogging world! This one was a good one to take on. I agree with you 100%!

    • Hahaha! I worried that I sounded rude and people would be offended. So happy to hear that you enjoyed it. Thank you!

  • Sheryl @ How to Make a Life

    Amen Anne!!!! I am right there with you. If you don’t like what I am writing or how it looks – don’t read it. Thanks for this post. Have a great Monday.

  • Jae

    Loved reading through this, Anne! I’ve always found those type of posts a bit condescending.

  • Emily @ Ember Grey.

    Um, YES. I NEVER read the “why I won’t read your posts” (which is kind of funny, ha!) because I think they’re mean. Can’t we all just do our own thing and if others connect to it and want to read it they can? We always talk about “you do you and I’ll do me” when it pertains to us personally, but why aren’t people applying that to others? Perhaps those posts get a lot of views because people like to read about drama? I must be the odd man out… I’d rather fill my days with more positive and inspiring or funny reads.

    Thanks for sharing this, Anne. Maybe it will make bloggers think twice about writing one of these posts.

    • Kristine // South of Plum

      I couldn’t agree more! I enjoy the honest, positive, inspiring blogs as well. Throw in some humor, and I’m all yours!

    • Here’s hoping! I never read them either. You do you I’ll do me and let’s just be happy!

  • Kristyn | Dash of Herbs

    Yes! I used to think these posts were informative, but you are so right. They are anything but and only share that bloggers opinions on how a blog should look, feel and be written. It isn’t about them. It’s about the blog writer and where they are in their blogging journey.

  • Amberly-A Prioritized Marriage

    So much yes to this! We all have pet peeves, but if your pet peeve doesn’t involve the quality of the content that the blogger is producing, why stop reading just because that one thing they do irks you?? I’ve always had a hard time with blogging “rules” because it does limit the creativity of the blogger. I think sharing the things that work well for you and that you’ve done that’s helped you see growth and improvement, but the “must dos” are hard for me to swallow.

  • Liz

    I have never heard of this!! I loved reading this though, especially: “The beauty of being a blogger is owning your space 100% and making it reflective of you and your tastes.” <3 xoxo

  • Bourbon & Lipstick

    AMEN AMEN AMEN. I have a draft of a similar post (which I will now shelve, because you covered all of my points!) because these make me angry. If you don’t like it, someone else will! And there’s hundreds of thousands of blogs out there: go somewhere else. I just think it’s such an arrogant thing to say – why is your opinion the only one that matters?! UGH. It is also one of my biggest blogging pet peeves. Thank you for sharing this today!

    • Don’t shelf it…post it! We need to read more posts where there’s the vibe of “It’s ok to blog your way!”

  • Ashlee • Sparkles by Ashlee

    I totally agree with you! It’s all that blogger’s opinion, anyway, and it would be people pleasing if we fixed every little thing on our blog just to match people’s tastes. You lose the whole point of why you blog. For awhile, I was guilty of fixing every little thing posts like that would say, but finally I just stopped because that’s not the point of blogging. Thank you for writing this!

    • I’m glad you stopped! Your blog is a reflection of you and your tastes…make it your own and enjoy it. Who wants mohave a cookie cutter blog where we all do the same thing? Not me!

      • Ashlee • Sparkles by Ashlee

        Exactly! That’s something I have to remember.

  • Christine Everyday

    I see your point, and although I’ve written one of these posts, the title (and the idea that I would NEVER read that blogger) was more of an exaggeration than anything. Just something to catch somebody’s attention. Because I think there has only ever been one blogger whose posts I now refuse to read, and it was mostly because she was cutting down everybody she knew.

    • I remember your post. Although based on the comments on this post, that type of title actually repels people and I wonder if people saw that it was an exaggeration. I hope so! As for bloggers cutting down others. who has time to read those? Instant unfollow in my book. Positivity, kindness, and helpfulness only!

  • Linda Cassidy

    slow clap….. we all look at things in life be it a blog, a story, an item of clothing and sometimes think oh it that was me I would do this, which leads to the point of subtle persuasion, constructive comments, positive reinforcement… why I don’t read you may as well say, man Girl ” I don’t like you”. There are lots of times I would love to add positive constructive comments but i try and remain ever mindful that someone poured their heart and soul into something so just adding a nice comment is enough.

  • Leanna @ Being Leanna

    So well worded! It’s unbelievable to me how mean-spirited those posts come off. We’re all here to share parts of our lives and express that in any way we chose. Nobody has the exact same taste in design and I know there are plenty of blogs designs that i’m not a huge fan of, but it’s their blog, and it’s a reflection of them. I go back for the content and the personality behind it. Not for how pretty their photos are or how grammatically correct their writing is.

    • YES. The message and content are king. I can look past anything if what you are saying resonates or helps me.

  • Emelia @ Dream Big & Buy the S

    YES! I feel like SAYING “I wont’ read because…” is a form of bullying. Like, don’t write this or I’ll do this. That may be a bit extreme in words, but I can’t find a better one. Aren’t we here to support one another? There’s some posts that may not interest me as MUCH as others, but I still try and read as many blogs as I can to get a variety of information and support my friends. Thank you for saying something positive and uplifting, the blogging world needs more of you friend. XO!

    • Thank you! It does sound bullyish and so pompous in my opinion as if to say, you are losing ME. Meanwhile, I’m over here saying “OK….buh-bye!”.

  • Amanda Wood | Knock on Wood

    *slow clap* YES. I think posts like those sound snarky and snooty. Everyone has different opinions, tastes, standards and like Em said, we talk that talk all the time. Why is it so hard to walk the walk too? I think the idea of posting a tutorial or something like that when you spot something that “needs fixing” is a good one, and a better one that listing out all the things other bloggers do that you deem as “wrong.”

    • Yep. Who says my standards are yours? You do you and I’ll do me and I think we each can learn form each other.

  • Llinos @ The Lilac Linnet

    I think these titles are meant as clickbait, but they’re not my scene. I wouldn’t write one myself.

    • Definitely are but then it begs the question, Are you writing for the numbers or for the people? Is it authentic?

  • Mistle

    Yes, yes, yes!!!!! It’s so sad that we as bloggers can’t all support each other. Now I get that not every one is going to read my blog and that’s completely fine. But let’s try to support each other and not bring each other down. I wrote a blog post awhile back about “Why I Read Your Blog”. I wanted to take the negative post of “Why I Don’t Read Your Blog” and make it more positive.

  • Tami @ The Inspiration Lady

    Yes, I totally agree with you! I have read some of those posts and although I think they’re trying to be helpful, it does come off a tad bit snooty and judgmental. We all have our own preferences and styles, and blogs are meant to show off our personality so I say just do whatever floats your boat! 🙂

    • I do agree. They are trying to be helpful. 100%. BUT it’s their standards and that may not be mine. There’s room enough for all of us. If we all did the same thing imagine how boring it would be!

  • Heidi Knepper

    well said.

  • Stacey

    I’ve never seen those before but heck, you can’t make everyone happy.

    • So happy you haven’t come across those! Like I said, I think the intention may be good (for the most part) but wow they are so judge-y and condescending sounding. They’re a turn off for me!

  • Rachel @ Never Enough Novels

    i’m fairly new to the blogging world and had no idea these type of posts existed! I’ll be certain to avoid them if I see them : )

    • I would…the intention may be good but they just sound so negative! If you ever need help reach out and ask someone…people are so helpful! Feel free to email me or contact me via social media!

  • Katherine Thousand

    I am so glad to have read this post, but also a bit intimidated now! As someone who is working hard to get my blog up-and-running and to put together some content that will bring value to readers, I haven’t really had the chance to make things “perfect”. I sure hope that nobody stops by in my early days only to think, “nope, never again. She has her layout all wrong!” LOL!

    Thanks for the great post 🙂

    • Perfect? What is that and how do you achieve it? 😉 As long as your blog is a space that you love and enjoying coming to then it’s perfect in my eyes. Make it your own and own it!

      • Katherine Thousand

        If I figure out the perfect thing, I’ll be sure to let ya know 😉

  • Patricia

    Aww I didn’t know this was a thing. A bit sad, really! I miss the days when I actually made friends over blogging.

    • I think these type of posts are dying down a bit (thankfully!). I still make friends which is nice and the blogging world is a great place but these type of posts just irk me to no end!

  • Dee | The Jackie of All Trades

    I couldn’t agree more. I’ve read some these posts and while I understand the good intention and have a good point, the title itself is a bit discouraging. So, I stopped reading that kind of post.

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