Monday, June 8, 2009

Dork-o-meter Red Alert

“The trouble with learning from experience is that you never graduate.” - Doug Larson

When etiquette questions arise in real life social situations one might refer to Emily Post. Is there an internet equivalent for proper behavior on social media sites? I’m asking because I unknowingly committed a faux pas and my cheeks are glowing with shame. My transgression—‘signing’ my name and leaving a link at the end of my comments.

According to an article on Lorelle on WordPress, including my signature not only identifies me as a novice, but it also classifies me a dork. Not exactly good for one’s self-esteem, but then again, I have been called worse.

The signature is redundant, she says, because the comment usually starts with the name of the person leaving a comment. If you click on that name, you have access to commenter’s info including their blog or blogs. I tried it and it works. What can I say? Life is all about living and learning.

Dorky as it might be, I still think the signature line saves a step for those of us interested in checking out different blogs. I haven't decided if I'll try to break my signature habit or not.

Too intimidated to leave a comment on Lorelle’s blog (that and the fact it was written in 2007), I did take heart in that many of the 45 comments she received took her to task for her unkind remarks. Most of them said, “Who cares.”

Although Lorelle called me a name, I did find some other interesting information on her site. There are tips and advice on blogging so I’ll probably go back and visit again—once my pain vanishes. For those using WordPress, she offers specific help and techniques. But, remember my warning should you leave her a comment—you don’t want to set off her dork-o-meter.

In my search to improve my manners and maybe reduce the dork-o-meter to yellow, I ran across 8 Sure-Fire Ways to Tick Off the Twitterverse and Golden Rules of Social Media.

Now that I have learned something about etiquette on social sites, I am ready to move on to finding out how to spend time tweeting and blogging and still get work done. Therefore, I am excited to announce that on Wednesday, Elizabeth Grace Saunders will be a guest here with information about time management relating to social media. Elizabeth is an inspiring keynote speaker, women in business trainer, life coach, and nationally published writer. You can find out more about her at Reallife.

Leave a comment or question and you’ll have a chance to win John Allen’s book Fried Green Zombies. Rest assured, I do not own a dork-o-meter. I like comments and I don’t care if or how they are signed. I simply appreciate the fact that you visited and took the time to let me know.

Thanks for stopping by.

Tags: Doug Larson, Emily Post, WordPress, self-esteem, Elizabeth Saunders,

13 comments:

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Oh, I so disagree with her! It's true there is a link at the top of the comment, but it's not direct to a blog. You have to hunt through the profile page for the person's blog (if they have one.) So don't worry about it, Jane! Not all of us feel that way.

Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder

Anonymous said...

That's just snobbery. Ignore the wench. Yes, you can overdo it, I don't like to see 3 or 4 lines after a signature, with multiple sites, blogs, please Tweet me and buy my book, sure - that's amateurish and annoying. But leaving one direct link to your blog or whatever that is best related to the site you're visiting is a courtesy in my book. I don't have to go flipping thru several clicks and pages to visit you if I want to.

The Old Silly From Free Spirit Blog

Morgan Mandel said...

She's silly. It's so much easier to leave a link for the blog or website you wish stressed, than to have people search through a bunch of blogs to find out which one you're writing on that day.

I have a personal daily blog, plus three group blogs. It makes sense to publicize the one most important for that day. We should all go over and tell her that.

Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
http://www.morganmandel.com

Alexis Grant said...

Ha, this is funny! I love the link on how not to tick off the Twittersphere. So funny that this etiquette has become part of our daily lives.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

A blog signature is not improper! That is silly.

Now on social sites, I don't use one. Except at Deviant Art, where a signature line is provided and encouraged.

L. Diane Wolfe
www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com
www.spunkonastick.net
www.thecircleoffriends.net

Cheryl said...

I think the greater faux pas is calling someone out publicly. I'm hoping she sent you an e-mail rather than commenting on your comment. If I'm going to be harsh (and my version is probably a lot gentler than most people's) I will send an e-mail. Praise in public, correct in private.

I often put a signature on my comments, just because people are more likely to click the link in my comment than click my name for options. I want that traffic!

Cheryl
http://www.cliopatra.net
http://www.bycherylrushing.com

PS - off to click other people's links now!

joe doaks-Author said...

Yeah, I’m with the others. Silly and pretentious…Though I kinda like the idea of a Dork-O-Meter. That has potential. Think I’ll institute that and alienate the few blog readers I DO have.

In the meantime, Marvin posted an email about how to make your link “clickable.” Not sure where that got away to, but, it’s a good idea. It’s hard to explain, ‘cause what I write will get turned into a link. YIkes. Maybe you can take that on as a topic for another blog day, Jane. Clearly, you know how it’ done.

Best Regards, Galen.
GalenKindley.com

Helen Ginger said...

I disagree. I encourage visitors to Straight From Hel to leave a link. Half the time when I want to follow someone who's left a comment, I click on their name and it'll take me to their profile, then I have to click on their blog, sometimes they have several, and half the time that takes me to their old blog they've abandoned but not gone to update their profile.

Blogging is a social experience. Leaving your link is like offering your business card.

I'd say ignore her bad manners.

Helen
Straight From Hel

Jane Kennedy Sutton said...

Thanks for the comments. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who thought it a bit weird. I do need to make one thing clear, which my blog did not - she did not personally call me a dork. I read her blog and took it personal! :)
I need to find that email of Marvin's. I like the neat look of the one line signature. I also like your comparison of a signature to leaving a business card, Helen.

Nancy J. Parra said...

Funny how something said in 2007 effected you and now your readers today. Just shows you how social media works...

I don't think you're a dork. Seriously it's hard to tell who will be offended by what these days.

Thanks for the links!

Patricia Stoltey said...

Nonsense and piffle. If I want to follow a comment's author back to his or her blog, I want to go there in one step.

Patricia

squiresj said...

Your blog is giving me troubles. I'll try the second time to send it. It is what usually happens when I try to spend a response to a blog. I have to rewrite it so many times I about give up. I don't blame that on people crashing the blog. It is the blog itself.
Hey this is from Jane to Jane - we got a great name don't we.
I have no problem putting my email or signature on something. Because there are fewer people being mean than being nice.
Enter me to win the book.
jrs362 (at) hotmail (dot) com

Anonymous said...

I'm glad to read others' comments, because I disagree as well. Leaving the name of my blog at the end of my comments at least gives a clue that I'm a mystery writer - the name at the top means little, since I'm not famous yet!

IMHO, anyone who issues all-encompassing judgments is to be regarded with extreme suspicion - she's probably just on a power trip. That said, I'll check out your other "etiquette" links.

Julie Lomoe
Julie Lomoe's Musings Mysterioso
http://julielomoe.wordpress.com

Jane's Ride - Novelist Jane Kennedy Sutton's journey through the ups and downs of the writing, publishing and marketing world