I have a confession to make to you, my dear readers. I might even owe you an apology. Maybe you can help me understand if I do or not.
Last night I posted a LONG blog that was some writing I did yesterday on a personal issue that involves one of my children. While I didn't name the child, anyone who knows the family could discern who it was. So this morning, I deleted it. I censored my blog for the first time. I actually have mixed feelings about it. It seems that on a blog, I should be able to 'let it all hang out'. BUT I would never want to jeopardize my children's privacy or comfort level with it. So I ask you this, if you are a reader with children who hang with my kids, please keep my blog a secret from them. Is that reasonable? Then, I don't have to worry about a kid getting on and reading 'grown-up talk'. Is that a fair request? (nod yes or shake no) It's not that there are any secrets, but we all know some things are intended to be read and understood from the grown-up perspective only.
I'm opposed to censorship on principle although I believe in prudence. Now with the growing number of risque ya novels, I worry that our high school libraries will have trouble stocking great, fresh titles just because the other stuff seems to sell more. But I don't think it should be censored--ever. Not any kind of art.
So with all that in mind, I promise to use good judgment in the future and not censor. And if anyone is dying to read my last night's post (may be especially interested to my friends in the profession of psychology), I'll be happy to send it to you via e-mail.
I'm nearing my 100th blog. How should we celebrate? I think I'm going to offer some kind of challenge, so stay tuned.
Isabel by Donna Jones Koppelman
Major Bear at the Grove Park Inn by Donna Jones Koppelman
4 comments:
I think you were wise to remove that blog entry. I don't call that censoring, I call it discretion. This isn't an absolutely private diary, and when you see you've overstepped your own sharing boundaries, it's sensible to retrieve it before you publish it. That's called being a caring and loving mother. Amen.
Second, as far as censoring the "art" that passes for some YA novels, phooey. That's not art, it's business.
BTW, isn't it neat that Hugo Cabret won the Caldecott medal?
Hooray for your 100th blog entry.
I am not in the writing field, but I completely agree with Dorothy- it was the right thing to do. Congrats on the blog!
I agree too Donna. And I don't think self-censorship is the same as regular old censorship anyway.
100 blogs! It's been great fun and very entertaining/uplifting for me. Thanks for sharing your life and your perspective. Here's to 10000 more!
I've deleted blog entries on occasion too. Sometimes the next day you just realize that you said too much.
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