It's 11 days into this project and I already want to quit. I have two and a half hours to get this done, I am in the middle of a poker tournament, and I am down for the day so all that doesn't leave me wonderful and relaxed this Friday evening. Blogging every day is tough (which probably explains why so few companies do it, and why professional bloggers work way too hard). I considered dropping down to three times a week, but I don't want to break the rules of the blog or to give up! I can do it! I can commit to blogging for one year and then, measuring the results and hopefully create something really awesome in the process!
Topics, Topics, Topics!
Okay, I am tired of writing about whatever comes to mind because I still don't have any topics to pursue (will fix this weekend!). I'm tired of the stress of having to do my blog post for the day and then putting it off because I don't have anything to write about. Before I know it, there's less than two hours left in the day and I haven't written a single word yet. Oh, and I need to catch up on "The West Wing". But, if I can be as cool as those guys I wouldn't have any problems in the blog (perhaps a good idea for a post or two in the future, but not necessarily for this blog. Sorry to bum you out).
Although, I Have Yet Another Aspiration
If you don't know, Andrew Sullivan is a leading political columnist in this country, most recently writing his column The Daily Dish at the Daily Beast. He's just decided to take his venture solo, charging a $20-a-year subscription fee, and accruing the $900,000 he needs to run his operation for the year in one day. Wowza. Considering that he started his popular column in 2000, it'll take a long time for anyone to replicate such success and to add a personal touch to journalism and to political analysis the way that he does. I really hope to do the same. I don't know if I have the luxury of 10+ years to get it done (Sullivan did get paid to write his column for a long time, and this is still just an experiment) or the time to make something happen (what he's done is nearly impossible to do again), but the personal brand is becoming more and more powerful in today's inter-connected society so the fact that blogging and journalism will rely more and more on the personal brand only makes perfect sense. The real trick will be monetizing the blogging in a way that doesn't wear people ought or force them to write for the hits and the exposure.
If Andrew Sullivan can do it, then anyone can.
I'm Not Going to Quit
I can do this and run my business as well. I can provide substantial content that's of value to people every day, or at least regularly. I have things to say that are meaningful, and are much more than what I did today and what I need to get from the grocery store and how well I am doing at poker (I ended down, but it happens. I got lucky a few more times than I should have). I want to contribute to the dialogue of important issues, and not just tout brands and promote products. I want to write something original, not just rehash old news or comment on what happened or what someone else said. It sounds overwhelming, but I don't think it's too much to ask.