@Michael – I wrote something similar a while ago, to be successful means people hate what you do

@LAChick – I read blogs for the connection too, although I have been slack with keeping up my commenting lately. Nice quote

@Brad – I agree, acknowledging there are other points of view could diffuse any heat from the discussion, as long as it is done in a way that doesn’t dismiss them out of hand. There are a lot of places on the web, political, religious, science vs religion, even IT, where the other side are not given that benefit.

@Rob – Some people naturally spread their ideas and so do not consider what they do as promotion. This reinforces the idea that all you need is great content. In fact if you are not a naturally mixer or networker, if all you do is write great content, then you are relying on luck. Even to be found in a search engine someone has to have linked to you. Other people are as important as our own writing Content might be King but a King all on his own is just some guy in a funny hat.

@Sonia – I like that but it depends on how he said it I guess

@Jermayn – Keep your personality, just remember to be respectful. Now more than ever it is important to be authentic and people will be attracted by that.

@Michael – I wrote something similar a while ago, to be successful means people hate what you do

@LAChick – I read blogs for the connection too, although I have been slack with keeping up my commenting lately. Nice quote

@Brad – I agree, acknowledging there are other points of view could diffuse any heat from the discussion, as long as it is done in a way that doesn’t dismiss them out of hand. There are a lot of places on the web, political, religious, science vs religion, even IT, where the other side are not given that benefit.

@Rob – Some people naturally spread their ideas and so do not consider what they do as promotion. This reinforces the idea that all you need is great content. In fact if you are not a naturally mixer or networker, if all you do is write great content, then you are relying on luck. Even to be found in a search engine someone has to have linked to you. Other people are as important as our own writing Content might be King but a King all on his own is just some guy in a funny hat.

@Sonia – I like that but it depends on how he said it I guess

@Jermayn – Keep your personality, just remember to be respectful. Now more than ever it is important to be authentic and people will be attracted by that.

If we can hold that thought–”you might see it differently”–it helps a lot. And we can be pretty opinionated without being blockheads.

This is very timely for me, as my blog post today might cost me a bunch of subscribers. (Wait, I don’t have a bunch of subscribers. OK, it might cost me a significant fraction.) That is ok. Sometimes you just feel at peace knowing you said something you had to say.

If we can hold that thought–”you might see it differently”–it helps a lot. And we can be pretty opinionated without being blockheads.

This is very timely for me, as my blog post today might cost me a bunch of subscribers. (Wait, I don’t have a bunch of subscribers. OK, it might cost me a significant fraction.) That is ok. Sometimes you just feel at peace knowing you said something you had to say.

2. Agree full heartedly on the ‘skip-a-day’. I tend to skip many days!

3. People think blogging makes them money???? I am with you all the way on this. In fact if money is the sole reason to blog I don’t see how it could be fun in anyway. It’s kind of like a job, you either do it cause it’s fun or you do it cause you HAVE to. Of course, there is some wriggle room on this.

4. Great content. Hrmm this is an interesting statement. Seems today that blogging is now becoming a sort of business enterprise to a certain degree. I am sure there is a marketing reconnaissance of sorts to blogging today, but I am either intuitively doing the steps or not stepping at all. I am building a readership based on areas people and I may have in common. In other words I am looking for resonance in my readership. I hope people are able to find me, but then again, I am not pushing my blog through a marketing squeeze chute per se. I guess it all depends on a persons goals and aspirations. I publicize as much as possible, but I would rather write than market (despite my degree in the topic). I keep up with two blogs and I blog for fun and I hope it’s information as well, but I would rather people treat my blog as more of a coffee table book of sorts.

I thought this post was really good, and it made me want to respond.

2. Agree full heartedly on the ‘skip-a-day’. I tend to skip many days!

3. People think blogging makes them money???? I am with you all the way on this. In fact if money is the sole reason to blog I don’t see how it could be fun in anyway. It’s kind of like a job, you either do it cause it’s fun or you do it cause you HAVE to. Of course, there is some wriggle room on this.

4. Great content. Hrmm this is an interesting statement. Seems today that blogging is now becoming a sort of business enterprise to a certain degree. I am sure there is a marketing reconnaissance of sorts to blogging today, but I am either intuitively doing the steps or not stepping at all. I am building a readership based on areas people and I may have in common. In other words I am looking for resonance in my readership. I hope people are able to find me, but then again, I am not pushing my blog through a marketing squeeze chute per se. I guess it all depends on a persons goals and aspirations. I publicize as much as possible, but I would rather write than market (despite my degree in the topic). I keep up with two blogs and I blog for fun and I hope it’s information as well, but I would rather people treat my blog as more of a coffee table book of sorts.

I thought this post was really good, and it made me want to respond.

Of course, the topics I write about aren’t all that controversial to begin with, so I suppose that helps.

Of course, the topics I write about aren’t all that controversial to begin with, so I suppose that helps.

I totally agree that how you express your ideas (not all of us can do a Henry Rollins style rant and get away with it) and your debating skills are as important as the actual idea.

Being controversial for the sake of it is about as meaningful as this line from South Park (sorry Chris for childishly bringing it back to this) “you can’t be a non-conformist if you don’t drink coffee.”

I assume though, for all those bloggers out there who have large subscriptions – you’d start to be a little more careful about expressing your ideas and opinions. I don’t think they should though – many people read blogs (including myself) for the connection not just the content – being honest keeps that connection alive. We’re smart us humans – we know when someone’s not being authentic.

I totally agree that how you express your ideas (not all of us can do a Henry Rollins style rant and get away with it) and your debating skills are as important as the actual idea.

Being controversial for the sake of it is about as meaningful as this line from South Park (sorry Chris for childishly bringing it back to this) “you can’t be a non-conformist if you don’t drink coffee.”

I assume though, for all those bloggers out there who have large subscriptions – you’d start to be a little more careful about expressing your ideas and opinions. I don’t think they should though – many people read blogs (including myself) for the connection not just the content – being honest keeps that connection alive. We’re smart us humans – we know when someone’s not being authentic.

Notice how some people are constantly polarizing everyone and how attention follows them wherever they go. I don’t know who said this but I remember more than once hearing a saying that goes something like: If you’re not making enemies, you’re not doing anything important enough.

That’s a little strong, but you get the idea.

Notice how some people are constantly polarizing everyone and how attention follows them wherever they go. I don’t know who said this but I remember more than once hearing a saying that goes something like: If you’re not making enemies, you’re not doing anything important enough.

That’s a little strong, but you get the idea.

For me that means writing what you hold to be true when it needs to be said (rather than stirring up controversy for the sake of it).

And owning includes taking responsibility for the consequences – like living with it if readers drift away – but perhaps also asking ourselves if we got the tone right in the way we wrote (or did we drift into ranting/opinionated), being ready to step down and apologise if you get things wrong – and so on.

Joanna

For me that means writing what you hold to be true when it needs to be said (rather than stirring up controversy for the sake of it).

And owning includes taking responsibility for the consequences – like living with it if readers drift away – but perhaps also asking ourselves if we got the tone right in the way we wrote (or did we drift into ranting/opinionated), being ready to step down and apologise if you get things wrong – and so on.

Joanna