Ok, here's a scenario: Blogger A has a website, on which she writes regularly. Blogger A is funny and has a great way with a turn of phrase. Everyone thinks Blogger A is fabulous. Blogger A has lots of readers.
Blogger B also has a website. Blogger B is entertaining, but a little monotonous and maybe not so original. Not nearly as good of a read as Blogger A, but still browse-worthy. Blogger B has quite a few readers.
After a while, Blogger A posts pictures of herself. Or, maybe, someone else posts pictures featuring Blogger A. Blogger A's entire readership discovers that she is not especially good-looking. Still funny, still has a fantastic way with words. Just not supermodel material, right?
Blogger B also posts a picture or two of herself. She turns out to be gorgeously cute, great hair, great skin - the type you want to hate, but end up begging for makeup tips.
Do you think the blogger's respective readership would change after the picture posting? Do you think you would find yourself more interested in or more respectful towards one of the two bloggers? Do you think that, in a mode of communication dominated entirely by words, looks would have any bearing on the success or failure of a writer?
I know what I think. Now tell me your thoughts.
P.S. Updates on the live-in-toddler coming soon. I promise!
Wait a minute...did I post pictures of myself on my blog or something??? :D
Really, though, I get a mental picture in my head from people's writings, and often have a very hard time assimilating that with actual photographs of that person. Also, I don't really care what someone looks like if they have a good "voice." So I would continue to prefer Blogger A.
mk
Posted by: markira | January 03, 2007 at 08:26 PM
I think that witty, engaging writing trumps all, but I also think that photos of any kind add a nice dimension to a blog. I'm not sure that cuteness really plays as much of a factor...but I could be blind to such a bias?
Posted by: janet | January 03, 2007 at 10:43 PM
I know this is horrible, but I read this blog of this girl who was hilarious, and I had this impression of her as this glamorous, hot blonde chick - then she linked to an article bearing her picture, revealing herself for the first time. I was disappointed and for some reason seeing her picture ruined my image of her. Why it matters to me I don't know. Ugly people can be great writers, too. But maybe reading about ugly people just doesn't have the same appeal? Okay shoot me. I deserve it.
Posted by: Rebecca | January 04, 2007 at 01:34 AM
hate to say it, but our society DOES place so much value on how someone looks. annnnnnnd..being in the "Blogger A" catagory (not that i write THAT good) but i can see how some would stop reading, because their image is shattered. stupid, but true.
Posted by: Valerie | January 04, 2007 at 08:37 AM
p.s. - it wouldn't bother me to see how they look vs. how they write, but not being much to look at myself, my value does fall in other areas!
Posted by: Valerie | January 04, 2007 at 08:39 AM
People NEVER look the way I imagine them to look, am always suprised when I see peoples' pics. I would sort of love discovering blogger a was ordinary, even ugly because why should she have it all? Reading blogger B..might not have hung around long if she just wrote OK stuff, to then find out she was gorgeous? Nail in coffin and assumption that gorgeous people can be dull- proven.
Posted by: Helen | January 04, 2007 at 09:40 AM
I think I might go the other way. I think everyone is average and then is surprised when they are super pretty.
I also had the experience that I met someone who read my blog and she told me later I didn't look like she expected. She thought I'd be heavier than I was. I guess I write like a fat person? I do cook a lot (http://coconutlime.blogspot.com) so maybe that was it. But I am not fat so maybe this was a case of me looking better than my writing?
Posted by: rachel | January 04, 2007 at 10:47 AM
For me, it's all about the writing. As long as a person can make me laugh or think or cry...I'm there. This person doesn't have to be beautiful.
This summer, I met four other bloggers in Savannah. All of them knew I was the oldest...but it became clear (at our first dinner) that three of them had no clue that I was (*gasp*) 47. When I told them...you could tell it was a surprise. And then they recovered. And it didn't matter. Because...really...what it was about was the writing and the support and friendship we gave to each other. But I'll be honest...I was afraid that it WOULD make a difference to them.
So your question makes me wonder if your question is based on something that really happened. Is it?
Posted by: wordgirl | January 04, 2007 at 11:45 PM
Actually, when I read an intelligent and entertaining blog written by a dame, I usually assume that the skirt writing it is not attractive.
If a posted picture later reveals her to be attractive, I then assume that everything is plagiarized.
Posted by: Hoover | January 05, 2007 at 03:26 AM
Hoover,
I hope you're kidding. Female beauty and brains don't have to be mutually exclusive. The same goes for beauty and humor. I'm just saying.
Posted by: wordgirl | January 05, 2007 at 03:22 PM
I'm a lurker, but had to speak up to say that I also hope Hoover is kidding because I have known a number of women who are beautiful online and off.
And it shouldn't matter, either way. Shame on anyone who thinks it does.
Going back to my corner now....
Posted by: | January 05, 2007 at 03:31 PM
you must not know the hoov. he is rarely, if ever, serious. sarcasm doesn't translate well online.
as far as this post goes, all i learned from it is that i must be blogger C, the dumb one, cause i couldn't for the life of me figure out what was happening.
Posted by: kyle | January 07, 2007 at 11:31 PM