Book Review: Blog Rules

Book review: Blog Rules by Nancy Flynn. NY: Amacom, 2006

Short version: Buy this book.

Long version: While primarily aimed at business blogs and for employees of the corporate world that blog either on or off the clock, much of what Flynn has to say is applicable to all kinds of blogging, including political blogging, though it isn’t really discussed specifically. The chapters on CEO bloggers would work just as well for candidates (should they blog? Pros/cons). There are sample blogging policies for businesses that could just as easily work for campaigns. What a campaign operative (even a volunteer) says on a personal blog can reflect well or poorly on the campaign. There are also tips on contacting bloggers for those wishing to promote products or candidates on blogs. Flynn touches on legal issues, though this is always a moving target. She does suggest caution. She also frowns on anonymous blogging and points out the courts have been inconsistent so far in whether or not anonymous bloggers needed to be outed if sued. All in all very useful, written to be read easily, with a lot of numbered lists, summary rules, and so on.

Summation: Buy this book.

(Full disclosure: I found this book at the library and so while I suggest you buy a copy I have not done so but plan to in the near future.)