Blogging for Dummies: Etiquette 101

Imagine going online one day and discovering someone is biting your style. Maybe it’s your header (or elements of) that has been snatched. Or a certain post format from your blog being copied. How do you react; are you angry? Flattered? Creeped out? Most likely a combination of all three.

The world wide web is exactly that–wide. Million upon millions of people, many of whom share similar interests are involved in the internet community. There is bound to be some overlap and in fact, we expect it & at times welcome it, because after all, who doesn’t love meeting new people that are into the same kinds of things? But there comes a time when a certain line is crossed and it’s just flat out wrong to claim other people’s ideas as your own.

In the blogger-sphere in particular, it’s common to find writers who blog about the same topics (especially trendy ones). My sexy Aussie pal Em wrote a great article on issues surrounding this. However, I think the #1 thing that people forget to mention when such a similarty evolves is crediting the original source. I, for instance, began posting a weekly installment of Things I Love Thursday, inspired by the lovelyGala Darling yet I also was gracious enough to give her the credit as seen here in my very first TILT post. It wasn’t hard. It took two seconds. You should try it next time.

My apologies if I’m coming off a bit ranty here. It’s just that I get really fired up about this sort of thing. It’s recently been brought to my attention that there is someone out there with some very, very, very striking similarities to my blog & content. I know that I work really hard and put a lot of effort into my words and ideas and so when something like this comes to light it’s quite disheartening and frankly, pathetic if you ask me. One of my favorite parts of the web is all the organic material I come across on it. I’d like to keep that going. So please, be kind to one another. Use the golden rule. Give credit when it is due. Inject some love into the blogger-sphere<3

Has your online personality/work ever been jacked? What are your thoughts/opinions on dealing with it? Discuss.