Sins of the blogger...

Yesterday's post got me thinking. What exactly are the sins of blogging? I mean, I guess I could google it and see what some professional writer thinks but I don't care about them. I care what I and other just regular bloggers think.

So with no help from outside sources and just using my little mind, here are what I think are the sins no blogger should commit without really gauging the importance of doing so. Now in no particular order nor written on stone tablets

The Sins Of Blogging
1.Complaining about work. How many horror stories do you know of people who lost jobs or became infamous for talking out of turn about their job. I know a few personally...

2.Using real names. The internet is an omnivore that eats up everything. If someone pokes it into puking up data, don't let it find you easily. This is the time it is OK to role play you're a spy and give everyone in your blog a code name.

3.Over sharing. Your sex life, bowel movements, menstruation, arrest record, death threats and such should stay pretty private. I know it is fun to write a shocking post or to feel free and expressive but again, think before you type.

3a.Pictures related to sin #3. Guess what, google images has every picture you've ever posted to your blog saved.

4.Straying from the format and/or vain repetition. Most blogs seem to have a theme. Mine is pretty vague in that it is just what I do during my life. The theme is "me" in my entirety. But if yours is fashion and you then two months later only post about what delicious food you had for lunch, you're straying. Conversely if a reader has to read 28 posts in a row about one designer, how you miss your ex or whatever it is going to get old real fast.

5.Selling yourself. Blogger isn't Etsy or ebay.

6.Cross posting mania. Keep your content unique amongst the different outlets. The exact same thing should not be on blogger, tumblr, facebook, g+, twitter and so on. Keep them separate and you'll derive more interest.

7.Begging for comments.

8.Not knowing your intended audience. Who are you writing for? Really think about that because once you have a true answer it will be easier to direct your writing style and content of your posts.

9.Having an unreadable font and color scheme. A blog isn't a myspace profile from 2002. Get rid of crazy color combos and impossible fonts. The object should be for people to read it, not make Lisa Frank happy or impress your 3rd grade art teacher with how artistically obscure you can be.

10.Rarely posting. We are all busy but yet you chose to start a blog. So you actually do have something to share. So write, often!

And finally a bonus sin.

11.Thou shalt not cut and paste all your posts. Do not just constantly take content from another site and throw it up on yours. If a reader wants to see something they will find it. They don't need you to parse the web for them. Original content and presentation will win out every day over you posting 6 photos you took from somewhere else and just posting them to your blog with a "look how neat this is" style of caption.

Full disclosure, have I committed some of these sins? Yes. Have you? Probably. The trick now is recognizing it and never doing them again. Agreed? I beg of you, please leave a comment telling me what you think. (hahahahahahahahahahaha)