Know Your Audience

[cjsmith]

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.

Comments

[lesliepear.livejournal.com]

I'm probably the worst person to advise on this. Most of my posts are cross posted to women30s, oct02 (my baby list, as they are baby related) and lj. There's some overlap with w30/lj but that's a handful of people. I've occasionally done friends only - mostly to keep anyone from work out (if I'm gripping about it). I figure if you don't like my writing, unfriend me.

That said, I've been befriended somehow by a teenager who doesn't write anything of interest :(

[sunnydale47.livejournal.com]

I've been befriended somehow by a teenager who doesn't write anything of interest :(

I have one of those also -- she's even left a comment once in awhile, although she hasn't in a long time. I've never understood why she's interested in my journal. I haven't put her on my friends list but she still has me on hers, as do the other two or three people whom I haven't "added back." I wonder where they come from? I've never heard of any of them!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I too have a handful of Friend Ofs whom I've never otherwise heard of. I don't know where they come from either, unless they tell me! Friendsfriends? Communities? Nor do I know why they're interested in my journal. Many, if not all, I've befriended back, mainly out of curiosity. Perhaps I'll get to know them. Some don't seem to write in their journals very often; some have never commented in my journal, either; others I've struck up "conversations" with, and have indeed gotten to know.

LJ is such an interesting social space!