Can I Write a Book?
I’ve had many people suggest over the years that I write a book. It’s always been a goal of mine. I even recently had a published author suggest it, which although very complimentary, made me just more depressed.
Here’s why. I don’t have the time. I certainly have the ideas to communicate. I write well. I edit even better. But as life goes on, you get depressed when you don’t finish the things in life you hope to do. Especially the things that you know you can do. I might not be cycling across America anytime soon, but I can write. Now. Today. In fact, I’m doing it right this second.
Small Business Blogging Won’t Grow in 2008
I’m a proponent of business blogging, and yet, in my experience as a web designer for small businesses, I continue to see major stumbling blocks that will prevent small businesses from creating and utilizing effective business blogs.
Liz Fuller of Business and Blogging recently pointed out that only five percent of small businesses (those with less than 100 employees) have any kind of business blog. That equates to about 1.25 million businesses.
My Best Writing of 2007
Photo by adactioThe year is over. If you’re into the Gregorian calendar, that is. Else, it’s only Dhu-Hijja 21, 1438 (if you’re Muslim), Teveth 22, 5768 (if you’re Hebrew), or Dey 10, 1386 (if you’re Iranian). If you happen to be a Unix machine rather than a person, you can kindly refer to this day as a time() value of 1199059200.
But for those of us who like the western calendar, I suppose it’s somewhat of a milestone since our year changes tomorrow. It’s been 365 days since that happened, so it’s supposed to mean something, according to the people that tell us what things are important in our lives. I believe most of those people work for Hallmark.
Vote for my Manifesto
Photo by EsseI have a proposal for a ChangeThis manifesto entitled Create an Unassailable Online Identity. Each month ChangeThis accepts a modest number of proposals for what they call manifestos. If voted high enough, they give the manifesto a green light and publish it at their site. Some of the best author’s on the internet have published ChangeThis manifestos, and I’ve learned a lot through them. Thus, I thought it only appropriate to share something in return.
If No One Reads Your Post
Seth Godin breaks his pattern of deep analysis and asks a simple question: If no one reads your post, does it exist? He goes on.
What do most people get out of blogging? After all, most blogs are virtually unread by outsiders…
The act of writing a blog changes people, especially business people. The first thing it does is change posture. Once you realize that no HAS to read your blog, that you can’t MAKE them read your blog, you approach writing with humility and view readers with gratitude.
Creative Writing now on Booksie
I’ve removed some of my creative writing from my blog here and put it on my profile at Booksie. I didn’t want to clog up my blog with creative writing, plus I have a few projects I’m working on which are a bit long for a blog format. I will make mention of any interesting posts at Booksie here, but you’ll have to go to Booksie to read it and comment on it there - along with all the other great creative writers that float around that domain. There will always be a link to my creative writing at Booksie profile under “Some Cool Links” on the side column in case you lose track of this post. If you want to read my latest short story, check out “Upstate”.
My Goals for this Blog and this Blog Only
Darren Rowse, who runs the monster site, Problogger.com, recently put out this little challenge to have bloggers write about “developing goals for a blog”. Darren occasionally will put out “group writing” offers with the bait that he’ll include a link to your article if it is pretty good. The guy gets so much traffic that it is almost crazy so people tend to covet a link on his blog. I purposely missed the deadline for two main reasons (not counting my lack of direction lately).
