(Reading time: 6 – 10 minutes)
You know those people who, once they succeed at something, turn right around and start succeeding at something else? Or that person who so elegantly spins a score of plates, never dropping one? Or those two people that can’t stand each other, until they finally meet each other? Let’s meet them all, right here, right now.
But first things first: Drivel Alert! The following has f***all to do with building a Website In A Weekend. If you have drivel issues, might want to pass on this one!
Bird’s custard powder
I was hanging out on twitter earlier, wondering what to write for this Week in Review, so I decided to just ask. Up pops Kelly Diels with a link to a story about appearance and connection from Bindu Wiles.
This story connected with me in two ways. First, I learned about Bird’s Custard Powder. I’m a guy, and food is important to me. Especially really cool food like custard what comes in a can. Visions of camping trips, Burning Man and the like swim through my imagination.
Second, Bindu’s connection is face to face with her neighbor… but the web allows so many more people to connect with her. How many of us carry around dumb little feuds? And who can we really talk to about them? Friends and family get tired of hearing about it (“Why don’t you just move if you don’t like your neighbors?”) But on the web, we find ways to connect and share such experiences.
On the web, we’re exposed to ourselves through other people’s experience.
Safely.
Yet immediately. Bindu is real. You can leave a comment on her web page. You can talk with Bindu on Twitter.
My point is this: Relationships on the web aren’t better or worse than relationships in meatspace. They’re just different. We’re free to use the web to cheapen our relationships, or to deepen them. The web is just a bunch of wires and waves, it doesn’t care. We define the meaning.
You have how many websites, again?
Then Ricky Buchanan issues a blanket invitation “pick on me any time you like.” Why, Ricky, I think I will!
Ricky is amazing. She runs a half dozen websites, and runs them well. I can barely run Website In A Weekend, and that’s after neglecting several other websites. I won’t list all of her sites here right now, but I’ll work my way through them over the next few weeks.
For now, take a look at Atmac.org: Assistive Technology for Apple and Mac Users. Ricky is a bona fide expert with assistive technology, and an extremely competent web designer.
Poke around a bit. Meet Ricky. I’ll pick on her more in a week or two, we’ll take a look at some of her other websites.
Carlos Velez throwing down
Recall Carlos wrote a couple of very well received articles (Pre-writing Part 1, Pre-writing Part 2) describing his method for making sure he has lots of articles ready to publish at a moments notice. He calls it “pre-writing.”
Now, I’ve written about “scheduling in advance,” which is the same damn thing, but that just doesn’t have the same ring as pre-writing.
In any case, Carlos smacked a couple of home runs, and like any true champion, he goes right back to work with this:
I suspect Carlos has an unfair advantage. He’s friends with this Aaron Pogue dude, who, evidently, knows a little bit about writing. Aaron’s on my radar screen now… we’ll expose this nefarious conspiracy once the sordid details emerge.
I sell stuff
It’s true. And it’s even worse: I like selling stuff.
I sell my stuff. Last week I sold 11 copies of my magnum opus an ebook on publishing blog posts I’ve been working on for a few months. Now, I’ve sold a grand total of 20 copies, and that’s all I’m selling at this version (0.5). I’m getting great feedback from early buyers, which I’m using to improve the ebook for the next version (0.7).
For reason I’ll divulge later, I’m planning on selling no more than 30 of the 0.7 version a few weeks from now.
I suspect these will go pretty fast.
Why am I telling you this?
Because when I’m done selling those 30 copies of version 0.7, I won’t be selling any more of that version. “Doors” aren’t going to “reopen,” there won’t be a “waiting list,” I won’t subject you or anyone else to the mailing list browbeating experienced by Mike CJ.
Of course, I’d like to sell about a million ebooks once I’m finished with version 1.0, but that’s a ways off. And you’re perfectly welcome to wait.
In any case, if you think you might like to learn a systematic way to handle “publishing” chores, check out what people are saying, then either sign up for the newsletter (sidebar), or follow along here on the blog. I’ll announce it in both places, but in the newsletter first next time.
I sell other people’s stuff too. In fact, yesterday I sold a copy of Digging into WordPress, an excellent ebook published by Perishable Press. It’s hundreds of pages of hard core, technically accurate WordPress knowledge. I’d like to sell a bunch more of these. The authors, Jeff Starr and Alex Coyier, really know WordPress inside out, and they’re good writers too. I picked up my copy instantly, as soon as they released it.
If you spend any time at all rooting around in WordPress code, Digging into WordPress will save you time. Probably a lot of time.
I’m also a member of the Third Tribe group, and will be proud to offer my affiliate link once their system is set up. Third Tribe is doing something a little different: you can’t be an affiliate unless you are a member. I’m a member, and I recommend that if you’re serious about your internet-based business, you join as well. Stay tuned for a link.
By the way, if you’re a long time lurker here and wonder why I link to some of the same people over and over and over again… it’s because they don’t lurk. I can’t link to you if I don’t know who you are!
New articles
- How Julie Became Successful Without Even Trying. Our friends and loved ones support us. Out teachers inspire and challenge. Read Julie’s challenge & how she developed habits of success with love of learning.
- Wednesday Workshop – Speed Session I: WordPress Plugins. You need to understand how to make WordPress deliver your webpages as fast as possibly, and that’s exactly what we’re going to find out in this workshop.
- How Julie Became a Published Writer (You can, too). Your love of writing is a critical factor in being successfully published. Read how it happened for Julie. It can happen for you as well.
- World Class Copywriting: Are there Bird droppings on your catapult? You need to be known for something, and these 21 attributes given by Drayton Bird are a very good place to start. Which attributes apply to your business?
The Week In Review Series
- Last WIAW Week in Review
- Caressing Alien Species, and, a (late) Valentine… Take cover! It’s two Weeks in Review. We’re catching up after a botnet attack. Some good stuff in here: late Valentine, art, some guitar pr0n. Check it out!
- Stay tuned…
Next WIAW Week in Review
Now at least you come up with a long post for this week in review which cost me almost 10 mins. of reading (LOL). You talked a lot here; from Carlos’ idea of the pre-writing challenge (which I’m a bit afraid of the commitment), the Third Tribe whose one of the collaborators just recently announced to the blogistan that he’s going to “de-friend” his FB friends, the way you link which caused me unable to think intelligently, and lastly- the lurkers… Yet, I ended up reading another great posts… Happy weekend!
.-= Cebu Tech Blogger´s last blog ..Facebook Fan Page on Google Real-time Search =-.
Bert, you realize if you keep hanging around here, you’re going to get rolled up too.
Wait til you start writing article like these…
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..How Julie Became Successful Without Even Trying =-.
dang, you’re a nice fella. Thanks for the link/mention/compliments. I almost signed up for the Third Tribe. It sounds really cool, but I backed out at the last second because money is tight, wanted to focus on writing content, blah blah blah. That sure didn’t stop me from taking on more and more, though.
Do you plan on writing a post about your experience with it so far once their affiliate program is up and running?
.-= Carlos Velez´s last blog ..Conscious Me vs. TheInfoPreneur: The $10 Prize =-.
I will definitely have more to say about 3rd Tribe after they have the affiliate program in place and after I’ve participated more.
So far, I like it.
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..How Julie Became a Published Writer (And you can, too) =-.
Nefarious conspiracy… Now, I’m hooked. LOL.
.-= jan geronimo´s last blog ..Here’s Why I Unfriended Darren Rowse in Facebook =-.
My evil plan is working.
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..Caressing Alien Species, and, a (late) Valentine… Take cover! It’s two Weeks in Review =-.
Oh, and I really love your mobile site. I’ve got to get me one of those!
.-= Aaron Pogue´s last blog ..What I Learned about Writing this Week from Aaron Pogue =-.
Aaron, you can thank Eleanor Edwards for twisting my arm on that. She has a great little article in queue for mid-March IIRC.
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..Denial of Service, What’s It Like? (Under Attack! 2/16/2010) =-.
Glad you are back up and running Dave. It is good to get back to this site. I too am interested in more info about the Third Tribe, I have heard some things about it in Blogistan but, like Carlos, $$ is tight so I would like to know more before committing. Thanks for more links to interesting people that further fill my RSS reader! have a good weekend
Justin
.-= Justin Matthews´s last blog ..Running Out of Either Steam or Caffeine =-.
Justin, I’m treating it as an investment to 1. learn more, and 2. build relationships.
I’ll have more shortly. In the meantime, consider budgeting in advance to join for a couple of months. There’s no lock in commitment, you might get a lot out of it.
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..World Class Copywriting: Are there Bird droppings on your catapult? =-.
Lame predatory marketing techniques are just gonna be in a Red Queen race against customers.
Making good stuff, then telling people why it’s good, will never go wrong.
.-= Deacon´s last blog ..Striving for Simplicity, and Skater Sketches =-.
“Lame” compared to, say, “highly effective” predatory marketing techniques…
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..Business Avatars & Guest Posting (Under Attack! 2/15/2010) =-.
It’s a thin line between love and hate.
.-= Deacon´s last blog ..Striving for Simplicity, and Skater Sketches =-.
re: Drivel alert
This essay may not have much to do with the mechanics of building a website, but it has everything to do with the bigger purpose of why we build websites: for people, and to connect with them. Deepening, not cheapening. Definitely.
Kelly, that’s perfectly said. Thanks.
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..How Julie Became Successful Without Even Trying =-.
As far as my arrangement with Carlos…it’s nothing sinister. My Twitter name says it all. I’m happy to help my friends however I can, and I earnestly believe that writing helps make people better people.
Carlos is all about becoming better people, so he certainly seems like a solid investment. I’ve been impressed how hard he’s worked to make the most out of my advice.
.-= Aaron Pogue´s last blog ..What I Learned about Writing this Week from Aaron Pogue =-.
Aaron, I’m very gently teasing you guys…
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..Saturday Morning Surfing: How’s Your Blog Traffic Lately? =-.
bwahahahaahahahahahahaa!
Doolin, you’re just jealous that I have my own editor.
.-= Carlos Velez´s last blog ..Conscious Me vs. TheInfoPreneur: The $10 Prize =-.
I want my own editor too!
You hardly need one, Dave.
Which is good, because I don’t come cheap. If you had any idea the quality of Scotch good Carlos has spilled to make this thing happen….
.-= Aaron Pogue´s last blog ..Character Record Sheet (Creative Writing Exercise) =-.
Aaron, thanks.
I’ve scanned through several of your articles, and I realize, I have a *lot* of work to do between where I am now and where I want to be.
just ask.
Seriously, Dave, are you just messing with me or am I missing something – “Relationships on the web aren’t better or worse than relationships in meatspace.” I’m having visions of the meat packing district and sides of beef hanging on hooks. If it was an innocent typo then I apologize in advance for being an ass. :)
And I’m going to have to check out Ricky since it seems I can’t tell the difference between a real screen issue and my inadvertently screwing up my contrast when it comes to my Mac. Oh, and all those other sites you mention, too. Thanks!
.-= Anne´s last blog ..My Very First Homemade Noodles =-.
I wouldn’t mess with you… would I…?
Hrm… (it’s a bad sign when I have to think about it).
Let Me Google That For You: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meatspace
You’ll see more of Ricky. She’s getting rolled up, Katamari-style.
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..Saturday Morning Surfing: How’s Your Blog Traffic Lately? =-.
Just followup fyi, I was in the grocery store on 3/2 and saw that custard powder still for sale and it wasn’t expired! I didn’t buy any though.
.-= Justin Matthews´s last blog ..Do you eat the dirty cheese or just post it? =-.
I got to have some of this. Please. Send me a can!
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..iPhone Blogging – Writing is so last millennium (& the Last Week in Review) =-.