Written on February 18th, 2009 at 12:02 am by Darren Rowse
If Your Blog Died Today…. What Would It Be Remembered For?
If your blog were to die today – how would it be remembered?
Here’s a little 2 part exercise that might be fun (although slightly morbid) – and hopefully insightful. You’ll need half an hour or so to do it properly.
1. Write an obituary for your blog 10 years in the future
Project yourself forward 10 years, imagine that at that point you decide to end your blog having achieved everything that you want to achieve with it and write a short obituary about your blog as you’d like other people to have seen it to that point.
Keep in mind that your blog has been as successful as it can be and you’re ending it at the peak of its game.
- What do you want people to say about your blog?
- How do you hope it will have been perceived?
- What will people miss about it the most?
- What ground has it broken?
- What has it achieved?
- How has it helped people?
Take 10 minutes to write this obituary and dare to dream big.
2. Write an obituary for your blog as it stands today
OK – back to the present. Lets just say that you blog ended today. Perhaps it was hacked, perhaps you just decided to delete it or perhaps your server died and you didn’t have a backup – the reason doesn’t matter – the exercise remains the same.
Write an obituary for your blog as you think others see it now.
- What would they say about it?
- What would people miss about it?
- What has it achieved?
- How has it fulfilled a need or service in people’s lives.
- What ground has it broken?
This exercise is one I did a few years back in another context and it was a powerful and motivating exercise. The key to it is to look at the two obituaries (the one you want people to write in the future and the one that people would write now – and to compare them and to sit with the differences.
The reality is that most of us have not yet achieved what we want to achieve with our blogs – however the question is, are we moving in the right direction to make our dreams a reality?
Many bloggers that I talk with have grand dreams and hopes – but their day to day blogging doesn’t take them closer to them.
Once you’ve compared your two obituaries – the next step is to start to put together some concrete steps that will enable you to move from the present reality to the dream for your future. These sorts of dreams don’t just happen – rather they are the result of taking daily steps towards your goals.
If you’d like to share your obituaries (or at least what you discovered in writing them) in comments below I’d be interested to see what you come up with.
77 Responses to “If Your Blog Died Today…. What Would It Be Remembered For?” - Add Yours
Elliot
February 18th, 2009 12:40 am
My blog obituary would say something like..
Flopidle.com 09/05/08 – 02/17/09
Tried So Hard, But Just Never Quite Made It.
Then a follow up comment in the newspaper would probably read along the line of…
“Not surprised!, Ive got more solid information from some of the blogs in my toilet!”.
Something along those lines;))
Miami Web Design
February 18th, 2009 12:42 am
That’s true, we’re still trying to find our “blogger voice”. Writing an blog obituary might be a good idea…Will have to get back to you on that.
Deeboo.com
February 18th, 2009 12:48 am
Definitely an interesting trick that will take your own image of how you want your blog to be and map it out over what your blog actually is. I guess from there it is a matter of filling in the blanks to see it actually come about.
I’d rather my blog just not die at all though, thank you very much.
Justin Dupre
http://deeboo.com
TechMata
February 18th, 2009 12:50 am
“…delivered articles without something in return…” – PinoyInGermany.blogspot.com
TechMata
February 18th, 2009 12:50 am
…useful and helpful…
Eric Hamm
February 18th, 2009 12:53 am
Excellent! Hypothetically looking back on your blog for great perspective of your current focus. Well done, Darren! :-) Eric
Hendry Lee
February 18th, 2009 12:54 am
I recall a similar exercise in 7 habits book, if I’m not mistaken.
Thanks for bringing this up. This is a great exercise to really think about where I want to go forward with my blog.
Plan changes, but there’s nothing better than a surge of motivation thinking what I could do with my blog a few years from now — or as you say, in 10 years.
SEO Tips
February 18th, 2009 12:55 am
Excellent article Darren this sounds like an excellent way to figure out what goals you have and help you how to achieve them.
I am going to take you up on this task and write my obituary later on today, I am sure it will help me figure out what goals I have left to achieve.
Tumblemoose
February 18th, 2009 12:55 am
It’s along the same lines, and I thought of this a while back. What if I passed away and Tumblemoose just shriveled with no explanation to the readership?
I’ve considered writing a final post with instructions to my SO on how to post it if something horrible happened.
Sorry to be so morbid…
George
Sandra Hersey
February 18th, 2009 12:56 am
Wow this is very thought provoking, I am working on it now.
Thanks!
Vern at AimforAwesome
February 18th, 2009 12:59 am
For my death penalty topic I just posted… I’m getting email and comments about it – controversial? A little bit. I just have a low tolerance for people that make dumb decisions that affect the lives of others – sometimes horribly.
Also my crummy comment system – anyone have any recommendations (WP), please send – !
Natasha @ Maw Books
February 18th, 2009 12:59 am
Unfortunately, we just had a huge player in the book blogging community pass away over Thanksgiving. The loss was tremendous and her absence very tangible. She was a huge community builder and hosted several reading challenges, a book review carnival, and weekly memes. Her activities were continued but it literally took at least 12 people to take one what she contributed. I often wonder, if I passed away and my blog was left behind (instead of my blog dying) would my absence be noticed?
Agent SEO
February 18th, 2009 1:01 am
My blog obituary might read like this…
Agent SEO was a young blog that died well before its time. It provided useful information from an industry pro, but lived too short of a life to make an impact.
It has made a grand total of $3 in adsense during its short 1 month lifespan and has educated a handful of readers.
I would like to think it was unique in it’s approach to SEO, but only history will tell?
Great article…a funny way to think about our own blogs!
Meghna
February 18th, 2009 1:03 am
I fully agree that writing a blog obituary would be very useful and insightful. You’ll come to think of many unforeseen things. It will be fun and enjoyable too.
Though I haven’t written my blog’s obituary, I’ve written my own obituary, where I’ve analyzed about my blog’s position too. It was really fun to write that!
It was ‘Meghna, Who?’ http://meghnaspages.blogspot.com/2008/11/meghna-who.html
Thank you for sharing this wonderful idea!
Jessica @ThriveYourTribe
February 18th, 2009 1:08 am
What a great application of the obit exercise–it’s something I’d done in a different context a few years ago as well and I was surprised how much I got out of it. This seems like a really powerful way to think about a blog–thank you so much for posting it!
Lisis - My Quest for Balance
February 18th, 2009 1:15 am
A loving and inspirational young blog has regrettably passed away today.
During its short lifetime, it managed to reach and inspire countless suffering souls in time to turn their lives around. Its unique focus on lasting happiness and inner peace set the standard for a new trend in personal development: Compassion in Action.
Fortunately, the many souls that were already touched and inspired will continue the work this blog started.
=-)
Free Guitar Ebooks
February 18th, 2009 1:15 am
A blog that helped tyro and intermediate guitarists reach the summit of their musical careers
ITrush
February 18th, 2009 1:29 am
The ground? well, I think is all about laziness!
krissy knox
February 18th, 2009 1:29 am
I did this exercise at the beginning of the year. I just thought it was something we should do at the beginning of each year with our blogs. I am now in the process of taking daily steps toward my goals. I even have thest daily steps written out in a datebook. I just need to make sure I don’t procrastinate!
krissy knox :)
http://www.twitter.com/iamkrissy
POTPOLITICS@Do follow
February 18th, 2009 1:42 am
Potpolitics a personal do follow blog was a blogger’s blog. Reaching out to the world on various topics concerning bloggers suddenly passed with Mr Sullivan’s good fortune,who was last spotted enjoying a Jack and Coke in the Bahamas :)
thanks Darren Stumbled and of course twitted :)
Anthony Horne
February 18th, 2009 1:46 am
The obit exercise is one that was introduced to me at the first of last year, and I must say this is a superb and (slightly morbid) splash of reality.
Everyone should try this! Thanks for posting it :)
Anthony
http://essentiallogging.com
Roosevelt P.
February 18th, 2009 1:49 am
Thank you very much for reminding this method. I actually did something like this to set some of my goals in life.
But, perhaps due to work load I forgot how and what made my so focused.
For some it might be an experiment but to me, it’s a method worth betting on.
Thanks.
WebTechMan
February 18th, 2009 1:56 am
Aaahh, Darren makes me think more! I went through an exercise similar to this for leadership development. My obituary was not great. I’m glad to see this exercise applied to digital content.
HA! I told myself I would not post any comments today. Now back to Getting Things Done #GTD
peace
tim
February 18th, 2009 2:12 am
Hmmm. Good questions! I’d hope people would say that it gave advice and tips from my own interests and therefore my experience.
Hopefully someone can look at my personal blog and tell what my interests and strengths are as a person.
The obituary as OTHERS see it today is a tough one for me. I suppose I can do a first time Reader Audit or a “regular reader audit” to get a good idea.
Jared O'Toole
February 18th, 2009 2:30 am
Really interesting. Big key to blogging is having that plan and direction. To many people have goals but aren’t doing much to reach them. You have to remember to look at your blog from someone else’s point of view. What are they thinking when they stop by?
Danny Brown
February 18th, 2009 2:31 am
What a great post topic!
Okay, here goes:
“dannybrown.me was a healthy little blog until getting the nod on Chris Brogan’s 8 Marketing Blogs to Watch in 2009 list. After that, the pressure to live up to such praise was too much and Danny’s writing well dried up fairly quickly.”
With the follow-up:
“Just goes to show you can’t fool all of the people some of the time.” :)
Colleen Lilly
February 18th, 2009 2:33 am
Great post! Really gets you thinking of the direction your blog has gone and is heading! Love it.
Chris Brogan...
February 18th, 2009 2:36 am
“Brogan had it all wrong, but damn, he was charismatic. Nice guy to know. Do what he says? Hell no!”
Efrain
February 18th, 2009 2:38 am
This is an amazing thought…my answer: today-”Nothing”; in a month or so-”Living for me and you”.
jan
February 18th, 2009 2:39 am
Since this is a terrific post idea I’d be pre-empting a blog post scheduled for tomorrow. I’d sleep on it tonight – it’s 12:37 am in the Philippines already – post on it tomorrow, and will be back here to report what obituary I have come up with on my blog.
Shaun Connell
February 18th, 2009 2:54 am
He was a good blog. He was survived by his owner, and two other network blogs.
=( I am so sad now.
Jill
February 18th, 2009 3:00 am
What a wonderful exercise! Thank you so much for this post. What I learned was that right now I am humming along and doing okay. Mediocrity. Here’s today’s obituary:
“She read mine so I read hers.”
And what I want to be doing is connecting to people in a meaningful way.
Just being acceptable is not going to get me to connect and grow the way I want to.
I have gleaned some lovely lessons here, maybe too corny sounding to share, so I won’t. However, I do believe that what I have learned in the exercise is going to come out in my blog.
Merci, Darren!
Robby G
February 18th, 2009 3:15 am
Why are your posts so much better than John Chow’s? I like his posts and all, but each and everyone of yours is interesting and helpful. All the best mate!
Karmen Reed
February 18th, 2009 3:15 am
I need help writing my blog’s “birth announcement”, because I’m not blogging yet, thinking about it… more so planning about it. Ideas, anyone?
Make Money Online Tips
February 18th, 2009 3:19 am
Remembered for giving unique content with more emphasis on readers then ads and quality over quantity.
Kimberly Beaven
February 18th, 2009 3:50 am
“Such a fascinating little site – obviously spent more time in social media that writing her weekly post which undoubtedly lead to its demise.”
The social pressure to compete with Danny brown and Chris brogan obviously proved to be too much. Ta ta little blue!
mark harrison
February 18th, 2009 5:41 am
Mine would be, “he started brightly but just like everything else in his life, he couldn’t keep it up”
My life is a story of half finished everythings…
Sheila Atwood
February 18th, 2009 5:50 am
“The twitter world held a moment of silence that was felt around the world at the death of Sheila’s blog.”
Dave Pancost
February 18th, 2009 6:24 am
Great question, Darren. Highly reminiscent of Steven Covey’s “Begin with the end in mind.” principle. This is a serious question I need to be thinking about as I plan out my blog strategy.
I can tell my head is gonna start hurting real soon now. :-)
Dave
Justin Wright
February 18th, 2009 6:36 am
This sounds like an awesome experiment. I think I might write something like this up and post it. It should really help clarify any goals I have more my blogs.
seth
February 18th, 2009 8:53 am
Today’s Obituary
-Here lies a blog that had great potential and interesting articles but was taken from this world (wide web, of course) to early. May Politicalblogtips.com rest in peace. We know the traffic was so low that it was already quite at peace!
Thanks for the great article. Fun idea!
mike
February 18th, 2009 9:19 am
I think for all the blogs that I have.
Mary Corbet's
February 18th, 2009 9:23 am
Not to sound too macabre, but this would also be an excellent writing assignment for high school students, substituting “blog” for “you.” Thanks for the idea!
simon
February 18th, 2009 9:49 am
I would copy the lines of spike milligan
“I told you I was ill.”
RIP http://www.shop-bright.com
Nicholas Powiull
February 18th, 2009 10:21 am
I narrowed down how my blog would be remembered by a few quotes:
These three quotes come to mind:
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” ~Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
“If we could assign a career to each of you or give you a way of being, we would ask each of you to become an inspiration. When you are able to live in this capacity and to be truly an inspiration to all who encounter you, you will be living your light, and that is quite profound.” ~ Bringers of the Dawn: Teachings from the Pleiadians
“A true leader is not the one with the most followers, but one who creates the most leaders.” ~Neale Donald Walsch
Rob @ Digital Family Trunk
February 18th, 2009 10:47 am
if your blog died today, what trace would it leave? When your grandkids ask what you did, what will you have to show them? All that work….
Nate @ Money Young
February 18th, 2009 11:44 am
This is the same exercise Covey uses for personal development.
I’ve done it for me, I think it’s a great idea to do it for my blog.
-Nate
Bruce > The Hockey Writers
February 18th, 2009 12:06 pm
Well we are only 1 month old and already have over 250 posts on the current events in the NHL – pro hockey. If it died after even only one month we would still be a great marker for what was happening in and around the league at this moment in time. I’m quite proud of the start we’ve had.
Vani
February 18th, 2009 12:22 pm
This is cool. Well…it is pretty hard for me to write on my 2 months old blog but still I don’t think I can resist. Will surely give a try .Thanks for sharing this!
Robin
February 18th, 2009 1:20 pm
“poor lil’ thing was just learning to crawl, how sad”
My first site was started in Oct, but was Christmas related, so it is now in a coma. I’ll start reviving it in early fall, witha full overhaul. I started to get decent traffic, but the season is short.
The blog I am currently working on, has only been up publicly, for less than a month, so few would miss it yet.
ashok
February 18th, 2009 7:01 pm
1. Blog obituary 10 years from now:
Ashok Karra’s “Rethink” broke ground in several ways. That a mass audience could engage poems and texts from political theory and philosophy at a fairly high level was something that defied most thinking about the web. But chatty, informal posts not afraid to link out to scholarship on the web or reference that in journals didn’t hurt the cause; it even helped bring academics from other disciplines onto the web, which up to that point had mostly been dominated by economists and analytic philosophers. Moreover, the change in political discourse effected was incalculable: a decisive break was made between the Web that indulged in conspiracy theories and shouting, and the one interested in making sure people understood the grounds of their best arguments. We see the changes effected all over today: people would much rather read poetry or watch interviews with people trying different things than paste the same comment expressing hatred for candidate X over and over. The blogs it spawned that cloned its technique were better in a number of ways – some had better scholarship, some were better written, some got better conversations going, still others were able to engage more esoteric issues and make them accessible. But the original blog was really, really daring, and was central to the emergence of the blogs like it.
We wish the former blogger well in his want to be with his books full time. He has blogged about learning Arabic and Russian, and we understand that his forthcoming book on Osip Mandelstam and Stalin’s brutality is no easy task, and that his first priority is scholarship at this point.
2. Blog entry today:
Ashok Karra’s “Rethink” found its voice, but died just as people were finding it. There are a lot of problems with this blog: the author is arrogant and a know-it-all sort; his right-wing politics lend themselves to some unbalance; there are many entries that could use a good editor, and some that are beyond salvaging.
That having been said – there might not be a bolder attempt anywhere on Earth to bring serious issues in literature, philosophy and politics to people’s attention and make them relevant. Ashok’s small audience knows this: they know without his writing, a number of significant texts and ideas and questions would have escaped their attention, and they know it is something special that he refuses to dumb anything down in an age where teaching doesn’t involve challenging people. The audience worked hard to promote their favorite entries, but it was an uphill battle: no one is going to read posts on Wittgenstein and Heidegger when the average YouTube viewer only watches a number of 5 minute clips in succession. The blog was up against too much, and the blogger is back at the university, isolated in classes, and his audience, hopefully, got something out of reading Aristotle, Plato, Dickinson, Yeats, Wittgenstein, Kierkegaard, Heidegger, Auden, Xenophon, Keats, Kant, Jefferson, Lincoln, Hamilton, Madison, Frost, Hopkins and numerous others that Ashok thought through, quoted, and presented intelligently, within his limits.
Fotografi
February 18th, 2009 8:50 pm
Interesting… I’m thinking about how many post there will be in my blog after 10 years…
ilaxi
February 18th, 2009 9:26 pm
Very Interesting and thought provoking! I’ll get back to write on this. I’ve never been so serious blogging and casually happy-go-lucky enjoying life. I’m not sure whether I’ll be Alive and Kicking after 10 years! Darren, you are a Thought Factory with Ideas:-)
talkingfuture.com
February 18th, 2009 9:36 pm
http://www.talkingfuture.com
10 Years time: They came, they saw, they conquered!
Now: They have arrived, they are looking around, the conquering department is lacking!
Ace
February 18th, 2009 9:53 pm
Good idea about the blog obituary although I think it would be difficult to be kept updated.
Mine would say something like:
“… fought hard and never gave up, but had to succumb to the cruel reality but he might hit back anytime!”
At least I hope :)
Roger - A Content Life
February 18th, 2009 11:19 pm
1. I would like my blog to remembered for helping many readers discover happier lives.
2. I have just started so I have a long way to go.
Grace @ Sandier Pastures
February 18th, 2009 11:55 pm
You know what, Darren, I’ve been thinking about this topic (blog dying) lately. But before the obituaries and all, on top of my mind is the question, “If I died (no one to blog so blog dies too), how would my readers know?
As morbid as this may sound but, have you thought about this? “How would your readers know if you’re (knock on wood) no longer around?”
jan
February 19th, 2009 12:46 am
Just wanted you to know I made good on my promise. Your post tickled my inner ghoulish self and so I wrote this in reply – http://salabasngmandaluyong.blogspot.com/2009/02/aw-shucks-darren-rowse-killed-my-blog.html.
Thank you for your splendid and constant inspiration to us fledgling bloggers.
Mikes
February 19th, 2009 1:43 am
You know what, this has change my perspective on blogging 360 degrees. At first, i thought it’s really just expressing one’s thoughts, or advertising to earn money, showing off and all those selfish stuff. But now i see it as something useful to help other people, to encourage, to educate, to give something of yourself. May it be that my blog (http://newsblog1st.blogspot.com) would die a memorable death.
Agent 001
February 19th, 2009 2:13 am
@ Grace I had also thought about that way. I thought if I die suddenly how my blog visitors know about it? What happens to my twitter, digg, facebook, linked accounts? What happens to money in my PayPal account?
Well it is just stupid thinking. Daren this was really nice post. It made me think and motivated me towards my goals.
Millard
February 19th, 2009 4:29 am
I try not to think too much about death, personal or otherwise, but this is a good article for rejuvenating your efforts, that’s for sure.
Mickie Kennedy
February 19th, 2009 4:57 am
This is interesting and a bit comical and morbid at the same time. It is a positive exercise to make good bloggers really think about what they are writing and will focus many in writing for a specific reason. It also addresses what many people forget oftentimes when publishing thoughts online, that their words will be available for family members to view 10 years down the road!
Moise Levi
February 19th, 2009 6:40 am
Thank you for that question ; I actually started to write down what people will miss from my blog ….
In the end, I guess that one of my reader will probably keep up my work ….
I am kind of proud of that
Rob @ Digital Family Trunk
February 19th, 2009 7:01 am
@Mickie Kennedy
Mickie, what makes you thjink the blog will be there in ten years? This is in fact the less likely scenario. If you work hard and keep the blog active and move it each time your host goes bust then it just might still be there, but the proability is higher that you will move on to other things, the host will have the receivers lock the doors one day, and the blog will vaporise overnight, leaving you to do battle to get your data back.
I would very much LIKE my work to remain as a legacy, but it wont happen without some effort.
Anyone with ideas in this area please visit the above website – not my blog LOL – and contribute.
David Halpert
February 19th, 2009 11:54 am
If my blog were to suddenly die it would probably
be the digital equivalent of sudden infant death
syndrome, being that it’s only six weeks old.
It would probably read:
“Scifi Watch: Died as it lived. Always reaching
for the stars.”
Live long and prosper http://www.scifiwatch.comoj.com
Ange Recchia
February 19th, 2009 12:07 pm
LOL Darren, have you been attending seminars? I have done this exercise for myself… never thought to do it for my blog! Great idea :)
shea
February 19th, 2009 1:54 pm
this is a great topic, you can never get too much death, because every day we approach it a little more as we die, and for all too many it comes as a thief, Death is a great subject and is very relevant to all of the earth’s occupancy.
Internet Marketing
February 19th, 2009 3:04 pm
Wow, cool idea for a post, I may copy it. I am pretty sure that my blog would be remembered as offering great information and content and also appreciated for the do-follow links!
At least that is what my readers tell me now!
JR
Tim
February 20th, 2009 12:42 am
If my blog died today, so would a part of me. My blog – its successes and setbacks – affects my attitude. And sometimes a particular post can stir my emotions. My blog has driven me to a point that it’s part of me.
So… another way to approach this is: “If you died today, will all the work you’ve done on your blog be a part of your memorial?”
That’s what I’m hoping for (not to die today, but to be remembered for my work).
MLDina
February 20th, 2009 1:24 am
I did a similar exercise like this back in high school. It was more along the lines of write a letter to yourself 10 years in the future, instead of writing an obituary. The goal was the same though- to see what you’ve accomplished so far, and what you would like to accomplish by the time the 10 year mark hits.
It’s great to check in every year or two as well, to see where you are along the way. The teacher who planned the exercise kept our letters and mailed them out several years later, it was interesting to see how much my goals had changed!
Bhavika
February 20th, 2009 2:41 am
If my blog were to die, then it would be remembered as a place where people came to get enlightened, share their knowledge, and be more aware :)
But I dont want my blog to die, am too attached to it!
Bhavika
Tressa
February 20th, 2009 3:27 am
Thanks for the though. I will have to relook at my blog and see what message I am conveying.
Love your blog posts as always.
Schelly Talalay Dardashti
February 20th, 2009 5:51 pm
An excellent post that I will recommend to the genealogy blogging community.
ZK@Internet Marketing Blog
February 21st, 2009 2:55 am
Honestly speaking I did not think about that till today. I just want to make my blog famous and I am working on that at this moment.
blogsarticle
February 21st, 2009 11:02 am
That’s true, we’re still trying to find our “blogger voice”. Writing an blog obituary might be a good idea…Will have to get back to you on that.
Angela Mills
February 22nd, 2009 4:52 pm
I hope for my blog to be a ministry to moms. I go day by day so far. Maybe I need to be more future-minded! I just hope that at some point, I am able to encourage someone or give them a great idea for their family. I know this site is more about making $$, but I really like all your tips!
toplogger
February 22nd, 2009 4:58 pm
Frankly speaking, Nobody knows what I ‘ve been blogging.
so , Just I will find other things.
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