The Lonely Blogosphere; A Guidebook for Serious Bloggers

Love the blogosphere? Every wonder how you could enhance your blog visiting experience? The Lonely Blogosphere is for you. Here's an excerpt from the introduction of the latest edition.

History of The Lonely Blogosphere series: I love to travel. Before I decided to drown myself in babies, I backpacked the globe, bold, confident, able to find a hostel in the most extenuating circumstances. Where ever I went, I carried the independent traveler's bible with me - The Lonely Planet guidebook. It's a series of budget travel books aimed at the backpacker set. If you have the Lonely Planet edition about a country, you can always find the best bar, the cheapest hostel and the most outrageously adventurous things to do.

Now that most of my traveling is done in front of my computer , it occurred to me that the Blogosphere could use a guidebook. It's darn confusing out there. It can be hard to find a good lager and a place to rest your feet. I'm happy to oblige. A blog series is born. The Lonely Blogosphere will appear every Wednesday at All Mediocre. Each week, we'll journey to another amazing blog. You'll experience the blog like a local, learn all the tricks, get tips for speaking in the native language and navigating the sometimes tricky cultural nuances. It's a big bloggy world out there. Let The Lonely Blogosphere be your guide.

Before you go: Before we embark on our journey of discovery, a few words about traveling etiquette. The culture of every blog is different. Be respectful. Remember that you are a guest in a foreign blog. You'll enjoy your travels more, and be a better citizen of the blogosphere, if you are open to new experiences and viewpoints. Have an open mind. It's a beautiful world out there, try to leave it slightly better than you found it.

Health and safety: Traveling the blogosphere involves serious risks that should not be taken lightly. Spammers and identify thieves are out there. Don't be foolish. Keep your passwords and login IDs in a safe place at all times. Never give out unnecessary information to someone you've just met. Eye strain is a common ailment. Wear your glasses and take breaks. With a little common sense, you can travel in safety and in comfort.

Culture and Language: There is huge variation in culture and language throughout the blogosphere. Different regions have different dialects and societal norms. Try to learn a little bit about the culture of a given blog, or blog region, before you go. It's important to learn a few key phrases in the local language to avoid misunderstandings. For example, in the mommyblogger region, 'lol' is considered a lighthearted compliment, while in other areas, it is considered condescending and insulting. When in doubt, remember that comments are the currency of the blogosphere. Comment respectfully, the locals almost always love that.

Disclaimer and Warning: No guidebook can be fully comprehensive. In the blogosphere, changes happen fast. If you find that something is out of date, a blog has upped security precautions, or a reviewed location no longer exists, please write to us. We welcome your input.

You're ready. Fasten your seat belt. Put your passwords and IDs in a safe place. Click here to begin: The Lonely Blogosphere Guidepost Series.