An anonymous reader posting recently as “Aunty” had this suggestion for me:
Just a thought….
Why don’t you start writing about yourself in the first person..
For the new year!
Embrace the fact of auntyhood!
So now, Aunty (I) is wondering – should I (Aunty) post as “I” or “Me” in the new year? It is easier to post in the first person but not sure if that takes away the Honolulu Auntyness.
What do you think?
Update:
Mahalo for peoples’ comments about this – it really is good to hear from you all. N has a very valid viewpoint, and Snoksred also. “I” not “she” is a really good suggestion, Gigi!
So, now Aunty will post as Aunty in the third person sometimes, and most times in the I, first person. It will be easier to write and read while still preserving the branding of Honolulu Aunty. Why is branding important to me? Not really sure, to tell you the truth. I love being called “Aunty” and whenever my hairdresser Mai greets me, it is always as “Aunty Honolulu!” and when I order at Starbucks and they ask for my name, I tell them it is “Aunty” and some of them chuckle and some look at me strangely.
Aunty, I am! Happy New Year to all and looking forward to another year of blogging while embracing auntyhood and being myself at the same time.
I agree with Jalna completely. I do think you have to go with whatever you feel comfortable doing. Whatever you do, I will enjoy it.
The first person is better. Say I not she.
I refer to myself in the third person on my blog because it makes it easier for people to find me on Google. I even wrote a blog post about it a while back.
I have to take issue with the comment N made. I feel like that comment was uncalled for and almost rude. Blog writers have to refer to their selves as something, and I or Me is one choice, giving yourself a blog name and using it is another one, it has nothing at all to do with ego and simply to make it easy for people to know who exactly you are referring to.
Just like some folks who blog give their family and friends “blog names” so that it makes it easier to follow a story. If we called everyone he or she when telling a story and there were several hes and shes it would be impossible to follow!
If you type in Aunty Hawaii blog, this blog is the number one result. That is partly because of referring to yourself in the third person. Words are how the internet search engines work, so if you want to be known by the search engines referring to yourself in the third person is a good idea.
Having said that, if you type in Aunty blog, there are many pages of results and I am still yet to see you. There are a lot of Aunties out there. 😉
I never really thought about it. I read your posts because I like the content and what you have to say about your life and the happenings in it. I think of it as Aunty sharing experiences and bits of wisdom with all of us as her followers. I enjoyed the writing style and would like it as well if it were in any other. But I’d just as soon you kept it the same.
I think your academic mind leans toward a more objective approach to writing, and hence your third-person narrative. If you now desire to convey a more personal touch as the creator of this site, then maybe first person is the way to go. That being said . . . I say . . . you should do what feels comfortable. Either way, I going read, ’cause you’re like one of my favorite people. 😆
I am glad someone spoke up. I don’t like the royal “we” and it turns me off. The novels I read only snotty folks do that or like the Royal (British) family. It’s like you are setting yourself apart from the rest of us common folks. Opposite of a blog which is personal and reaches out to us. So I stayed away or don’t comment becuz it reminds me of high maka maka and ego