At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

Ten Commandments for every blogger…

blogging, commandments, how to blog, bloggers, 10 commandments

Lately I’ve been thinking about what makes a successful blogger…and, by successful I’m not talking financial success, or popularity…. but someone who connects with others.  Someone who stands head and shoulders above the rest because of their integrity, their work ethic…you get the idea! I have vowed that no matter how much success or not, how much growth..or not, we experience here At The Picket Fence, I always want to hold myself to a standard of excellence! 
This prompted me to think about what are 10 Commandments that every blogger could adhere to.  Commandments that impact how they relate to other bloggers, to their readers and to themselves. When I started to write this post I realized there are some other great “commandments” out there, so these can just be added to that list…we can call it the 50, 60…100 commandments of blogging. grin! 
These by no means encompass all that can be learned about blogging or from blogging..but they are commandments that I created that resonate with me personally…maybe a few of them will speak to you as well! 

Commandment One:

You can never be too classy, too caring, or too compassionate!



Commandment Two:

Always take the high road, but know when to defend the underdog.



Commandment Three:

I may be further along or farther behind on the journey, but I am neither BETTER than or LESS than another blogger.  We are all just HUMAN BEINGS traveling together.


Commandment Four:

Imitation is flattering.  Stealing words, photographs, ideas and content are not.  Always ask before you borrow and give credit where credit is due.


Commandment Five:

Leave someone’s blog better than you found it.  A kind comment is food for a blogger’s soul. 



Commandment Six:

Don’t leave your bitterness on another person’s passion! 
If you can’t say something nice try not saying it. If you HAVE to say it, spoon it down with sugar.  



Commandment Seven:

Tribes and Communities are crucial and beneficial for blogging.  Cliques and High School behavior are not.  We are all grown-ups now, let’s act like it. 


Commandment Eight:

Controversy maybe an exciting roller coaster, but it’s usually a pretty short ride! Think about where you want to travel with your blog before you buckle yourself in.


Commandment Nine:

Content is said to be King and Photography, Queen.  If so, than other Bloggers and your Followers are Parliament.  Remember, without the support of others you can never truly “rule!”


Commandment Ten:

Saying there are too many blogs in the world, is like saying there are too many books.  Find your voice and speak! Not everyone will be the next Steinbeck or Austen of the blogging world, but some of the smallest works of literature have had the biggest impact on the world. Impact your world right where you are! 

So, these are my TEN COMMANDMENTS for blogging?  Do you agree?  Do you have any to add to the list? If so let me know.  And if you like these, please feel free to share…just let them know who said it…(see commandment four..grin!) 
Thanks for joining me today…At The Picket Fence!
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Comments

  2. Thanks so much for this post. Being a new blogger, this was especially timely and helpful. There is so much beauty and wisdom out there to behold. Thank you for being a part of it by encouraging others. Have a blessed week!
    ~Nici

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  8. Wonderful!!! And I love these were spoke to the character of bloggers…not just the technical stuff. It’s the character of a blogger that defines them and therefore their success!! Great stuff!

    Reply

  14. Excellent, Heather! I particularly like the one about bitterness and passion. I have had the most hurtful comments on some really benign posts of mine. I can’t for the life of me figure out why some folks feel that they MUST make a snide comment. Happened on pinterest too. What the heckers???

    Reply

  24. Great advice, Heather! You have hit the nail on the head with every single one of these! I feel like you’ve read my mind with many of these. I adore the home blogging community because the majority of the bloggers in our niche already adhere to these rules already. It sure does make for a pleasant blogging environment. Thank you for taking the time to write them down and gently remind us! 🙂 I’m sharing this now.

    Reply

  26. I certainly agree with those commandments. Wish I could think of some other good ones, but you’ve done a good job covering them yourself!

    Reply

  28. I absolutely agree with all of your commandments, Heather! Thank you so much for your encouragement and support by sharing these words of wisdom for bloggers (especially newbies like me!) Have a wonderful week! 🙂

    Reply

  31. Heather, thanks so very much for posting theses great thoughts. Your words reminded me that I should always reply to comments left. I was about ready to stop taking the time to do so. Seems many don’t do that and that’s where your reminder helped. Thanks for your sincere kindness and concern for others. Helen

    Reply

  33. This is AMAZING…. you are the best and I benefit from you two every time I visit. One of my best friends told me (just as I started blogging a couple of years ago) that there were already too many blogs. I wish I could have given her your final commandment.

    Reply

  36. The too many blogs/too many books metaphor really hits home. I have been feeling like a needle in a haystack and wondering how to get noticed. I’m just going to forget about it for a while and do my thing (whatever that is!) Loved this post and I adore your graphics. Well done.

    Reply

  48. This is so perfect! I have been thinking about this a lot lately, too. It is one of the reasons I didn’t have a blog for so long… I really don’t like the “popularity contest” aspect of it. But, there are so many wonderful, amazing bloggers like you who are so uplifting and wonderful! Thank you for your kind example 🙂

    Reply

  50. I love your ten, but wish you’d add one more. Commandment no.11: Thou shall not re-post the same post again and again. You may want more traffic, but it’s not fair to make it look like you’re posting a new post when it’s the same one you posted earlier.

    Thanks for letting me make this statement. Thankfully not many bloggers do this, but there are a few really popular ones who do this! It makes me not want to follow them.

    Reply

  52. Very well said and very timely for me! I’ve been taking a few weeks off from my blog to refocus on things that are more important in my life. While I adore blogging, it can take on a life of its own and take over my life so I’ve been enjoying stalking, visiting, commenting and pinning as well as not feeling pressured to produce the next post! I so love your blog and all it stands for and the encouragement you put out in each and every post — truly one of my favorite blogs! Can I say that? LOL

    Reply

  53. I loved them and agree whole heartedly. I haven’t had too many nasty comments on my blog, I would say 99% of comments are nice but I have seen some zingers and always wondered why that person had to unload her nasty feelings on someone else. I have really enjoyed your blog, you have helped me in many ways that you may not even know. I agree as a blogging world everyone has their own niche and voice. We are a motley crew and all different just like the world and there is a spot for all of us. Thanks for having such an uplifting voice.

    Reply

  55. Beautiful & Encouraging!

    Helpful & Inspiring For A “slow-starting, remedial” blogger, like myself.

    I am still searching for my niche. . .my passion for creating children’s clothing is just not lining up with the things I feel lead to blog. . . God Will Lead & Define, this I know, in the meantime…I figure the blogging community thinks I’m a Froot Loop. But, hey, that’s okay. . . I like Cereal 😉

    Thanks again for all you share At The Picket Fence!

    Reply

  56. These are great, and I completely agree! I am the absolute worst person when it comes to dealing with awkward moments and drama. I could never relate to anyone going around and leaving hurtful comments. Glad to have met kind and thoughtful bloggers such as you and Vanessa!

    Reply

  57. Wonderful words of wisdom! And great reminders for those of us (me) that kind of lose our focus every so often. My mantra in blogging, in life, at home is that we must build each other up. I choose to camp out in positive territory. Cuz I can. 🙂
    Thanks, ladies — this is worth a tweet/pin/share!
    xo Heidi

    Reply

  58. I love your commandments Heather. So true and so simple. So happy to have met you out in this big ol world of blogging!! 🙂

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  62. After all your help to me last night on Blog Talk I know that you are true to what you say! Thank you again!!! Thank you for the reminder of how we are to act 🙂
    Hugs,
    Bj

    Reply

  74. I’m almost in tears because these are so right-on and what I needed to hear. Thank you for taking the time to write this and for adding such pretty graphics. This post will be saved and re-read when needed!

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  76. Being new to the blog world, I’m always trying to learn more about blogging and getting advice. You did both in a very creative way – Thank you – Please visit my blog and give me some tips if you can. Best Wishes

    Reply

  82. I love this! I was worried when I saw the title because a lot of people do posts like this where they come off as “better-than.” Y’all really did this in an encouraging, uplifting way!

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  83. Love love love these commandments!! Thanks for sharing with us. You are amazing Heather and Vanessa!
    Meegan

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  84. Great list. I have just started blogging, and you have really reinforced what i am trying to achieve with my own blog, and given me some food for thought.Thank you.

    Reply

  86. I love this. I think you should write an eBook based off of these 10 commandments because every blogger needs to live by these. 🙂

    Anna

    Reply

  88. Insightful & inspirational words of blogging wisdom, Heather! I know how I appreciate every word and thoughtful opinion left in my comments. I realize how valuable a reader’s time is. When he or she takes time from their day to drop me a note I realize the value in that. Comments are little gifts of one’s time and their kindness.

    “Leave someone’s blog better than you found it. A kind comment is food for a blogger’s soul.” ~ One Smart Lady

    Reply

  92. Yee haw!!

    Sorry–I just let a bit of my Tennessee roots show. 🙂

    Your ten commandments are wonderful, Heather, and I bless you for writing them and sharing them. I wish more people would adopt this attitude! 🙂

    Reply

  95. Oh Vanessa and Heather – I’ve been reading your blog for a long while and you get me every time. You two live up to these standards beautifully. Thanks for sharing and putting it out there for all of us to benefit from. Great job.

    Reply

  96. So well said. I have wanted to thank you again for the great tutorials on blogging and the great recaps of Haven in Atlanta. I read and learned so much but I knew I needed to reread and reread and study to GET EVERYthing! Young minds absorb and remember quicker and longer! I am in the older generation! Also, LIFE does happen! So often, I beat up on myself and wonder HOW do they do it? How do they blog everyday or several times a week!!! I have to maintain a balance and my life is so full I don’t ever want to compare myself to others. Some can pelt out words like I can speak them, some can paint and refinish furniture every week, some cook all the time…..but we each have to be ourselves. We should enjoy and feel the blessings we have and be thankful. I am thankful for all the blogging friends I have made. I am thankful for all I have learned from blogging. Blogging is a complex world but I am blessed to be a part of it. People like you with uplifting and positive attitudes encourage and teach so many life lessons. Thank you.

    Reply

  101. This is timely as I am a new blogger (8 months) and recently found out another blogger bigger than me took some content of mine and did not ask. Made it sound like they came up with the idea and now they are getting pinned like crazy. Frustrates me because I work hard to be original and give credit where credit is due. I did contact said blogger, but have had no response from them. Wish I could get post taken down, but ISP says no it is in grey area.

    So thank you so much for this post as I will pin it and share it every because you hit the nail on the head for blogging! Thanks, Amee

    Reply

  103. Fantastic! Very good comandments, especially the credit where credit is due. I mean, it’s not that hard if you are going to showcase something someone else did, that you like, it’s NICE to share with with everyone, but link up! Thanks for posting these, they’re great.

    Reply

  106. Wonderful….someone sent me here to look at this and I agree with all, KUDOS….
    As a Facebook enthusiast & published photographer I applaud you for #4 and can’t believe the non linking going on over there!

    Reply

  109. Heather, each of these is just perfect! I will pin and read and abide. We all need reminders and improvements in these areas.

    thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  112. I think these are great! My one issue as a blogger is with those who comment and say hateful things in a personal attack. There’s no reason for that except jealousy and anger and they should just go visit another blog! I do feel sorry for people like that but it doesn’t make it any less comforting when attacks are made. Encouragement should rule! Thanks for sharing this.

    Reply

  115. this is a wonderful entries. all things i think about before i post. i try not to make my entries too wordy, where the reader might loose interest. i love pictures, color and fun.

    and, save the dramma for you momma. i don’t want to read about personal conflict in your life!! xo

    Reply

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