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A good friend of mine just started a blog. Frankly, it’s kind of embarrassing. He comes across as kind of an idiot in the blog, even though he’s normally a perfectly rational person, and he’s started posting conversations we’ve had verbatim! I would ignore it, but he keeps asking for my opinion. Should I be honest, or should I lie and say I think it’s great?
Jane, Upper West Side
This is sort of a twenty-first century version of the age-old question: My friend wrote a novel and I think it kinda sucks; should I be honest or humor him? As long as it’s innocent and all in good fun – that is, your friend isn’t writing anything harmful to anyone – just nod and smile when he asks about it. Even if it’s all just, “OMG I saw Uma Thurman on Lafayette Street on Friday!! LOL!!” If it’s a new blog, odds are only his close and family are currently reading it anyway. If, however, you’d prefer that he not mention you in the blog, just tell him that you’re uncomfortable with being such a frequent guest star on a website that any random person out there might be reading, and you'd prefer it if he left you out of it.
Related: Gothamist on what not to do when you blog.
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here's my take: if your friend's blog sucks, tell him so- if he's smart, he'll take it as constructive criticism. and try not to mention people by first and last names. when we first launched gothamist, before "justin case" posted under a pseudonym, he posted something about jesus buttplugs. two weeks later, it was all over his office, as they discovered it on a google search of his name. that shit happens all the time.
It's a blog...it's supposed to suck.
Just don't read it. He'll keep asking, "Hey! Did you see what I wrote today?" You'll consistently reply "No, I missed it." Eventually the no-talent hack will take the hint.
I tend to identify with the "blogs as outlets of personal expression" camp. I don't think that everyone who has a blog these days is dying to break into writing, journalism, or trying to "be discovered." I also don't think that there are rules for successful blogs. To that end, give the guy a break. It sounds like he's blogging for himself. Do you think he really gives a crap what you think? Be nice, or leave it alone.