By Jasmine Shewakramani
Blogs are so commonplace, it’s a wonder how the internet does not collapse considering the sheer volume of information being uploaded every day. Though technically blogs, coined from “web logs” are publishing tools used by ordinary internet users to update others about their lives, it has become more than that in recent years. Blogs are now tools for self-expression, and with this freedom come certain limitations. Unfortunately, a lot of people seem to forget this, as blog fights and cases erupt periodically.
If you, a peace-loving person, and would like to blog without worry of legal action or ire from the other million people in the blogosphere, remember these seven simple tips to make good use of your blogging experience.
1. Thou shalt use a blog site that you are comfortable with. There’s nothing more irritating for yourself and for others than using a blog site you do not know how to navigate. Before you know it, you’ve flooded your friend’s feed with a million things they’d rather see only once. Do your research. There are many blog hosts like Meme, LiveJournal, Tumblr, Blogger and Blogspot that have different user interfaces and allow you to blog only about what you want. Picture post or audio clip? No problem. Just choose the right blog for you.
2. Thou shalt blog for yourself, first and foremost. Though many people have gained fame because of the blogs they manage, it is not a good idea to think that you should blog for a nonexistent audience. You will come off seeming pretentious and attention-seeking. A blog is an online journal, really, so blog as if you were writing in a diary. Make sure you like your posts and stand by what you posted. There is greater fulfillment at the end of the day knowing that you blog on a regular basis with posts that resonate with who you are as a person and are significant to you.
3. Thou shalt filter your entries. Check for grammar, check for spelling, check for facts, check for inconsistencies . You don’t want to lie on your blog. Additionally, be sensitive to your friends or other users whom you know view your blog. Do not swear so much if you know they will be offended by that. Yes, it is a free country, and yes, you can say whatever you want to say, but realize that there are things called manners and ethics that even people from free countries should know about.
4. Thou shalt copyright uploaded content. If you are scared of your posts and pictures getting stolen, copyright them. Use a Creative Commons License to make sure your posts will not be copy-pasted to other weblogs. Add your watermark to your pictures, but please make sure your picture will not become one giant watermark.
5. Thou shalt refrain from bashing other people publicly. The internet is as much a free grund for libel and slander cases as popular mass media. Be careful of what you post about other people. At best, blog wars will erupt and there’s no fun in that. If you have a personal problem with someone, confront them personally. Do not post it on your blog for the world to see. I’m sure you would not like it if it were done to you.
6. Thou shalt not plagiarize. As a supplement to the earlier stated, do not copy content that is not your own and post it under your name. Acknowledge your source, or link back to the original poster. Plagiarizers lose credibility, and it is just a pathetic excuse to say that “you didn’t know.” The golden rule here is to do unto others what you are okay with others doing unto you. Plagiarizing will definitely lead to blog wars again, or even reporting to higher authorities that will result in the deletion of your blog and banning your IP address from the site.
7. Thou shalt not flood. Just post once, please? Blogs are not chat messengers. Do not keep reblogging from others and adding a line or two. Just use a messenger better suited for your purpose. Some people do not care about the personal conversations you have with other people, so don’t give them a reason to block you.
