Written on December 9th, 2006 at 01:12 am by Darren Rowse
Win 10 Great ‘Blogging’ Books at ProBlogger
I’m giving one lucky ProBlogger reader a Christmas present this year - read on to find out how you can get in the running for it…
I was just taking a look through my essential books for bloggers post in which I list 70 books that I and a few blogging friends recommend and decided to do refine it down to the 10 books that I think had the biggest impact on my thinking (on a blogging perspective) in 2006.
Ironically none of them are about blogging specifically and some of the books are actually quite old, but I picked them up this year to reread them and am glad I did.
Here they are in no particular order:
- The Story Factor - a book that I’m currently reading about being influential and persuasive through the practice of story telling. Really enjoying this one.
- Ogilvy on Advertising - written by renowned copy writer David Ogilvy this book has a lot of great copywriting principles that translate well into blogging.
- Advertising Secrets of the Written Word - another copywriter sharing good common sense strategies for copy writing.
- The E-Myth Revisited - a business book that helps small business earners move from building themselves a job to building themselves a true business.
- Lovemarks: The Future Beyond Brands - I always rave about this book that looks about a paradigm shift in advertising and the rise of emotion, sensuality and more in branding/marketing.
- Unleashing the Idea Virus - the first book that I read by Seth Godin that back in it’s day rocked my world
- Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell’s classic book on ‘How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference’
- Join Me - I don’t think you can get this new any more but a great story of a guy who started accidentally started a movement and what he learned along the way. This is written almost as a novel in a humorous and easy to read style.
- Don’t Make Me Think - Common Sense Web Usability
- 1000 Most Important Words - a guide to unlocking our “passive” vocabularies and developing a keener appreciation of the richness of language
As an end of year Christmas gift to one lucky ProBlogger reader I’m going to randomly pick one commenter (on any ProBlogger post) to receive all ten books.
To be eligible you simply need to leave at least one comment on ProBlogger between now and 25 December.
Consider each comment to be an entry with no limit to how many times you can enter. Of course comments need to be genuine (ie related to the post, not spammy) to be considered (beware, too many comments too quickly and you’ll trigger my spam detecters).
94 Responses to “Win 10 Great ‘Blogging’ Books at ProBlogger”
Brian Vuyk
December 9th, 2006 1:26 am
Are we to assume the more comments we leave, the more chances we have to win, then?
Building your brand, one contest at a time…
Michael From The Future
December 9th, 2006 1:27 am
Fantastic gift Darren !!!
I have seen you mention LOVEMARKS many times before and that’s one I have on my TO READ list now :)
Take Care !
Stefan Julius
December 9th, 2006 1:33 am
Very cool Darren now I posted my second comment today, but it won’t be the last till 25th December, for sure.
Thanx a lot.
Joe
December 9th, 2006 1:40 am
Great list. It’s always helpful to get book recommendations. The only one’s I’ve read here are The Tipping Point and Don’t Make Me Think, both essential reads.
Curt
December 9th, 2006 1:43 am
That’s a pretty cool idea/gesture Darren. This site has definitely helped me out in a couple of areas and I’m sure it has helped out many more as well.
I actually tried starting up my own “group writing” type project on my blog. It’s no where near as successful as yours but then again I don’t have prizes or anything of that sort.
Anyway, thanks for the assistance in your many posts along the way.
Rete
December 9th, 2006 1:53 am
What a great idea! I’ve already got a couple of these on my Amazon list due to your recommendations but haven’t gotten to them yet… Thanks so much!
Christopher
December 9th, 2006 2:02 am
Tipping Point has to be the best one out of those books. Quite revealing stuff in there.
Scott Howard
December 9th, 2006 2:02 am
Awesome, I can always use more books. Especially since I have not read any of those.
WSLiang
December 9th, 2006 2:07 am
Thanks for the wonderful Christmas present Darren. Oops! I dreamt that I got it.
Rick
December 9th, 2006 2:18 am
Don’t make me think is an awesome book.
If you don’t win this book - buy this book!
Alfa
December 9th, 2006 2:23 am
I’d surely want to win those books! Free shipping, right?
Joe
December 9th, 2006 2:26 am
This is certainly a way to get people to respond to your posts!
Hatem
December 9th, 2006 2:35 am
Merry Christmas Darren :)) Good exercise for lazy commenters (like me) ! Anyway, very good choice of books I find it.
Enblogopedia
December 9th, 2006 2:41 am
definitely Joe..!!
but it`s also a great idea!
anyway this is not strange! you are talking about darren!
Chase
December 9th, 2006 2:57 am
Is this spoused to be an object lesson on how to get people to comment? cause if it is, I think it is working.
Chase
Charlie Stye
December 9th, 2006 3:01 am
How nice of you Darren, not only providing us with great material, and now rewarding the readers, maybe that should be a tip! lol.
Hope you’re well,
Charlie -
—
theapblog.blogspot.com
Tamar Weinberg
December 9th, 2006 3:01 am
Smart idea, Darren. :)
From my contact form submission (I hope you got it), I bet these could come in handy.
Rob
December 9th, 2006 3:07 am
Now the wife will have it easy this Christmas:
She can actually get me something I will really like and use!
-Rob
Milo Riano
December 9th, 2006 3:07 am
Hey Tipping Point interests me. I have heard its good but haven’t really gotten hold of it yet. :)
Tamar Weinberg
December 9th, 2006 3:07 am
I think your comments form (or server?) is getting overloaded from this! wow.
AJ Cann
December 9th, 2006 3:51 am
That desperate for comments, eh? Looks like Jakob Nielsen was right:
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/participation_inequality.html
LearningNerd
December 9th, 2006 4:03 am
Everybody wants more comments! I think that’s a great idea to entice us lurkers out into the open. It worked on me. ;)
Jon Symons
December 9th, 2006 4:06 am
Great list Darren, interesting that none are directly related to blogging, but all relate to the skills of a blogger.
Kris Karkoski
December 9th, 2006 4:16 am
Great contest and a great way to get readers involved with your website. Might have to consider running something similar to this on my blogs to get further reader involvement.
Ian
December 9th, 2006 4:18 am
Darren , Great Idea on enticing your readers to introduce themselves.
Andy Beal
December 9th, 2006 4:19 am
Great idea for getting people to comment on your site - mind if I borrow it for mine?
Emyth is a great book for anyone just starting a company.
I’d also recommend “Love is the Killer App” - it’s by Tim Sanders and is a great guide to how you can build your business and brand by helping others.
Jen
December 9th, 2006 4:20 am
_Ogilvy on Advertising_ has been in my library for years, left over from a long-ago “media literacy” course called “Argument and Persuasion,” but I haven’t picked it up (except to dust the shelves) until your post reminded me of it this morning…
Funny, but you’re absolutely right - Ogilvy does have some important lessons for bloggers. Not just in terms of advertising, but in the insights into how people think and respond to what they experience in terms of messaging. Wish I’d re-read it when I first started blogging! Ah, better late than never - and one can take comfort in the thought that David Oglivy probably never anticipated that some day he’d be on the ProBlogger’s list of “10 Great Blogging Books”!
I’m not familiar with _The Story Factor_ but do think, based on your comment on it, that it will be next for my bedtime reading list… because it’s all about story-telling, isn’t it? Telling stories is what human beings do with each other, bottom line, online or in the “real” world…
Miha
December 9th, 2006 4:31 am
Nice one Darren… I hope I will get the books. ;-)
Claudio
December 9th, 2006 4:40 am
I’m feeling lucky! And need more books :)
Sam Jackson
December 9th, 2006 4:59 am
These wouldn’t happen to come in _e-book_ versions, would they? That would be too ironically apt, I suppose.
I wish I had the liquidity to offer prizes to my commenters… I have readers, but so few commenters! It’s a very sad state of affairs. Oh well, c’est la vie.
Brandon Wood
December 9th, 2006 5:15 am
Thanks for another informative post Darren. “Don’t Make Me Think” is an excellent book, one that I turn to time and again when designing web sites.
Jul
December 9th, 2006 5:17 am
Wow, those would be such a great resource for a personal blogger who just made the jump to b5media…. :)
sarang
December 9th, 2006 5:21 am
darren
probably better for 10 readers to get at least one book each !
thats my entry for you :)
Shawn Blanc
December 9th, 2006 5:25 am
Darren -
I think this is such a fun idea. I have something I’ve been wanting to give away on my site for a while but unsure of how to do it. I fully plan on using your idea. Thanks, and happy holidays.
David
December 9th, 2006 5:29 am
Darren,
I am a blogging local church pastor whose been following your posts for some time. Blogging not only provides me with an outlet for writing and an opportunity to connect with friends and family, it is also an intriguing device for providing benefit to our (depressed) area in PA. I’m taking the month of December (and possibly January) off in order to re-consider my future in blogging. Perhaps your suggested starter library would help me make a decision and make whatever I do afterward better. So, a first comment from a faithful RSS reader and an appeal. Whatever you decide to do with the books, God bless, for your service and excellence in blogging.
engtech
December 9th, 2006 5:45 am
Just a reminder that you can get a lot of these at the local library. For the 19345346 commenters who won’t win. :)
Mallory
December 9th, 2006 5:58 am
The E-Myth Revisited is amazing. Definitely one of the best books I’ve read in the last year, period.
Scott Weaver
December 9th, 2006 6:16 am
I dig this tactic- contests on your blog. Speaking of digging, has anyone dugg this yet?
Diddy1
December 9th, 2006 6:17 am
Wow that book is mine, I am so getting tired of getting nothing but a lump of coal every Christmas.
Thank You
Deborah
December 9th, 2006 6:19 am
What a cool idea! It amazes me from day to day the things you come up with, you have been a great help to me this year and I am looking forward to much more. Ogilvy on Advertising, man that brings back memories! I read that book when it first came out years ago. Still a lot of good things to learn from it.
Happy Holidays to you Darren and your family!
God Bless…
Happy Mind - Happy Mood
December 9th, 2006 6:35 am
Hey Darren, nice post! Its crazy how comments on this post are way more than on others ones, probably because of the free books huh? lol..Anyways, I really like you advice and the way you write, I have told you that in different posts. The interesting thing here is that as a blogger you would think blogging books are the ones that will help you improve which I am sure some do, but look at your list, they are from different divisions of study and points of view, that is very interesting. Hopefully I can even at least get a copy of one of those.
Ed
Wendy Piersall
December 9th, 2006 6:38 am
Sheer brilliance Darren - I may just have to borrow this idea for my own end of year traffic, comment and participation boost.
Did I mention sheer brilliance?! :)
tish
December 9th, 2006 6:52 am
Darren - I’m looking forward to checking out the books you recommend. I’m familiar with a couple of them, but can always use new ideas. By the way, thanks for continually providing those “new ideas” and nudging your readers along to explore more options.
tish
Eliza
December 9th, 2006 7:18 am
Wow, that’s an impressive gift. I’m sure the books will be a great thing to add under someone’s tree as well. May I ask, did these books get you to where you are today? If so, which one? I’m sure there are many of us out here in blogger land that would love to get that or those books that helped you, even if we don’t win.
Happy Holidays!
The Reviewer
December 9th, 2006 7:37 am
Thanks a lot. You have done a lot for me in the last few months, good tips, and getting me to make my own blog. Free books would be good too.
julien
December 9th, 2006 7:37 am
i’ve read a few of these, but the Emyth is a book i absolutely detested. don’t get me wrong, i’ll still take it if you send it to me. :) there are some i’ve been meaning to for a while.
Jonathan Dingman
December 9th, 2006 7:39 am
Whoa, sweet! Thanks Darren. Maybe I’ll have something to read while I’m in Panama City if I win.
Roberta
December 9th, 2006 7:52 am
Hope I win, I haven’t read any of these books, but would love to have them. I’ve been following the site since I’ve had bloglines….good stuff here.
Jennifer W
December 9th, 2006 8:22 am
Thanks for the great list! I’m adding them to my Amazon wish list. I especially want to check out the story and copywriting books. I have a degree in Advertising but it was more about audience research than about being creative. I feel like I missed out. But hey - I’ve learned more in the real world than I ever learned in college anyway. :)
Michelle
December 9th, 2006 8:26 am
The Tipping Point is the only one of those I’ve read, I’m afraid I read too little nonfiction, but it was amazing. Changes the way you think and look at blogging. I’d borrowed a copy from someone and wished that I had my own, as there were plenty of notes I wanted to make in the margins.
jhay
December 9th, 2006 9:14 am
Wow, good books from Darren Rowse. I’ve been searching for some of those books here in my local bookstores but they don’t have copies of it. I did saw The Tipping Point but it was too expensive. I hope I get to be picked.
Happy Holidays!
Darren Rowse
December 9th, 2006 9:16 am
WOW - I didn’t quite expect THIS reaction :-)
nice….
AFL Rules
December 9th, 2006 9:41 am
I think I comment only once per your posts. You post too quick anyway! Sometimes I miss them. :)
Hope I am ramdomly picked!
Bob King Neverland IIi
December 9th, 2006 9:55 am
E-Myth Revisited and The Tipping Point- Both great books! I read them during college and each have had a profound effect on me.
daemon
December 9th, 2006 10:03 am
I’d love to have those books. ^_^ hope it can help me.
Paul Drago
December 9th, 2006 10:06 am
Darren,
that is a great idea to bring your readers out of hiding.
Pd
George
December 9th, 2006 10:24 am
This book prize for comments idea is great. I should try the same thing over at my blog.
CW
December 9th, 2006 10:42 am
Here’s my entry. I haven’t read a single one of those books!
Blog News Watch » Blog Archive » Darren’s Xmas gifts competition
December 9th, 2006 10:43 am
[…] Darren’s Xmas gifts competition December 8th, 2006 by Kamrul Darren Rowse over problogger announced his Xmas presents for his readers. In fact not only his regular reader any commenter between now and December 25 will be the eligible for winning ten awesome blogging books. Darren will randomly pick up one commenter (on any Problogger post) to receive all ten books. […]
Luke Meshios
December 9th, 2006 10:46 am
this is just going to cause mass comment spam…
hope this comment wins, lool.
Peter Davis
December 9th, 2006 2:29 pm
Nice touch, and Merry Christmas to you too Darren. :)
Andrew Flusche
December 9th, 2006 2:47 pm
I think this is quite a fascinating idea. I’m curious if comments like “great idea” really count as “genuine.” I definitely don’t want to start some kind-of flame war, though.
A couple people mentioned that they don’t have the cash to do something like this. What about giving away a book you already own? Presumably you have some books on your shelf that you have read & found useful. Have a contest like this and give one of those away. Just be sure to specify its condition at the outset. People probably wouldn’t mind, since it’s still free, right?
One final thought - check your local library for these books. I checked for “The Tipping Point,” and our library has several copies (1 available!). You might also try inter-library loan, if your library doesn’t have the book you’re looking for.
Glory
December 9th, 2006 3:41 pm
Wow! I want to win! I echo the sentiment of David in PA (Commenter #35):
“Whatever you decide to do with the books, God bless, for your service and excellence in blogging.” I am a faithful reader, too!
More on Ecommerce
December 9th, 2006 4:03 pm
Wow! Now that’s an excellent gift for any blogger. Thanks Darren. ;)
Susan Borgas
December 9th, 2006 6:03 pm
Chuckle….. the comments so far are a delight to read.
Just the sort of information a struggling artist as myself needs to help with marketing her work.
To the winner, I congratulate you in advance as I know it won’t be me because I am such a newbie to this blog but boy I have learn’t a LOT!!!
MinorRipper
December 9th, 2006 10:03 pm
thanks Darren–very kind and thoughtful of you
http://www.minor-ripper.blogspot.com
nakedpastor
December 9th, 2006 11:04 pm
i haven’t read most of those books, therefore i need them. i’m surprised that “Blog Marketing” by Jeremy Wright wasn’t on the list.
Alan Oak
December 10th, 2006 2:25 am
Darren,
This is clever while being yet helpful and generous. You teach and I learn.
Merry Christmas!
lanny heaney
December 10th, 2006 3:27 am
I’d love to have those books. I hope it can help me to promote myself blog. But I am afraid as a chinese, could i have a chance to win the prize……….
Enric
December 10th, 2006 4:17 am
Wow, I’d like that books. I’ve not read any of them, I blog in spanish. But your brief explanations make them seem interesting. I can’t imagine that 70 books. I’ll need more than 2 years to read them.
Dark Tranquility
December 10th, 2006 6:13 am
Well these are great news! Thanks Darren!! :D
Marti
December 10th, 2006 9:31 am
What a fabulous prize! Best wishes to everyone, and thanks to YOU, Darren!
Gleb Reys
December 10th, 2006 10:17 am
As practically always, Darren, your idea is both clever and elegant.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, these 10 books is a going to be one great present for someone this Christmas! :)
Harvey
December 10th, 2006 1:38 pm
Considering that I live in Japan and English books are sold at twice cover price in stores… I would love to win this contest!
bulut
December 10th, 2006 7:31 pm
Nice list, and also i’m unlucky person, thanks in advance for the book .
My Hot Image
December 11th, 2006 12:14 am
Thanks Darren for the generous offer
Jeff
December 11th, 2006 6:02 am
Just getting (re)started blogging and ran across this post. Thanks this site has helped a ton.
bruce
December 11th, 2006 9:51 am
I am familiar with three of the books on the list. Tipping Point, E-Myth and 1000 words are all worth reading. I will have to look at the others after the holidays. Much Peace
jun
December 11th, 2006 10:35 am
I have E-Myth Revisited and it really is a great book, even if you are not in business for your self.
And Darren, if you pick me, Any ot the 9 would do. =) The Ogilvy, Tipping Point and Join Me look very interesting.
Michael
December 11th, 2006 6:58 pm
Very Cool! I could use some new reading for the holidays. Thanks Darren!
Sam Browning
December 11th, 2006 7:58 pm
That’s nice of you :) Think I’d need to pick up my reading speed if I were to read them, but I think it’d be cool to get. A few of them look pretty interesting from what you wrote, and I’m sure the others would go down well! May have to get my hands on a few regardless.
Linda
December 11th, 2006 11:27 pm
Thanks, Darren.
I learn so much here, and know that I could learn from one of those books.
You keep providing reasons to come back here.
chris
December 13th, 2006 1:26 am
Gladwell’s stuff is definitely worth reading! Great Contest!
Rahul Prabhakar
December 13th, 2006 11:33 am
My favorite among the pack is Ogilvy on Advertising.
lihaile
December 15th, 2006 5:18 pm
Darren, i want to get the books ,i am from china and still a collage student ,i am very eager to reading the books your suggest but i don’t have monny to pay for it ,so if you can help me and send me one of them ,say thank u to you ^_^,and i reading your blog for a short times ,but it’s very useful ,thanks for give me so many knowledges ,best wishes, from a chinese guy .
Dustin
December 18th, 2006 7:41 am
Oh oh, pick me!!
cafedave
December 20th, 2006 12:28 pm
Darren,
Have you seen the quality of comments drop since announcing this competition? I wasn’t going to say anything at all, but I’m a sucker for books. It’s good to see bloggers taking their inspiration from older sources, not just books published in the 1990s or later - especially something like storytelling.
I continue to be amazed at how much there is to be said on the subject of pro-blogging: you’re certainly a prolific author on the topic!
Darren Rowse
December 20th, 2006 12:31 pm
no - while there are a few that are obviously leaving the odd comment for the competition there has been some great conversations lately.
I don’t know that comment levels are really up that much - that wasn’t really my point - I just wanted to give some books away and do something a bit fun.
Communiteer.com » Blog Archive » ProBlogger comment contest
December 20th, 2006 1:58 pm
[…] ProBlogger.net has a contest running during December 2006 - every genuine comment posted on their blog earns you a chance to win their favorite 10 blogging books! As this demonstrates, bribes are usually a fairly effective way to build community Listen to this podcast […]
Thomas
December 20th, 2006 11:55 pm
Pick me…pick me !!
Glen L Johnson
December 21st, 2006 12:40 am
I have never really thought about books on blogging. Sounds like some interesting reads will have to start paying more attention to things like this.
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December 24th, 2006 2:34 am
[…] Problogger Darren Rowse (a guy that I admire greatly for his experience, wisdom and level-headedness) lists his 10 favorite blogging books. […]
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January 2nd, 2007 7:14 pm
[…] Mid December I posted that I’d be giving a special Christmas present to one lucky ProBlogger reader who left a comment here at ProBlogger between then and Christmas. […]
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February 23rd, 2007 4:20 pm
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