1. Don't blog angry.

Sure, go ahead and write it, that's just good therapy! Then either delete it or send it to your least favorite relative. If you do not have such a relative, message me and I'll give you Uncle Tommy's email.


2. Credit other bloggers for their best work.

Whether it's personal messages or words you put on your comments page, giving other writers kudos speaks well of you and them. And if you borrow their work, you owe it to the blogger and to yourself to say "This made a difference to me" because there are no sweeter words to a blogger...or to a writer of any type.


3. Be true to yourself.

Don't back down if others disagree. You are a child of the universe, you have a right to blog.



4. Be willing to change your mind.

I'm not a political blogger, but maybe you are. If someone writes an intelligent debate in response to your blog, study what they are telling you and be sure you really believe what you wrote, that you are really willing to stand behind it. You don't have to wimp-out on the deal, you can say, "I have read and considered what you've said….and I now believe that I was wrong."

Um, if you do that a lot? Perhaps you should reconsider your subject material.


5. Write what you know.

On another site I wrote once about weird architecture; I adopted the vernacular of architects (you should Google this! Those people talk all different and everything!) and I was slammed with so much hate-mail that I had to put a block on it for a few weeks. I know nothing of architecture. It was a joke. Apparently I neglected to point that out. To be fair? Architects are finicky bastards.


6. Proofread.

I have made so many errors in spelling and grammar that I type my posts first on a Word document and then cut and paste them. But then I found that on one of my Listmanias, I totally neglected putting in a Number 5. I went from four to six. It's so easy to miss such errors; we can only hope our readers do as well.


7. Think very hard before you delete a comment from another blogger.

Quite honestly, I'd not hesitate as much if the person making an offensive comment does not have a blog of his or her own, but that's just me. If the comment is offensive, it's likely some other reader will call down the writer of the comment and you need do nothing but bask in the knowledge that you are above all that. If the comment is racist or just unacceptable to you personally, then do what you must. But my personal rule is that even if the comment is a put-down to me, it stays. Because maybe I earned that.


8. Remember you have an audience.

I find it very hard to put my words out here for anyone to see. I don't say my husband's name, my son's name, my exact location and so on. I am also mindful that people of all types are reading my blog (I hope) and I work hard not to indicate prejudices...mainly because I really don't have any prejudices except against those who do have prejudices.

My point is: this is not a private journal. Others will read what you write.


9. Read other blogs.

The worst bloggers I know are unfamiliar with the work of other bloggers. On various sites you can see what you like, what you hate, what you'd like to try, what you don't know how to do with blogging, and you can use that information. If you really admire a website or blog, it takes you about thirty seconds to use their comment form and say, "I so enjoy your website!" Sweet words indeed.

To paraphrase Stephen King: If you do not have time to study other blogs and websites and how they do things, you don't have time to blog.


10. Write when the mood strikes.

If you're at work, write ideas on a note card and take it home….or hey, if the boss is out, go ahead and post right there! Use what you've got in emails and other writing you've kept on your hard drive (assuming it is yours). If you wind up with a gigabyte of writing, just post it a bit at a time. You've got ready-made material for that terrible day when your life seems to end: you get the dreaded Blog Block.


11. Accept Blog Block.

We all get it. And when you do? Go read other blogs and websites. Don't worry about not publishing daily. Generally speaking, people assume you have a life outside of blogging.

If you just cannot bear not to post something, post an image you love from Picasa or an artist's site (being sure to link it back to them) or a photo of your own.

Some of the most important statements in the history of the world were made without words.


12. Cultivate talent.

If you are lucky enough to find a tremendous blogger that will talk to you via email or messaging, ask questions! Get information! If you find a computer whiz, keep that person as a friend and tell them that's what you're doing.

The world of bloggers is ridiculously competitive. I have had no help whatsoever. I have asked many bloggers that I admire for their opinions or a few words of "how to" and frankly, I have relied upon websites that teach HTML and CSS and Java, as well as some books I bought.

The funny thing is, I'm probably a better writer than a lot of those folks. You probably are, too. And if you need help? Write to me. I have never turned away another blogger, ever.


13. Share your own talent.

I have gotten so much from peoples' blogs, from color charts to HTML advice. I've copied a lot of it onto documents so I can have my own little online guidebook. I also bookmark helpful sites and my computer is surrounded by color charts, HTML hacks and empty coffee cups.


14. You have a right to your opinion. Express it.

If you hate poodles, go for it. And if poodle lovers want to argue, you are free to put in your comments: "Thanks for writing! I still hate poodles!"

Your polite right to opinion does not extend to biases that single out a group of people, like homosexuals, nurses, divorced folks, people who have more than three kids and so on. If you are going to express opinions about that kind of thing, be prepared for the outburst. And be sure you can back up your statements with solid evidence.


15. Have fun.

If it isn't fun, stop. Take a break. And if the thought of blogging again makes you feel sick, just stop for good. All bloggers have moments when they stare at the blank screen until their foreheads bleed. They think: I'm finished. I'm washed-up. I apparently have written upon every single thing I know and I can't do this.

Fine. Take a break. When it feels fun, go back to it.

And if it doesn't...then at least you tried.