And you wrote to The Times because....??

Sir,

Winston Fletcher's disappointment (letter, March 29) with web logs, or blogs, as they are irritatingly known, is well founded, in that the topics the authors normally choose to write about are mundane and of little interest to anyone but themselves. The matter is exacerbated by those who have a poor grasp of the written word and there is little wonder many make dull reading.

Oh. I can see, Tom and Rose Wells from Brighton, that you are not enamoured of the world of blogging. That's a shame. Mind you, a lot of people feel that way, as if the only reason that anyone should blog is to entertain everybody else. I mean, blogging as a means of communication with far-flung family or friends, or as a way of working through things anonymously that become easier by the very act of writing them down - that shouldn't be allowed, should it? No. And it's a good job that people like you are prepared to shoulder the burden of writing to a national newspaper to add your personal condemnation of those people who shouldn't be allowed to write a shopping list, never mind a journal. While we're on the subject of poor writing, though, you might want to revise that first sentence and take a couple of commas out. Just a thought. Oh, hold on - you hadn't finished yet, had you?

A blog, when written properly, albeit spontaneously, can be cathartic for the author, and informative for those choosing to follow it.

I'm a little bit confused now. On the one hand you seem to be acknowledging that blogs can be helpful, or even interesting. But then there's that qualification again, isn't there? Blogs can only be helpful or informative if they are Written Properly. You don't seem to want to share your views on what might constitute "properly", but I'm sure we might start to see the angle you're coming from in a moment.

We have set up a blog -

Well. I wasn't expecting that.

- [seehowwepublishourURLinthe timesonasaturdayinordertoboostourhits.com] - which records our one-year-old son's treatment for leukaemia and the highs and lows for us each day.

Oh. I'm genuinely sorry to hear that your son is ill. I'm still a bit unsure what your actual point is though - are you allowed to have a blog because your son has a serious illness? Does this somehow validate your blogging, while the people who are just sort of enjoying having an outlet for whatever crowds their mind should realise how trite and boring they are? Did you, I wonder, consider writing this letter without publishing your URL? Why did you include it, exactly? Is it some sort of public service? You see, the sad fact of your son's illness aside, this is beginning to feel just a little bit like a self-serving come-and-see-how-to-do-it-properly lecture. Are you hoping for a book deal, I wonder? Hmm. Anyway, do carry on.

"Get Well Felix" has received more than 68,000 page views in the eight months since his diagnosis, and he has a small community of supporters who comment regularly and provide encouragement.

Some are people we do not know, but they have all been given a detailed insight into a topic that they knew nothing about at the outset, just like us.

Um. What? You see, Tom and Rose, this was the part that I really struggled with. Let's try and break this down, shall we? Blogs (or Web Logs, as you would prefer them to be called), are crap. Millions of people who don't even have any formal journalistic training are all over the place, writing their thoughts and feelings without even checking that what they are producing is Proper Writing. You seem annoyed that these people haven't realised that they are bothering you. It just shouldn't be allowed. You, however, are allowed to blog, because you have a child with a serious illness. This helps you because you are getting the warm fuzzies from the thing that makes blogging appealing in the first place - acknowledgement and support. All good so far.

But you couldn't help yourselves, could you? You had to pop your URL in and start crowing about page views. You admit that it's only been eight months since his diagnosis. Did you take a laptop to the hospital when you met with the consultant? The thing is, Tom and Rose, that not only are you telling me off, but I'm also starting to suspect that this might not be the first time you've written to a newspaper to discuss this. I mean, I'm happy that you're doing well and all, but I really, genuinely don't understand your motives. I'm also a little taken aback at the perceived notion that if it weren't for you and your superior blogging skills, the world and it's intellect would be a poorer place.

I'm going to leave it there, Tom and Rose. I sincerely hope that things work out and that your son makes a full recovery. It must be heartbreaking to think of him suffering. I'm genuinely pleased that your blog on the subject brings you comfort and support.

You might want to ease up on the self-righteousness a bit though. You know, just a bit.