Please Help Me, I’m Stuck
A piddly 9 posts in the past 4 years, and this blog continues to occupy my thoughts…daily.
And what are the 7 reasons for that? Read more →
Should Stupid People Not Blog?
No, they shouldn’t.
Of course there’s no way to determine who’s stupid—let alone the validity of stupid being a unit of measurement (or judgement)—but, yes, as a general rule of thumb, stupid people shouldn’t blog.
What I’m referring to here are some recent comments made by blogger and entrepreneur Jason Calacanis at ReadWriteWeb 2Way Summit NYC, namely:
“There are a lot of stupid people out there … and stupid people shouldn’t write.”
“There needs to be a better system for tuning down the stupid people and tuning up the smart people.”
Hearing stuff like that, in such blunt and unrefined fashion, will piss off most people. Yet I don’t see how anyone could disagree with the essential message: people who blog junk shouldn’t be blogging. They deserve to be penalized, not rewarded. Read more →
Embrace naked blogging
Blogging isn’t easy unless you’re comfortable doing it.
There are brilliant bloggers who struggle writing catchy headlines and well-sculpted copy—they’re just not wired for it. Yet, they persist because that’s the winning formula. It attracts attention and delivers value, so they say.
But the result of forcing a writer into a copywriter’s shoes is painful. Needless hours (years!) are lost to hyping ideas with padded, ornate language. It’s like getting all dressed up to go to a clothing-optional beach.
Naked blogging is the way to go, though it’s not without sacrifice. For example—fewer people will click on the title of this post because it’s not hyped up enough. Google won’t know what to do with it, either.
But I can’t hide anymore, just like Seth Godin or Chris Brogan can’t. Neither should you.
This trek is inevitably longer and more hazardous, but you get to be true to yourself every step of the way.
You get to say what you want in the way that you want, and that brand of freedom is priceless.
Photo by Alaskan Dude.
Why Blogging Might Be Killing You, And How to Fight Back
After blogging for the past two and a half years, I now know that if it’s not feeling natural to you then you’re pretty much killing yourself.
I speak from experience, of course.
I lately find myself trying a little too hard to conjure up that perfect post. It’s as if my mind refuses to cooperate with the powerful majority who insist on a catchy linkbait headline followed by a bunch of giddy, motivational advice, parables and clever analogy.
Most times I just want to sit at the keyboard and speak exactly what’s on my mind. No more, no less. Just the truth.
Do you ever feel this way? Read more →
How Did Eric Nagel Win ‘Best Blogger’ at the Affiliate Summit Pinnacle Awards?
Now I’m a real admirer of Lisa Barone’s savvy writing style, so it was of definite intrigue that she and two other bloggers got edged out by Eric Nagel for the Affiliate Summit 2011 Pinnacle Award for “Best Blogger.”
So how did Eric—a PHP programmer running a default Thesis Theme blog with an erratic posting schedule—win such a coveted award?
I was lucky enough to catch Eric in the blogger’s lounge on the last day of Affiliate Summit West as everyone was getting ready to jet home. Strangely enough, he didn’t have his trophy nearby because it looks like John Chow commandeered it.
I congratulated Eric and asked him a few impromptu questions about his blogging. His answers revealed why he deserved the win: Read more →