I hope all is well with you.
I'm writing to you because I'm going to as a volunteer to a far-away destination. I want to document and share my experiences in this place, and I thought the best way to do that would be to start a blog!
I'm asking you this question because one day I clicked on your blog links, and I think you're a terrific writer. You write about personal experiences without giving out important personal information, and that's what I would like to do.
So, from a beginner-blogger to an experienced-blogger I'd like to ask for your perspective on safe blogging and your experience with blogging overall. I'd be very thankful if you could share a few tips on staying safe while on the web.
Thanks so much for the compliments, poster! I'm so glad that you like what I write! Apologies for the delay in my response. I am sluggish in my blogging responsibilities these days!
I have two blogs, and one is more personal than the other. In case you're wondering, I consider this one to be the less personal one, though it does include some very personal details about me mixed into my responses. I treat the two blogs differently because I share some of your concerns about privacy and safety on the very public and free-reeling world of the internet. Here are some things to consider when you set up your blog. It's best to make decisions about these factors up front and then stick to them throughout the duration of your blog. If, as you write, you become more comfortable and want to share more, then you can always open up and do so, but you can't ever count on going backwards, so keep that in mind.
Names: Are you going to use your own name, some variation of it, or a pseudonym? There's no right or wrong answer here. Do what you're comfortable with. Kate is my real name. It's a very common name, so I'm comfortable using it, but you might feel differently and want to go with a fake name or a title.
Consider, too, how the people in your life might feel about being included in your public stories. Try to be respectful of them by protecting their anonymity to a reasonable extent. I'm sure there are people who read this who know exactly who my husband is and what his name is, but I take the conservative route and refer to him as only "Hub" in all of my internet dealings.
Readers: Who is your audience? Are you writing this for yourself? Do you want strangers to read it? Do you want friends and family to read it? You may well find that you want people to read your blog, but not people that you know. There is a lot of safety in anonymity, and there is a lot of freedom in it. If you don't want friends and family reading your blog, don't give out the address. Don't tell them that you're writing it. Use a pseudonym and don't post pictures of yourself on your blog.
If you want your friends and family to be able to keep track of you and your adventures (it will save you a lot of email correspondence), then do share your address! Post it on your facebook or myspace. Send it out in a mass email. Then just realize that whatever you will write has got to be grandmother, younger sibling, professional colleague, and nosy-neighbor appropriate. It could be a lovely way to stay close to friends and family, but it will require a lot more self-check when you're writing. If you want to share this with your loved ones, absolutely no ranting about anyone who could be recognized by any of your potential readers. That's a pretty good rule to follow anyway, as everything you put on the internet is public.
If you really want to restrict readership, then put a password on your blog. Make it private. This isn't a guarantee that nobody else will read it, but it's your best bet at controlling readers.
I do share this blog broadly on my facebook, because it is intended for everyone -- the world at large. A lot of my friends and my parents' friends read it through that link. Some of my former students and teachers do, too. My colleagues have access to it. It's a fine line, because a lot of the questions I answer here are sexual in nature, but I strive to answer all questions in a mature and dignified manner, so I share.
On my more personal blog, I have shared the URL with some friends who I think might be particularly interested, but most of my readers are not people I know in real life, and I do not advertise that link on facebook or anywhere else.
Safety: I admit it; I'm totally irrationally afraid of some psycho from the internet trying to track me down. I think it's good policy to withhold the kind of information that makes it extremely easy to find you. Linking to your blog from your facebook allows people you know to read your blog. Linking your facebook from your blog allows people you don't know to find you. I advise against it. Don't post your address or your phone number. Use your discretion about sharing with people who ask for it. Most people mean well and just want to get to know you, but don't feel pressured into anything you're uncomfortable with.
You've probably noticed that I have an email account set up specifically for this blog. It makes me a little bit harder to pin down.
I also plaster my blog with warnings that I am not a medical professional. This is important because, even though I have opinions and advice on living healthily, someone may read this who needs more than what I can give or something different than what I say. It's important that they have all the best information available to make their own best decisions about seeking professional support. They must know that I am not an expert. Asking me should count as calling your mom or asking a friend, not as visiting a specialist. It feels sadly litigious, but it's important.
I enjoy my experience blogging. I like to write. I like to read what people have to say about what I write. I like to be a part of this internet culture. It's fun! The vast majority of feedback I get is pleasant and constructive. My questions and answers provide conversation topics among family friends. Some of my trials and tribulations evoke help and support that I wouldn't otherwise know to ask for.
There have been a few problems. There's the spam. Someone asks me about hair removal, and I get a comment about this laser-center. That's annoying. I don't want to be an ad. Keep your eyes out for that. I also get the occasional hate mail. It's generally always along the lines of, "What right do you have to give advice ... ON THE INTERNET?!" It's a silly complaint. It's the internet. I know that. If my blog is so annoying to people, why the heck do they keep reading it just to send in hate mail? But despite it all, it still bothers me.
You can avoid hate mail in two main ways: first, don't become popular. The haters just HATE it when lots of people love you. Second, don't provide any anonymous response option. If they have to say it to your face, most haters won't say it at all.
One last note: keep in mind that everything you write on the internet is public. It could all be found by the person you least want to read it. Protect yourself against this in every way you can, but still realize that it could happen and write accordingly.
Best of luck in your travels and blogging! Send along your URL if you want me to read it. I'd love to see what you're up to.
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