Today Seth Godin (top blogger and author of many books including The Dip) tells us (in his usual succinct style) what he did in 2007 to improve his blog the most.
I showed up.
Underrated, but important.
My name is Darren Rowse and I’m a full time Blogger making a living from this new and dynamic medium from blogs like Digital Photography School and TwiTip - Twitter Tips.
Back in 2002 I stumbled upon an article about ‘Blogging’. I didn’t know it at the time but that moment changed my life. Since then I've become a full time blogger and have blogged on over 20 blogs and co-founded the b5media blog network.
You can connect with me via social media sites at Facebook - LinkedIn - Twitter - SU - Plurk - FriendFeed - Digg
36 Responses to “Improve Your Blog by Showing Up”
JMorris
December 28th, 2007 3:45 pm
3 Words that speak volumes to those who can hear.
Donald
December 28th, 2007 4:09 pm
Brilliant!
Patricia Harrelson
December 28th, 2007 4:21 pm
Terriffic advice, especially for a newbie, like me, who is still in the honeymoon stage of blogging
The Investor's Journal
December 28th, 2007 4:21 pm
Too long, didn’t read.
Justin Dupre
December 28th, 2007 4:23 pm
Okay.
I commented.
Blogvalia
December 28th, 2007 4:52 pm
That is true! 2008 the year of blogging improvements. Happy New Year Darren…
Monsenior
December 28th, 2007 4:55 pm
I try to improve my blog in 2008
Leon
December 28th, 2007 4:57 pm
How true.
Natasha
December 28th, 2007 5:26 pm
I’m learning this now, good point.
Jennifer
December 28th, 2007 5:53 pm
Man, I love clever posts. This one made my top three most clever list for sure. Plus excellent advice.
marti garaughty
December 28th, 2007 6:07 pm
OK, you got me to click and read, very clever, job well done!
Peter Morrow
December 28th, 2007 6:53 pm
In ‘07 I tried to give a more personal take on my blog. I went from an informer to a critiquer. We must remember that any blogger can simply regurgitate the same advice that’s been said by others, and spoil the reader with piles of great ideas which, if all employed, probably would work. Yet we simply don’t have the time to do all of them. Right now I am using my blog as more of a place to reflect on bloging; whereas I have several others for making money.
I think everyone should take this advice: have a personal blog. Even if no one reads it, it will be a good place to store your own opinions. Rant on it, do whatever. Then highlight what opinions or stances you took there and consolidate it into something useful for the reader.
AtGate - Better Online Video
December 28th, 2007 7:23 pm
That is one tip that most people will overlook. Simply stunning
Chris Vincent
December 28th, 2007 7:30 pm
This makes him feel like he was in quite rush when Darren posed the question….
hehe, or better still, he was too hooked into blogging that he had only just finished his post and decided to be lazy…
Looks like these silent types might not be so silent at all….
Joshua Clanton
December 28th, 2007 8:10 pm
Yes. I’ve had my blog for a few months now, but realized that if it was ever going to be something worth reading, I’d actually have to write for it. Showing up is half the fight.
Peter Petrelli
December 28th, 2007 9:35 pm
Great post. Will definitely take your advice!
Ruchir
December 28th, 2007 10:05 pm
Seth Godin, at his best lol…
I never thought I improved my blog by showing up. Now that I think of it, I did…
Technology Slice
December 28th, 2007 11:36 pm
Great post.
Deb Ng
December 29th, 2007 12:05 am
Really can’t argue with that.
Terry Heath
December 29th, 2007 12:32 am
Kinda shoots down all those autobloggers, don’t ya think?
Holly
December 29th, 2007 1:14 am
Very true and a good point.
Arron White
December 29th, 2007 1:21 am
Get over yourself.
SpicePuppy
December 29th, 2007 1:29 am
Awfully simple advice, and yet most people don’t make it that far. You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.
Sean Hodge
December 29th, 2007 1:32 am
I’m keeping my publishing schedule simple for 08.
Show up once a week.
Sangesh
December 29th, 2007 1:47 am
Yes, true.
To get noticed, one has to show up.
I did too.
Complete Geek
December 29th, 2007 2:25 am
Isn’t that the most important thing in life as well? It’s definitely one of the hardest things to do for some reason.
yebot
December 29th, 2007 3:18 am
“you have to be in it to win it”
–David Letterman
Mark Dykeman
December 29th, 2007 11:05 am
Seth’s comment makes sense if he wasn’t posting regularly previous to 2007.
CatherineL
December 29th, 2007 10:45 pm
Great tip - some people don’t even bother to do that very often!
waggdogg
December 30th, 2007 1:28 am
Some times we are so busy in life and your blog is growing like grass because you just started out you have to push yourself to show up.
how to
December 30th, 2007 7:01 am
Fantastic
abasits
December 30th, 2007 9:36 am
hopefully, i would make my blog better in next coming year 2008, i am positive and trying to work hard on it.
recently one of my post was stumbled and upto now it has over 55,000 hit in 3 days.. hoping to get better alexa rating
-:)
my blog is only 3 months old (before that i have not got my own domain)
cheers,
-abs (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=524091267)
jd
December 30th, 2007 8:41 pm
Sort of like, “you gotta be in it to win it.”
In the War of Art, Pressfield says part of getting good at something is “showing up.” It’s the key to overcoming resistance - http://thebookshare.blogspot.com/2007/05/how-to-overcome-resistance.html He points out that it’s the secret that experienced writers know, that the new writers don’t.
We get good at what we put time into and care about. Little improvements over time.
Scott Magdalein
December 31st, 2007 5:31 am
novel idea. gotta love seth godin and his nuggets of wisdom. showing up is definitely the biggest change in my blog this year.
Thriveal
December 31st, 2007 1:11 pm
Uhm… huh?
Marc
December 31st, 2007 5:27 pm
Showing up is easy. Showing up with something to say worth reading is hard.
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