A Blog that Writes Itself?

I was reading Realtor magazine last night, and I saw an interesting little piece. Apparently there is a new service available to Realtors. There is a company -- I don't remember the name -- that will, for $399 a year, set up a blog for you. But wait -- there's more! Not only do they do the initial set-up. They also provide content! Yes, using "ghostwriters", they will provide daily posts to the blog -- newsy little real estate tidbits, apparently. The actual blog owner can chime in periodically if he or she so desires. But his or her actual participation is optional.

Okay, so call me crazy. Isn't the whole idea of a blog that the blogger gets to communicate with the readers (and sometimes vice versa)? I thought the point of this exercise is supposed to be that you get to know me, not my hired ghostwriters.

I know I don't post here as often as I'd like. But at least when I do, you can be sure that it's actually me, not some recent college grad from Schenectady working in a cubicle.

A similar pet peeve involves "canned" newsletters that are available to realtors and other professionals. I guess they serve a purpose, keeping agents in touch with their clients while (hopefully) providing useful information. But if I'm going to send a newsletter to my clients (which I hope to do in the near future) I want to write it myself. I couldn't send out some pre-packaged product and try to pass it off as my own, even if I wanted to. For better or for worse, my own voice comes through in my writing. It would take about two sentences for my clients to say "She didn't write this!"

I post my own signs. I negotiate my own deals. And I write my own blog.

Just so you know . . .