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This is an entire book, on blogging, available for FREE for our readers.
The book is not about the tips and tricks on blogging (there are many tips and tricks included) but about the mindset, approach and the discipline to succeed with blogging in the long run.
Note: You can scroll down to see the table of contents. The published articles have their links enabled.
If you are curious, you can also read the advanced praise for the book by Chris Garrett, Dave Taylor, Lisa Haneberg and Liz Strauss
BLOGTASTIC!
growing and making a difference through blogging.
by Rajesh Setty
I started blogging in February 2005 with one simple rule:
Rule#1
Ninety percent of my blog posts have to stand the test of time–meaning they should be valuable and stay relevant even after a few years of posting them.
At the time of this writing this book, I have more than 1,350 articles on my blog Life Beyond Code. Along the way, I have had many temptations to sway me away from my rule. I am glad I didn’t. That one simple rule has helped me to demand more from myself than any of my readers will.
I wrote this book to share some of the lessons I learned as a blogger along the way. Things I wish someone had told me when I started blogging. Here a few of them:
• Blogging is easy to start but hard to maintain;
• If you want to succeed, you have to start making others succeed;
• Who you are plays an important role in how your blog is perceived;
• You can make more friends in the blogosphere fast;
• Traffic is not the only metric of success in blogging;
• Your blog can change who you are; and
• Blogging can seem like a thankless job.
This book isn’t a basic blogging book. Instead, you’ll learn how to transform your blog into a powerfully-leveraged tool that opens doors and allows you to change the world.
Who should read this book?
This book is specifically written for Bloggers or wannabe Bloggers. But not all bloggers will need to read this book.
If you belong to one of the following three groups, then do yourself a favor and put this book down immediately. You won’t benefit from this book.
• Bloggers who are already get more “good” traffic than they want;
• Bloggers who don’t have any problem with their blog/life balance; and
• Bloggers who want short-term tactics to boost their blog traffic.
Still with me? Good! You’re interested in growing and making a difference through blogging. You’ll soon be engaged in the journey to develop your personal brand both online and offline.
I’m going to assume that you know the basics about blogs. If you don’t understand those fundamentals, then this book probably already has you confused. This book will not teach you what a blog is and why you need one. You won’t learn how to set up your first blog. If you need to learn the basics about blogs, I recommend that you pick up a good introductory book on blogging.
If personal and/or professional blogging is important to you, then you will probably enjoy this book. If you are like many people I know, then you want to take your blog to the next level, and you want to do it quickly. We all seem to be in such a hurry these days; we do not want to wait for success. We want it now!
My proposition is simple.
You have to take yourself (and possibly your company) to the next level before you can take your blog to the next level.
Every lesson comes with a cost to the learner. You will pay a price—either to learn the lesson or because you didn’t learn the lesson. Over the years, I have paid a significant price to learn every lesson within this book. I learned these lessons through my mentors, conversations with fellow bloggers, and the greatest teacher—my own mistakes.
As a result, I have myself paid much more than what this book will cost you in either time or money. Here’s my simple goal. I simply want to share what I have learned, so that you can reduce the cost and time it will take to build your own blogging empire.
Table of Contents
Chaper 1: Introduction
- Why you (still) can’t ignore blogs today (11/25)
- A visit to the blog graveyard (11/26)
- Not everyone who should blog actually blogs (11/27)
- The secret recipe for blogging success (11/30)
- Not all blogging tips are practical (12/1)
Chapter 2: Blogging for Fame, Fortune and Influence
- What’s on your “about me” page? (12/2)
- Brand extensions and brand building (12/3)
- You can’t become famous just by blogging (12/4)
- You can’t become rich just by blogging (12/7)
- There are few short-term benefits (12/8)
Chapter 3: Defining Success
- Traffic is not the only metric of successful blogging (12/9)
- Your blog can change who you are (12/10)
- Your blog can change your readers (12/11)
Chapter 4: Your Blog Reflects You
- Blogging is highly personal (12/15)
- Your attitude shows up on your blog (12/16)
- There are few second chances online (12/17)
- Get comfortable with the speed of change (12/18)
- Watch what you say outside the blog (12/21)
- Blogging can be a serious addiction (12/22)
Chapter 5: Content and Focus
- Take a stand, please! (12/23)
- Goldilocks and the three blogs (12/24)
- Your blog’s name matters (12/25)
- Timeless content produces disproportionate returns (12/28)
- Your blog needs tipping points (12/29)
- Older posts go dead fast! (12/30)
- You don’t have to fight this alone (12/31)
Chapter 6: Sustainability
- Blogging—easy to start but hard to maintain (1/1)
- Slacking has consequences (1/4)
- When you stare at a blank screen (1/5)
- You can get carried away (1/6)
- Blogging can seem like a thankless job (1/7)
Chapter 7: Your Readers
- Attracting and maintaining attention (1/8)
- The value of quality readers (1/11)
- Influencing the influencers will create huge leverage (1/12)
- Care passionately about your readers (1/13)
- Set time aside for your blog fans (1/14)
- Get used to critics (1/15)
Chapter 8: Your Relationship with Other Bloggers
- Help other succeed (1/18)
- Avoid mudslinging (1/19)
- Earn links to your blog (1/20)
- Don’t impose your rules on other bloggers (1/21)
- Don’t apply the rule of reciprocation to blogs (1/22)
- You have to give back! (1/25)
- Say more than “me too” (1/26)
- All About Comments (1/27)
Chapter 9: The Rewards of Blogging
- The ultimate leverage engine (1/28)
- Increase your capacity to do more good (1/29)
- Make more friends in the blogosphere fast (2/1)
Chapter 10: Tools and More
- What you don’t know might hurt you (2/2)
- The right tools (2/3)
- Blogging stats can be addictive (2/4)
- More help than you will ever need (2/5)
