Now that you've chosen a blog host and have created your blog name, it's time to determine how much you are willing to divulge about your life and your family on your blog.
Some mom bloggers choose to put everything out there, like Dooce who shares A LOT about her life with her readers. Other mom bloggers aren't quite as eager to even put their real names on their blogs for fear they won't be able to be as honest as they'd like, or because they want to maintain their privacy.
Before you write your first post think long and hard about how you will present yourself and your life on the Net. Here are a few questions you'll need to ask yourself before your begin blogging.
- Do I want to use my real name or a pseudonym?
- Do I want to put pictures of my children on my blog?
- Should I talk about my marriage/ husband or love life or simply not touch it at all?
- Should I talk about my family -- including everyone from my mother-in-law to my great, great uncle?
- Should I cuss on my blog or keep it clean?
- Should I divulge where I live?
- Should I blog about my annoying neighbors?
- Should I discuss other bloggers on my blog?
Honestly answering these questions will help you set the tone for your blog as well as establish boundaries for what you are and aren't willing to share with your readers. Remember, these simple, yet golden rules of blogging:
If you're willing to offend people, be willing to be offended.
If you're willing to gossip about people, be willing to be gossiped about.
If you're willing to divulge information about your private life, know and understand that someone reading may know who you are.
And always remember, Google does exist! Just because you take your blog down, people can always and forever find you online...somewhere.
2 comments:
I would add to this; consider whether you want to use your children's real names on the blog. I feel really uncomfortable doing that, so I have nicknames for my kids.
And think twice before you publish things that might really really embarrass your kids later. Everyone knows how to google. Assume their friends and teachers will read what you write.
I try to focus my disclosures to my own personal stuff. My kid and partner, friends, etc. are usually just incidental to the story. I don't think its ethical to share details of other people's lives and feelings without their permission, or even with it sometimes. For the very fact that once something is out in the internets it is out there forever.
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