Shadow blogging

So today I helped a client create their own blog on Blogger. Pretty simple really. The interesting thing was after setting it up, the content just flowed out of me. It reminded me that writing is a skill which benefits from use, and you have to practice, practice, practice. I guess the question I have is: "Is it ok to shadow blog as if you are someone else?"

Seems simple, but I guess it is a bit more complex than first reflection. First off, I have a distinctive "voice" to my writing and I think this comes through. It is much like an accent, cadence, word choice and tone all rolled into one. So could I form another "voice?" I am sure it is possible, but as a writer, so much of what I write is informative or persuasive, I can't help but have that in the style of the other blog. Perhaps it is a bit like a fiction author writing a new series or about a new set of characters. You can often tell it is the same writer, but the voice of the storyteller is different. One of my favorite authors, L.E. Modesitt Jr. seems to have the gift of changing voices - particularly since he writes books in both high fantasy and classic science fiction.

That then leaves the ethical question: should you shadow blog. I believe you can and should, but in the business world, people want to know the person behind the business (at least in my type of business), so I think it is best to give a hand, help and then turn it over. After all, I have more than enough to do. . .but maybe if the price was right. Let me know what you think. . .