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Neglecting Blogger for the PTA Set


I've been doing some blogging in the Life As A Mom section of a national magazine's website. The blogging section is located in their Community Boards area (should have been a hint, right?).

Okay, was is a better word.

It wasn't a bad experience, but it has definitely not been an especially positive one, either.

First, it is their site. Theirs. That means that you do not get to change fonts, colors, or otherwise personalize the corner they are graciously permitting you to stand in at all, other than a small photo which crops funny no matter what size or format you upload.

Second, their community does not behave like a normal online community.

They don't leave comments ever.

They don't respond to comments.

The vast majority claim to be freelance writers looking for a gig (the vast majority of the writing doesn't really support this).

The board discussions are chatty and superficial, and there is a great deal of subtle snark reserved for anyone who doesn't agree with the majority. Not the normal flaming of the web ("I hope your eyes bleed from your obvious use of AOL and Microsoft products," etc.), but the sort of thing you expect from a PTA meeting.

In fact, as soon as I realized I was trying to hang out on the web with the people I do my best to avoid in real life, I dropped my account.

It was an interesting experience, but I would definitely rather hide here, in my cave. And keep skipping PTA meetings in real life, too.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I feel like I ought to comment...

The only thing worse than an internet forum with a bunch of foul mouthed teen aged boys is one with a group of superciliously polite adults.

Anne said...

** snicker **

Somebody save us from the plague of stay-at-home PTA moms.