Absolutely we can agree to disagree. As long as we can keep the discussion going about these issues.

I worked as a freelance writer 13 years before I became a blogger and I know I had far less control over what I wrote about for those magazines than I currently have on my blog.

When I was sent to review restaurants or bars, I was told which places to go to. I didn’t have a choice nor was I told whether these companies had any commercial relationship with the magazine. Similarly, when I wrote 12 articles for a South Australian food guide earlier this year, I was given a list of possible companies to interview for it. I didn’t have to interview all of them but there were certain ones that really needed to be in the pieces. It’s the reality of most publishing jobs and commissioned pieces.

Ditto nowadays when I work for a company developing recipes or doing food photography or food styling for them – I’m told which ingredients or which recipes to work with. I’m being paid to do a job.

I work with brands on my blog because it would be mad and totally inconsistent to work with them in my professional life and not allow any brand activity on my blog. Especially when I have more control over what happens on my blog.

(By the way, I didn’t plan any of this. I started my blog just to have fun with writing. What started as a hobby turned into a second career and I’m very grateful it did.)

Anyway, I agree with Helen – I think it’s an interesting time for both print and digital publishing. And whatever your personal beliefs about working with brands, it’s certainly good being part of the conversation, isn’t it?