I was reading some chick's blog who is apparently pretty good (read popular) at the whole blogging deal and thinking to myself that these days, anything with a little internet lingo, swear words,dipsomania tales or not-very-pleasing-to-the-eye kind of clothes passes for good writing! thank you for putting it so nicely, couldn't agree more!

I don't write well. I just write. And I still think that this new breed of wannabe bloggers is extremely annoying!

Mediocre writing, and I even noticed someone post a conversation with her husband on her blog and her post sounded uncannily like one of mine. Well. I should be gratified, considering just how highly I think of my writing. (I don't, in case I wasn't clear) But I am not of course. And blogfulls of mediocre/ horrible writing. In either italics or bold or both, mind you.

I don't know about the mediocrity in print journalism, they have been repeating the same C&H in Bangalore Times for the last three days and that is all I noticed. But these pretentious, recently married, constantly pretending to be career oriented, well balanced, excessively sweet neo-bloggers (they should call themselves commenters, not bloggers) will be the death of me.

If a certain Mr AbhiD (who thinks the content of my blog is questionable and in bad taste) is not, that is. I don't know why everyone around wants me to feel like a celebrity. I should give in I think.

De-lurking today (not sure though, I may have commented earlier) because this post is exactly what I have been ranting about for the last one week.

@Grace - I think I know who you are talking about ;-) How have you been btw? Long time...

@Tamanna - Thanks for commenting.
There will always be mediocre blogging, just as there will always be superior or plain blogging. I think it's fine.

Blogging offers new opportunities to people who earlier could only dream about having an audience for their thoughts.

I just have a problem when bad writers start getting published professionally. Its like bad bathroom singers signing big record deals (which as we know, also happens!).

And who is this AbhiD? Block him, I say!

I'm reading 'Life Class' by Diana Atthill and one part of this very long book is about when she was chief editor for Andre Deutsch. How times have changed.
It seems to me that mostly now celebs are hired to have their life story told by a ghost writer and they are churned out like sausage and make money. So that's alright then. It makes me both mad and sad.
I hope you do go back to professional writing but hope you stay blogging

Oh, that was a no brainer :P Though I was also talking about a lot of blogs by teenagers which made me go 'oh! oh okay..!' but then they don't come under the professional tag of course. But so many of them want to emulate the kind of writers you mention, that the thought of having them write for our newspapers/magazines next scares me a little.
I is back from the shadows :) thank you for asking!

As if it isn't enough that language, grammar and punctuation are being butchered, they have to go and write about things such as, I quote 'hair virginity' (apparently a term for hair that's never been coloured or chemically treated) and 'how men check women out'. Seriously?!

I find the language tedious in most Indian newspapers. It isn't crisp enough to hold my attention.

Hey CC !
Tehy write in news paper now with many many mistake. It's not only gramattical and spelling but also contents. The choice is so limited. I find myself reading the kids newspaper, a fun paper called Robin age with more enjoyment. Better written and put together than most main stream newspapers. But I love the blogosphere. And a website used an article from the blog and.... they're paying. Rs.3 per word.Now that feels almost as good as a flattering comment. So now it's a toss up for you. Writing or baking? Or pro writing about baking ? The world is your oven or ... editorial.

@Pat - Thank you, I will continue blogging for sure. As long as I know you're reading :-)

@Dewdrop - Hair virginity!?! Ah well, at least they're trying to be innovative ;-)

@Clem - Why can't I bake and write? And keep the two separate. I love eating and I love making the stuff, but writing about it just sucks the fun out of everything. When I was a rookie journalist, food writing was dumped on us by seniors for sheer torture. It's the equivalent of asking the interns to get coffee!

GRACE PERSONIFIED:
"I was reading some chick's blog who is apparently pretty good (read popular) at the whole blogging deal and thinking to myself that these days, anything with a little internet lingo, swear words,dipsomania tales or not-very-pleasing-to-the-eye kind of clothes passes for good writing! thank you for putting it so nicely, couldn't agree more!"

That could be like any of the very many commercial blog I have come across in the past 3 or so years!!!

I will however make a confession that I have never shied away from acknowledging: I HATE to edit myself even though I have been paid to edit copy and am very efficient at it!

That aside, I will buy a brand new bookcase for all your books. You owe it to the world babe.

My dear Cloudcutter,

Ever since I discovered your blog through my SIMC student, Gauri Sarang, I have admired your writing and said so openly and without reservations in my comments at the specific posts that I thought were professionally written and could stand their own in any place.

I am happy that, at last, you are now discovering for yourself how good you are and how more than nine-tenths of the stuff that appears in the newspapers is junk.

I am also thrilled that your discovery is not accompanied by the false modesty that is an unfortunate under-current of your reflections about yourself. The restoration of your self-love and self-esteem is admirable.

Go for it, CC, get yourself a job and write. Fortunately, there are still some places that admire and accept good writing.

As a professional editor, who's been at the desk since 1983, and been teaching print journalism as a regular visiting faculty in Pune since 1987, it will be my pleasure to recommend you, if you wish.

Peace and love,
- Joe.