It was fun to share a little bit of our personal life last Tuesday with posts about the “real” us and John’s playful persona. Those posts generated an incredible response: more than 1,200 thoughtful and encouraging comments and dozens of emails asking for advice on how to handle criticism and negative comments online. That prompted this post about dealing with online criticism—a topic many bloggers and content creators face as their audiences grow.
By sharing personal quirks, we encouraged readers to open up about their own struggles. Many emails came from small-blog owners who suddenly found themselves with larger audiences after a viral pin or a feature on a popular site. The recurring theme in those messages was the same: they were blogging as usual when a harsh comment arrived and it really stung.
As readership grows, so does feedback—both positive and negative. If you’re looking for a short, practical summary of how we handle criticism, here it is:
- Remember: it’s your blog.
- Be yourself. That is enough.
- Give positive feedback as much weight as negative feedback.
- Do everything with kindness and intention.
Those four principles have guided us through years of feedback, both pleasant and difficult. Over time we’ve seen every kind of comment: readers asking us to skip certain topics, requests for more big projects or more small projects, calls for more family content or less, critique about design choices, objections to our language, and conflicting opinions about spending or saving. The contradictions are endless. If you tried to follow every suggestion, you’d lose your voice and your blog’s identity.
Tip #1: It’s your blog. It may sound obvious, but it’s important to remember that your blog isn’t a mass-market magazine built to satisfy everyone. A blog is an outlet to share what matters to you in your own voice, at your own pace. Whether you blog daily or once a month, your primary responsibility is to be authentic. People who connect with your perspective will stay. Trying to please every commenter is a losing game and will erode what makes your site unique.
We’re just two people sharing the happenings of our home life, and that honest approach is what built our audience. If you attempt to conform to all outside expectations, your blog can become unrecognizable—and no longer yours. Let your voice be the loudest.
Tip #2: Be who you are. That is enough. Readers naturally want more—more posts, more projects, more details. That desire can be expressed kindly or bluntly, but it often leaves creators feeling pressured. You can’t control every reaction, but you can control your creative process. Blogging in a way that exhausts or burns you out isn’t sustainable.
Think long-term. Work at a pace that keeps you inspired so your enthusiasm shows through. High-quality, thoughtful posts are better than a constant stream of rushed content. Likewise, set boundaries around personal content: only share what you’re comfortable sharing. If something feels wrong or draining, don’t do it. Protect your creative energy and your family’s privacy.
Tip #3: Give the good feedback as much weight as the bad. Most creators receive far more positive feedback than negative, yet it’s easy to let one cutting comment overshadow dozens of supportive messages. Consider the numbers: if 99 readers praise your work and one offers harsh criticism, you’re still doing something right. Keep perspective.
When you love a project or topic, continue sharing it even if a minority dislikes it. Your blog reflects your tastes and interests. If something resonates with you, it will resonate with the right audience too.
Tip #4: Do everything with love. This might sound sentimental, but approaching negative interactions with compassion makes a real difference. Responding with anger rarely improves the situation. Instead, try to imagine what might be behind a negative comment—bad day, personal struggles, or simply a poor choice of words—and respond calmly or choose not to respond at all.
Kindness doesn’t mean accepting abuse, but it does mean refusing to stoop to the same tone. A light-hearted response, a simple clarification, or no response can protect your peace and reputation. Growing up, we were taught that being kind matters more than being popular, and that lesson still guides our interactions online.
To wrap up: if you’re dealing with more attention and more opinions, remember why you started blogging. Share what you love, protect your voice, and give yourself permission to ignore the noise. We share projects, tutorials, and personal stories because we hope to help and inspire others, and the support we get back is humbling. When the negative comments come, lean on these principles: it’s your space, be true to yourself, weigh the positives, and act with compassion.
Finally, a small note: many readers ask about how to blog professionally—how to build a site, grow traffic, and turn blogging into a full-time pursuit. We’ve talked about those topics elsewhere, and if you’re curious, consider seeking out resources and guides that walk through starting and growing a blog step by step.