Bloggy Question 46: Beware of Making Noise

Filed Under Bloggy Questions, Successful Blog | 27 Comments

She Didn’t Believe What She Said

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week. I offer this bloggy life question. . .


A young blogger, someone you have helped in the past, shows you a series of blog posts that she wrote. It’s a week of articles about the bad habits of bloggers. She set herself up as superior to and more informed than all other bloggers.

You ask her whether she believes what she’s written. She admits that she’s trying to “make some noise.” She hopes that her claims will go viral. It’s a sad attempt at gaining publicity and “get-rich-quick links.

You do your best, using words such as authenticity and relationships, to explain that it’s dangerous and unethical to take a stand that she doesn’t believe. She ignores your advice and publishes the first two posts.

A furious response results. People pounce hard. She is dropped from blogrolls. Bloggers talk, but they actually avoid linking to her posts.

You were ready for the heat. You figured that she’d face the fire and learn the hard way. You figured she would gain some humility and grow a bit. You thought you’d help her put things back together when she did.

The surprise was that she never did acknowledge the mistake that she made. She blamed the other bloggers for not getting her “joke.” She quit blogging instead.

It’s a year later. She just emailed you with a question about a new blog.

How do you respond?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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Bloggy Question 45: Take a Long Look

Filed Under Bloggy Questions, Successful Blog | 30 Comments

In what way might this represent a blog?

Ocean Shore

Do you even think that it does?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Are you going to SOBCon 07?

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Bloggy Question 44: Stay Out of My Life!
Bloggy Question 43: Love or Money?
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Bloggy Question 44: Stay Out of My Life!

Filed Under Bloggy Questions, Successful Blog | 22 Comments

Worse than a Scraper

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week. I offer this bloggy life question. . .


You know the problem of people stealing your content. You’ve even handled that before. Every time you found a blog with your content, you’ve managed to sleuth enough to get an address or phone number, some sort of contact where could knock the door. Then you’ve made it clear that the content question MUST come down or you will alert the authorities of the theft. And lucky you, it’s gone your way every time.

But this time it’s different, because the content is totally rewritten. Only it mirrors what you write. Even the title of the blog is Echo Your Blog. Now they’ve started picking up the same stock images and sometime even the occasional family photo or photo of you and your friends.

It’s not only creepy. It’s begun to feel like you have a stalker not a fan.

How do you respond?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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Bloggy Question 41: The Junior High Sleep Over
Bloggy Question 40: Um er . . . Your Enthusiasm Is Killing Our Ebook
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Bloggy Question 38: You’ve Just Won a New Design!

Bloggy Question 43: Love or Money?

Filed Under SOB Business, Successful Blog | 70 Comments

I Don’t Like You

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week. I offer this bloggy life question. . .


Someone has approached you about buying your blog. He wants all of it, lock, stock, and barrel. Well, that is, you can remove — delete any personal references. All other content, deisgn, widgets, and every other little bit will go to the new owner.

The new owner is . . . a guy you just can’t stand. He runs about 4 other blogs that you think are ugly, poorly kept, badly written, and inaccuate when they don’t seem to have copy you suspect is scraped.

The price offered is US$15,000. He’s ready to wire it to your bank account.

How do you respond?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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Bloggy Question 42: Responding to Comments
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Bloggy Question 40: Um er . . . Your Enthusiasm Is Killing Our Ebook
Bloggy Question 39: It’s My Presentation . . . What’s the One Thing?
Bloggy Question 38: You’ve Just Won a New Design!

Bloggy Question 42: Responding to Comments

Filed Under Bloggy Questions, Comments, Successful Blog | 48 Comments

Who Are Comments About?

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week. I offer this bloggy life question. . .

This really happened.

I was talking to another blogger this week about comments and conversations. Our dialogue turned to the topic of interesting and noteworthy comments we’ve received on our blogs. My friend spoke of one comment that we found both curious and worthy of discussion.

The commenter was explaining the rights of a blog publisher to turn off comments when a post gets older, because “the comments on my blog are about me.”

My friend, the blogger, is interested in how you would answer that comment.

How do you respond?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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Bloggy Question 37: Excuse Me, that Content on Your Blog Is Mine!

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