Why Writers Hate Bloggers

Saturday, June 23, 2012 Stef dela Cruz 14 Comments

Why do writers hate bloggers? It’s a question that threatens to open a can of worms. I am a member of both the blogging community and traditional media: I’ve been writing for magazines and newspapers while maintaining my own blog. As both a writer and a blogger, I have been exposed to different scenarios where competition and hostility are common between print writers and bloggers.

Writers Hate Bloggers

It is almost natural for there to be competition between bloggers and writers because they share the same field. However, things have gotten ugly. Bloggers and writers alike tend to generalize each other’s behavior: bloggers “know nothing about writing”, while writers “know it all”. The animosity is saddening. But writers hate bloggers for a reason, and vice versa.

Why Writers and Bloggers Hate Each Other

But what causes this rift between those who write for print and those who do it online? Why the “great divide”? Below are some of the reasons which I heard first-hand from both camps.

  • Bloggers don’t check their grammar. This is according to print writers. They say that many bloggers don’t know their subject-verb agreement. They don’t even know the difference between YOUR and YOU’RE. But is it fair to generalize? I think not. On the other hand, this is a wake-up call to all bloggers: it’s time that we played it right. We do owe it to our readers to at least know our verb tenses, yes?
  • Newspaper writers think they’re superior. This, on the other hand, is according to bloggers. I have heard of nightmarish accounts during media events where traditional media members bashed bloggers, saying outright that the bloggers are just there for the free food. If you ask me, this reveals more about the press people than about the bloggers. And to bloggers, it’s also time that we attended events whether or not there are freebies.

What Bloggers And Writers Should Do

Being both a blogger and a newspaper writer puts me in a unique position. I am proud to be both. And I want nothing more than to get rid of the misconceptions and the nasty finger-pointing that’s been going around the past few years. Here are a few things that both bloggers and writers should do before they start throwing mud at each other.

  • Remember that there is always someone who is better at grammar than you. Many writers criticize bloggers’ grammar. But how many writers out there make many mistakes themselves? Let’s ask the editors – I’m sure they have stories to tell regarding writers’ punctuation and grammar.
  • Remember that to be respected as a writer, you should know the basics of writing. As bloggers, we write incessantly. But for other writers to respect us, we really should brush up on grammar and diction. This advice goes for writers, too: when was the last time you read up on grammar? If you can’t remember, then it’s been way too long.
  • Remember that you are not a beggar. When attending events, we should never beg for goodie bags or compete for free food. These are courtesies extended to us. Although it may be an event organizer’s responsibility to ensure that everyone is fed and given a press release kit, it does not justify acting like food and freebies are the most important reasons for attending an event.
  • Remember to keep your mouth shut if you have nothing nice to say. Nobody likes anyone who loves to pick fights. Nobody likes someone who loves to bully others. So, let’s be neither. And if someone opens his mouth only to say something nasty, then learn to handle negative comments with grace.
  • Remember that others are watching. Behave properly when in an event. Writers, please don’t bash the bloggers. Believe me, I have seen bloggers who write better than you. Bloggers, don’t give writers any reason to hate you. And if they still do, then don’t participate in the mud-slinging – it’s unprofessional. Defend yourselves if you must, but never hit below the belt. Everyone should maintain their dignity, even in anger. Bloggers and writers should get an attitude check once in a while.
  • Remember that we are not necessarily competitors. Print media and online articles have very different audiences. Not everybody likes reading articles online. Not everybody likes browsing a newspaper. There is an untapped partnership between print media and blogs that must be explored. And as there is always politics in blogging and writing, we should learn to deal with all kinds of people.

At the end of the road, what matters is how we treat each other. Let’s all get along. There’s no need for a smear campaign. Both parties have their strengths and flaws – and as a group, pointing out flaws out of spite IS our biggest flaw.

If you have any nightmarish stories to share, do so via a comment. But please be nice; avoid dropping names and getting others in trouble. And if you have an answer to the question, “Why do writers hate bloggers, and vice versa?” then please share it. Smile Don’t hesitate to share this article on Facebook with fellow bloggers and writers, too!

Stef dela CruzAbout the blogger


  1. good post Stef, and yes, unfortunately there are many blogs out there that does not really say anything and the grammar is really terrible. One rule we should remember is to proofread again and again before we publish.

  2. Whoa! Indeed, most of the bloggers does not really know how and when to use subject verb agreement. To be honest I am a frustrated writer and I admit I am not perfect when it comes in writting.

    I hope that my grammar are right.

  3. unfortunately to them, I was a Pilipino Feature Writer (Lathalain Writer) way back my elementary years. I don't care what they say, this is a democratic country, so I respect their opinion and so they respect mine. hahahaha.....

  4. i just resigned myself to just attend events i am interested in going, these people can say whatever they want, but at the end of the day, i'm the only one responsible and accountable to what i do, what would their words do to me anyway, a lot of people will always have something bad to say about you even if you're doing the right things.

    for me personally, expecting too much from a blogger is kind of out of the line, these people are writing stuff they want to in their own language, for me it's an intrusion to their privacy. for instance, what if a blogger who also attends blogging events has an impairment with the english language? i think we should also consider that. let us not make them feel bad about themselves just because most of us know how to write good english, i am an english teacher and i study english for like my whole life and i still have problems with my subject-verb agreement and what-not, would you say i'm stupid just because? if these people who tell us to know our places, then i think they are the ones who needs a reality or self-check if they are being in their right places. for me, this kind of debate or whatever is ridiculous and it only reduces us to monkeys who make noises and bash the ground if we don't get what we want.

    these people should leave the bloggers alone and to the bloggers, improve your writing and sentence construction as you want, but let us not be reduced by these people who think that their positions are authority.

    wala na ba silang ibang problema at bloggers na lang ang pinoproblema nila? lahat tayo may kanya kanyang buhay na dapat inaayos at mga pamilya na dapat inaalagaan. mabuti pa sila. lols

  5. Partly true. There are many bloggers who don't really know how to write. They get by by recycling articles created by more superior bloggers/writers and expanding their readership base by doing tons of contests/giveaways/events instead of writing quality, original content. That's what happens when the barrier to entry is very low and there are no editors/higher-ups to answer to. On the other hand, many traditional media writers are no different from the bloggers that they criticize (hack writers who go to events for the food and loot bags). Just as in anything, there are true professionals and experts (whether bloggers or writers) and there are plain wannabes.

  6. I don't really care if I have poor grammar or vocabulary, as long as I'm happy with what I'm doing, and sharing my insights and frustrations. I'm better than those who do nothing but complain all day and just sit around in front of their computer snacking on chips and softdrinks.

  7. On my personal view, blogging is a fun way of expressing myself.I also that sometimes, I have some wronged gramming on my post but we cannot generalized that bloggers don't check grammars.

    In fact, we do check grammars but there are really times that we also forget some rules of English and other languages that we know or simply a clerical error.

    Actually, blogging has taught me to forget some rules I have learnt on my English class because when they are applied, they are not effective.

    On my first few months in blogging, I also was very conscious about grammar and formality in writing but I set aside these things when know that people actually love to hear and read something that is authentically expressed like a CASUAL conversation, a style that is something familiar to them. On my blog, I even sometimes use jejemon terms & other xpressions that r heard on the street.

    Those so called writers should also put into consideration that most bloggers have no staff - not proof reader, no layout artist, no graphic designer, no photographer, no cartoonist, no editor in chief, no feature writer,no researcher and so on and so forth. Every task is done by the blogger himself or herself.

    Besides, there are also many bloggers who use their blogs as personal diary so we cannot really expect formal writing on that.

    Blogging is an open opportunity for every to share a content in his or her own style, may it be in a form of video, photo, write ups, graphics or audio... as long as it is your original content. Just go go go! Ang importante may earnings!

    Sabi pa doon sa blog ni Semidoppel, "Magbiro ka na sa lasing, wag lang sa blogger na walang earnings." ^_^

  8. I'm a blogger and once a creative writer, and yes, the grammar thing gets to me more than I care to admit.

  9. In blogging you have the freedom of self expression since it is diverse in various artistic representations therefore it's not only about writing FORMALLY with all technicalities and all. In any way, you need not to worry of articles thrown on the trash bin. In here, you will have few criticisms but most importantly you do things RESPECTING each others flaws.

  10. Sbihin na nating blogging is as simple as being independent in writing, kaya nga dito aq nag eemote ng pagsulat kc alam q walang rules, walang teknikalidad, hindi pwedeng sabihin lang na when ur blogging u r writing pano qng photos lang trip mo na i post? The definition of Blogging is as wide as the blogspher as puzzled as the worldwide net... I mean cguro yung mga masyadong sensitive lang na writers o bloggers ang natatamaan at seryoso sa competition pero sa nag ba blog lang dhil ito ay diary nya, hobby nya, or gusto lang magpapansin o seriouly mashare ang ideas nila, walang issue kc tanggap na na may mga prof writers- at yun ang seryosong trabaho nila kaya dapat tingnan ang teknikalidad. Alang nakakahiya ke mali o tama ang grammar- blogger nga( mas maganda tama tlga pero wag pilitin qng indi kaya blogger ka nga- wag ka lang mangopya), mas mahiya qng writer ka at yun ang bread en butter mo pero ligwak ka sa teknikalidad;) just my cents napadaan lang, luv reading ur post stef;)

  11. Thank you, everyone, for your input. :) I hope that bloggers and writers alike will learn valuable lessons from this post and from everybody's comments as well.

    Let's keep blogging and writing to the best of our abilities. And let's not forget to enjoy ourselves!

  12. I can somehow agree with some writers 'cause there are a number of bloggers who don't put too much effort in composing their pieces -- wrong grammar and misplaced punctuation marks. Even as a blogger, it gets to me too. On the other hand, being a blogger is mostly fueled by passion. We attend events not entirely to get freebies. In fact, we go to venues at our own expense, so writers can't generalize that we're just in it for the free goodies. *sigh* I just hope more bloggers and writers can read your piece and realize that we shouldn't hate each other, but instead, help and empower one another.

  13. I hope that writers and bloggers set aside their differences, too, Sumi. But the rivalry (and maybe the envy?) will probably stay for good. Writers envy how bloggers can reach out to so many readers, while bloggers envy how writers are "published". Or perhaps there are other reasons.

    But can you imagine the tandem between a blogger and a writer? It would make a strong team. If only writers and bloggers realize that.

  14. This is why I set up many blogs so I can be profane as I want... though I can write for a living... with decent grammar and all.

    With regard to attending events, I've yet to see for myself how ludicrous can some bloggers be for freebies and whatnot.

