Intro to Sex Blogging Conversio Virium Viviane November 17, 2008

Topics Why should I write one? What should I be reading? Privacy Setup Considerations Platforms Promotion

Why should I write one?

What should I be reading?

Privacy

Setup Considerations

Platforms

Promotion

About Me Research librarian Interests: Sex, BDSM, social media, technology Email since late 1980s; first website in 1995; started my blog in 2005

Research librarian

Interests: Sex, BDSM, social media, technology

Email since late 1980s; first website in 1995; started my blog in 2005

www.thesexcarnival.com

Why Should I Blog Clarity – personal bloggers documenting their journey Passion – what are you passionate about? Sharing information Community – You’re not alone

Clarity – personal bloggers documenting their journey

Passion – what are you passionate about?

Sharing information

Community – You’re not alone

What Do I Write About?

Google Reader

Youporn Sex Blogs feed youporn.com

My blogroll Advocacy Blogging Columnists, Education, Publications Resources Fellow Perverts Events, Fetish, Kink Saucy & Sexy Smut

Advocacy

Blogging

Columnists, Education, Publications Resources

Fellow Perverts

Events, Fetish, Kink

Saucy & Sexy

Smut

Dipping your toe in Pick some blogs that interest you Read Comment constructively Provide link back to you blog

Pick some blogs that interest you

Read

Comment constructively

Provide link back to you blog

Privacy and Security

The internet is forever If you’re thinned skinned or sensitive, don’t do it. What if a date or prospective employer Googles you and finds your writing? What is the agreement with your partner or the person you’re dating? How will you feel when you read your narrative years from now?

If you’re thinned skinned or sensitive, don’t do it.

What if a date or prospective employer Googles you and finds your writing?

What is the agreement with your partner or the person you’re dating?

How will you feel when you read your narrative years from now?

Blogging anonymously Pseudonyms – use one that doesn’t sound like the real name it’s based on Even general details can give away a lot Don’t post pictures Don’t blog at work

Pseudonyms – use one that doesn’t sound like the real name it’s based on

Even general details can give away a lot

Don’t post pictures

Don’t blog at work

Privacy NEVER give out personal identifiable information Limit your audience Moderate comments Block users and IPs? Don’t let Google index you Get out of the cache

NEVER give out personal identifiable information

Limit your audience

Moderate comments

Block users and IPs?

Don’t let Google index you

Get out of the cache

Jack McGeorge “Chief United Nations weapons inspector Hans Blix rejected yesterday a resignation offer tendered by one of his Iraq-bound inspectors after reports appeared that the Virginia man lacked a specialized degree and has played a leadership role in sadomasochistic sex clubs.” (Nov. 2002)

“Chief United Nations weapons inspector Hans Blix rejected yesterday a resignation offer tendered by one of his Iraq-bound inspectors after reports appeared that the Virginia man lacked a specialized degree and has played a leadership role in sadomasochistic sex clubs.” (Nov. 2002)

Tess Time Out NY 11/11 Google Cache 11/13

Jefferson Blogged about sex and parenting since 2004 Ex wife discovered blog in Time Out in March, filed for custody in June Blog is sole evidence for the motion He is now subject to psychiatric evaluation because of his interest in BDSM & polyamory

Blogged about sex and parenting since 2004

Ex wife discovered blog in Time Out in March, filed for custody in June

Blog is sole evidence for the motion

He is now subject to psychiatric evaluation because of his interest in BDSM & polyamory

Create Your Narrative Build strong public persona/image on the web You are what you write or link to Comment and reblog Build relationships online and IRL Be consistent in your presentation

Build strong public persona/image on the web

You are what you write or link to

Comment and reblog

Build relationships online and IRL

Be consistent in your presentation

It helps to have a process What is the agreement you make with yourself about your narrative? Don’t post in anger Don’t blog drunk Is fisking your art form? Do you snark, big time? How much do you share?

What is the agreement you make

with yourself about your narrative?

Don’t post in anger

Don’t blog drunk

Is fisking your art form?

Do you snark, big time?

How much do you share?

Audience feeds on you Communities want to help or may tear you down Mob mentality/piling on If you get into conflict, don’t keep replying – you’re building content for the search engines Raise your hands and step away from the computer

Communities want to help or may tear you down

Mob mentality/piling on

If you get into conflict, don’t keep replying – you’re building content for the search engines

Raise your hands and step away from the computer

Idiolect “ An idiolect is a variety of a language unique to an individual. It is manifested by patterns of word selection, vocabulary and word lexicon, grammar, or words, phrases, idioms, or pronunciations that are unique to that individual.” (Wikipedia) Your idiolect clearly IDS you, regardless of what you call yourself (i.e. Willy Wonka)

“ An idiolect is a variety of a language unique to an individual. It is manifested by patterns of word selection, vocabulary and word lexicon, grammar, or words, phrases, idioms, or pronunciations that are unique to that individual.” (Wikipedia)

Your idiolect clearly IDS you, regardless of what you call yourself (i.e. Willy Wonka)

Pick your Platforms Function follows form Some platforms are more conducive to discussion, shared interests (Livejournal, Tumblr) Some are better at protecting privacy and limiting discussion to friends (i.e. locking posts on WordPress, entire blogs on Blogger), Life stream: Twitter, FriendFeed

Function follows form

Some platforms are more conducive to discussion, shared interests (Livejournal, Tumblr)

Some are better at protecting privacy and limiting discussion to friends (i.e. locking posts on WordPress, entire blogs on Blogger),

Life stream: Twitter, FriendFeed

Setup Considerations

Questions What are your goals? What’s your budget? How much of a techie are you? What’s everyone else using? Design? Blog tools?

What are your goals?

What’s your budget?

How much of a techie are you?

What’s everyone else using?

Design?

Blog tools?

What’s the name of your blog? You name should be short, memorable and easy to type (blog name and URL). Even if you’re choosing a hosted platform, make sure you register the domain name at the same time (so someone else doesn’t)!

You name should be short, memorable and easy to type (blog name and URL).

Even if you’re choosing a hosted platform, make sure you register the domain name at the same time (so someone else doesn’t)!

Bust a Name – Domain Name Suggestion Tool

Blogger.com You can be up and publish in minutes User forum on Google Groups (http://groups.google.com/) Shows up in Google Blog Search ( http://blogsearch.google.com ) Blogger Beta: easier to customize your template using widgets Blogger search engine “ Search Your Blog” or “Search for Other blogs” Hosted, but can be installed on a server Many templates available both at Blogger and other websites (search “Blogger.com templates”) The ability to publish by sending an email to your blog Blogger Beta uses categories, which both help you organize your posts.

You can be up and publish in minutes

User forum on Google Groups (http://groups.google.com/)

Shows up in Google Blog Search ( http://blogsearch.google.com )

Blogger Beta: easier to customize your template using widgets

Blogger search engine “ Search Your Blog” or “Search for Other blogs”

Hosted, but can be installed on a server

Many templates available both at Blogger and other websites (search “Blogger.com templates”)

The ability to publish by sending an email to your blog

Blogger Beta uses categories, which both help you organize your posts.

Wordpress Single or Multiuser (for blog network) Basic content management Open Source and free Support forums/Wordcamps Dozens of themes Dozens of plug-ins to add functionality

Single or Multiuser (for blog network)

Basic content management

Open Source and free

Support forums/Wordcamps

Dozens of themes

Dozens of plug-ins to add functionality

/

Wordpress Standalone Dashboard

Wordpress Post Editor

Livejournal Friends page

Tumblr Short, mixed media posts, little or no commentary

Twitter Micro blog/Hive mind/Notification “ What are you doing?” – in 140 characters or less Real time – update from your computer, smart phone, etc. Integrates with your blog

Micro blog/Hive mind/Notification

“ What are you doing?” – in 140 characters or less

Real time – update from your computer, smart phone, etc.

Integrates with your blog

Viviane212 Twitter replies

Twitter Wiki

Building Readership Post often, and at regular intervals Read, comment, link to other blogs Meet other bloggers – NY has the Pleasure Salon; Perverts’ Saloon Figure out what kind of blogger you are (link collector? Story teller?) Make it easy to subscribe to your blog – turn on full RSS Claim your blog on Technorati (largest blog directory) Submit to other group blog projects, search engines

Post often, and at regular intervals

Read, comment, link to other blogs

Meet other bloggers – NY has the Pleasure Salon; Perverts’ Saloon

Figure out what kind of blogger you are (link collector? Story teller?)

Make it easy to subscribe to your blog – turn on full RSS

Claim your blog on Technorati (largest blog directory)

Submit to other group blog projects, search engines

Additional Tools

Statcounter

Google Analytics

Google Webmaster Central Helps you determine when Google last visited and indexed your site.

RSS Feeds

RSS/XML

Feedburner feeds provide greater customization and viewer data

Feedburner

Submit your feed to Yahoo (back end way to submit your blog)

Technorati A blog based search engine Blogs are indexed by post and tags, not by page Set up an account Claim all your blogs (Twitter, Tumblr, etc.) Linkage helps establish authority ranking

A blog based search engine

Blogs are indexed by post and tags, not by page

Set up an account

Claim all your blogs (Twitter, Tumblr, etc.)

Linkage helps establish authority ranking

Technorati blog search engine

Technorati Blogger Central

Technorati: posts tagged “sex”

GapingVoid.com: “cards drawn on the back of business cards”

Questions? Thank you! Viviane Email: viviane212@gmail.com