Dear Audience, Please Shut Up
When I plop down my hard-earned cash to attend a concert, I do so in order to hear the glorious band and the soaring voice of the vocalist. I do not attend to hear YOU sing. That’s right, I’m talking to you, fellow concert attendees.
There’s an alarming trend that is taking place at venues around the globe: massive audience sing-a-longs that drown out the real thing.
There is a similar movement within the blogosphere. Your favorite blogger begins to drift off into the distance, as “guest” bloggers start to fill the space. Before you know it, you rarely hear from the person who was your entire reason for reading in the first place.
Building an ensemble cast is nice, but if your favorite character goes away, you might not be as inclined to read or watch. Imagine LOST without Jack. You would probably still watch, but if he was your favorite character, you might lose interest.
A blog is an even more personal experience. Writers build bonds with their audience, and should be very careful when phasing themselves out of the equation.
I’m not fooling myself, I realize every blogger is replaceable. But keep in mind that your visitors are there to hear you sing – not the audience. Before you pass the mic to another performer, make sure you’re not damaging your overall product.
What do you think?