Figmentations

Just came across a new ebook on how to create a professional ezine or blog (Note: Not Free; this is not necessarily an endorsement from me, just a link for more info) — as per the CoachEzinesBlog.

And, another “how to” to check out: How to create a nonfiction bestseller (Note: Free) as per Kathy Sierra as referenced in the Red Coach blog, at “The Red Couch: Shel Israel’s and Robert Scoble’s business blogging book is being built here.”

Does anyone have examples of eZines that have any kind of interesting formats, something to make them look like more than just a really long email?

Update 3/10/05: Found another link which seems to have a lot of related info, check out this newsletter resources link.

If you, like I, have been wondering about the why and how of backing up your weblogs, I thought I’d list some sources that I’ve found so far. I’m not endorsing any, nor have I explored these yet…but I’ll append this post with an update to let you know which have panned out best for me.

• From About.com: How do I backup my weblogs? which suggests the free www.httrack.com
• From Next Level Biz Tips: Backing up your weblogs

Update 3/3/05: So far, I’ve starting my “back-up project” by doing things the old-fashioned way, just printing out hard copies of each blog and the source articles they are I’ve linked to. Even with this apparently simple task, I’m surprised to learn that many of my links have already gone bad. I’ve only began blogging regularly since about Dec ‘04! I didn’t realize that Associated Press news headline articles posted on sites like cnn.com or optonline.net, which I guess are just newfeeds themselves, don’t have that long a “shelf life”. I’ve since replaced some of these bad links with active links from other sites like abc.com, but now I’m wondering if I should save them as Adobe pdf files and post on a server or something….or should I just paraphrase with source notes and not link at all, like being my own newspaper editor…but then what is a blog without links. At the same time, what good is a blog with bad links. As soon as I figure out one thing there is always something else that shows up that needs figuring out. I’ll be back….

Note 3/5/05: Thanks, Toby, for the mention!

Have you ever found that as soon as you think you’ve thought up a new and original idea or potential invention, you come across the fact that it already exists? And, that sometimes it even exists in a form or format that is far better than you had even imagined?

But then once you discover that your brilliant invention already exists, you have those mixed feelings of, “Wow, glad that this exists already now and that I don’t have to take the trouble to create this” but also the feeling, “Damn, there goes the opportunity for me to become rich and famous trying to invent this” which sometimes leads you to want to think “they stole my idea”.

So, we have to bathe ourselves in the feelings of community that “good minds think alike”.

The “invention” that I came across is generally what about.com is all about. In trying to figure out how to create back ups for my blogspot postings, I thought that “what the world needs now is an independent site that listed all types of info about blogging”. Lo’ and behold, Google delivered. Check out: about.com’s section on weblogs .

Addendum: And, now someone else “stole my idea, too”. Just kidding Check out the “Build a Better Blog” FAQ for general info on blogging, too.

On a separate but related chronological thought…. While I would swear that I always ignore web ads and never click through to them, I must admit that they do on occassion catch my attention. Check out the one I just came across on about.com, see: dogpile.com, with the tagline: “All the best search engines piled into one.”

While I don’t yet have any wares to hawk on my blog or website, though over the past few months, I have found myself monitoring the industry experts (at least some of the ones I’ve found so far) to learn how to drive traffic to my sites. Right now, that is mostly because I like to think that what I’m writing is being read by someone, if not now, then someday….but that’s not a new thought. Here’s what I wanted to share with you….

It seems that another clever and cost effective method to drive traffice to your site is the old-fashioned way (if that’s an appropirate adjective to use to describe a new-ish medium) — and, it’s the whole heart and soul behind blogging to begin with — i.e., posting original content and letting word-of-mouth work it’s wonders. Take a look at the article highlighting the “re-creation” of Central Park’s “The Gates” exhibit from the point of view of a cat. Simple, yet effective. This respectful, and not-intended-to-be-mocking, depiction, generated so much traffic that the site had to shut down that section of their site.

That leads me to my main point here…so please bear with me….

As I’ve mentioned in my previous post…that if it weren’t for other bloggers writing blogs and my monitoring the feeds I’ve set up, then I wonder that I’d have as much to blog about myself. So, following the inspiration I’m getting from Jason Kottke’s full-time blogging pursuits, I’m going to make a vow to myself….and I ask my fellow blogging brethren to join me….

As of today, Saturday, February 26, 2005, I, Helen Hoefele, promise to make at least one post per week to be about original content…e.g., some place or person that I’ve physically visited, experienced, or participated in live…and that this one weekly post will not be based on a Headlines News blurb or another blogger’s blog posts. That is not to say that I won’t add my two cents on those other sources of the more or less mainstream media, since I do want to continue to participate in the word-of-mouth aspects of those pieces, but I also want to make sure I contribute to the creation of new content as well.

Signed, HH.

Note: Jason, forgive me for piggy-backing on your good name in the hope that those tracking postings about you will pick up the above pledge for more new and original content, but I’m hoping that people will agree that this is a worthy, not financially driven, cause…though I’m sure that will be debate-able by some.

Update 3/3/05: Well, I guess I stand somewhat corrected….according to the experts at Red Couch, it’s good to blog about what you find in other people’s blogs.

Here’s the crux of the tip. If you read 50 blogs for two weeks and you don’t have something to write on your blog to start it off you probably aren’t gonna be a good blogger.

So, get reading and blog about what you find!

Update 3/5/05: Clarification to Correction: Well, I went to one of the experts, Robert Scoble, and through comments to his post on “Corporate Blog Tip #2″, below is my question and his response:

In response to your last two paragraphs, I agree, in my experience, reading other people’s blogs always gives me things to blog about. (Though sometimes I’m not sure if my response should be in a comment to their post or in a post on my blog.)

Anyway, on a separate but related note, I’ve been starting to feel the need to contribute more original thoughts and experiences in my posts, and not just those things blogged about by others. (This is what I kind of feel that Jason Kottke does.)

So my question to you would be, how much of ones blog would you suggest should be about things that are not blogged about by other bloggers?
Posted by: Helen Hoefele March 3, 2005 07:17 PM

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That’s an interesting question. Depends on what role you want to play in the blogosphere.
If you want to play a connector role and build a community around something you’re doing, then quite a bit should be links to other people’s blogs. That’s why I started my linkblog. So that people new to the tech blogosphere would have a place to start.

But, you can be a quite successful blogger just by putting great information out there and using blog tools to just publish.

Linking to other people will help you get discovered, though.
Posted by: Robert Scoble March 3, 2005 07:53 PM

“I’m a kottke.org micropatron.” Become one, too!

Find out more about what Jason Kottke is attempting to do by clicking here.

And, thanks to Steve Rubel at Micropersuasion.com for calling this out in his blog. (On a side note: I’ve been starting to think that if it wasn’t for the blogs of other bloggers, that I’d have nothing to blog about. At the same time though, I’d know a lot less about what was going on in the blogosphere as well. So, it’s all good. )

Anyway, getting back to the task at hand here….I definitely plan on keeping an eye on how Jason does. I think he is truly an inspiration. I’ll also be curious to see if, and if so then how many, other bloggers do the same. Will Jason be a trendsetter? Will I (or anyone for that matter) be able to consider this as a potential career path in the future? Only time will tell, but I’ll certainly be watching. Jason, thanks for blazing a trail. And, Steve, thanks for keeping us in the loop on what’s going on in the blogosphere.

Update 3/5/05: Thanks, Steve Rubel, for pointing out the Newsweek article on Jason Kottke.

Referring to a cnet piece, entitled: “U.S. tech edge getting dull, companies say” Published: February 16, 2005, 5:24 PM PST By Declan McCullagh.

“The real serious problem with America’s intellectual base are policies that make it so hard for bright people to come here,” said Smith, who opposes higher federal spending on research. The task force “might want to rethink the entire Patriot Act.”

Why is it that America’s intellectual base is considered “American” if it’s made up of a significant portion of foreign students? Why not get Americans to learn from the American universities?

From cnet at news.com.com, there is reference to a recent New York Times article entitled, “Viral ads ask consumers to spread the word“, published: February 17, 2005….

Finally the word “viral” takes on a more positive, rather than fearful, tone. Viral marketing or word-of-mouth or consumer evangelism or social marketing or any of the other terms that have been used to describe activities of bloggers actually goes beyond online blogging to include email and text messaging, too.

As viral marketing gains adherents, it is also gaining awards shows like this week’s Viral Awards in New York. The event, a North American version of the Viral Awards in Britain, primarily honored bizarre or risqué work like “Subservient Chicken” and an online campaign for Trojan condoms that portrayed seminude athletes vaulting into sexual positions.

“The sophomoric, shock-driven work is going to predominate for a while,” said Owen Plotkin, president at the Now Corporation in New York, an editing boutique for television commercials and viral productions that was host for the awards. “That’s the easiest way to ensure people pass something along.”

Well, “sophomoric, shock-driven work” is what will catch people’s attention. Not dangerous, not necessarily positive, but the intent is not to be malicious or dangerous. Let’s see how and when this viral marketing tactic can be used in a way to capture people’s attention for causes other than just selling products. I’ll just put that open-ended challenge out there for anyone to attempt…..

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Sidebar: For anyone interested in a similar but related concept, check out this article on podcasts, entitled “Tired of TiVo? Beyond blogs? Podcasts are here” Published: February 19, 2005, 5:23 AM PST, same source as above “The New York Times on the Web” as referenced by cnet.

Thanks to Steve Rubel at Micropersuasion.com for pointing out the excellent article by Peggy Noonan at WSJ.com Opinion Journal, that explains how blogging has become a “a force to be reckoned with“.

The Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” has a clever piece on bloggers that is a must see. It’s called Blog Cabin Republicans.

And some separate by subject-matter-related commentary by B.L. Ochman on whatsnextblog.com.

And a serious article, as referenced by Steve Rubel of Micropersuasion.com, comparing the ethics of bloggers to that of journalists. See “The cost of ethics: Influence peddling in the blogosphere” by J.D. Lasica of USC Annenberg Online Journalism Review.

I’ve been blogged about! I’m so excited. (It’s my first time, so don’t mind my exuberance, it’ll pass soon enough. )