“I was seldom able to see an opportunity until it had ceased to be one.”- Mark Twain’s Autobiography
There is a fine line between hype and promotion that I am always trying to straddle. This is just my way of saying I want to shout “I know things about blogging” but don’t want to seen as being obnoxious jerk that I make fun of.
Nor do I want to be the guy who doesn’t make use of his ability/talents because there is nothing I find more disappointing than unfulfilled potential.
If you are among the long time readers you know I see the blog as a vehicle which will help me convert some of my dreams into reality. Part of the conversion process requires taking a different approach which is why I am tooting my horn with this post.
What you have below are links to 25 different posts about blogging and writing. The information contained within is going to be incorporated into an ebook I am working upon and will eventually be made available to you.
But you don’t have to wait for the book to come out to take advantage of what you will find in these links.
I have been blogging for almost nine years now and have been writing professionally for more than 20. I have learned a few things along the way and am happy to share it with you.
A Couple of Comments
The problem with giving this away is that it will devalue my work in the eyes of some people. It is a psychological thing, but because I am not charging a fee for access it lose some luster in the eyes of some people.
At the moment I am ok with that. It is not organized the way the book will be which means people will have to work a bit harder to get something out of this.
I don’t expect everyone to love this or to think it is amazing. Some will and some won’t. I am good with that too. In some respects this post is more important to me than to you.
Why? Because this is me taking time to figure out what is going to be included in the book. I see no reason not to try to take advantage of the opportunity and make the most out of my time.
One More Thing
I am not going to guarantee that reading these posts will make you rich, more popular or put more hair on your chest. I am sure the ladies are especially happy about that last part.
If you want to be successful at this game you have to be willing to do the work, put in the time and find a way to have fun while doing that.
Those three things will give you a significant advantage over other bloggers.
What reading these posts will do is help provide you with a greater understanding about how to do some things in a more conversational and less technical manner than some of the other resources out there.
Ok, it is bedtime in Los Angeles. Hope you find this to be useful and as always feel free to talk about what you read in the comments here and on the posts.
- You Don’t Need A Niche To Be A Successful Blogger
- Using Content To Build Connections
- Building The Blog- What Should I Name My Blog?
- Writing Is Simple and So Is Guest Posting
- Is There A Benefit To Paying for Facebook Fans For Your FB Fan Page?
- Coming Attractions- A More Effective Way To Market Your Blog Posts
- How Do You Identify Your Best Posts?
- What Happens If You Don’t Post Every Day
- You Are The Biggest Liar In Social Media
- Drunk Blogging For Amateurs
- Writers Write Right Part 2
- Proper Etiquette For Commenting On A Blog
- The Summer Of Blogging
- How Much Does It Cost To Be A Blogger?
- Do We Really Need Another Email Newsletter?
- Can You Build Community Without Comments?
- What Is The Value of A Comment?
- A Blogger’s Guide To Writing a Five Minute Post
- How To Become a Better Writer In Three Easy Steps
- The Best Bloggers Are Storytellers Part 2
- Pushing The Envelope
- The Most Frustrating Part Of Blogging
- 1 Foolproof Way To Become a Better Writer
- Why You Should Subscribe To Your Own Blog
- Writing Is Not The Hardest Part Of Blogging
Your writing is always what separates you from the rest, Jack.
I look forward to checking out your links. I always laugh a little when I hear someone talk about starting a blog and being able to make a full living wage. Yeah, it can be done, but the number of hours necessary, and level of commitment required, far surpass any normal job. Successful blogging is not for the lazy or someone thinking they are going to get rich quick.
But, like you, I see how blogging is a platform for creating other things for myself. Aside from writing goals I have, I have found that blogging is a way to build community across the world with other writers, and that alone has been worth it to me.
Hi Chloe,
This blogging business is a hell of a thing. You never know who you are going to hit it off with and who is going to think your work is crap. But if you want to get something out of it you have to get up and do it over and over again.
Yep, that practice thing is just as important here as elsewhere.
Anyhoo, the community is what makes it work and your blog really shows you get that.
Terrific resources, Jack. Thanks for your generosity in sharing them with us.
Hi Kristen,
I hope you like them and find them to be useful.
Jack,
It’s awesome that you have enough of a robust library of material that you can distill your best work into an e-book or handbook, per se. Does anyone even use the term handbook anymore?
I have downloaded a ton of free content over the past year or so from a variety of sources and most has been informative however primarily anecdotal. There have been few sources of true inspiration or that I have found instructional. I suppose I may not necessarily know what I am looking for.
I look forward to your offering and personally, I wouldn’t concern myself with anyone who feels your e-book should come at a price. Besides, can’t you publish on a platform that allows you get people to donate if they choose to?
Hi Ralph,
I still see “handbook” being used from time to time. I don’t think it has been “lost” yet.
My posts and my ‘book’ are based upon my experiences in social media. At the moment there aren’t a ton of “facts” from studies or ‘scholarly” publications. It is primarily based upon 8.5 years in the space.
People will have to determine for themselves whether they find my advice and commentary to have merit.
I don’t see this space as having one way of doing things or a definitive guide that you can apply to everything. That is not to say there isn’t basic structure that should be followed because it exists, but it is more of the framework you use to build your foundation and after that…
As Jena said: a treasure trove of links. I look forward to tucking into them soon: you’ve expanded my reading list. I’ve been a tad absent from your sites lately…not for lack of interest, I assure you. Will be back in the swing soon. Cheers! Kaarina
Hello Kaarina,
I know what happened. You decided2do other things than hang out here. 😉
No worries at all. I don’t hold a gun to anyone’s head, so I figure you’ll come back when it works for you. We’ll be here then.
Hey Jack
That’s a nice long reading list for me to go through so I thank you for that!
I don’t think it will devalue your book at all though. As you say, the book will be more structured and some of the it reworked so why would it be devalued!
Thanks for sharing Jack. I hope you’re having a great weekend!
Tim
Hi Tim,
As we say in the old country, “from your mouth to God’s ears.” That is my thought exactly, now all I have to do is put the book together and see what happens. 😉
This is a treasure trove of links. Thanks for providing them and for the heads up.
Hi Jena,
The pleasure is mine. Hope they help.
Thanks for taking the time to do this!
Hi Louise,
My pleasure. I hope you find some of these posts to be useful.
Something I’v noticed with my blogs is that when people have time or interest they stick to the five most recently published posts. I’ve seen really ol ones read, too, but that’ not as common.
So an ebook would be vastly different for readers, of course. One would think that people gather your widom and experience of writing and compile it somewhere as a reference, but that’s not the reality.
Blogging perplexes me. It’s a tool for self-expression, an add-on to a website that hopefully promotes that person’s business, and/or something else to the author. Blogs to me are the best place for writers to hone their craft because they connect immediately with people and their reactions to a post with which they can see if people understood what the author was communicating. I come and go with it because sometimes I have nothing to say!!
Honestly, if I were to listen to all of the advice out there I’d have to wonder what my motives were. Increased readership? Sales of something? An ego boost? Friendship? (I’ll go with that one!)
Thanks, Jack. You made me think!
Hi Betsy,
Your comment is awesome and we could spend hours dissecting it. You raised some excellent questions/points.
When people ask me why I am blogging and what I hope to get from it I know what I want to say because I have thought about it. I know why I am doing this and where I want to go.
I don’t think everyone does. That is not necessarily a bad thing but it can be problematic, If you don’t know what you want or have any goals than it is harder to find appropriate advice to follow.
The best I have is always “have fun.” Life is busy and hectic, so I figure why should we add more work unless it is work we enjoy. That is my line and I am sticking to it.
Love your list Jack!
And Wow! You surely do have time to sit and write an eBook, even after writing here so often! I truly DO marvel at your speed and yes, I know you love your kids and family too. So, to be able to take out time and do so much of writing is commendable indeed.
I have read most of these posts and commented on a few too, while the others lets see if I can catch up with over the weekend.
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Hi Harleena,
I have had a lot of practice so some of my speed comes from having done this for so long and for so many years. It also helps to write about things I know something about so I don’t have to spend as much time gathering information.
I appreciate your time here and am grateful that you have shared your thoughts in the comments. It is always good to see you and your comments because I know you think about what you write and mean what you say.