Posted on September 25, 2006 - by John

Being Honest with your blog - We or I?

I very often come across blogs, who often, and way too often, refer to themselves as ‘we’ when clearly there is only one person working on the site (s). So it got me thinking why do people use ‘we’ when they can be honest and simply say me (just me). Is there shame in being an "I’, just me, are people afraid that they will not be taken serious if they work alone? Social structures and groups seem to love the ‘we’, so does the same apply to blogging?

If the ‘we’ exists and you are a ‘we’, that’s fine, of course your being honest and your readers will pick up on this, but if its just you working alone, then why do you refer to yourself as ‘we’?

Why you should just be honest?
When writing your blog, you should always try to be as honest as you can, within reason of course, when you are writing about something you are passionate about, that should be enough to keep you interested and hopefully your readers also, so why not just say I, instead of we, of course if there is a ‘we’ then there would be no need to do so. But I am strictly writing about people you use the term ‘we’ when it is obvious, it is an ‘I’ that is behind the blog. When you are honest with people, then can detect it, they know on some level, be in subconscious or otherwise, that you are passionate about the topic. So when you start lying, where does it stop? By saying we, you are taking away from the personality of your site, if it’s your work why not give it your own stamp?

But if I am alone will people take me serious?
Of course, once you are writing about something that is relevant and you are honest people will take you serious. They  will take the time to either like or dislike your style of writing. But if you are not honest they wont take that time. Its a well know fact also, that even if people dislike your style they will often come back to your blog, just to see what you are writing about now!
Tags: problogger