Writing Online and Publishing: Common Sense and Common Courtesy!
For the sake of sensationalism, and to draw criticism and instil profound emotional response from readership, one could write and publish anything, no matter how outrageous or controversial it may be. To retain integrity and write respectfully it becomes a separate matter altogether! Read on…
Just today I sat down wrote and submitted an article called ‘Five Failed Social Constructs’. It was a bold article through which I vented today’s anger and expressed my opinion in a very direct way. The article attacked the family structure, nationalism, the industrial sector, religion, and adult relationships. The article was a polished piece of work but it had one major flaw. Although the subject matter was quite generic and not based upon sensationalism, my views were extreme in that I condemned a broad range of society. I angrily voiced my opinion and submitted my article.
After two hours of still being unpublished I deleted the article. Why did I do so? It was because of the sheer scope of the article. I knew that I was bound to insult someone through the negative personal views. Finding readers to agree with some of the article wasn’t an issue. I realised that it would have been impossible to find readers that would’ve agree with the article in its entirety and as a whole product. If people were to have dismissed the article as an intellectual piece, it would have been treated as an angry rant, and therefore self defeated its very purpose. It was a brilliant article but it reached out towards a readership that wouldn’t have been there.
The fact of the matter was simple. I chose not to publish, and I believe it was a good move. Writing is one thing, but publishing is another altogether! Some things are best kept unpublished especially if it’s really personal or generally negative to a large audience. You have to weigh up the pros and cons and see if it’s worth publishing to begin with.
Readers are funny sometimes, they find insult over the slightest thing, they jump up and down like blind imbeciles and vandalise your article comment sections. You must as a reader decide if your material is within a user friendly bracket, because if it’s not, there won’t be much point in publishing to begin with!
I don’t care for criticism as I’m above all of the internet trolls and Triond imbeciles, but I still try to abide to a personal code of courtesy and respect when it comes to my writing.
Liked it
Click the icon to the left to subscribe to Writinghood with your favorite RSS reader.
August 29th, 2010 at 6:23 pm
If in doubt, leave it out, and that’s what you did.
August 29th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
If in doubt, leave it out, and that is what you did.
August 29th, 2010 at 9:51 pm
Good for you. Although, I am now ever-so-curious about the article you deleted. Ah, well. In the end, do what you have to do to get through the day.
August 29th, 2010 at 9:58 pm
I used a sensational article title … http://webupon.com/marketing/the-most-shocking-thing-youll-ever-read/ However, I don’t really regret it. Haha.
August 29th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
Re Watson
Thats what you call clever publishing! Thats perfectly ok!
Re Heather
I dont think I’ll publish the article due to whiney readers who may choke upon reading it! lol
Re 1hopefulman
Yes very true.
To all the above thanks for reading and commenting!
Dejan
August 29th, 2010 at 10:23 pm
Good article. I learn something new today
August 30th, 2010 at 1:02 am
Excellent writeup. I agree with SW that article should be satisfactory for both the writers and readers, but writers should not adulterate the content.
August 30th, 2010 at 2:42 am
You are right you can’t please everyone but you can be nice and try not to insult everybody.
August 30th, 2010 at 7:09 am
Thanks for nice share.
August 30th, 2010 at 8:21 am
Great share
August 30th, 2010 at 8:32 am
nice share, it is all upto others
August 30th, 2010 at 9:56 pm
I’d bet it was a fantastic article, oh well guess we missed out.
Your choice what to publish. Love this though, you made an article out of your experience.