This past week and weekend have been interesting to say the least…

I wrote my first real post after the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop and it has gotten a few visits and I found that exciting.  My first comment was great.  Someone letting me know they appreciate my writing and to keep on doing it.  Yes, that is what a writer likes to hear and thank you’s are always in order.   I have heard the other stories though,  seen the comments some fools have left for other writers and have left behind a few negative remarks to others over the years myself.  Can you smell the karma beginning to work?

It really was no surprise that I got one too, only so soon?  I got my first weird comment.   I deleted it, it was worthless and rude.  Then I got a message from them on my facebook.  Oh yea, persistence at work.  What is funny about it all was that it had nothing to do with writing at all.  It had nothing to do with Erma, or the workshop that I had attended and wrote about.   It got me to thinking and this is what all that thinking boiled down to.

The following is based on that silly facebook message.

One of the most repeated ‘to do’s'  as a writer of any level is to start a blog.  There are a lot of places on the web to do this.   They are available to all ranges of web experience.  They have a lot in common, their templates do the hard work for us.  Almost everyone who picks a blog site initially relies on its talent to get it off the ground so we can display our talents.  More often than not, the site is continued in this manner and is run by templates with no plans of ever expanding.   We all know and understand that the individuality of each blog design is then limited by someone’s  shared designs.   The format, the layout, the pics to choose, the fonts available.    I think this great,  because not everyone wants to learn how to design in html or all the other available computer speak website building knowledge needed to make a truly one of a kind outstanding site.   Everything in a few easy to click motions.

My website as is, took about 5 or 10 minutes to publish.     I figured just use the pat standard, get it up and worry about making it mine over time.  I wrote a few words of nothing just to have a post up and published.  I would worry later about the real content.

WordPress has some “brandings” already written as examples… I left all that in there… yup it is their cute little saying … “just another wordpress blog,” no not my idea at all, and I have no intentions of expanding on the phrase “just another,” that is a tired expression to my thinking.  I have not come up with something yet that would actually catch your attention, but fear not I will.

Ten years ago I did a little web design.  For a while I could do the html stuff without too many looks at my notes; but all of a sudden there were new languages, java got complicated for me, and templates got better.   What does all this have to do with an inappropriate message left on my facebook account?  Hang on I am about there…

My initial plans were to slowly relearn and make my blog more of me as an artist and less of the themes artist.  I did a quick pick of choices.  Then I was off to the workshop.  I wrote my first real story to share online.  I figured I would get nasty remarks about being untalented, or stupid questions about why I call myself a writer.  What I got rather took me aback.  The original comment that I deleted,  this is messed up, I thought.   The facebook message made me think, ok this is just weird.  Would you like to see for yourself?   I’ll be nice and not mention names or the address of their site.  Is that being nice?  I mean, more often than not even a negative remark is looking for attention.  There were several links back to her site.   So by deleting the comment left here, the address from which it came and the name of the sender.. I can comment without giving them any of the glory they sought at my expense.  I can be mean that way.

The names and addresses have been removed… but here is what one  “fellow EBWW writer” sent me… and my reply back.

Jacqueline, I don’t know if you know this or not, but I have had my own (inserted web address removed)  page; and “branding” for a year. My branding reads, “Just another (deleted the rest of her website branding name), ” was my idea. For writers to gain fans and publicity and recognition they need to have unique and independent blogs, logos and branding. I am asking you to choose another picture and branding title, and delete yours now-as a fellow EBWW and writer, Thank you,(deleted name)

I was a little boggled at this…  First off just because we went to the same workshop how dare she try to use that on me.  Not sure Erma could appreciate this one considering I never met either woman.   Just because we both like to write, does not give either of us a right to demand ridiculous things of one another.   I was not even sure what she was talking about with the “branding” remark.  To figure out that she was talking about what wordpress had as their own little “branding” idea, which they automatically put in when you have no idea of your own to replace it with surprised me.   Can I see a show of hands of how many of you thought to choose this particular picture when setting up a word press blog site;  either way in my own thoughts it was a temporary fix, but it is growing on me.  I am beginning to really like that picture… (do you hear the slight evil snicker? that is me)    Here is what I wrote back.

Well hey there (deleted name). You do know that you were working with templates right, thousands choose this photo everyday… I chose it only because I am a little rusty at website work… Took about 5 minutes to throw up and publish to the web. I imagine there are quite a few blogs like it, have you written everyone who uses that particular picture to cease and desist? As far as the branding goes, that was what wordpress inserted, it sounded good to use until I felt like working on it and changing it, so your suggestion that I delete anything could also be asked by wordpress of you… hmmm. no one is going to mistake your site for mine and the use of the fellow EBWW and writer line as a way to guilt me is silly and just not right, but it did give me a laugh. Since our web addresses are completely different I hardly think you need to worry and if you are worried, then write better. Early Creations…

I am all for individuality, branding, and standing up for your work;  but when you are using a public tool with limited choices to start with and no intention of pulling yourself into the page other than what you are writing, be thankful someone out there has offered you that and don’t begrudge someone else using the same.  If after a year, and there is no personal additions to the website other than some post, you have no right to complain at all.

My own logo will take the place of the present header in time, my branding will be of my words and not taken and modified from anyone else’s  ideas.   My artistic abilities will scream from these pages and not some web designers idea of function and beauty all in one free package.   When it all boils down, maybe this is a lesson for us all to learn.  The girl across from you in line is wearing the same walmart shirt, the woman at the table is wearing the same skirt you got at macy’s, the painter down the street is copying de vinci’s work and will sell it as such, how many gucci knockoffs can you find in nyc, and are you going to ask each of them to stop using it because you want to be the only one who has it.