I started blogging in May of '05, under the pseudonym "Mystery Mommy" (a mommy who liked mysteries). I blogged anonymously partly because I didn't want to be Dooced, but mostly because all the bloggers I was reading (almost exclusively personal bloggers) were blogging anonymously. I didn't care really if people outside of my bosses knew about my blog. I told Stevens about it. I told my friends about it. Heck, I told my mom about it.
Mostly, I didn't want to be googleable.
I came up with descriptive names for people when I wrote about them (my mom is "QuiltsALot", my dad is "MakesBooksForGrandkids"). I met several of my bloggy friends in real life.
So, along comes 2007, and I started having trouble blogging because the biggest thing going on in my life was just unbloggable if I wanted to stay ungoogleable.
But I found a way.
As time went on, staying ungoogleable became less and less important. I told more people. I told Stevens's campaign manager (Shaun Daniels, the World's Best Campaign Manager, Bar None). I told our '09 campaign staff. I twittered and facebooked. And I started this blog here.
And I was surprised at how long it took the Loudoun blogosphere to find me, because some of the folks in this arena are strong with the Google-fu (Hi Barbara!!).
The drawback to blogging in the open is that I am held personally accountable for the things I write.
The benefit to blogging in the open is that accountability breeds trust. Several of the people who responded to my questions for candidates told me that they were answering my questions because I blog under my own name, and they know that they have a remedy if I misrepresent what they say or break my promise to post their responses without editing or commentary.
Accountability, I has it. I get benefits from it. But I do pay a price. It's a price I am willing to pay, but I don't think you're wrong if you're not willing to pay it.
But here's the thing: If you're an anonymous blogger, don't whine that you're not getting the benefits of open blogging. That's the price YOU'RE paying for not having accountability.
Deal with it.
Great post, Liz. Back in my anonymous blogging days, I made an egregious rant against someone (which I now regret, after meeting that person) and was called out for it. They said I was an "internet thug" because I was hiding behind an alias. That turned on the light bulb, and since then, I've written under my own name, even on the "Comments" section of the local papers. Even on LP, when we had aliases, I had an "aka" signature.
ReplyDeleteYo're right, it's all about accountability.
Thanks, Dave. Do I need to tell you how much I miss your voice on the blogs?
ReplyDeleteTimely post Liz. Thanks again for your ever-present wisdom. I started privately, bought the domain name, and now I feel a bit "stuck" because it's not as anonymous as I wish it to be.
ReplyDeleteBut, it's just a matter of accountability. I do write everything on there with a mind toward who will see it. Truth? Sometimes I'm nicer on my own blog than I want to be. Where I would prefer to scream about local or provincial politics and politicians, I can't. Too many people (ie from work) may not agree with me politically and it would bring me trouble I don't need.
Liz, can I tell you how much I don't miss the drama (haha)? It's very peaceful here in bucolic Reston.
ReplyDelete