What information should be on a blog?

[Kathy Maxwell]

What information do you think a blogger should provide their readers?

For instance: I like to know the blogger's first name!  Some bloggers have their names and others don't.

 

(Added after initial posting)

If you were helping someone build a new blog, what advice would you give for the blog's appearance and content?

 

[Sara-Jayne Slack]

Inspired-Quill is being set up as a Social Enterprise at the beginning of May. There's a lot I want to do with the site, but the main thing is to bring back a bit of dignity to Online (Self) Publishing, and to have a PubH that actually cares about quality over quantity.

 

As I say, that's only one of my setups with I.Q. The others are going to include an environment where people can gain valuable technical writing experience (Articles, Editing, etc), low-line-cost advertising for independent bookshops, which is going to incorporate a database of (what I hope will eventually be) hundreds of independent bookshops the world over.

 

...there's other stuff as well (including a UK Book Blogger Convention), but I'll not bore you any longer. :)

 

~Sara, from Inspired-Quill

[Kathy Maxwell]

So are you based out of the UK?  Does Inspired Quill have a website already?  Sounds like you have some good business goals.

[Sara-Jayne Slack]

I'd like to think so. I recently got a commendation at a Business Pitch I did to a panel of business experts. :)

 

I.Q. already has the blog side of the website, which has been up and running for a while. The pblishing side of the business is going live in September/October, but I'll need to start looking for Manuscripts around June/July time, if not before.

 

And yes, I'm based in the Midlands (UK).

 

~Sara, from Inspired-Quill

[Kathy Maxwell]

My husband's maternal grandparents were Cornish. He still has relatives in Hayle and Redruth.  In fact, we were there last October visiting!!!

[Kathy Maxwell]

I agree that people should identify themselves in some useful way...their background, purpose, etc.  Your comment reminds me of a particular issue I have with blog names.  I like a name that is specific to the types of books reviewed.  This is particularly helpful when looking at blog posts on memes!

[Sara-Jayne Slack]

You could always turn it into a pun.

"Allon Writing" (All On Writing)

 

I know, I'm sorry. xD

 

~Sara, from Inspired-Quill

[Vickie Ramage]

Actually I think that's a pretty awesome idea!

 

ComaCalm's Corner (YA)

[Vickie Ramage]

I recommend a user get a cute background from Hot Bliggity Blog or The Cutest Blog on the Block. I'm happy as long as I can read their posts and they have made some effort to keep their blog tidy. Oh, I like the followers button to be near the top. I dislike scrolling down five miles just to see how many followers they have and to follow them.

[Kathy Maxwell]

Thanks for the heads up!  I wondered where some of the fancy sites came from!!!

And I definitely agree with the "5 miles" thing.  I always sigh when I get on a site and the scroll bar gets so small you can hardly see it!!!

[Kris]

I like the idea of sharing who I am - but I have a professional restriction...  given what I do for a living, if some folks were to read my blog and see some of the things I write, and the books I am a fan of - well, it wouldn't go over very well in the circle of clients I find myself in.  And, since I am not making any money from my blog, I would hope that people could respect my limitations.  It bothers me a little to see an author say that they will only respect me more if I put my name out there - I am not in the same position as the author - namely, I am not making any money off the identity that blogs.

[Sara-Jayne Slack]

That's a little odd. After all, how many authors themselves have pseudonyms? For example, even J.K. Rowling uses her intiials instead of her first actual name because it was assumed (unfortunately, probably correctly) that less books would sell if everyone knew she was a woman straight away.

 

The only reason I use my actual name, is that I.Q. is that a big part of reputation in setting up a business, comes from being seen as an 'expert' (and I use the term loosely) in your field. I'm unable to do that if I have a pseudonym and then get asked to speak at events (as I recently have been).

 

~Sara, from Inspired-Quill

[Kris]

I didn't say I don't respect you - but I think it's not fair for you to respect me less because I don't share my name.  I have access to a popular and very prolific author who (as noted in Sara-Jayne's reply above) uses a pen name.  Which, I agree makes the notion that a blogger needs to share his/her identity to be respected a little... curious... since authors don't necessarily need to do the same, they could choose to use a pseudonym.  

 

I have the utmost respect for those who can manage to put their thoughts and ideas into a book - and get it published.  I have only ever managed to get some articles published and that is also difficult.  But, I shouldn't be given less respect automatically for not sharing my identity.  I am an attorney in a tough field.  I would not garner the respect, daily, that I have worked so hard to earn, if my clients were aware of my addiction to certain book genres.  In my particular field (and specialty within my field) reading anything less then nobel prize winning pieces is looked down upon.  Assuming that I am hiding for security reasons is a little unfair.  I would suffer tremendous backlash if my blog became popular and clients decided to read it.  And it's not exactly risque or anything like that - it's just not academic enough.  

 

My post wasn't intended to be disrespectful - I apologize if it was.  I merely ask for what you ask for yourself - respect if I choose not to share my identity.  For authors are not the only ones with reputations to guard.