So I'm going to a blog conference... #DPCON12

blah blah, blog, blah blah.

You'll be doing more of this than you realise!

"Conference" sounds important, doesn't it? It sounds like you're knowledgeable and you are going to the conference to further that knowledge and network and drink cold coffee from those boring little conference cups. Because you're important.

Then people ask you what it's for and you're all like... "um, a blogging conference". And they're all like "oh. What's a blog?"

And you want to explain the fabulous world you've fallen into like Alice down the rabbit hole and you can't because it's so big and it's so much a part of you now that when you say you write stuff on the internet it sounds weird. And it doesn't encompass the incredible connections and opportunities and fun and challenge that the blogging world includes.

Lucky for me, most of my friends have blogs, or sites for their photography, or sites for their music and it isn't weird at all. But for those who don't, I'm at a loss to answer the inevitable "how's the blog going?". Well, it's going really well, thank you, but I get so much more out of it than I can actually describe. And I'm not sure you really get it and I will end up sounding like a freak and now I don't want you to read my blog because that would be awkward and I didn't think you paid attention and I'm fairly certain I don't want you knowing quite that much about me.

Now a conference, on the other hand, is full of people that get it. And it's normal. In fact, it's desirable to have a blog. And care about your blog and work on your blog and take photos for your blog and talk about other blogs you love. I'm incredibly fortunate that I have a husband that understands and encourages, but for all the ladies out there whose husbands think you buy shoes and lurk Facebook with your online time, this is a chance to fully blossom into the blogger you truly are, in a nurturing environment!

I find conferences and public things really quite intimidating, I'm not terribly good at being social and I suck so hard at small talk. But I've never found conferences or blog meetups to be terrifying at all, once you get there. It seems everyone is a little nervous and lost in a sea of strangers (who probably aren't actually strangers but you don't know them immediately on sight... until you see their blog title!) and we could all do with a friendly face and a "hi". That's usually all you need to get going!

I know people talk about cliques and in-crowds and whatnot, but to be honest, I can't keep up with what everyone's doing, and people tend to congregate in little groups and plans are made. I'm often not there when they are. I don't see it as clique-y (it sounds nasty and schoolyardy, two things I loathe!), but sometimes you're catching up with people you've forged friendships with and don't see very often, so it's natural to get together. The number-one mistake anyone attending these conferences can make is to take it personally. It's never anything you've said or done or not said or done, and it's not that you're not "big enough"... I find it's a very equal playing field at these things, and nobody wants anybody to feel insecure or left out. There's just so many of us now! And if you are getting together with a select few you're dying to see - don't feel guilty. Soak it up, enjoy the moment and maybe next time that select few will have grown.

The best part about going to a blogging conference is learning new things about something you love, meeting people if that's your goal, watching everyone eat, sleep and breathe blogging, and experiencing something out of your everyday. And if you're a mum, this is something that is just for you.

I'm off to pack my bags ready for my flight tomorrow. It's gonna be one hell of a weekend and I'm going to make sure I damn well enjoy it, no matter what!

Bloggers are publishers too - some legal stuff you REALLY need to know

photo courtesy of hello owl

Recently I gave a talk to a gorgeous bunch of bloggers at the Say Hello Workshop, run by Hello Blogger Events. I spoke about the law as it applies to writers - and yes, bloggers, this means you too.

Problem is, if you haven't been taught it, you probably don't know. But you can still be sued anyway!

Now I'm going to mention here I am in no way a lawyer. I am an academic, I teach this subject at university as part of the journalism program. If you have serious issues, or you need thorough advice, please consult a lawyer.

Whew! So formal.

Anyway, what I'd like to do here is give a quick rundown of some things you should be aware of, as publishers. The minute you write something that others read, you are subject to the same laws and conditions as other writers, "professional" or not - and a lot of these things are really not quite clear. Please bear in mind this is a super-basic overview and remember it is specific to Australia.

I also want to remind you to not panic - these rules do sound strict and scary because, well... they are. It doesn't mean that you have to pull every post you've ever written and second-guess every tweet. Just be aware and write smartly. And when in doubt - DON'T!

***

:: First of all, the notion of freedom of speech. I am very sorry to say that in Australia, we have no legally enforceable right to free speech. Unlike the US, where it is enshrined as a fundamental human right in the amendments to their constitution, we have no legal document protecting our right to express our opinions.

What we do have is an "implied" right to freedom of speech. Basically we can say what we like as long as we don't go too far. It is an implied right that is constantly balanced with the right to one's reputation.

:: Which leads me to defamation. This deserves several blog posts of its own, so I'll have to be shockingly brief. Basically, anybody can be sued for defamation. The minute your writing/drawing/video/gesture/facial expression is seen by a third person (other than you and the person you're defaming), you are liable.

That's right - just one other person. It doesn't have to be broadcast to a large audience. It doesn't even have to be a newspaper article or a blog post. It can be a text message, an email, a tweet. It's "publishing" in a legal sense.

In order for defamation to be actionable, it needs to have a "defamatory imputation" - in other words, something nasty about someone. It has to obviously refer to that person... and you don't even have to name them outright. If we can tell who it is to whom you're referring, they can take action. And the last thing is that it's been published to at least one other person.

Imputation. Identification. Publication.

Like I said, you're not safe if you write a post describing someone but stop short of naming them. If they're identifiable even by a handful of people, the injured party can sue.

If you feel you've been defamed, you need to see if it meets the above criteria. Your reputation needs to be damaged. People need to be shunning you, avoiding you, ridiculing you... you're not defamed if you merely feel offended, or you think the other person is nasty. It has to have a real and lasting impact on your reputation. If your reader army comes to your defence, then it's likely you've not been defamed. (Yay for loyal readers!)

You also need to be aware that what constitutes defamation in Australia may not elsewhere. And vice versa... if you retweet or repost something from a country with more lax laws, you could still be liable here.

:: Copyright of your work is immediate. Once you create something it is yours and nobody is allowed to take it. Even if you don't publish it publicly. You do not need to lodge it anywhere, fill out any forms or put a copyright symbol on it. The copyright symbol is a good idea perhaps to remind people that may not be aware of this law, but it is not necessary.

If you are concerned about someone taking your hard work, then keep a record of when you produced it (which is easy in the case of blog posts), and if they've taken it without permission, you have several avenues of recourse - ask them not to use it, to take it down if they have, threaten with legal action, settle out of court, or take them to court. It may just be that someone liked it and wanted to share - not that they were out to undermine you. If you didn't know the law of copyright, it's likely they don't either.

As a blogger, if you want to use someone's stuff - then ask. The problem with the internet is it's so huge and it's so hard to police. If you're going to use a picture and you're not sure of its licensing requirements, then at least link back to the original source. Don't just cite the source as "Pinterest" (boy, that's a whole other blog post), but find the person who created it and provide a link to them. Hardly anything on the internet is free... but if you're not making a profit from it or using it for commercial use then they may be happy for you to use it to illustrate your point. Be prepared to take things down immediately if you've been found to have breached their terms of use.

***

I feel dirty making that so brief, but I wanted to get across a few points that you need to be aware of, and I wanted to do it quickly and without overwhelming anybody.

In my work, I teach from the textbook The Journalist's Guide to Media Law, by Mark Pearson and Mark Polden. It is an incredibly handy reference, written in an easy-to-understand style. Mark Pearson is on twitter here, and his website/blog is here. He has recently written a book called Blogging and Tweeting Without Getting Sued, which I'll be buying as soon as it comes out next month (obsessed much?).

If you have any questions, I can try to answer them or at least point you in the direction of where you might find more information. I hope you've at least found this helpful and maybe cleared up some confusion. I'm willing to bet it's done nothing but created it!

Veggie Mama Vlogs!

Here I am, folks... doin' something new.

I filmed this a wee while ago to explain who I am, why I started blogging and the sort of vegetarian I am. I thought it might be fun to share!

I totally get some people hate watching videos (myself included), but I like a peek into others' lives, the face behind the screen, so to speak... so if you do too, enjoy my debut. Back to regular programming tomorrow haha :)




I had to cut off a little bit at the end... I don't normally stop before I finish my

I Survived Blogopolis '11

I came. I "squee"d. I heard Problogger speak. I have just been Blogopolised.

As I braved the early morning Melbourne chill (so that's where winter's been!) to be ever-so-slightly late for my pre-conference coffee date with Zoey, I wondered what the day would hold. Having never been to a blogging conference before, but pleased to be in an environment where my incessant tweeting would actually be considered normal, I figured nothing but good could come of this trip.

I learned so much in one short day - that Melbourne definitely wants me to come live there, that you will miss out on an awesome lunch if you don't follow Jeroxie, and if you don't own an iPad, you'll be devastatingly envious of those who do.  

I love blogging, and I love being around like-minded people. To absorb their collective energy and knowledge in one room in one day was like absorbing a roomful of owls. Super-wise and all-knowing, and some really feathery.

The future of blogging in Australia is big, and it's exciting. We're influential, we're interesting, we're funny and we are here to stay. We love to write, we love to connect, we love to read. Most of us also like chocolate. And goody bags. And chocolate in the goody bags. 

I was really proud to represent FOODO, my sponsor, on the day. It's exciting to find businesses, companies, brands and people that are on the same (web) page as you. It also doesn't hurt that I want to buy pretty much half their online store stock. 

The future is so bright for all of us that want to be a positive part of this new media. 

Our plane was delayed an hour and a half. I also forgot to check in the bags under my eyes. Not a good start.

Sitting with people you've only ever chatted to online is a real blast. Especially when they turn out to be seriously gorgeous, hold your baby for you, make you laugh and make you feel at home.

Zoey's Squishy and my Veggie Baby are old hat at this blogging baby business, after hanging out together at Bloggaroke in Sydney last month and Blogopolis now. And no, we didn't pose them - they just immediately hold hands when put anywhere near each other. Adorable much?

 So impressed that Nuffnang also organised a rainbow for us! Good work guys :)

And at the end of the day, when you can bask in the glow of a day well spent, and you're not finished tweeting yet; you can throw on your PJs, eat good food, watch Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with your best mate and rifle through the goody bags. No, just me? ...awkward.

Time to help

One of my favourite bloggers is suffering in the worst possible way, and it breaks my heart to hear about it.

Lori from Random Ramblings of a Stay at Home Mum has a wonderful husband, the father of her two small children, and he is currently in the Intensive Care Unit, fighting for his life.

She has also said the prognosis is not good.

It was awful to read of this late one night on her blog, her heartfelt plea for prayers and hope really hit me hard. I immediately thought of how earth-shatteringly devastated I would be if that happened to my husband. One minute life is is normal, the next your husband is gravely ill in emergency care. I couldn't begin to comprehend how I would spend a day without my husband, and Lori feels the same way.

So if you have a spare moment and some spare change, our blogging community has pulled together to show support and provide as much money as we can, and we're asking you to help.

If you have a blog, write a post and link it up with the others on Wanderlust. We've been told Lori reads these and the messages to her on Twitter when she needs support. There is also a widget on the blog for you to donate funds. Anything will help.

And to Lori, if you're reading this, stay strong. With so much love and good thoughts, positivity and prayers all focused in your husband's direction right now, you will get through this.

Fame and other food

I started this blog a little over two months ago to quench a thirst I had to write about food. As someone who loves trying new recipes and recently had to buy a new bookcase to house her ever-out-of-control cookbook collection, I figured I had a lot to say on the matter. To me, food + writing = bliss.

Now, instead of it just being a searchable online collection of recipes and my thoughts about them, with a little vintage kick, it has somehow turned into a site that has been viewed almost 3000 times. By you guys. And I am not only mystified, but super-duper-uber excited! Welcome! I know not how you came here or why, but you've been unfathomably supportive and complimentary and it is the most wonderful bonus a quiet kid with a passion for whisking could ask for.

What makes it even more fun is when y'all try out my recipes and suggestions, and tell me how you did. I absolutely love that a piece of Veggie Mama is found in kitchens all over the world!

Over at Our Park Life, a hilariously wonderful mama blog, Nic and Gill have given themselves a little challenge... Nic provides a family-friendly recipe, which Gill attempts to recreate at home. She blogs honestly about the procedure, the end result and the family's feedback. Fun! Triple fun when it features a Veggie Mama corn chowder.... see for yourself!

I can't thank y'all enough, my dear hungry readers, for everything xxx

Food blogging

Today Miss Annabel Candy and I are kicking it old-school and are featured in the Sunshine Coast Daily newspaper talking about food and blogging... two of my favourite topics :)