Copyright Julie Goucher, May 2020

I don’t have all the answers about blogging, but this first post will enable you, I hope, to start visualising what you want your blog to be and what you do not want it to be.

Your blog, regardless of what platform you use will need to do or think about a few things to prior to getting up and running.

1. Copyright – what you write belongs to you. If you copy a paragraph from someone else then you are using their copyright and you should ask permission first and at the very least reference them.
2. Copyright Statement – Have a copyright Statement, I have one on this site which you can find right at the bottom. It reads:
   

   The material, both written and photographic on these pages is the copyright of Julie Goucher & Anglers Rest unless stated. Material on this site may be used for personal reference only. If you wish to use any of the material on this site for other means, please seek the written permission of Julie Goucher & Anglers Rest.

   © 2002 – 2020

   If you are creating your blog, you are welcome to use this copyright notice and please link to me.

3. Images – I recently wrote about my upcoming talk with the Society of Genealogists. I wanted an image to use and used their logo. I referenced the logo “Courtesy of the Society of Genealogists”. 
4. Privacy – This is yours and other peoples. Rule of thumb is never share online what you would not be happy to share or have overheard at a bus stop! Keep yourself and those you mention safe online. I tend to not reference people specifically. My husband is referred to in a variety of ways, Mr AR, Hubby, S, Occasionally Stuart. I occasionally reference students in that very generic way. Occasionally they are reduced to an initial or referenced by the use of their study name, which is just the same if you looked the study up on the online register of the Guild of One-Name Studies.
5. Comments – Respond to comments, Blogging is a two way street. It is also an opportunity to engage in dialogue with others.
6. Spelling and punctuation – If you are not good at spelling then perhaps create your blog posts in word and then copy and paste across. That said, no matter how hard I read and re-read I often come across a typo later on, after a post has published. If you do that, you can go into the post and make an edit and republish.
7. Layout – Always use an image, people tend to read posts with an image rather than just text. Images should be one you have created or own if it is a post card or book cover. If you have borrowed an image from someone else, then you should ask (or at the very least acknowledge them).
8. Confident and Comfortable – Your blog will develop and grow as your confidence grows and you become more at ease with putting “out there” your posts.
9. Writing – What are you going to write? If you look at the image that accompanies this post, you will see that I have broken down into chunks what this blog covers. My own genealogy, general genealogical material, European Ancestors material, Surname Studies, both in general and posts relating to my own studies. Have a think about what you want to include.
10. Sharing – This is not just about sharing using social media, but sharing with others. There is nothing more disheartening to write a blog post and then publish it, to find no one acknowledges that they have read it, let alone leave a comment. Members of the Guild of One-Name Studies can share their blog with other members, there use to be a list in the Wiki, but I am happy to provide a list somewhere on this site.

This is part of my Blog Writing Series. The next instalment will be up tomorrow.