The vast reach and content of the internet and the various available blog sites have, at a certain level, opened up all kinds of possibilities for what you can write about. Judging from the sheer number and variety of new blogs sprouting on the web daily, bloggers can write about anything and everything these days, but that does not mean they should. Similar to being a journalist, being a serious blogger has a certain sense of responsibility attached to it. When it comes to the consequences of writing your blog, a little consideration goes a long way.

Personal Details
If you are one blogger who tends to be more personal than necessary, then you should stop right there. Your main audience may be family members and friends you actually know and trust, but keep in mind that a blog can easily be viewed by strangers. Putting out too personal information out there can put you or your family and friends at risk. You never know who is reading your blog to steal that information for fraud or other illegal activities. Breaking into your house when you’ve announced you’re on vacation, for instance.

Blogging Other People
When writing about other people on your blog, it pays to be extra careful. You don’t want to reveal any information that they themselves may be uncomfortable sharing. For some bloggers, it may be better to avoid blogging about other people entirely. For instance, take those people who use their own blog to vent about people they resent. Unfortunately for them, it is only a matter of time before those resented people discover the blogs and find out what these bloggers think of them. Some cases could lead to heartache, broken families, and estranged friends, while others may spur serious lawsuits. You would do well to avoid the trouble altogether.

Blogging Other People’s Work
While posting a review or reaction to what other people have written or originally published online is okay, copying entire articles or blog entries to post on your site is not. Just like in journalism and book publishing, plagiarism is a definite no-no in the blogging world. Doing so will not only damage your blog’s credibility, but also be a cause of dismay from other bloggers who have put in honest effort in their posts, and worse, prompt legal cases filed against you. When you want to re-post parts of an article to your blog, be sure to ask and obtain the permission from the source first. Then in your post, cite the source properly and link to its site location. Don’t forget to add your personal take on the topic to make it relevant to your blog. Better yet, just let that other post inspire you to create an original blog entry on your own.

Don’t Air Out Dirty Laundry
In line with blogging other people, avoid blogging about sensitive personal or family problems. Such issues are best dealt with offline. If you must, reach out to someone you know you can trust and confide in, but preferably not on a blog.

Off-Topic Posts
Finally, for those who put up their site with a theme in mind, just stick to it. There may be more leeway when it comes to mostly-personal blogs, but if your reader has come to expect useful posts on gadgets, for instance, a random entry about how cute your cat looks while it naps might do more harm than good. While some blogs are devoted to light, silly topics and actually thrive, such mindless, unrelated posts in a supposedly dedicated blog may be off-putting for readers who have very little time and attention to spare.

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