Why do I say "no thanks" to some blogs?
Submitted by reflectionsadmin on Tue, 28/08/2007 - 17:26.
this.site
[textile]It has been brought to my attention that some people who have requested that their blog is aggregated on testingReflections and subsequently were declined feel somewhat rejected - or indeed bitter about this.
I expected this, however, it doesn't make me feel any less disappointed about it. It was inevitable that egos would be bruised the moment I had to start saying "no".
h2. Personal Feelings or Disservice to the Community?
What I didn't expect was the nature of some of the remarks. One individual has "He can regret later :-)" and another emphasised this by responding "Yes he will". These statements were interpreted as bitterness by the (respected) individual that contacted me about it. These apparently emotional responses of a bruised ego than a genuine belief that I have done the community a disservice by excluding their blogs from aggregation. If the latter is also true (as these statements aren't mutually exclusive), then I welcome them to make their case again and cite their reasons as to why it is a disservice to the community.
h2. Flooding RSS readers and the TR homepage
If I aggregated every blog that was sent to me the quantity of posts churning through the main feed and the homepage would be off-putting or unbearable to most users. Quality and diversity combined play the key role in any editorial decision I make about aggregating a blog. If the subject matter is already covered in detail by several others then, unless the new blog has compelling content (e.g. is especially insightful) or offers a credible alternative point of view (i.e. isn't simply attention seeking) then I don't add it.
h2. What TR is and isn't
Remember, testingReflections is a community but it isn't a social networking site (that isn't to say there isn't space for one elsewhere). Its reputation isn't based on quantity of content or the ability to hang out with people who share your professional-identity but more on informative content. It isn't intended to make lots of money, it was merely something that I was looking for and couldn't find so I built it. It seems that others found it interesting and used it too. This motivated me to maintain it.
h2. How Editorial Decisions are Made
My role is essentially as an editor. As time has gone on I've found it harder and harder to decide which blogs are aggregated and which ones aren't. To help me, I approached some of the people I respect in the community (some aggregated - some who are not) to help me in these editorial decisions. It has become harder and harder to decide which blogs should or shouldn't be aggregated. Be assured, that I rarely make the decision on my own these days.
The decision is based on a lot of factors. Sometimes, a blog simply doesn't cut it - especially among some of the fantastic writers, well known and lesser known experts already represented. A lot of the time - a blog isn't aggregated because I feel the subject matter is already addressed on testingReflections by one or more of the best and most recognised in the field. Often, the declined blogs heavily reference these very blogs, adding no additional insight or opposing view.
Recently, I accepted the role of one of the Technical Editors for Better Software Magazine. I wonder, is this what I should expect? Will people be as disgruntled if I turn down one of their articles for the magazine even though it says much the same thing as a leading expert who has covered the same subject in a recent issue? This is much the same concept. Generally, should I expect to be resented every time I decline an article for the magazine - especially if it simply just doesn't cut it?
h2. Who am I to say? So, don't give up!
If you think your blog should be aggregated then do make your case! Who knows, I simply may not have seen it yet (there are a lot out there). If you have told me about it and I've not got back to you - I can only apologise but I do get a lot of e-mails (and spam) and reviewing each site takes time... Keep pestering me!
Is your blog as good as the blogs already aggregated (such as the names appearing on the blogroll)? Does it cover different subject matter? Does it offer a different point of view? Does it offer lots of practical how-tos in a technology under-represented?
Is there a special quality in your content that I've missed? Have you since written more content and seen the marked improvement in your own work and think it's worth re-evaluation? Is there someone who is already aggregated that will champion your blog (for example, much of the time, I discover new blogs through references made by existing testingReflections aggregated or hosted bloggers). Am I doing the community a disservice by not aggregating someone's blog?
My role is analogous to chief editor, as the final decision maker, but I'm not in an ivory tower - I have a panel of individuals that I call upon when it isn't a clear cut decision (believe me, few of them are clear cut).
Whatever your case - do make it!
h2. It's about value to the community
In the mean time, I urge the community and those within it who have had their blogs declined to look beyond their personal feelings (egos or frustration or derailed-agendas) and focus on the value their blogs add to the community. If you feel the value it adds warrants inclusion then you shouldn't give up. I wouldn't!
So, rather than complain about rejection and profess the regret that I will one day feel, tell me why the community would want testingReflections to aggregate your blog or take the opportunity to seek more feedback... Even better, get the community to tell me why I should aggregate it!
In short - rather than speak *about* me, speak *to* me.
The decision is always based on my understanding of the value of the content to the community - relative to the information testingReflections already gives them access to. Talk to me in those terms and you will make a much stronger case.
And whatever you do... don't take it personally!
Thank you to all those who continue to support testingReflections.
All the best,
--Antony Marcano
I expected this, however, it doesn't make me feel any less disappointed about it. It was inevitable that egos would be bruised the moment I had to start saying "no".
h2. Personal Feelings or Disservice to the Community?
What I didn't expect was the nature of some of the remarks. One individual has "He can regret later :-)" and another emphasised this by responding "Yes he will". These statements were interpreted as bitterness by the (respected) individual that contacted me about it. These apparently emotional responses of a bruised ego than a genuine belief that I have done the community a disservice by excluding their blogs from aggregation. If the latter is also true (as these statements aren't mutually exclusive), then I welcome them to make their case again and cite their reasons as to why it is a disservice to the community.
h2. Flooding RSS readers and the TR homepage
If I aggregated every blog that was sent to me the quantity of posts churning through the main feed and the homepage would be off-putting or unbearable to most users. Quality and diversity combined play the key role in any editorial decision I make about aggregating a blog. If the subject matter is already covered in detail by several others then, unless the new blog has compelling content (e.g. is especially insightful) or offers a credible alternative point of view (i.e. isn't simply attention seeking) then I don't add it.
h2. What TR is and isn't
Remember, testingReflections is a community but it isn't a social networking site (that isn't to say there isn't space for one elsewhere). Its reputation isn't based on quantity of content or the ability to hang out with people who share your professional-identity but more on informative content. It isn't intended to make lots of money, it was merely something that I was looking for and couldn't find so I built it. It seems that others found it interesting and used it too. This motivated me to maintain it.
h2. How Editorial Decisions are Made
My role is essentially as an editor. As time has gone on I've found it harder and harder to decide which blogs are aggregated and which ones aren't. To help me, I approached some of the people I respect in the community (some aggregated - some who are not) to help me in these editorial decisions. It has become harder and harder to decide which blogs should or shouldn't be aggregated. Be assured, that I rarely make the decision on my own these days.
The decision is based on a lot of factors. Sometimes, a blog simply doesn't cut it - especially among some of the fantastic writers, well known and lesser known experts already represented. A lot of the time - a blog isn't aggregated because I feel the subject matter is already addressed on testingReflections by one or more of the best and most recognised in the field. Often, the declined blogs heavily reference these very blogs, adding no additional insight or opposing view.
Recently, I accepted the role of one of the Technical Editors for Better Software Magazine. I wonder, is this what I should expect? Will people be as disgruntled if I turn down one of their articles for the magazine even though it says much the same thing as a leading expert who has covered the same subject in a recent issue? This is much the same concept. Generally, should I expect to be resented every time I decline an article for the magazine - especially if it simply just doesn't cut it?
h2. Who am I to say? So, don't give up!
If you think your blog should be aggregated then do make your case! Who knows, I simply may not have seen it yet (there are a lot out there). If you have told me about it and I've not got back to you - I can only apologise but I do get a lot of e-mails (and spam) and reviewing each site takes time... Keep pestering me!
Is your blog as good as the blogs already aggregated (such as the names appearing on the blogroll)? Does it cover different subject matter? Does it offer a different point of view? Does it offer lots of practical how-tos in a technology under-represented?
Is there a special quality in your content that I've missed? Have you since written more content and seen the marked improvement in your own work and think it's worth re-evaluation? Is there someone who is already aggregated that will champion your blog (for example, much of the time, I discover new blogs through references made by existing testingReflections aggregated or hosted bloggers). Am I doing the community a disservice by not aggregating someone's blog?
My role is analogous to chief editor, as the final decision maker, but I'm not in an ivory tower - I have a panel of individuals that I call upon when it isn't a clear cut decision (believe me, few of them are clear cut).
Whatever your case - do make it!
h2. It's about value to the community
In the mean time, I urge the community and those within it who have had their blogs declined to look beyond their personal feelings (egos or frustration or derailed-agendas) and focus on the value their blogs add to the community. If you feel the value it adds warrants inclusion then you shouldn't give up. I wouldn't!
So, rather than complain about rejection and profess the regret that I will one day feel, tell me why the community would want testingReflections to aggregate your blog or take the opportunity to seek more feedback... Even better, get the community to tell me why I should aggregate it!
In short - rather than speak *about* me, speak *to* me.
The decision is always based on my understanding of the value of the content to the community - relative to the information testingReflections already gives them access to. Talk to me in those terms and you will make a much stronger case.
And whatever you do... don't take it personally!
Thank you to all those who continue to support testingReflections.
All the best,
--Antony Marcano