Recently, I’ve heard lamentation in the blogosphere. Incredible, I know. But this isn’t the usual bitching about poorly trained baristas or the new Star Trek trailer. Instead, bloggers are upset about the perceived diminishing role of the personal blog.
Consider the winners of recent weblog awards, and you’ll see 300lb gorillas like Engadget, Boing Boing and Gizmodo. Each has a team of skilled writers and editors who work for pay. Large corporations like Whole Foods and Starbucks* run terrific blogs as well. How’s a guy with a Typepad account and a sack full of opinions to compete with that?
Let me tell you right now, this is not a post about SEO. It’s not about the Oh My God Top Five Tips For Bloggers Ever Finally Revealed! You’ll find no unnecessary bold meant to get your attention, or lists with
- Ideas
- Brainstorms
- Demonstrations
- Concrete answers
I could tell you to include an image with every post, conveniently list popular posts and display your orange RSS icon prominently. I could, but I won’t because none of that will amount Jack Squat if you don’t know what the hell you’re trying to acheive in the first place.
Before you type a single letter, you’ve got to ask yourself the question, “What exactly am I trying to achieve with this blog?” I mean, sit down with a pencil and a piece of paper and figure it out. Write down your answer. That’s your purpose for cluttering my display with your pixels. Next, list the goals that will help you realize that purpose.
Finally, and this is the most crucial step, reconsider your answer regularly. Every few months at least. You’ll probably find that it has changed. Here’s what I mean.
When Merlin Mann started 43Folders, his interests were personal productivity and the GTD system specifically (correct me if I’m wrong, Merlin). He built a decent following and produced great content. Then he reconsidered and switched gears:
“In light of some new directions I’m taking with my work, 43 Folders is changing focus and approach from being the ‘blog about productivity’ that many readers may view it as today.”
Were some people bummed? Yeah, probably. But who cares? Merlin knew that if he trudged along, writing what his readers expected, the whole thing would become drudgery and the content would suffer.
His interests and passions shifted. His life’s focus changed, and his blog went with it. Today, 43Folders is just as fantastic as it’s ever been because Merlin took the time to define exactly what he wanted 43Folders to be, and let that definition guide his content.
“But, Dave,” you say. “43Folders has a staff of writers. It’s the very type of blog we’re complaining about.” Simmer down. I’m getting to it now.
Daring Fireball is a great example of a successful one-man show. John mainly writes about Apple, Inc. I’d dare say that his purpose is to share his opinion on Apple’s products and practices, with a maraschino cherry of general nerdery on top. It works because John is a good writer, but also because he’s true to his blog’s purpose.
So John has found a niche: the tribe of Apple fanatics. What if you want to write about a broader topic? Check out my friend Liz’s Motherhood Is Not For Wimps. Liz shares real-life stories from her life as a parent. A pretty broad topic, no? But it works because there is a huge number of people who find her stories funny, uplifting and ultimately relatable. Liz knows that her goal is to share stories of motherhood with her readers.
Like we saw with Daring Fireball, you’ll find no staff at Motherhood Is Not For Wimps. No corporate back end. Just a passionate, focused writer.
Want to go for the combo? That is, a single-person blog that has gone through the gear-shifting that affected big ‘ol 43Folders so positively? Fine.
Shawn Blanc made a name for himself by writing insanely detailed reviews of popular Macintosh software. Before that, he wrote an equally exhausitive series on freelancing. Today, you’ll find posts on technology and brief blurbs about interesting pieces of software. Shawn’s focus has changed, and thank goodness. He could have forced himself through more mind-bending reviews, but his heart wouldn’t have been in it, and that would have been obvious.
Here’s what John, Shawn and Liz have in common with The Big Boys: Focus and direction. A plan. Engadet is about the coolest gadgets on the planet, and only those gadgets. Motherhood Is Not For Wimps is about beautifully-written, honest stores that engage parents everywhere.
So, there’s the question. “What exactly am I trying to achieve with this blog?” Write it down. Define the goals that will get you there. Now you’ve got a plan. Finally, review that plan at regular intervals and never be afraid to abort the mission. Your blog (and your readers) will be better for it.
Here’s my final bit of unsolicited advice. If your heart’s not in it, don’t do it. “I want to be like So-And-So, and So-And-So writes about Topic X, so I’ll write about Topic X, too. Then I’ll be like So-And-So.” Now you’ve contracted First Year Songwriting Major Disease.
When I was at Berklee as a songwriting major, I suffered from the First Year Songwriting Major Disease. That is, everything I wrote sounded incredibly like the music of established musicians I admired. No one wanted to hear how closely I could mimic Sting’s style, and I’m uninterested in your impression of So-And-So. Read their work to hone your skills (grammar, style, usage, etc.), but don’t succumb to temptation. I want to hear your voice.
If you’re passionate about the the most effective odor eaters for rental bowling shoes, kick my ass with your knowledge and skills. Screw So-And-So. When it comes to stinky footwear, you are THE MAN. Now go out there and rock it.
*I really want a Gold Card. Mail me one and I’ll love you forever. Seriously, I’ll even alter my son’s (or daughter’s) middle name. For real. Come on, send me a Gold Card, or The Baby Jesus will cry.
