Comments on: Telling the truth in your blog: does it matter? https://www.501places.com/2010/10/telling-the-truth-in-your-blog-does-it-matter/ Sharing the world with you Sun, 08 May 2011 12:20:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Natalia https://www.501places.com/2010/10/telling-the-truth-in-your-blog-does-it-matter/#comment-23394 Natalia Fri, 15 Oct 2010 17:35:57 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3878#comment-23394 In a word yes. Or to put it another way - yes. If you are taking part in creative writing, sure, go ahead, just make it clear it is creative writing/fiction. If you are writing a travel blog, be truthful. While I don't write for a particular 'audience' (other than family who want to know what my son is up to!) I do realise that there are people out there who read my blog and may just use it to base their decision on. So yes, I do have a moral duty to tell the truth. And anyway, if it isn't interesting enough to be truthful about, just don't write the post! In a word yes. Or to put it another way – yes. If you are taking part in creative writing, sure, go ahead, just make it clear it is creative writing/fiction. If you are writing a travel blog, be truthful. While I don’t write for a particular ‘audience’ (other than family who want to know what my son is up to!) I do realise that there are people out there who read my blog and may just use it to base their decision on. So yes, I do have a moral duty to tell the truth. And anyway, if it isn’t interesting enough to be truthful about, just don’t write the post!

]]> By: Lori https://www.501places.com/2010/10/telling-the-truth-in-your-blog-does-it-matter/#comment-22644 Lori Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:49:11 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3878#comment-22644 A very interesting article. I think that one should always be in search for the truth - meaning not to intentionally lie. I see that in the comments above some said - and made a good point - that there are 3 important elements (see the first comment, the one wrote by Simon). I agree with her. I want to add that one should not lie even when someone offers money. For instance if someone offers money for promoting a place (a hotel for example), and includes testing that place (for 2 days) if one didn't enjoy the experience should say so not praise the place just for money. There is however the possibility of blogposts written as stories - fiction. There of course there is some invention - for it's fiction, not reality, so, to some extent, lie, not truth. But that's something else. I believe in honesty, you? A very interesting article. I think that one should always be in search for the truth – meaning not to intentionally lie. I see that in the comments above some said – and made a good point – that there are 3 important elements (see the first comment, the one wrote by Simon). I agree with her.

I want to add that one should not lie even when someone offers money. For instance if someone offers money for promoting a place (a hotel for example), and includes testing that place (for 2 days) if one didn’t enjoy the experience should say so not praise the place just for money.

There is however the possibility of blogposts written as stories – fiction. There of course there is some invention – for it’s fiction, not reality, so, to some extent, lie, not truth. But that’s something else.

I believe in honesty, you?

]]> By: Farnoosh https://www.501places.com/2010/10/telling-the-truth-in-your-blog-does-it-matter/#comment-22634 Farnoosh Wed, 06 Oct 2010 11:21:08 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3878#comment-22634 Either complete honesty or else hush about something I wish not to disclose - I sometimes allude to things without giving the whole picture and I have good reasons to do it that way but if I say something, it is the truth. I don't make up stories or dramatize my life unnecessarily or manipulate it to serve a blog post or an idea....I don't. Some may do. I didn't realize I should be questioning the truth/false part of blog posts. Thanks a lot, Andy, eh? ;)))! (Just kidding)! Either complete honesty or else hush about something I wish not to disclose – I sometimes allude to things without giving the whole picture and I have good reasons to do it that way but if I say something, it is the truth. I don’t make up stories or dramatize my life unnecessarily or manipulate it to serve a blog post or an idea….I don’t. Some may do. I didn’t realize I should be questioning the truth/false part of blog posts. Thanks a lot, Andy, eh? ;) ))! (Just kidding)!

]]> By: Andy Jarosz https://www.501places.com/2010/10/telling-the-truth-in-your-blog-does-it-matter/#comment-22595 Andy Jarosz Tue, 05 Oct 2010 17:10:14 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3878#comment-22595 That old teachers' saying "you're only cheating yourself" springs to mind. You make a good point Mark, especially for those bloggers who at some point (most probably fall into this category) find it hard to come up with a new idea. Make it clear you're exploring ideas, let the creative juices flow and allow the mind to take you wherever it wants to go. I enjoyed the Bhutan documentary and it's good to now learn the background to the same story, and hear how the controversy was handled. Actually you've given me an idea for another post on a related topic - coming up soon. A final word on telling tall tales - my wife must have now told me a million times to stop exaggerating ;-) That old teachers’ saying “you’re only cheating yourself” springs to mind. You make a good point Mark, especially for those bloggers who at some point (most probably fall into this category) find it hard to come up with a new idea. Make it clear you’re exploring ideas, let the creative juices flow and allow the mind to take you wherever it wants to go.
I enjoyed the Bhutan documentary and it’s good to now learn the background to the same story, and hear how the controversy was handled. Actually you’ve given me an idea for another post on a related topic – coming up soon.
A final word on telling tall tales – my wife must have now told me a million times to stop exaggerating ;-)

]]> By: Mark Pawlak https://www.501places.com/2010/10/telling-the-truth-in-your-blog-does-it-matter/#comment-22582 Mark Pawlak Tue, 05 Oct 2010 11:49:07 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3878#comment-22582 Andy, Truth is subjective, we all know this. So who's to dispute what you write? When it comes to making up experiences so that your blog is more exciting, either get out more or make it clear you are a fantasist. Now there's definitely a place for the second option in travel blog writing. Just turn your piece inward, explore the possibilities that could happen, and in doing so never compromise the 'truth'. David has it neatly with justifying chronological lapses, well put. I just had it out with the BBC on its discovery of tigers in Bhutan, as local reports slammed the Beeb's claims, saying they had discovered them years ago. The Beeb handled it well: in the end you can exaggerate or frame an event, only you really know how many miles you trekked! Mp Andy,

Truth is subjective, we all know this. So who’s to dispute what you write?

When it comes to making up experiences so that your blog is more exciting, either get out more or make it clear you are a fantasist.

Now there’s definitely a place for the second option in travel blog writing. Just turn your piece inward, explore the possibilities that could happen, and in doing so never compromise the ‘truth’.

David has it neatly with justifying chronological lapses, well put.

I just had it out with the BBC on its discovery of tigers in Bhutan, as local reports slammed the Beeb’s claims, saying they had discovered them years ago. The Beeb handled it well: in the end you can exaggerate or frame an event, only you really know how many miles you trekked!

Mp

]]> By: Anil https://www.501places.com/2010/10/telling-the-truth-in-your-blog-does-it-matter/#comment-22571 Anil Tue, 05 Oct 2010 08:36:52 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3878#comment-22571 I suppose it depends on what your blog is about, but relationships with your audience are difficult to build. It's a much more successful strategy to go after what you have seen and know then try and cut corners, potentially hurting your reputation with the people that follow your site. As Pam mentions though, if you're writing stories, then it's OK to go in different directions - just be sure the people reading can tell the difference. I suppose it depends on what your blog is about, but relationships with your audience are difficult to build. It’s a much more successful strategy to go after what you have seen and know then try and cut corners, potentially hurting your reputation with the people that follow your site.

As Pam mentions though, if you’re writing stories, then it’s OK to go in different directions – just be sure the people reading can tell the difference.

]]> By: Today in Travel News for October 4th 2010 https://www.501places.com/2010/10/telling-the-truth-in-your-blog-does-it-matter/#comment-22562 Today in Travel News for October 4th 2010 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 05:03:19 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3878#comment-22562 [...] 501 Places » Blog Archive » Telling the truth in your blog: does it matter? – Shar... – 501places.com Is it good enough to just follow the crowd? This may be a sensitive topic but one that I thought worthy of discussion. After all, most of us who manage our own blogs are, in effect, writers, editors and publishers. We choose what we write about, we produce the content, we proof it and we are responsible for the output. So how much effort do we put into making sure that what we write is true and factually accurate? And does it actually matter to our readers anyway? Do people read our blogs to be..   show all text [...] [...] 501 Places » Blog Archive » Telling the truth in your blog: does it matter? – Shar… – 501places.com Is it good enough to just follow the crowd? This may be a sensitive topic but one that I thought worthy of discussion. After all, most of us who manage our own blogs are, in effect, writers, editors and publishers. We choose what we write about, we produce the content, we proof it and we are responsible for the output. So how much effort do we put into making sure that what we write is true and factually accurate? And does it actually matter to our readers anyway? Do people read our blogs to be..   show all text [...]

]]> By: Andy Jarosz https://www.501places.com/2010/10/telling-the-truth-in-your-blog-does-it-matter/#comment-22543 Andy Jarosz Mon, 04 Oct 2010 22:36:06 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3878#comment-22543 Thanks David and Pam for your comments. Like you both say, it's dependent on context. Agree that chronology of events is not something to get hung up on if a different order helps tells the story. As for the 7ft tall 5 ft wide waiter, he'll be the one that chased after the Brit who didn't leave a tip I guess ;-) Quotes are a good example. In corporate commissions I often record one thing and write another, hopefully the same message in more eloquent way. Mind you, there is sometimes yet another version published (after editor and then interviewee has had a final look). Thanks David and Pam for your comments. Like you both say, it’s dependent on context. Agree that chronology of events is not something to get hung up on if a different order helps tells the story. As for the 7ft tall 5 ft wide waiter, he’ll be the one that chased after the Brit who didn’t leave a tip I guess ;-)
Quotes are a good example. In corporate commissions I often record one thing and write another, hopefully the same message in more eloquent way. Mind you, there is sometimes yet another version published (after editor and then interviewee has had a final look).

]]> By: pam https://www.501places.com/2010/10/telling-the-truth-in-your-blog-does-it-matter/#comment-22541 pam Mon, 04 Oct 2010 22:14:14 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3878#comment-22541 What's your purpose when you write? If you're trying to offer genuine, credible advice to a traveler, then your facts should be correct. If you're trying to save a visitor from a gawdawful hotel or restaurant, you should be able to back up your claims with facts that makes sense and aren't personalized -- it's easy to sound like a jerk when you write a bad review when "I can't recommend this place" is enough, really, and very honest. As for storytelling, as long as it's very clear that it's a story, not something masquerading as advice, well, this is where the fun is, isn't it? It's nice, I think, to be able to cross reference with something a little more factual if the context is service oriented. But if it's just a story, why can't the waiter be 7 feet tall 5 feet wide? What’s your purpose when you write? If you’re trying to offer genuine, credible advice to a traveler, then your facts should be correct. If you’re trying to save a visitor from a gawdawful hotel or restaurant, you should be able to back up your claims with facts that makes sense and aren’t personalized — it’s easy to sound like a jerk when you write a bad review when “I can’t recommend this place” is enough, really, and very honest.

As for storytelling, as long as it’s very clear that it’s a story, not something masquerading as advice, well, this is where the fun is, isn’t it? It’s nice, I think, to be able to cross reference with something a little more factual if the context is service oriented. But if it’s just a story, why can’t the waiter be 7 feet tall 5 feet wide?

]]> By: David Whitley https://www.501places.com/2010/10/telling-the-truth-in-your-blog-does-it-matter/#comment-22523 David Whitley Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:09:09 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3878#comment-22523 Another example: Quotes. Do you write down exactly what was said, or do you tidy it up a bit to remove the ums, ahs, long-winded padding and digressions. As long as the meaning stays the same, and as the speaker intended, a little judicious alteration of the verbatim 'truth' is often beneficial for all concerned. Another example: Quotes. Do you write down exactly what was said, or do you tidy it up a bit to remove the ums, ahs, long-winded padding and digressions. As long as the meaning stays the same, and as the speaker intended, a little judicious alteration of the verbatim ‘truth’ is often beneficial for all concerned.

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