Observations & Opinions on Blogs

Hyphenman · Jul 1, 2012

I now have reviewed more than a half-dozen blogs by people asking for feedback. I've also looked at even more that I decided, for various reasons, not to review.

Some patterns have emerged that I think are worth sharing. Feel free to disagree or state a contrary opinion.

I've seen people asking for a review when their site is still in the embryonic stage. I don't think that's a very considerate request.

If you use a default image as your header, for example, how can someone get a feel for what your site is about or what direction you're headed in? Same for default or dummy text in one of your navigational pages, like Contact or About. What are we to make of that? How can we advise you, other than suggesting to fill it in, if we have no idea what, if anything, you intend to say?

A major, somewhat related problem that I see everywhere, not just on blogs put up for review on AW, is a blog with neither a discernible purpose nor objective. The posts are just a hodge-podge of random, disjointed thoughts. Unless you're either famous or fall-down-funny, I don't really care what you think about anything. Why would I? And why would I return for more of the same?

In the same vein, I see many, many posts that are hardly more than a paragraph long. If you don't have a thought or a message that bears developing and tries to engage me as a reader, why should I look at it?

This is a matter of personal preference, and the practice is so widespread as to be the accepted standard. But I honestly don't like a barrage of posts, like 20, 30 or more. I find that overwhelming. I feel like I'm being blitzed. Am I expected to keep reading and reading and reading and scrolling and scrolling and scrolling? Well, I don't want to. I want to read two or three posts, see what you have to say, and explore the rest of the site. If I'm interested in more, I can go to the right-hand sidebar (or left-hand) and look at the titles of recent posts.

Throwing so many posts into the mix is information overload. It blurs whatever you might want to emphasize. Because a post jumps to the top of the page as the most recent one, does that make it the most important? It becomes that by default because it's the first thing a visitor will see.

Another frequent fault I see is the information -- or more precisely, the lack of it -- on the about or bio page. I think some people want to keep their privacy. If that's so, why are they blogging?

If you know that J.K. Rowling had a menial job and barely eked out a living while trying to support a daughter before hitting it big, that humanizes her. The fact that her mother died before the first Harry Potter book saw the light of day further humanizes her. That connects us to her.

If you tell me that you love to hike in the woods and attend arts and crafts festivals, how does that connect me to you? I want kind of a synopsized resume, the same thing you might find on the back cover of a book beside the author's picture. You don't have to tell me exactly how old you are, but you ought to give me an idea. Are you a high school student, a stay-at-home mom with two kids to tend to, a retired widower in a wheelchair? I don't want to know those things so I can judge you. I want to know them so I can see you and relate to you. That will also give me a good idea of how much time you have to write and of the obstacles you might face to do it.

A related issue is a photo. I've seen site after site with no photo or an avatar or a disguised image. Get over it. Nobody's expecting you to look like a runway model, but we want an image in our head of who's writing these words. Again, I cite the back cover of a book or the back flap. You generally find a photo of the author. The photo humanizes you and enables us to connect to you.

I also see site after site that omits any contact information. I'm invited to subscribe to your site -- I don't want to. Or to follow you on Facebook -- I don't want to. Or to follow you on Twitter -- I don't want to. I just want to ask you a question. Or tell you something. Or share something. Again, unless you're famous and get inundated with thousands of e-mails every day, I ought to be able to do that. (Once you get famous, you can change your e-mail.)

Then there's the issue of the comment form. If you want readers to leave comments -- which is one of the main reasons for many of us even starting a blog -- you ought to make it as easy and as painless as possible.

I'm still wrestling with this one myself, but one of the hurdles is the thousands of spammers who will misuse the comment form. Even so, I find the captcha tool extremely irritating, some forms of it more so than others. I just came across a site that had two blocks, one with a number, the other with letters. But the number block was set against a background so dark that the number faded into oblivion. I had to keep clicking and clicking until I finally got one I could read. A major pain.

I also just came across the worst comment form I've ever seen. It restricted you to about 20 words. Think about that. A 20-word restriction ON A WRITER! That's ridiculous. What's the harm in having no limit? If I see an Amazon review where the writer is in love with himself, I just scroll past it and go on to the next one. No big deal.

This same site also substituted the optional website information with a required field making you list someone else's e-mail address. I find that unconscionable. If I don't have someone else's permission -- and indeed would not even want to ask for it -- to disclose their e-mail, why should I be forced to do so? I think it would be better to state: "Whatever you do, DO NOT LEAVE A COMMENT! I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU."

One last thing. This may or may not be valid. But I've seen people say they're now on their fourth or fifth blog. They started other ones and gave up when they got no traffic.

That puzzles me. If you didn't intend to follow through, why did you start a blog? On a whim? A lark? A bet? Here's the part that might not be valid. It seems possible that those little search bots scouring the billions of sites out there could well come across your abandoned site before they discover my very active one. So you could be driving me even further down the Google rankings. (The search bots probably look for recent activity, so perhaps my theory is hogwash.)

The whole idea of blogging is such a grand and glorious idea. Especially for writers. It allows us to practice our craft, to connect with readers, and to share in a mutual exchange of information and ideas.

What writer couldn't truly love it and embrace it?

justbishop · Jul 1, 2012

I agree with the commenting obstacles. I've wanted to comment on several AWers blogs in the past couple of days, but I don't want to have to log in with an account to a blog service that I don't use.

For the love, if you have the option to allow commenters to comment using a name and email, do so please!

Sara by the Sea · Jul 1, 2012

useful post-- thanks for sharing

Filigree · Jul 1, 2012

I agree with many of your observations, Hypehnman. A short blog post had better be a masterwork of pithy observation. A long blog post should be structured like an actual article, with clear subjects, proofs, and conclusions. I read a few blogs that manage it. I skip ones that don't. I also like blogs with a clear purpose.

I would offer that some of us don't want to share personal information for very real legal or career reasons. Same with personal photos. I know an information security engineer with a great blog that is referenced in his industry. Part of his very lucrative employment package consists of personal security measures, including the proviso that his photo does not appear online - he doesn't even go to public parties for that reason. He's an extreme example. But what about the woman hiding from an abusive ex, or the romance writer/teacher who doesn't want to get canned by her school district? You can argue there is no such thing as privacy, but aren't we responsible for keeping what little of it that remains?

In this age of TMI bloat and Twitter bleating, some of us want to keep a small core of privacy. We blog because we must, to inform our readers about new books, stories, or events. In some cases, we keep a blog because our publishers demand it.

In their song 'Limelight', the band Rush makes the point 'I can't pretend the stranger is a long-awaited friend.' It seems that our culture of celebrity has spilled over to include less-celebrated figures, not always for the better.

I don't need to know about a writer's personal life to enjoy their work. I've been in this game long enough to know how to separate an author's writing from their personal foibles. I don't need the tale of their tribulations to legitimize their book: it should stand or fail on its own, like all artwork.

Hyphenman · Jul 1, 2012

Thanks for the comments.

I should add a couple of things. First, I'm indebted to AW and its blog review feature. Some forums won't even allow you to list your blog unless you pay for it. I think getting feedback on something you've presumably struggled and sweated over provides a fantastic service for writers.

Also, I would encourage others to submit more reviews of sites. As a blogger, I don't think any of us can ever get too much feedback, positive or negative.

And as I inadvertently discovered, there's a big difference between visiting a site and reviewing it. Engaging in the latter activity forces you to analyze what you're seeing and to put it into words. In turn, that allows you to see your own site in a new and fresh way. Are you committing the same errors you faulted someone else for? It's like editing a stranger's copy versus editing your own.

And, Filigree, I certainly appreciate what you're saying on the privacy issue. It's a thorny subject. But I respectfully disagree.

If I have someone who hates me and has threatened to kill me -- as I once did from a convicted rapist and kidnapper -- how does my picture on a blog enable him to carry out his threat?

I honestly can't think of a single argument for not including a picture -- other than the examples you pointed out where conditions of employment prohibit it.

As for personal information, if you tell me you're a plumber or a student or the vice president of a Fortune 500 company, how does that enable me to do you harm?

I'm not suggesting that anyone say, "I work in a cubicle on the third floor of the Coca-Cola headquarters on Peachtree Street from 9 to 5. I live alone at 4532 Randall St. in the Atlanta suburb of Oakhurst."

But, please, tell me something. I'm more curious than most people. That's why I'm a writer. I like knowing that Elmore Leonard lives in Detroit and doesn't own a computer. (I could care less whether he enjoys a good game of Pinochle.)

Clearly, though, that choice is up to the blogger. I was just trying to spell out the reasons as to why I think it's important, especially after seeing so many people be so tight-lipped.

I should also mention that I have a different perspective on the whole issue because of my many years in journalism. I had to ask people popping off at a city council meeting where they lived and how old they were -- and even more detailed questions to hundreds if not thousands of other people. I resolved early on that I could not demand that of others without reciprocating. I have always had a listed telephone number. I have always been accessible.

I have never regretted it, and I have never been bothered.

Literateparakeet · Jul 2, 2012

Thanks Hyphenman. That was a great post. Plenty to think about. I suppose I should find a picture (bleh) and write some sort of bio (I could start by filling in something here on AW...).

ETA...ok, I took the plunge...I made a few changes based on your post. If I get inudated with spam...

bmadsen · Jul 2, 2012

Hyphenman, great comments!

Good to see I'm not falling in most of those (though this is my first blog, and it's just been up for a month!)

Cheers!

shadowwalker · Jul 2, 2012

I pretty much agree with most of your comments - but not the bio/picture ones. If I'm going to have a blog (and I have a couple personal ones that I don't even use that much), it's going to be because it's good for my writing career, not because I want to connect personally with readers. Yeah, that's cold - but just because I may have a book published is no reason to 'display myself' for my own future readers. If someone won't buy my book because they don't have my picture or don't know my personal history - well, that's a bit strange, isn't it? Most likely I'd be better off if they didn't want to.

Barbara R. · Jul 2, 2012

Thanks for an interesting post, Hyphenman. Totally agree with your point on the too-short, too-frequent posts. I'd much rather settle in and learn something than hear what someone ate for breakfast. I agree those captcha things are annoying, but I think they're a necessary evil. Without them, my new blog was getting several spam comments a day, which stayed up until the next time I checked the blog. No good.

My blog, In Cold Ink, is two months old, and I'd be delighted if you and anyone else on the forum would review it. As a writer who was formerly a literary agent and editor, I naturally focus on both the business and craft of writing. I'd like to demystify the submissions process and maybe counter some of the misinformation out there. Trade publishing has its problems, but it's also full of smart people who've devoted their lives to finding and promoting the best writing around.

This week's post is an interview with Viking/Penguin editor Tara Singh about a lot of the stuff that's hotly debated on this and other writers forums: What are editors really looking for? What turns them off, what draws them in? How important is platform, and does it help or hurt if you've self-published before?

This is my first blog, so feedback is very important to me. And I have the feeling, egotistical no doubt, that the content would actually be useful to other writers...if they know about it. You mentioned that AW has a blog review service. Can you point me to it?

Hyphenman · Jul 2, 2012

That's an interesting point of view, shadowwalker. It reminds me of one of the beauties of blogging: You can do nearly anything you damn well please.

You've also reminded me of something else. I've already written a post about it that I will publish on my own site sometime in the future.

It's about author platforms or author blogs. Aside from juvenile, egocentric, and amateurish blogs, author blogs are about the worst I've seen. They are all about SELL SELL SELL. Here's my latest book. Read a sample chapter. Buy my other books on Amazon. Here's where I will be appearing.

Not very engaging. They are strictly for fans. But if I'm a fan, I've probably already bought your book, so what's the point? How does that drum up new business?

I commented a while back on a highly qualified writer's blog. He had just expanded his posts into a new book on writing. He also had the backing of one of the highest-read blogs there is for writers.

I would check back every week or so to see if anyone had taken exception to what I had written. Or left an entirely unrelated comment of their own. Not a peep out of anyone.

Sure, he had the backing of the Giant Blog, but his book was buried in a laundry list of other titles. So what good was his blog doing him?

I think you have to care about readers and to engage them no matter what your purpose is. I think that becomes even more important if you're trying to sell them something.

Granted, no one is going to buy your book based on what you look like or what job you might have held before your writing career took off. But given the choice of connecting with readers and of satisfying their innate curiosity or of keeping them at arm's length, I think most of us would choose the former.

And the funny thing is that as bad as I personally find author blogs -- and that is strictly my own personal opinion -- I don't ever recall seeing one without a picture or fairly extensive bio information.

As for e-mail addresses, that's kind of interesting. Most of the big names, of course, don't provide an e-mail contact. But one of the biggest-selling authors in the world -- Ken Follett -- does. (I wrote to him, by the way, and never got a response. Surprise. Surprise.) So do some other very popular writers.

My background in journalism has drilled certain principles into my head. I've written for publication since high school. I have always considered my readers. I was more or less ordered to.

If I have to dance naked at someone's birthday party to get them to read what I've written, I'll do it. I think that idea, though, would likely prove counter-productive. (I'm not a very good dancer.) But compared to that, a mug shot is pretty tame.

shadowwalker · Jul 2, 2012

Hyphenman said:
It's about author platforms or author blogs. Aside from juvenile, egocentric, and amateurish blogs, author blogs are about the worst I've seen. They are all about SELL SELL SELL. Here's my latest book. Read a sample chapter. Buy my other books on Amazon. Here's where I will be appearing.

Not very engaging. They are strictly for fans. But if I'm a fan, I've probably already bought your book, so what's the point? How does that drum up new business?

I look up author's blogs to see when their new book is coming out, or possibly to see if they're commenting on some writerly issue. I could care less if they've just had a new baby or moved to a new city. That's not why I buy their books.

Hyphenman said:
I think you have to care about readers and to engage them no matter what your purpose is. I think that becomes even more important if you're trying to sell them something.

Granted, no one is going to buy your book based on what you look like or what job you might have held before your writing career took off. But given the choice of connecting with readers and of satisfying their innate curiosity or of keeping them at arm's length, I think most of us would choose the former.

I would have no problem communicating with readers - about my book or their opinions on my opinions about writing. Anything else I save for my friends and family.

Hyphenman said:
As for e-mail addresses, that's kind of interesting. Most of the big names, of course, don't provide an e-mail contact. But one of the biggest-selling authors in the world -- Ken Follett -- does. (I wrote to him, by the way, and never got a response. Surprise. Surprise.) So do some other very popular writers.

That's one thing I would have - a business email where readers could contact me. But it would be a business email, and definitely not a personal one.

I see being a published writer the same as being in any kind of business - you need to take care of customers, but just like a store manager doesn't give out his family history to the customer at the checkout line, I see no reason to inform a bunch of strangers on the net about my personal life.

Barbara R. · Jul 2, 2012

Hyphenman said:
...Aside from juvenile, egocentric, and amateurish blogs, author blogs are about the worst I've seen. They are all about SELL SELL SELL. Here's my latest book. Read a sample chapter. Buy my other books on Amazon. Here's where I will be appearing.

Not very engaging. They are strictly for fans. But if I'm a fan, I've probably already bought your book, so what's the point? How does that drum up new business?
.

What I wonder is how even good, meaty, informative blogs translate into book sales, especially when the books in question are fiction. I think Nathan Bransford (sp?) is an excellent blogger--his posts have helped a lot of writers. But I wouldn't assume that translates into the ability to write good fiction, which means that if he had written a novel, I wouldn't necessarily buy it. Maybe I'd be a tad more inclined to, as a sort of quid pro quo---is that the mechanism, do you think?

Hyphenman · Jul 2, 2012

Hi, Barbara,

I can only partially answer that. I mean if I had a solid answer, what the hell would I be doing blogging or writing responses on this forum? I'd be a big-time consultant charging very large sums of money.

For a recognized, published author, I have no idea what the payoff would be for blogging. Or if there is one.

I think there are some possible exceptions to that. If Dave Barry makes me laugh as much as ever on his blog, then I might well want to buy his next book.

But if I'm a fan of Stephen King, whether he blogs or he doesn't isn't going to influence my decision on buying his latest book. If I'm a fan, there isn't any decision to make. I'm buying it.

All I can think of off the top of my head is that a blog for a known entity builds and cements good will. Does that translate into sales? Who knows?

But the first-time writer is a different story. If someone who has been participating in this very forum announces that their first book has just been accepted for publication, a number of people will more than likely check it out. But how many sales will that result in? Five? Twenty? Maybe 50 tops?

But it's a start. Maybe a buzz will be created. Maybe word of mouth will take off. Maybe someone with connections will spread the news.

I think you've got much better chances with a how-to book than with a novel. I know what I'm getting with the former (to some extent anyway). I'm just throwing the dice on the latter.

I do offer some alternatives in the post I will publish down the road. But I don't have any special insight or magic formula into how to generate mammoth sales. The best you can hope for, I think, is good will. And while you can't take that to the bank, it's not going to hurt you either.

But your case, Barbara, is a special one. You've not only got novels you'd like to sell, you're offering writing courses. Your blog is an introduction to your personality, your approach to writing, your contacts in the industry, and your overall talent and knowledge. That can't help but generate interest and investment in the writing course.

It's a very common tactic on the Internet: Here's what I'll give you for free that will definitely help you. If you want more, buy my training video, my book, my course, my whatever.

You're building interest where none or very little existed before. Plus, there undoubtedly will be residual effects on your novels. A reader of your blog could very well say, "Wow, she gives some great advice and knows a heckuva lot. But how good is she at fiction?" Clang, clang.

Literateparakeet · Jul 2, 2012

Barbara, the AW blog review "area" is here:

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=169

Deleted member 42 · Jul 2, 2012

I think you might need to look at more blogs.

Elizabeth Bear
Cory Doctorow
Lee Goldberg

Stacia Kane
John Scalzi

There are lots of others.

magicmint · Jul 2, 2012

justbishop said:
I agree with the commenting obstacles. I've wanted to comment on several AWers blogs in the past couple of days, but I don't want to have to log in with an account to a blog service that I don't use.

For the love, if you have the option to allow commenters to comment using a name and email, do so please!

I agree with this. Spam can be annoying, but it isn't hard to delete spam comments. Make it easy for us to comment!

And this was a great commentary. I think any new or veteran blogger can learn some things from this post. Thank you, Hyph for yer observations.

Linda Adams · Jul 3, 2012

I think one of the problems with having a blog with unfocused posts is that it's hard coming up with a "brand" or "platform" that will provide inspirations for topics. Most writers jump in and start blogging how-tos, and end up looking too much like everyone else. Until I found my way into mine, it was very hard coming up with a coherent focus of any kind.

Though I disagree about privacy. I'm former military, and it's not hard for me to make the leap from someone doing a personal blog post about their first dog Fido and their bank account getting hacked. 'What is the name of my first pet?' is a bank security question. I use a graphic of my photo because I do not want strangers approaching me in public places -- and I have had that happen! I found it terribly alarming. So I try to preserve what privacy I do have. I don't share everything, and I studiously avoid specific details.

But I don't think people are ignoring bios because of privacy issues. Elsewhere on the boards, we get writers who struggle to write a blurb about themselves. It's just hard to do, so it may not be everyone's first thought.

BTW, Capchas make it extremely hard for a visually impaired person to use your blog. I have a reader who is blind, and she mentioned that it's frustrating for her and puts a barrier up so she doesn't comment.

Literateparakeet · Jul 3, 2012

Linda Adams said:
I use a graphic of my photo because I do not want strangers approaching me in public places -- and I have had that happen! I found it terribly alarming. So I try to preserve what privacy I do have.

I think this is a great point, especially for us women. I do NOT want to be approached by strangers in any way, shape or form.

I have a friend whose blog post recently went viral. He has pictures of himself and his family on his blog. His wife told me she has started to get "funny looks" from people in stores, people she doesn't know. Not to mention the comments I have seen about whether or not their smiles are genuine, and other nastiness.

The point about capcha and sight-impared people is important as well. I hate those things, and my vision is technically fine.

shadowwalker · Jul 3, 2012

Linda Adams said:
I'm former military, and it's not hard for me to make the leap from someone doing a personal blog post about their first dog Fido and their bank account getting hacked. 'What is the name of my first pet?' is a bank security question. I use a graphic of my photo because I do not want strangers approaching me in public places -- and I have had that happen! I found it terribly alarming. So I try to preserve what privacy I do have. I don't share everything, and I studiously avoid specific details.

Literateparakeet said:
I think this is a great point, especially for us women. I do NOT want to be approached by strangers in any way, shape or form.

I have a friend whose blog post recently went viral. He has pictures of himself and his family on his blog. His wife told me she has started to get "funny looks" from people in stores, people she doesn't know. Not to mention the comments I have seen about whether or not their smiles are genuine, and other nastiness.

This is my whole thing about privacy. There are just too damn many crooks and weirdos out there - and not all of them live across the country. I'm always amazed at the amount of personal information people are willing to put on the internet - and how shocked they are when others don't want any more than is necessary. Considering the major league problems 'ordinary' folks I know have had with stalkers and theft, add in this so-called 'celebrity status' of being a published author... No Thank You.

Barbara R. · Jul 3, 2012

Hyphenman said:
Hi, Barbara,
But your case, Barbara, is a special one. You've not only got novels you'd like to sell, you're offering writing courses. Your blog is an introduction to your personality, your approach to writing, your contacts in the industry, and your overall talent and knowledge. That can't help but generate interest and investment in the writing course.

It's a very common tactic on the Internet: Here's what I'll give you for free that will definitely help you. If you want more, buy my training video, my book, my course, my whatever.

You're building interest where none or very little existed before. Plus, there undoubtedly will be residual effects on your novels. A reader of your blog could very well say, "Wow, she gives some great advice and knows a heckuva lot. But how good is she at fiction?" Clang, clang.

I would love it if that were the response! I'm blogging because I have a lifetime's worth of experience in both the writing and the publishing side of business, as well as a lot of friends in publishing, and it seems to me that all this could be useful to others who are making their way. I don't do it to drum up students, because my workshops already have a waiting list to get in...which isn't to say I'm not on the lookout for talented writers, because I always am.The only personal benefit I hope for is that more readers will find my books.

The thing is, these blogs seem to take on a life of their own, don't they? I'm enjoying mine, especially the encounters with people I hadn't met before.

Hyphenman · Jul 4, 2012

Re: the captcha code. Here's a better alternative that I've referenced elsewhere on this forum: math

It adds an extra field that you can place anywhere in your comment field and says: Spam protection: Sum of 9 + 9? There's then a blank for you to fill in the answer. I think even the math-impaired could master it.

Re: pictures and bio info. Some minds are clearly made up on the issue and nothing is going to change them. But for those who are sitting on the fence and remain undecided, I think there's another side to the coin.

I've already made the argument that most books, novels or non-fiction, carry a picture of the author. A blog is a good way to get over any discomfort about that.

Secondly, I would suggest that newspapers carry pictures of ordinary people every day and give some indication of where they live. Those people, to my knowledge, are not subsequently murdered, raped or burglarized. In fact, having worked for many newspapers, I can tell you that people clamor to get their picture and their children's picture and their Brownie troop's picture and their softball team's picture in the newspaper.

I myself had my picture run beside a column that I did as a high school and college student and later as an adult. Except for high school and perhaps one or two occasions in college, I was never recognized or approached. If I got any "funny looks," I would attribute that more to my overall appearance than to publication of my photo. And I'm talking about a photo that ran in thousands of issues in a relatively small area. I don't think the typical blogger has thousands upon thousands of visitors. If only we did!

Lastly, I know people who have been the victims of identity theft, and they had no web presence whatsoever. I don't think there is any valid correlation between the two. Besides, a crook doesn't need a picture or a bio to steal your identity. Ordering a book off Amazon could be enough.

BigWords · Jul 4, 2012

Some people also clamor to get onto shows like Jerry Springer. Just saying...

Old Hack · Jul 4, 2012

Hyphenman said:
If I have someone who hates me and has threatened to kill me -- as I once did from a convicted rapist and kidnapper -- how does my picture on a blog enable him to carry out his threat? [...] As for personal information, if you tell me you're a plumber or a student or the vice president of a Fortune 500 company, how does that enable me to do you harm?

I'm not suggesting that anyone say, "I work in a cubicle on the third floor of the Coca-Cola headquarters on Peachtree Street from 9 to 5. I live alone at 4532 Randall St. in the Atlanta suburb of Oakhurst."

But, please, tell me something. I'm more curious than most people. That's why I'm a writer. I like knowing that Elmore Leonard lives in Detroit and doesn't own a computer. (I could care less whether he enjoys a good game of Pinochle.)

I should also mention that I have a different perspective on the whole issue because of my many years in journalism. I had to ask people popping off at a city council meeting where they lived and how old they were -- and even more detailed questions to hundreds if not thousands of other people. I resolved early on that I could not demand that of others without reciprocating. I have always had a listed telephone number. I have always been accessible.

I have never regretted it, and I have never been bothered.

I've worked in journalism a bit too, and with all due respect I think you're being naive.

You're underestimating how bizarre the world can be, how determined some people are, and how difficult things can become if one person with an agenda targets you; and you're seeing this from an editor's point of view, and not from the point of view of the person who is the story.

I get hate-mail from my blog almost every week, even when the blog isn't active.

I had a stalker years ago because I wrote someone a personalised rejection which they took exception to.

It is really easy for someone with the teensiest bit of Google-fu to piece together a detailed dossier about anyone who gives away anything online--as you really should know, with your journalistic background.

This can, and often does, cause real problems in the real world.

I urge people to be far more careful than they think they have to be when it comes to giving out personal information, online or anywhere else.

And no, dealing with such problems isn't just a question of getting a new email address "once you get famous". That's not going to help if things get difficult: it's not going to help at all.

Linda Adams · Jul 4, 2012

Hyphenman said:
I've already made the argument that most books, novels or non-fiction, carry a picture of the author. A blog is a good way to get over any discomfort about that.

I'm not sure "most books" is true. I have a number of authors in my library where photos of them have never appeared on the books. I've heard -- whether true or not -- that if an author isn't photogenic, the publisher may not use a photo at all. It might also be that the author could request not using the photo.

And honestly, as a reader, I don't pay that much attention to the author photo. It doesn't help me get to know the author in any way.

Hyphenman said:
Secondly, I would suggest that newspapers carry pictures of ordinary people every day and give some indication of where they live. Those people, to my knowledge, are not subsequently murdered, raped or burglarized. In fact, having worked for many newspapers, I can tell you that people clamor to get their picture and their children's picture and their Brownie troop's picture and their softball team's picture in the newspaper.

A newspaper photo appears once, on one day, on a piece of paper -- and it's local. Even the online articles don't carry the photos forever. But a photo on Twitter or blog is there everywhere, every day. Every time you post a Tweet, every time you post a blog entry, every time you post a comment. Now someone posts to one of those Twitter newsletters and puts my picture on it, and it goes out to all their followers. When someone RTs you, that photo goes out to their followers. That's a whole lot different than a picture in a paper newspaper.

Hyphenman said:
Lastly, I know people who have been the victims of identity theft, and they had no web presence whatsoever. I don't think there is any valid correlation between the two. Besides, a crook doesn't need a picture or a bio to steal your identity. Ordering a book off Amazon could be enough.

Identify theft can occur because people don't realize the value of their personal information. When I was in the army, they were having a class and created a sign in sheet. All they needed was the names, but someone added a column for full SSN. This was a sheet of paper that was going to get thrown into a file cabinet and no one was going to look at ever again. I got an argument with the guy standing next to me because I wouldn't put my number down, and according to him, I was "supposed to" because it was on the form. He and the other soldiers did not think about the importance of that number.

When people give out their information online, they make it easier for the identify thieves. The thieves do not need to root through the garbage -- they just have to search Google. Sometimes they just have to ask people, and those people give it away freely. Periodically, I get emails from PayPal asking me to verify my account -- and it's a spammer trying to get my password. The emails look real, but don't go to PayPal. I honestly think that if FaceBook put in a field for SSN, people would fill it in and not even think once about it. And meanwhile, complain about privacy online, never realizing they're handing it over.

It's one thing to tell a short personal story that doesn't give away any details. It's another thing to describe in great detail for what medications you are taking, right down to the side effects. I've seen people freely post stuff like that online for everyone to see.

shadowwalker · Jul 4, 2012

Hyphenman said:
Secondly, I would suggest that newspapers carry pictures of ordinary people every day and give some indication of where they live. Those people, to my knowledge, are not subsequently murdered, raped or burglarized. In fact, having worked for many newspapers, I can tell you that people clamor to get their picture and their children's picture and their Brownie troop's picture and their softball team's picture in the newspaper.

I can remember a time - and not that long ago - when newspapers listed 'community happenings'. This was a list of who was visiting out of town friends/relatives, who was in the hospital, who had a baby - the print version of Twitter, frankly. Nowadays, many newspapers don't even list birth announcements (even small town papers). Why? Should be obvious.

Some of us know what it's like dealing with stalkers. Some of us know what it's like to have our identities stolen. Some of us know the feeling when some over-enthusiastic stranger accosts us because "I've read your book/blog/article!" So please don't assume we're over-reacting when we want our privacy preserved as much as possible.

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