A friend, who is considering a blog, pointed me to this rather negative article by Michael A. Stelzner at MarketingProfs.com: The Dark Side of Blogging: Warnings From Leading Bloggers.
Perhaps you are contemplating blogging? Maybe you are a blogger thinking of calling it quits? Leading bloggers have some important warnings for you.
And the warnings? Blogging can be addictive. Blogging consumes your time. You might get spam comments. Oh, and there are tons of blogs out there. More as you read this sentence.
While I agree that these things happen, blogs can also be incredibly effective means of communicating with an audience that you don't even know exists. I've said it before: I've found work and connections that just wouldn't have happened via other means.
I see this kind of article fitting with the hype cycle. "Blogs are great" becomes "Blogs are scary" becomes "Blogs are useful" becomes "Blogs have warts too." It's interesting that this article focuses on the actual mechanics of blogging, rather than all the hyperbole of people saying things they regret, which is useful.
If I were to write a trade article on the topic, the short form would be
Not everyone should be blogging.
Many people figure it out before they start, and some figure it out after.