Publishing on the web is the primary way in which modern writers begin their careers. It’s a normal and essential part of the writer’s process and toolkit. Websites, blogs, and social media postings are all aspects of the ecosystem of the modern creative artist. We’re used to publishing — a tweet is a miniature published composition, right? — and we probably don’t think too much about it.
But let’s consider for a moment whether what you create in this class is appropriate for publishing on the web. Here are a few (non-exhaustive) possible considerations for making that decision.
- If you have used your real name, are you comfortable being identified and associated with this page? Are you completely comfortable with the fact that once this page is published, it will (possibly) be available on the internet forever, even if it is unpublished and removed from the Lab? (Part of what sites like the Wayback Machine do is find stuff that has been taken down.)
- If you have used a pseudonym (which you are welcome to do), does what you have written allow you to be identified in a way that might make you feel uncomfortable? Would a person who knows you, or who is sufficiently motivated to identify you, be able to figure out who you are? Have you mentioned places, people, or experiences that might identify you in ways you haven’t considered and wouldn’t want?
- Have you shared anything about yourself (whether or not you used a pseudonym) that you would not be comfortable sharing in a public space with strangers? Ask yourself: would I feel comfortable saying the same thing to someone who I was chatting with in the checkout lineup at the grocery store?
- Have you mentioned, either directly or indirectly, anyone else on this page? Have you shown them this piece of writing? If not, why not? Have you considered that maybe you should ask them if they are comfortable with what you have written? If you don’t want to ask them, that’s a pretty good signal that they might be uncomfortable with what you have written, and that in turn is a good argument not to publish the page.
- Have you used any materials (images, embedded videos, words) that might be subject to copyright and/or require attribution? If so, have you done that?
- Have you used materials (images, words, stories) that don’t belong to you? Could a reasonable person argue that you have borrowed, adapted, or taken without permission materials that belong to a cultural group to which you don’t belong? This is a question of appropriation, and it can be tough to find clear lines and boundaries. However, you can find greater clarity by asking people from within a given cultural group whether they would be comfortable with what you have written — not so much the writing itself but where it comes from: you, and your personal identity and/or background.
- Do you think your future self will be comfortable with this page? That’s impossible to know for sure — but asking the question is a good way to approach things you might not have thought of yet.
- Have you mentioned, on your page, any of the challenging themes that were flagged in the project description: violence, abuse, trauma, death, mental illness, and related themes (whether they happened to you, happened to someone else, or are imagined)? Did you consult with the instructor about this? If not, why not? Before your page can be published, you’ll need to have that discussion.
- Have you mentioned your family on this page? Have you shown your work to them? If not, why not? Perhaps you should. And perhaps you should make sure that they are comfortable with the publication of this page.
- What else do you need to consider? The list of considerations is potentially endless, and it is not possible to cover all eventualities on a list such as this. So, you need to consider the implications beyond what is shown here. Think about it. Always think before publishing.
Naturally, an argument can be made that you have the right to write whatever you want — provided that your writing does not violate the law (for example, by encouraging hatred toward specific groups of people). And yes, while it’s true that the bounds of free speech are wide, the Lab is not the place to test them. This site is intended to provide learners with the opportunity to explore modern digital publishing tools and workflows. The Lab is not designed to test the limits of appropriate communication or to provide a platform for the sharing of controversial or problematic content. Pages with such content will not be published. Please see the code of conduct for further details, and please communicate with the instructor if you are unsure.
Next Steps
If, after reviewing the above, you decide to request publication of one or more of your pages, the next step is to fill out the request form. Click the button below to begin that step. Once you have submitted the request form, and after instructor review, your page will be published. The instructor review process may include a conversation about various aspects of your request or content of your page.
Request to Publish