If you have time please go to your local library or book store and look for Sarah Harrison Smith’s The Fact Checker’s Bible. Incidentally, in Spanish the library is called La Biblioteca and the book store La Libreria. Anyway, for writers and bloggers this is quite a helpful book but I think more for bloggers.

Why?

Well Bloggers are not only writers but also the editor, photographer and publisher of the blog.

Smith discusses in the detail and argues for the practice of fact checking in writing, editing and publishing.

Why is fact checking important?

A factual error can be significant or insubstantial. Significant – A writer may stray from the facts when doing report or doing a commentary piece. And it compromises the article/post and might even open the author and the publisher to legal action. Insubstantial – Could be an error in time, place or even gender.

There are probably two effects or outcome brought about by errors:

First, It opens the writer and publisher (both roles played by blogger) to legal action and censure.

Second, It makes the reader more cynical. Your authority and reputation as a writer and publisher (Blogger) will be dimimished. One expects and should not be surprised by skepticism from the readers. But to accumulate skepticism in your readers is bad news.

The book is The Fact Checker’s Bible: A Guide to Getting it Right by Sarah Harrison Smith.

Originally posted on August 30, 2009 @ 11:23 pm