Comments on: Rant: On Bloggy Entitlement and Such http://www.nerdseyeview.com/blog/2011/07/21/rant-on-bloggy-entitlement-and-such/ a camera, a passport, a ukulele Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:18:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kymri http://www.nerdseyeview.com/blog/2011/07/21/rant-on-bloggy-entitlement-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-86776 Kymri Sat, 30 Jul 2011 02:40:27 +0000 http://www.nerdseyeview.com/blog/?p=4947#comment-86776 Reading this after also reading your article on Gadling about divorcing blogs is wonderfully refreshing and reassuring. Integrity in writing is more valuable than high volumes of regurgitated content, not to mention, far more interesting to read as well. For every PR list of "you must have XX followers, generate XX posts a day, with XX links and a klout score of XX", there's a perfectly suitable blogger willing to go along and spit out XX articles of "look what I'm doing with all these other bloggers" content - and often it's the self-righteous demanding one. Match made in heaven. Reading this after also reading your article on Gadling about divorcing blogs is wonderfully refreshing and reassuring. Integrity in writing is more valuable than high volumes of regurgitated content, not to mention, far more interesting to read as well.
For every PR list of “you must have XX followers, generate XX posts a day, with XX links and a klout score of XX”, there’s a perfectly suitable blogger willing to go along and spit out XX articles of “look what I’m doing with all these other bloggers” content – and often it’s the self-righteous demanding one. Match made in heaven.

]]> By: Mikeachim http://www.nerdseyeview.com/blog/2011/07/21/rant-on-bloggy-entitlement-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-86767 Mikeachim Fri, 29 Jul 2011 14:32:39 +0000 http://www.nerdseyeview.com/blog/?p=4947#comment-86767 "How would I react if they wanted me to change my thing to fit my thing?" Er, I mean to fit *their* thing. Sorry, I seem to be having a problem with "my thing". So to speak. “How would I react if they wanted me to change my thing to fit my thing?”

Er, I mean to fit *their* thing. Sorry, I seem to be having a problem with “my thing”. So to speak.

]]> By: Mikeachim http://www.nerdseyeview.com/blog/2011/07/21/rant-on-bloggy-entitlement-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-86763 Mikeachim Fri, 29 Jul 2011 05:12:40 +0000 http://www.nerdseyeview.com/blog/?p=4947#comment-86763 I've just been on a sorta-kinda press trip (a day trip, travel paid for). It was my first. And I was doing it to publicize the Mongol Rally. My hosts (http://www.theadventurists.com/) haven't laid down the law, they've asked me to do what seems right to me, and I'm doing it - thus far, a personal blog post in my way with my own voice, and upcoming, another personal blog post and a couple of articles to other markets, for which I'd enjoy the benefit of getting paid. I guess they're also using my social media clout (or Klout) - I've done a bit of (hopefully) non-spammy promo on Twitter and elsewhere. So that's the sum of my experience so far, and it's been positive. They let me do my thing. How would I react if they wanted me to change my thing to fit my thing? I'd be ok with, up to a point. Because I'm being hired. And if it's work where I have a say in the way I do that work, it's worth deciding what that middle ground should look like... But I want to get hired again, frankly. And I work in an industry that is plastered all over millions of computer screens, for all to see. Making wearisome demands of the people giving me press trips? Might as well wear a hi-vis vest with the words "MORE TROUBLE THAN I'M WORTH". (What, you really think these people don't click around? Really?) It's all back to this Meeting In The Middle topic that was discussed at TBU in Manchester. Negotiate, by all means - but if you go in thinking you should try to screw everything you can (literally as well as figuratively, it appears from the hookers example), well, that's kinda unethical and therefore kinda unprofessional, and surely the way to lose retainers. My gut says this. And since I want to both keep working and placate my conscience, I'm following my gut. (And if the situation is reversed - if the people holding the press trips are trying to screw *you* for everything you're worth, that's just as bad - yet easier to see. Somehow it's more obviously bad). We're getting hired (or "hired") to do our thing. If we're clear and up-front about what our thing is, and if we don't move the goal-posts after the deal is done, and if the people hiring us don't either - goodness will result. Up-frontness. It's the new screwing. You can quote me. Actually, this is making me think. We all have advertising pages. Why not a crystal-clear transparent Press Trip page? "Here's exactly what you can expect from me, and why that's a good thing"? I don't see many sites taking such an approach (Pam, your ads/PR page is an exception). Is this because we're subtly being taught to screw as much as we can from our sponsors, so we think it's unwise to nail ourselves down? Hmmmm. I’ve just been on a sorta-kinda press trip (a day trip, travel paid for). It was my first. And I was doing it to publicize the Mongol Rally. My hosts (http://www.theadventurists.com/) haven’t laid down the law, they’ve asked me to do what seems right to me, and I’m doing it – thus far, a personal blog post in my way with my own voice, and upcoming, another personal blog post and a couple of articles to other markets, for which I’d enjoy the benefit of getting paid. I guess they’re also using my social media clout (or Klout) – I’ve done a bit of (hopefully) non-spammy promo on Twitter and elsewhere.

So that’s the sum of my experience so far, and it’s been positive. They let me do my thing. How would I react if they wanted me to change my thing to fit my thing? I’d be ok with, up to a point. Because I’m being hired. And if it’s work where I have a say in the way I do that work, it’s worth deciding what that middle ground should look like…

But I want to get hired again, frankly. And I work in an industry that is plastered all over millions of computer screens, for all to see. Making wearisome demands of the people giving me press trips? Might as well wear a hi-vis vest with the words “MORE TROUBLE THAN I’M WORTH”. (What, you really think these people don’t click around? Really?)

It’s all back to this Meeting In The Middle topic that was discussed at TBU in Manchester. Negotiate, by all means – but if you go in thinking you should try to screw everything you can (literally as well as figuratively, it appears from the hookers example), well, that’s kinda unethical and therefore kinda unprofessional, and surely the way to lose retainers. My gut says this. And since I want to both keep working and placate my conscience, I’m following my gut.

(And if the situation is reversed – if the people holding the press trips are trying to screw *you* for everything you’re worth, that’s just as bad – yet easier to see. Somehow it’s more obviously bad).

We’re getting hired (or “hired”) to do our thing. If we’re clear and up-front about what our thing is, and if we don’t move the goal-posts after the deal is done, and if the people hiring us don’t either – goodness will result.

Up-frontness. It’s the new screwing. You can quote me.

Actually, this is making me think. We all have advertising pages. Why not a crystal-clear transparent Press Trip page? “Here’s exactly what you can expect from me, and why that’s a good thing”? I don’t see many sites taking such an approach (Pam, your ads/PR page is an exception).

Is this because we’re subtly being taught to screw as much as we can from our sponsors, so we think it’s unwise to nail ourselves down? Hmmmm.

]]> By: pam http://www.nerdseyeview.com/blog/2011/07/21/rant-on-bloggy-entitlement-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-86762 pam Thu, 28 Jul 2011 23:20:22 +0000 http://www.nerdseyeview.com/blog/?p=4947#comment-86762 A-hem. WHO'S not on par with print media yet? We need to stop using that as the bar. And trust me, print media journalist are no immune to bad behavior, or typos, or crappy editing or... Just sayin'. A-hem. WHO’S not on par with print media yet? We need to stop using that as the bar. And trust me, print media journalist are no immune to bad behavior, or typos, or crappy editing or…

Just sayin’.

]]> By: Amanda http://www.nerdseyeview.com/blog/2011/07/21/rant-on-bloggy-entitlement-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-86746 Amanda Wed, 27 Jul 2011 02:30:53 +0000 http://www.nerdseyeview.com/blog/?p=4947#comment-86746 A sense of entitlement is NEVER a flattering thing to wear around your shoulders, no matter who you are. And for a blogger to act that way? Well, it really just makes all of us look bad, doesn't it? We're definitely not on-level with print media yet, and a lot of PR people just simply don't know how they're supposed to work with us. But I can guarantee they won't want to even be bothered if stories like the one about the requested hookers get spread around... That being said, you and I are definitely on the same wavelength, Pam. While I haven't really been invited on any press trips, I do get giddy and excited over the littlest things (interviews, free activities, perks while I'm traveling, etc.). Sometimes I am the one seeking out these things, but I do it in the most humble way I know how. I politely ASK. Never demand. A sense of entitlement is NEVER a flattering thing to wear around your shoulders, no matter who you are. And for a blogger to act that way? Well, it really just makes all of us look bad, doesn’t it? We’re definitely not on-level with print media yet, and a lot of PR people just simply don’t know how they’re supposed to work with us. But I can guarantee they won’t want to even be bothered if stories like the one about the requested hookers get spread around…

That being said, you and I are definitely on the same wavelength, Pam. While I haven’t really been invited on any press trips, I do get giddy and excited over the littlest things (interviews, free activities, perks while I’m traveling, etc.). Sometimes I am the one seeking out these things, but I do it in the most humble way I know how. I politely ASK. Never demand.

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