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

[sunnydale47.livejournal.com]

I've always felt that one's personal journal is exactly that: personal. I very much enjoy sharing my thoughts and activities with others, but ultimately, what I write in it is up to me. That isn't to say I don't self-censor to a degree, but usually only in terms of interest, not ideas. I have very strong opinions, and I express them in my journal; if someone is offended, they need to quit reading what I write. That said, I do put everything longer than two or three paragraphs behind a cut tag so people can choose what they want to read. Once they click on it, they've asked to read it, in a sense, so what they see is what they get.

I keep that principle in mind when I read others' journals, too. I wouldn't dream of telling someone I found their posts offensive. It's their journal -- if I don't like what I find I can just stop reading it. (Fortunately that's not ever been an issue, possibly because I'm so selective about whose journals I read in the first place.) If I disagree with something I read in a friend's journal I may say so, depending on how well I know the person, but I'll disagree civilly and respectfully.

In communities, I try to make sure my posts are both on-topic and interesting and/or helpful. My experience with helping has been different from the one you described -- I always try to be helpful, and if I've inadvertently pissed a few people off that way I do regret it, but I've garnered enough positive responses to feel that supplying links and information is very much appreciated by many people, particularly the ones asking for information.

You're a very interesting person, CJ -- whatever you write about, I know it will be worth reading.