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How authentic can you really be on the web?

I've been reading a lot of blog posts lately about bloggers having a hard time being real and authentic on their blogs. We worry about who is reading - including our family, friends, and co-workers. Are bloggers being fake by not sharing hurts, trials, and struggles? Is it prudent to keep those things to ourselves? I don't even know how much I want to share on the web.

I recently closed my parenting blog, because I didn't have time for the demands of a high-pressure blog and I am excited about reviving my low-pressure personal blog. I just don't know how "real" I want to be. I certainly don't want my mother calling me up to comment on my posts (like she has in the past.) I think for now - I will be as real as the web will let me. Beyond that I will stick to sort-of hidden forums like these and talk to folks one-on-one.

How real are you on your own blogs? Have you gotten flack from your family about your blog?

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Permalink Reply by Liz on January 19, 2010 at 10:43am

Only a few members of my family know about my blog and they are the more accepting members of my family. When I began my blog I didn't want any of my friends or family to know about it because I was afraid that would hender my writing and I wanted a place to freely say what came to my mind. My brother is linked to my blog which is fine with me because he openly writes what he feels on his blog and knows that I don't care. He did share my blog with my mother and aunt and i've told them outright that while my blog is generally passive I may post a rant about something and they may not like it. But it is my personal blog so people may not always like what I have to say and thats fine.

As far as how real I am on my blog, my blog is relatively passive, but i'm honest about who I am. I don't share a lot of detailed personal information though. But I just don't think I could sustain an interesting blog by censoring myself.

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Permalink Reply by Storm on January 21, 2010 at 8:29pm

I'm real - I blog like I would if I was just talking in my kitchen. Those who read my blog know my life is far from perfect, disasters happen.

My mother does read my blog sometimes, but I don't let that censor me.

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Permalink Reply by Amanda E on January 24, 2010 at 9:30pm

Thanks Liz and Storm! :) I needed a place to rant and MBC was a good place to do that. Unfortunately, I think I do let the fact that my mom and dad read my blog censor me. Its kind of annoying, but I really hate answering their questions about my blog posts on the phone. Instead, I'll just email a friend if I really need to rant. At least that is offline and won't be on the web forever.

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Permalink Reply by Molly Snyder on January 27, 2010 at 10:04pm

I've been thinking a lot about this lately. It's interesting, because I blogged very quietly for about 2 1/2 years. It was almost all family and friends reading it. And finally, at their urging, I decided to start "letting it out there" more. I am now finding that it's easier to be authentic talking to ~~strangers~~ new friends than it was to people I knew.

I am very real. Sure there are boundaries. Nothing that will hurt people I love or embarrass them. Nothing that will get me or someone I know fired...etc.