What Was Your Last Great Post?

My last great post was The Novelty Curve.  Sadly, it went up over a month ago.  Everything else since then has been marginal—filler.  I'm sorry.  It's the price you pay for serving more than one master.  Work demands, family demands, life demands.  Can you relate?

Sean over at Buzz Canuck is right when he says:

"the death of the hobbyist blogger - good, passion-based bloggers have all got more professional jobs or speaking gigs in their respective fields meaning more time with clients, internal stuff and consequently, less time, energy and in some cases, candour in researching, conceptualizing and writing their blogs"

Here's what Sean recommends:

"Somebody like TED needs to create an "Ideaosphere" that includes blogs at all levels of the social media caste system that are putting forward great ideas and content. Hopefully, a link and traffic-agnostic blog portal would be able to create the 'Atlantic Monthly" of the blog world - a place where discriminating minds could go and be inspired by  fresh and progressive voice."

Sean could be on to something.  But whether it's a blogger version of TED or something else, I think his take is spot on.  Ask yourself when your last great post was.  Or maybe ask yourself why you started blogging in the first place.  Or maybe, just maybe ask yourself how you can add value without running yourself into the ground.  That's the question I need to ask myself...

Comments

[Mark McGuinness]

Work is the curse of the blogging classes.

[Gavin Heaton]

DA ... I think we were asking that same question last time we met (ages ago). Perhaps it is about managing yourself to outcomes. Determine what is important and then prioritise your energies accordingly. That way it doesn't matter how much or how little time you spend on each area -- as long as it contributes to your satisfaction levels (or as Lewis might say, your happiness quotient). Sometimes we have to satisfice -- trade the highs for "good enough".

On the ideas front, take a look at bigthink.com.

[Alan Lopuszynski]

"Work is the curse of the blogging classes." Nice.

I can relate. I just started a new job and blogging's not only on the back burner, it feels like it's on another stove, in a little shack down the street across a bridge that's out. Frustrating.

I love the thought of the Ideaosphere (Ideasphere? Ideaverse? Ideacosm? Idea...place? crap. not even feeling creative about that), but it begs the question: does the blogging mindset dictate that we create posts with the intent to be linked in the Ideaosphere?

And if we do, aren't we then just still throwing stuff up to keep it going like usual?

[David Armano]

Hey Gav,

I remember that conversation, though back then the blog was more of a priority for me. As Alan says, it *sometimes feels like another stove to keep warm.

*sometimes.

I still enjoy it most of the time. *sigh. We'll have to talk this one over a beer this weekend. Good timing I guess.

[Melissa Paulik]

For me it's about resisting the pull of the ranking. I started blogging to satisfy a need to write and to share what I think I know. It matters if people hear what I have to say, but if my blog is only seen by a handful of loyal followers, that's enough for me. It's difficult, but I resist the urge to continually check my stats.

BTW, I am not nearly this laid back in my day job, but not everything can be pushed to the limit.

[Dion Hughes]

There's a hidden greatness in consistency. I read your blog not just for the gems, but also for the constant reminders.

[Jeff Bellamy]

This was probably mine

http://jeffbellamy.com/life-is-shortnot/

[kjbro0me]

Interesting. Over the past week or so I have been asking myself things like "Why are you still blogging?", "what next with the blogging thing?"; while associates have posed questions to me like "what's the point anymore?".

Then, last night, I sat down and just had fun with the process of writing up a post, surfing the net for supporting content and the simple act of turning a phrase; and when I was finished, I was reminded of why I still do it.

My last great post was an experiment in thought association. A different kind of post altogether, which I think is why it worked so well:

http://kevinbroome.com/2007/10/new-violent-conception-of-life-and.html

[Scott Monty]

I think there may already be an answer to Sean's desire: Alltop (www.alltop.com)

[Doug Meacham]

I started blogging at a time when I was frustrated with the direction my employer was going and my inability to get executives to listen. I discovered communities of very creative and passionate people who were saying things that resonated with me and decided join the chorus by starting my own blog. At the time, my job allowed, even required me to spend time participating in these communities. Now, traveling every week and working 10-12 hour days, I don't have much time or energy to keep up the pace. What's worse is that I don't have nearly as much time to spend reading other people's blogs. That's had the biggest impact on my ability to write meaningful posts.

[Toad]

As the kids say David, "I feel you."
I start off trying to be deep, often settle for clever, and if I can't do either, I try and be a good thief.

There are definitely weeks I'm glad that YouTube exists and that I can throw a TV spot up along with a few lines about why I like it and feel like I've been posting. And other weeks where finding time to think things through is not problem.

So far blogging's always felt like something I want to do. When it starts feeling like something I have to do,

[Richard Millington]

I never know which posts of mine are great, the ones I put the most thought into get 0 response and the ones I churn out in a few minutes tend to get pushed around the blogosphere.

[Paul Chaney]

David, funny you should mention this. I was ruminating over this very thing last night and into today. I can't seem to find inspiration for something that would add at least a degree of value to the greater conversation and I hate to write filler just for the sake of keeping my post frequency up.

So, I've consoled myself by doing a lot of comment posting, and maybe that lends enough value itself to justify my latency.

[Kelly]

David,

I think it depends on how we judge great. I try not to post unless I feel them deeply, but the last one that I said "ahh..." about as I sent it off was http://maximumcustomerexperience.typepad.com/mce/2008/04/when-is-experie.html "When Is Experience: New York All You'd Expect From Paris?" a few days ago.

Like Richard, some of my posts that get a ton of views didn't strike me as earth-shattering when I put them up, so if that's the measure I don't even love some of my best that much!

The key for me is Less Is More. I normally post about three per week, but each week I write at least a dozen half-finished posts before I come up with the ones that I've just got to share with the universe. Sometimes I may come back and know how to finish one of those even months later, where I just couldn't make it work when I started it.

And if, with my hundreds of ideas and half-dones in my notes file, I still can't find the one that grabs me that day, I figure it's not going to grab anyone else, either, and I don't post.

We've all got so much in our readers/email, I don't believe folks will miss my posting if I wasn't going to give them that "ahh" feeling as they read it, anyway.

You make me read along, head nodding, a lot more often than you may think. I don't know your measure for great, but how about "very fine"? You manage VF all the time. Like now.

Regards,

Kelly

[betaBonnie]

I have no doubt that every one of you who has posted on David's "When Was...." post has thoughts/ideas/insights daily worth sharing.

Unfortunately, formal education has taught us that anything less than 3 pages, single spaced doesn't merit value.

Also, just because someone doesn't forward or Digg a particular post doesn't mean it hasn't had a positive impact on someone's life.

You're all judging yourselves too harshly. Keep on posting, no matter how inane or mundane it appears to you.

Thanks.

[geoff]

Hi David,

Everyone goes through cycles. Alongside Influx Insights, TIGS, This blog sits at..., and a few others, Logic + Emotion has a disproportionate share of "starred posts" in my Google Reader. You've got a solid couple years of really quality posts behind you. If you want to take a couple of months and coast, no one would hold it against you!

I just started blogging last month. There were a few key reasons. Providing a reason and a forum to shape, articulate, and develop my ideas was a big one. Meeting interesting and like minded people was another important one. It's definitely a promotional vehicle for myself, but mainly I do it because I enjoy it. I'm in this industry because it's exciting, and every day something happens that sends my mind spinning. I'm trying to just get in the habit of talking about whatever that is.

But I wonder if maybe for some of the blogoscenti the original reason they started blogging has been lost over time. Goals of (minor) fame, connections, promotions, etc have been reached, and it's not really paying off the way it once was. And I think if that was what you were in it for, then cash in your chips and be happy. But I doubt if you and the rest of the well known bloggers started primarily for promotional reasons. You started because it was fun and exciting to share your ideas. You're busy doing other things at the moment, and that's cool...you've got no obligation to anybody for this. But I think as soon as the pressure comes off, it will become fun again and posting becomes easy.

It's like anything...you need a break sometimes to remind yourself why you do it, and come back recharged and refreshed. If it becomes a chore, you're probably doing it for the wrong reasons.

And if you take a break, it gives the rest of us up-and-comers a chance to build an audience as well ;)

[David Armano]

Thanks again for the wonderful comments everyone. Betabonnie, I totally hear you about not judging ourselves too harshly, but the fact is that there is so much noise out there and personally, I don't want to be adding to the clutter.

I don't want it to stop myself from creating and producing content. But—I think it's worth thinking about.

Either way, at the end of the day—I do believe if you are going to write a blog, and not get paid directly for it. You have to please yourself first. It has to be meaningful to you. Otherwise it's just more work.

[David Armano]

Geoff,

You said

"It's like anything...you need a break sometimes to remind yourself why you do it, and come back recharged and refreshed. If it becomes a chore, you're probably doing it for the wrong reasons.

And if you take a break, it gives the rest of us up-and-comers a chance to build an audience as well ;) "

This is why I read every comment here word for word. These thoughts are very wise. I'm chewing over it. Thank you.

[Hjörtur Smárason]

Nice post, David.

It's difficult to say what was the last great post. The greatness lies in the eyes of the beholder, I guess. I may have written something about a great idea that just didn't get through. Or people had realized. While others where I thought I was just babbling seems to hit something and take off.

I wrote two posts on April second. One I had given a lot of thought and work and another that was just babbling, but more honest and personal. That later one got much more reaction (all the reaction, actually). So the tone of your voice is very important.

[Sean Moffitt]

Thanks for the reference to my article David...by the way, you could have fooled me...I thought you were still burning the candle, giving great post, I huess keep the facade up.

Hopefully we've jointly been able to create a debate about why people post?, what makes for a good post? and hopefully somebody will read this and create an enterprise about quality blogging and ideas, as opposed to the "scoop" and "gossip mill" that blogging (and other web forms) have become.

oops...back top my work I go...

Sean

[Stephen Land]

I'm not sure I've done a great post yet. Done a few I like a great deal. But then I'm new to the game.

I definitely hear you on the time/family/job thing. Writing an insightful, helpful post takes time and that's not something I get a lot of these days.

Here's to being brilliant in five minute bursts!

[David Gillespie]

You know I think one needs to balance personal insight with aggregating great content. My last "great" post was over a month ago, but tonight I threw in a short piece solely telling people to check out included Matthew Milan's slides from the talk "Leading with insight". Sure we all want to be the thought leader, but an equal amount of value can be derived from pointing readers to great content.

Dave you also make a good point about doing your best to ignore your stats, I think the trick is ensuring value is provided for readers (as opposed to personal egos - I suffer from that as much as anybody) regardless of who authored the idea.

[David Cushman]

Hmmm, I dunno. I quite like this one.