Savor the Success - Business Network for women entrepreneurs

Alright.  I guess it was kinda my fault. 

I was bound to crash from the high of serious Sarahcentric love I've been receving the past few weeks. Hits, subscriptions, and Twitter followers were up.  The re-design looked fantastic.  I even started writing a book.  Nothing could stop me now!

But everything changed when I wrote about bagels.  Bagels.  F-ing BAGELS! 

I wrote, what I thought, was a completely harmless and funny post about a run-in at my local bagel shop.  I looooove this place, but had one of those off NYC encounters where customer and vendor are cranky-pants with each other...just because.  I worked hard on an over the top scenario in which I take this bagel joint to the Supreme Court. Obviously, a joke.

Sarahcentric had its new best day ever because of that post.  But it was also our worst day ever thanks to our very first insult commenter. 

It started with one comment which absolutely ripped into my blog telling me how horrible of a writer I was.  Fine.  I did not approve the comment, (sorry, this is not the Huffington Post).  But that made him/her very mad.  So he/she bombarded me with 10 more comments, each one meaner than the last. Don't think he/she didn't tell me I was fat, because he/she definitely did.

In talking to lots of other bloggers and writers, this is fairly common unfortunately.  Someone in the blogosphere wanted to be heard, and I was the lucky recipient.  I had some friends suggest I approve the comments so that my other readers could take the jerk down themselves.  But 1) according to Wordpress, the best thing to do is just ignore and not publish the comments.  They usually go away.  And 2) I'm just not about that. Sarahcentric is not about that.  As I said earlier, it ain't the Huffington Post.  I want people to leave my blog a little lighter, a little more thoughtful, and a little happier.  I don't want to encourage or promote any negativity.

But the whole incident brought up a lot of stuff.

1) The intention of this post was to crack up a little, period.  I love this local business and I did not want to slam them in any real way.  Every New Yorker knows encounters like this are a part of the day to day here.  But it's worth being aware that all of my readers may not read the joke in the same way. Now look, this commenter was just crazy.  I could have written about pillows, rocks, or kittens, and I'm sure he/she still would have gone off on me.  But I'm still grateful for the reminder to be mindful about what I'm putting out there. 

2) It hurt!  He/She hurt my freaking feelings!!  I have read plenty of stuff that I disliked, even hated.  I cannot even imagine trying to tear someone down like that.  Unfortunately though, not everyone is going to like what I have to say.  AND, as much as I would like to believe it, they may not even be crazy!  Sarahcentric was all well and good when my friends and family were the only people reading and commenting. But it's reallly growing now.  That means more fans, and it also means some haters.  Blogs have growing pains too, I guess.

I'm not even gonna lie.  I seriously considered just...stopping.  I know that sounds like the biggest Chicken  move ever, but it's the truth.  But then I realized, I can't.  Even if I wanted to, I can't.  For the first time in my life, I feel truly passionate and committed to something.  I have no choice but to see this through. 

I am feeling a 100 times better now.  I stuck my toe back in the water with a tiny post about my hair yesterday.  And I'm working on a big, fat post about the Fall for Friday.  I was knocked down, but I got back up.  That's what it's about, right?

Like I said...Best. Worst. Day. Ever.

For all of those who may be experiencing some cranky comments or feedback on their projects, may I offer a youtube clip from comedian Katt Williams all about Haters.  PLEASE NOTE mature language is involved here.  Lots of cursing...but a little cursing will get you along way when you're trying to get over the Haters!