For one week in January this year, I actually did a series of posts about seed production. A good friend of mine manages the Colorado Seed Lab, where they process and evaluate seeds for agriculture, commerce and conservation. It’s my understanding that they do work with seed companies like Botanical Interests — and as routine as the work may seem to some, I found it fascinating.

I usually don’t plug my work so overtly, but in this case, it seemed like you might find the content interesting or valuable.

I am stopped in my tracks by this philosophical discussion, and am drawn in. Before dropping by I was simply going to get Kathy’s e-mail, knowing this site through common professional connections, and ask if she knew my book , and if I might add a guest post. I confess I have never visited before; but also confess I rarely visit any of the visitors to my own blog (nameless, of course).

I don’t think such honest inquiries, even behind the scene, need a disclosure. Authors commonly seek likely places to promote their books; publishers, bookstores, and websites look for content. This is the dance of publishing.

I hope Kathy knows me or my book well enough to let me plug it – with a little garden info for the audience I think she has. I certainly can’t assume that she has seen the book and/or has time or interest to review it herself. If she doesn’t take such solicitations, or simply doesn’t think the book would interest her audience, she would say a polite “no thanks” and no harm done, no feelings hurt. I, like her readers, must respect her policy, her ethics, her editorial position, and not give too much thought on if we agree with it or not. We accept it. Her decisions are in the background and we should appreciate her site for what it is – hers.

This is really the great thing about the democratization of the web and blogs, each has its own character, each its own editor. Blogs build its audience around real voices – be they slick, folksy, informative, or whimsical. Whether we find any given blog boring or exciting, it really doesn’t make any difference to the blogger who just keeps putting out what he or she wants to put out there. We all hope to have a decent readership, we hope someone out there will give us some feedback, but that is not why we do it.

I don’t think Kathy or any blogger needs a blatant Disclosure Policy everytime there is a whiff of a promotion, I think readers “get” what blogs are about and what they are evolving to be. I do think it would be advisable that, just like many websites have a Privacy Statement or Terms and Conditions link, blogs could have a Disclosure Policy. Not many folks would care, but just like food labeling, those that do care can find out for themselves.

So Kathy, can I do a guest blog ?

Is a disclosure policy always accurate and honest? Would someone develop a disclosure statement saying “I take bribes,” if that would damage credibility and therefore income?

Restaurant reviews are one interesting exception–those meals are generally paid by the writer or the publication. I also know of at least one big-city newspaper that won’t review free products in its home & garden section–has to pay for them. But that doesn’t mean a free one wasn’t sent originally.