…for the benefit of others

What is a blog?

A blog is a web page made up of usually short, frequently updated posts that are arranged chronologically — like a what's new page or a journal. The content and purposes of blogs varies greatly — from links and commentary about other web sites, to news about a company/person/idea, to diaries, photos, poetry, mini-essays, project updates, even fiction.
Blog posts are like instant messages to the web.
Many blogs are personal, "what's on my mind" type musings. Others are collaborative efforts based on a specific topic or area of mutual interest. Some blogs are for play. Some are for work. Some are both.
Blogs are also excellent team/department/company/family communication tools. They help small groups communicate in a way that is simpler and easier to follow than email or discussion forums. Use a private blog on an intranet to allow team members to post related links, files, quotes, or commentary. Set up a family blog where relatives can share personal news. A blog can help keep everyone in the loop, promote cohesiveness and group culture, and provide an informal "voice" of a project or department to outsiders.

Story is defined as an account or recital of an event or a series of events, either true or fictitious.

Libel

defined and explained…

An untruthful statement about a person, published in writing or through broadcast media that injures the person's reputation or standing in the community. Because libel is a tort (a civil wrong), the injured person can bring a lawsuit against the person who made the false statement. Libel is a form of defamation , as is slander (an untruthful statement that is spoken, but not published in writing or broadcast through the media).

From: http://virtual.parkland.edu/com105/section3.htm

Libel: Defined as any published communication that exposes an individual or organization to hatred, ridicule, or contempt, causes him/her to be socially shunned or held in lower esteem by others or injures a person in conducting his/her business or profession.

Components of Libel

Publication

Identification

Defamation

Falsity

random questions:

Don't I have a right to express my opinion?
Yes, so long as your statement of opinion is just an opinion, not containing specific facts that can be proved untrue.

I'm writing a book about the very small town I grew up in and changing the names of the people involved. Can I be sued for slander?
If it's the truth, no. Also, if you place a "disclaimer" at the beginning that the people and events have been changed to protect the innocent, and that any similarities to actual persons, either living or dead, are merely coincidental, then no. Remember, you have the First Amendment, which gives you freedom of speech.