Apr | 30 | 2008

Are You A Fence Sitter?

Posted by Jimmy as Blog Tutorial, Tips, Writing, Opinion

The Free Dictionary defines this expression as:

fence sitter
n. Informal
One who takes a position of neutrality or indecision, as in a controversial matter.

Take a look at some of your posts which feature particularly controversial topics. For example, when it comes to blogging practices, we have topics such as keyword density, black hat or grey hat SEO, and the like. For blogs that tackle many other topics, politics, religion, etc. could be controversial topics.

In those posts, did you voice out a definite opinion on the issue at hand? Did you choose a side and defend it? Or did you merely present both sides of the issue and left the decision to your readers? The latter is what I’d like to call fence sitter.

Though the term I have chosen might seem to have a negative connotation for some, I think that either approach can work well when it comes to writing for blogs. Try going back to some posts of your favorite bloggers. You will find out that some of them vehemently take a stand in all issues. Yet I am sure that some of them prefer to take on a neutral voice.

So what’s wrong with that? In some cases, we really have to pick sides. There are certain issues, I believe, which require bloggers to speak up and make their thoughts known. Playing it safe will not work all the time. When that moment arrives for you – and I am sure it will, many times over – then do not hesitate to jump off that fence post. Whether you jump to the left or to the right, it does not matter. Just make a choice and stick to it!

Tags: Blog Tutorial, Opinion, tips, writing

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