So now you are a blogger. If you are like I was when I first started, you are writing about those things that irk you or lift your spirits or maybe just tickle your fancy on any given day. If you are also like I was, you probably haven't given much thought to how others are taking what you write. It never occurred to me in the beginning that anyone, repeat anyone, would read my thoughts or give a moment's notice to my opinions. Well, you can get yourself in a lot of hot water if you don't pay attention to the fact that you are publishing where the entire world can read what you post. It is rather mind boggling to think about.
Bloggers who don't agree with you can become very vicious in their personal attacks, but you also have to watch out for those with whom you agree. I learned the hard way when I made the unforgivable mistake of quoting an entire post, giving proper credit and praising the work, rather than posting a snippet with a link. This post got picked up and redistributed as a link from my blog and the original poster went postal. I was inundated with nasty emails, threatened, told I would be sued, and on and on. And this was from someone on the same side politically with me and someone whose work I was admiring, not criticizing. I learned my lesson, but at what cost? I was furious with the very blogger who I had tried to praise, I deleted the offending post, I removed that person from my Blog Watch and I have never visited his site again. It was a Pyrrhic Victory for him as he got what he wanted, but made an enemy in the process.
LeShawn Barber has started a new series on blogging with her first entry: How to Avoid a Blogosphere Scandal: Disclose! full of excellent advice every blogger, novice or expert, should read. She starts off with this admonition:
In my short blogging career, I’ve discovered that the more critical and on-point you are about what’s going on in the world, the more detractors will try to dig up dirt on you, “out” you, or hunt for shortcomings, secrets, contradictions, and hypocrisy. People who don’t like you or what you have to say will always look for ways to trip you up. Don’t give them the satisfaction.
Sound advice ... go read it all. I will eagerly await the next installments. LaShawn notes:
Next post: How to Avoid a Blogosphere Scandal: Don’t Plagiarize!
I have a short list of topics for this series, but I’m open to a few more. What’s your advice to bloggers who want to avoid being the target of negative blog swarms?
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