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I write differently for different audiences. LiveJournal brings this out in intriguing ways.
Recently, I gave up on trying to write a journal entry because I couldn't figure out what friends-group I wanted to use nor could I figure out how to present the content well for that group. (It wasn't even raunchy; I have a filter for that.)
Also recently, I found out that a somewhat-sensitive person has stopped following my journal.
Now I'm noodling about tailoring my writing to a specific audience.
Connotations and nuances of words
I've seen weeks-long 'net flamewars on the meanings of words. I find that on LiveJournal, if I don't feel like trying very hard to write accurately, I often won't bother posting at all. Occasionally I'll mark an entry 'private', but that's rare. (Why is it rare?) I drop lots of things this way.
Existing relationship between writer and reader
I try not to lecture my friends or dump my entire emotional state to my boss. On LiveJournal, I see myself editing for this mainly in comments. How well I know a person makes a big difference in what I'll say. This is an interesting area to observe, both on LJ and in my daily verbal interactions, because often how I treat a person can not only be defined by our relationship but also begin to define it. Years ago I watched a young woman destroy any chance of having a support group (or, really, any "friends") in one online forum by always making sure she was the one to OFFER advice and support (thus making anyone who put up with that into a "student").
Sensitivities
People get offended by different things. At first glance, this seems to be another fine thing to take into account, but here there are times when honesty can suffer. The lines between sensitivity, tact, don't-ask-don't-tell, and lying by omission can get blurry. There are things I won't write about in my journal because I know some people who follow it will be bothered. In what circumstances do I think this is "good"? Would this vanish, for me, with enough friends-filters? Will I write differently now that this one person isn't reading? If so, what was I afraid of, and why didn't I simply make a filter long ago? I'm still mulling this over.
Recently, I gave up on trying to write a journal entry because I couldn't figure out what friends-group I wanted to use nor could I figure out how to present the content well for that group. (It wasn't even raunchy; I have a filter for that.)
Also recently, I found out that a somewhat-sensitive person has stopped following my journal.
Now I'm noodling about tailoring my writing to a specific audience.
Connotations and nuances of words
I've seen weeks-long 'net flamewars on the meanings of words. I find that on LiveJournal, if I don't feel like trying very hard to write accurately, I often won't bother posting at all. Occasionally I'll mark an entry 'private', but that's rare. (Why is it rare?) I drop lots of things this way.
Existing relationship between writer and reader
I try not to lecture my friends or dump my entire emotional state to my boss. On LiveJournal, I see myself editing for this mainly in comments. How well I know a person makes a big difference in what I'll say. This is an interesting area to observe, both on LJ and in my daily verbal interactions, because often how I treat a person can not only be defined by our relationship but also begin to define it. Years ago I watched a young woman destroy any chance of having a support group (or, really, any "friends") in one online forum by always making sure she was the one to OFFER advice and support (thus making anyone who put up with that into a "student").
Sensitivities
People get offended by different things. At first glance, this seems to be another fine thing to take into account, but here there are times when honesty can suffer. The lines between sensitivity, tact, don't-ask-don't-tell, and lying by omission can get blurry. There are things I won't write about in my journal because I know some people who follow it will be bothered. In what circumstances do I think this is "good"? Would this vanish, for me, with enough friends-filters? Will I write differently now that this one person isn't reading? If so, what was I afraid of, and why didn't I simply make a filter long ago? I'm still mulling this over.
no subject
The strange thing for me about LJ, is that I DON'T keep the audience in mind as much as I do, say, in my posts to women30s; I figure, pretty much, that if folks don't want to read my stuff, they can take me off their friends list or whatever, whereas on 30s, I sent the e-mail to THEM, hence I'm more mindful of audience.
Except this journal is different from the ones I keep on paper. Specifically, I update it more, and that's because I have an audience, there's a reason to write, it's not just intellectual masterbation (or if it is, y'all are pervs for wanting to watch. ::grin::).
Anyway, this post of yours hit home with a fellow geek-girl; I've been thinking about this more since my 'friend of' list grew larger than my 'friends' list, and I find I use the 'friends only' key a lot more. Mainly, it's 'cause I know most of the folks who aren't on MY friends list are reading 'cause they like Egypt more than they care about my personal life, so I try to keep the personal ones where they won't bore folks. Like I'm a photographer, and self-portraits or pics of my kids are only passed around among my friends, while the 'daily life of an ex-pat in cairo' pics go on public display.