Don’t pick the G.I. Joe action figure

Image courtesy of Destro

We have a toy philosophy for our kids that basically states: go open ended.

But, back to the toys. If you give kids a G.I. Joe action figure, you’ve basically defined for them the who, what, how and why of the toy. I mean where do they really have to go with it?

Juxtapose that with a wooden block. A wooden block can be anything. A dog, a car, a mountain…could even be G.I. Joe.

A static, brochure website is the equivalent of the G.I. Joe toy. Basically, it is what it is. You can change up your content or your images (if you have an easy to navigate content management system (CMS))…but to really expand it any way, you’d have to pay big bucks to a designer or coder. Just like you’d have to buy G.I. Joe’s new uber-tank to expand his outfit and capabilities.

But, the blog is the wooden block. It’s designed to be anything you want, anything you can imagine - and it’s made to grow by:

• the blogger him/herself
• the theme
• the blogging software
• the blog posts
• the plug-ins
• the widgets
• the links
• the readers
• the subscribers
• the sponsors
• the writer’s growing expertise
• the industry’s transformation
• the traffic
• the comments
• the search engine ranking
• the inquiries
• the relationships
• the technological advances
• the infinite possibilities…

Which one do you want??? Just askin’…

You get to choose what happens next

Do you remember those books? You started reading and then came to a point where you could:

1. Go up the ladder.
2. Climb down the hole.

Whichever choice you picked offered new choices, and so on and so forth. It was exciting because one physical book actually contained several stories. The number of possible stories was ultimately fixed, however - let’s say limited to 50 different variations that you could take.

But, that was the 80’s.

Today, I open up Firefox and I start reading my daily feeds. That first post contains about 5 links, and it all begins. I click on a link, read that article which contains other links. The machine is set in motion and there is no way of knowing where it will take me, what I’ll find. And, there is no fixed number of stories. I suppose some MIT scholar could give us some idea…but it’s a big number. Huge, incomprehensible to the likes of me.

It speaks to me of potential and opportunity as a writer, as a speaker, as a consultant, as a person. It reminds me that the possibilities are endless and that I can create whatever I want in my work and in my life. Exactly the sentiment I’m riding as I burst into this new year.

And…you?

Ghostwriting blogs: at what cost?

I spend a lot of time on this blog talking about how important it is to be authentic in social media (including blogs). I’m even in the midst of writing an ebook on the subject with my good friend, Ron Miller. And, yet, I’m on the deep end of a controversial debate about blogging itself.

The debate looks like this: is it okay to have someone else write your blog? And it sounds just plain UGLY.

I’ve got to say I ride the fence, see both sides, struggle intensely and feel many things when this gets discussed. But, if I had to choose, I’d say it’s okay (and I have some guidelines that I follow).

Side ONE

I absolutely ghostwrite blogs for certain clients, I’m proud of my work and I feel good about the services I offer. My reasons for doing so:

1. I love blogging and think it is an incredible and beneficial practice that everyone should have the option to enjoy.

2. Some people seriously can’t write. Why is it that writing is taken for granted and design isn’t? Is it because we all learned how to read and write in the 1st grade, but only some people learned graphic/web design. There is a difference between being able to literally write letters and being able to write skillful copy or prose. The ‘I can write, so I’m a writer‘ assumption is inherently flawed.

3. I don’t think a writing inability should exclude a person from the power and joy of blogging.

4. Time. Many people want to focus on their business and don’t have the time to write their blog. The number one reason for blog failure is time and commitment.

5. As best as I can, I approach blog ghostwriting like I approach all marketing writing: I listen to my client’s voice, personality, passions, business mission/goals/philosophy. I do market research and immerse myself in their industry. We talk regularly so that the blog really is theirs, I’m just the writing vehicle. (Disclaimer: This last part does not always happen, but it is always my goal to educate the client about its importance and then move in that direction).

6. I love blog writing - it is my all time favorite writing platform, so the work gives me great (and steady) work that I simply adore.

7. I wonder if there are two levels of blogging - or maybe a million, maybe there are as many levels as there are bloggers. The level is determined by the desired result. Are you looking to showcase a portfolio, write, hear your voice, connect with others, sell something, document a process, establish yourself as an expert, be public, be private, build a business, offer services…?

In some of these scenarios, it makes no sense, and in effect, would be detrimental to have someone else blog for you, in others…not so much. Can an architect document their process for a project with pictures, plans, etc. but have me write the accompanying text so that it sounds good? Can they tell me their philosophies and have me create copy that will be readable so that they can widen the net they cast? I’m going to say yes.

Side TWO

1. I understand the other side. The side that says that any blog value will be lost when the owner is not the author. I get it because it is all too true for my own blog. No one else could write this blog for me and get the same results (most definitively, because I’m a writer - so it would just be wrong. But if I was a prize-winning baker that was dyslexic? Different story).

2. This scenario was pitched to me: what if someone came up to one of your clients at a cocktail party or networking event and started talking to them about a blog post and they had no idea what they’d said (really, what I’d written). Of course, I see that this poses a problem. If someone writes your blog for you, you need to read it - and, as I mentioned in #5 above, it’s best if you are involved in the ideas and philosophies that stand behind the blog.

3. But, just two days ago, someone started talking to me about something that I wrote and it took me (someone literally married to and consumed by this url) a bit of discussion before I could locate the exact post they were talking about. It’s not out of the question that a blogger might need some time and help to identify each of their posts.

4. Back to #7 above, I think there are so many different kinds of blogs - some would be decidedly wrecked if they were written by someone else.

5. There’s also an honesty issue at play here…I know and understand that some people, if they found out that a blog they read was written by someone else, would feel lied to - that the blog was misrepresented. One of my clients insisted that we be transparent about the fact that I wrote for her - and the whys and hows - it was quite interesting, not to mention fun, to be a tag team visible to the world.

Wow - I’m rereading this and seeing that I’m heavy handed on the ‘it’s okay to ghostwrite a blog’ side…maybe it’s because I feel good about the how and why I do it. I’m not just filling someone’s blog with salesy, impersonal ‘crap’ (’scuse my French)…see how there are so many levels to this debate?

I know that a lot of you feel very differently and quite strongly about this topic - so let’s hear it! Because on this blog, there is plenty of room for discussion…we’re looking at the world through multi-lensed (and rose-colored) glasses ’round here.

FYI, for the record, I do not think it’s okay for a ghostwriter to write someone’s social media (Twitter, for example) conversations or to respond to blog comments (though if a client really can NOT write, I will edit the text). I know there has been a lot of conversation about how you can draw a line here, but I think it’s simple - a post is an article, a conversation or content posted on a social media site or as a comment on another blog is different. Regardless, this post is about ghostwriting blogs.

Update: I love what Alisa Bowman added to the conversation below in the comments. She is a ghostwriter and she puts this soooo well:

“I see it as an exchange of skills: One person has the idea (ideal world) and I have the skills (way of putting that idea on paper).”

What comes first? The social networking or the egg?

And by ‘egg,’ I mean ‘blog.’

Beth Harte and Geoff Livingston recently wrote a great article about weeding out the ‘carpetbagger’ social media experts. In their list of 25 things to watch out for, I agreed wholeheartedly with 22 of them - and feel quite strongly about the three I disagree with.

The first point: ‘First recommendation is to blog’ is tackled below - the other two (blog ghostwriting and personal branding) are coming soon.

I can see why it might not always be the right first step for every single person or company. But, I have a hard time swallowing the notion that blogging first might be a misstep for most people - or that its suggestion would make the suggester a ‘carpetbagger.’ I started with my blog and then walked onto the social media scene, and my chosen order was highly beneficial for me, both personally and professionally. Here’s why:

1. Slow, steady, safe pace. My blog gave me a quiet place to watch my ideas develop and be instantly published. At first, no one was even looking, then readers started to show up, then their comments arrived. I had time to find my voice and learn how to respond to people in this medium. If you haven’t noticed, social media happens fast - especially on Twitter - and jumping into the networking madness before I really knew myself online (or how ‘online’ worked) was not the best choice for me.

2. Reason to interact. When you first start reaching out on social networks, sharing your blog content is a great way to introduce yourself (and I don’t mean in a pushy, salesy way) - but it does give you something to say. Having written your posts, you’ve obviously formulated your own opinions on topics that you will now feel confident discussing. Also, as a blogger, you have a healthy dose of appreciation for the other bloggers out there and it’s something you have in common (writing, tech, design, functionality, etc.) to connect about.

3. Portfolio, calling card, resume. Your blog is all of these things - so when people check out your Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, (etc.) page or bio, they have a clickable link that immediately provides an in-depth look into who you are and what you do. When I go to someone’s Twitter bio, for example, and there is no site/blog listed, I have virtually nowhere to go - no way to connect, forge a relationship or network. In this scenario, there is only a small amount of information available that tells me what this person can do for me and what I can do for them. Personally, when I network, I want all of my talents and skills visible to maximize my connection possibilities.

4. Blogs, by definition, expand our ability to be found online. My blog is part of my social networking world. Before I even set foot onto a social networking site, I had built a community around my blog. Then, my blog and my social networking sites blended, merged and grew together - and they continue to do so. In fact, both my blog and my social networks feed each other via organic searches, as well as word of mouth. (people find my blog and then come to follow me on Twitter and vice versa).

A blog is a brilliant way to establish an online presence by letting the world know all about you and your thoughts on everything connected to your industry and area of expertise.

5. Blog as listening tool. I don’t care what your business is - you have to listen to clients, customers, colleagues, peers, the world to succeed. Otherwise you won’t know what they want, why they want it or how you can give it to them. Blogs are a great listening tool because you can ask questions, listen to comments and watch your stat diagnostics (what people are searching for and reading). Of course, social media is a great listening tool as well (would never suggest otherwise).

6. Freedom and ownership. With so many rules and guidelines, blogs allow you to publish, to own, to think your thoughts and explore without being at the whim of a publisher. Your own real estate is always a great place to start…didn’t Madonna start off by singing and dancing around the house in her underwear? Certainly not on the world stage.

And, at the end of the day, I love blogs because they allow for so many different opinions - no one has to be right or wrong, but the arguments can and should be heard and discussed.

What did you do first? Blog or social networking?

Do you feel strongly that one or the other should happen first?

Writing Roads Wins the Kreativ Blogger Award

I write this blog for several reasons:

1. Because I have to and love to. Some people need chocolate, I need to write and publish everyday.

2. To grow my business.

3. For the connection with my readers, clients and network.

And, I’m not going to lie, getting recognized for the blood, sweat, fingerprints and laughter I pour into this thing feels good. Really good. So, I was so gratified to discover today, that a fellow blogger, Kerry from Lemon-Aide, bestowed upon me the Kreativ Blogger Award.

Kerry’s blog is a true testament to her spirit - making lemonade from the lemons that her struggle with chronic illness gave her. The ‘Aide’ comes in the form of information, community and support that she supplies in ample amounts on her blog. It’s a great read and resource.

So, this award comes with strings attached. To accept, I share 6 things that make me happy and pass this award along to other worthy bloggers. Here goes:

1. (This one is future tense) I will be so happy when I go to sleep on Tuesday, November 4th knowing that Barack Obama is our new president elect.

2. Writing thrills me to the bone - talking about it, planning for it, doing it, publishing it, sharing it, teaching it.

3. (I’m really hungry, so…) Baked potatoes loaded with butter, sea salt and sour cream.

4. My family: Patti, Sophie, Jack, Silas, Baloula and my parents. Without their love, support and companionship none of this would be the same or worth the same amount.

5. My office. For those of you who don’t know, I work in the coolest 120 square feet around - post and beam, rough sawn pine, a 12 foot red ‘desk’ (okay, it’s a plank of wood), an old purple queen’s chair, windows & sunlight, my computer, quiet, production, satisfaction.

6. My internet community. I’m constantly overwhelmed by the number of good, supportive, kind, brilliant bloggers and social media addicts out there. Their good words drown out the spam and nastiness…thank goodness. Here are some great reads (some are a bit political, yes. I found them during the election and can’t wait to see where they go when it ends):

Annette’s Paper Trail

Feministe

Queen of Spain

Susan Piver

Katie Allison Granju

Yes, these are all women. No, I don’t not read men’s blogs or not like men. I just thought the male bloggers I love wouldn’t put a pink, flowery badge on their sites…maybe I’m wrong. If I am, and you’re here reading, just tell me and I’ll add you to the list lickety split.

So, this is not a chainletter, though it’s about to sound like one…winners of this award that I’m now placing on your heads and blogs, you are invited to post the badge, list the six things that bring you joy and share your favorite bloggers with us. No, not a chain letter, just good old fashioned social media support and networking.

Have a great weekend and Happy Halloween. Be good, be safe, be kind.

LinkedIn adds useful applications to the community…finally

For all of you who wonder, and ask me, if LinkedIn is really worth it…they’ve just done something that is tipping the balance heavily to yes.

LinkedIn has added 9 applications to its repertoire (where previously there were none) and Rotor Blog has done a smashing job of describing them. Here’s their rundown:

Amazon’s Reading list - lets you share a list of books that you are reading, follow updates from your connections and possibly get an idea on what you should probably read next

Blog Link - allows you to connect your blog to your LinkedIn profile, hence expanding the reach of your blog and promoting your LinkedIn profile through your blog as well

Huddle - provides you with a private and secure online workspaces which are packed with collaboration and sharing tools that would allow you to work with your connections

My Travel - lets you see where your LinkedIn contacts are travelling next or find out who among your LinkedIn contacts will be in the same place where you will be travelling to

Google Presentation - Honestly, I find this most useful and a great addition to the LinkedIn application facility as it lets you upload .PPT or use Google’s online application to embed presentation on your profile.

WordPress - why wouldn’t be this useful? It’s everybody’s favorite blogging platform right on your LinkedIn profile and lets you sync your WordPress-powered blog with your LinkedIn profile

Company Buzz - gives you the Twitter activity of your company and lets you view tweets, trends and top key words on the Twitter platform.

Box.net - lets you manage your important files online and then share them with your friends and business contacts.

SlidesShare - one of the most used online presentation tool comes right into your LinkedIn profile to allow you to create simple presentations which you can run online

Unlike Facebook, where widgets and apps reproduce like fruit flies, LinkedIn is taking a moderate and selective approach. I think the live blog feeds, the shared workspace and the Company Buzz/Twitter apps are inspired. But, the Amazon Reading List? I’m not feeling it…maybe for authors it’s helpful, but I’m not seeing its value for networking. (Open my eyes if this application speaks to you.)

Go check it out…I’m headed over to my LinkedIn account to hook up my blog…hope to see you there and can’t wait to connect in the LinkedIn venue.

and that’s what it’s all about: blogs, comments, tweets and conversations

So…I’ve been a bit political lately (just a weeeeeee bit). And it’s brought me mad traffic and some nice commenting to boot. It’s fairly phenomenal that people who have spent days, months, years talking about other things are now talking, debating, writing, shouting about our political system, oh, and our futures, with such vigor. Think we’re hungry for change? There is a sense that we, the people, can actually make a difference - and that we have no choice but to try.

People are actually motivated to participate at a higher level and the internet is the perfect place to do it; it’s fast and it’s fluid - it’s a connector of people and ideas. We feel like we’re actually being heard - especially when people answer back - through comments, comment replies, Facebook, Twitter, etc…

On this blog, of the many great things that have happened as a result of the brouhaha, my favorite has been the commenting. When people are so moved (positively or negatively) by something they read that they just have to chime in, it’s, well, what we’re here for. I’ve learned much from listening to my readers - you are all so darn smart.

And as always, I’ve commented back because I don’t think that your efforts should go unanswered. I don’t want to be a one-sided blogger. Believe it or not, I’m here for the conversation. So, thank you to all that have commented - keep it coming.

As for Twitter, I’ve gotten new followers and watched older Twitter ‘relationships’ burst (in both directions)…but the conversations, the back and forth, are alive and well.

Another perk of the comments and the tweets? URLs. Everytime you comment or follow, you show me your website, which I then peruse with unfettered abandon…and I’ve found some great blogs to introduce you to:

1. The Cleaner Plate Club. Hormones in milk. Pesticides on produce. Feces on meat. Say what? I’m not a foodie, I’m rarely a cook, and I don’t have the time for slow food. Truth is, all I’m looking for is a decent meal - preferably one that my kids will eat, as well. So I begin my quest for a cleaner plate….Terrific writing, fab topic - check Ali out.

2. Punctuality Rules. A must for us writers who are more content than grammar (especially in these heated times!) Deb dishes the dirt on how to write, right, rite the rite, right, write way.

3. Green Your Decor. Jennae’s all about green interior design and doing good for the old planet. Also, she’s using the Thesis wordpress theme very, very well!

Hmmm…just noticed these are all women’s blogs. And I’m a woman…so that must mean that I will ignore all of Sarah Palin’s political ideals and just vote for her! Aw, geez, did I have to go there? Why yes, I did.

portfolio redux

Anyone else ever get so busy taking care of clients that you hardly have time to take care of yourself? Case in point, it’s been over a year since I’ve updated my portfolio page. And, it’s finally here. Thanks, as always, to my prized designer, Leslie Tane, you can all now see a selected smattering of what Writing Roads has been doing for the last year. The Bonobo Kids site above is just a taste…

Oy, did I just refer to myself in the 3rd person? Listen people, I have 16 in-laws visiting us for a week…I have a really, really good excuse. Really, really.

how to craft your marketing message

Whether you’re creating your website, blog, ads or a print brochure, you have to decide on a message, a personality, an identity for your business or company. And, this will be communicated to your audience via your design and the WORDS you choose. Here are some things to think about as you begin to formulate your message (or reformulate for those of you in a makeover situation) and the feeling you would like to evoke:

1. Writing and Design must be united. Imagine a site where the words sound like they were penned by the Queen, while the design looks like it was composed by Austin Powers. OY. If it’s possible, find a writer and a designer that have a solid relationship and thrive on working together on projects. The words must support the design. The design must support the words.

2. Ask yourself some serious questions. What makes you different from everyone else in your industry? What is your background and how does it influence your work? How do you want people to feel when they see and read your marketing materials? A good copywriter and a good designer will ask you these questions…and many more.

3. What does your audience want? Don’t make it all about you - because it isn’t. Your clients/customers are the most important factor in this equation. Listen to them by reading blogs and/or joining online communities that discuss your company, product, service or industry. People are talking, so find out what they’re saying.

4. Make it personal. People identify with brands that don’t feel like gimmicks. If you haven’t noticed this lately, many companies are putting the personal spin on their brand - either by telling personal stories (Visa), making their CEO’s real people (Dave from Wendy’s), giving their company a relatable, familiar spokesperson (the Verizon guy) or even making their product into a real person (Mac vs. PC ads).

5. Be true, be you. There may be many CPA’s but there is only one you. Show your personality, reveal yourself and you will attract people. You will also repel people, but I think this is a good thing as it filters out those that won’t appreciate you ahead of time.

6. Test it out. The internet has made it possible to test products, messages, etc. online for relatively low costs via ad words, social bookmarking & networking sites and blogs. Use these tools to market effectively.

P.S. I love my Mac.

drupal, open source CMS, community publishing: THE VINEYARD VOICE

I’m giving a shout out to my friend Patrick Phillips at The Vineyard Voice today. I strongly encourage you all to check out this incredible platform for sharing information and activating change in your community. In his own words, “As a community publisher, The Vineyard Voice is an advocate for individuals, businesses and local nonprofit organizations. Through its issue-based investigations and stories written by and for islanders, the Voice builds conversations about how we can strengthen human, economic and environmental resources on the island.”

The following video from The Vineyard Voice documents a collaboration between UMass Amherst, Martha’s Vineyard’s Island Grown Initiative and the island’s Brazilian community as they work to bring Brazilian crops to local island farms.

Patrick is a seasoned and celebrated journalist, who happens to be a Drupal and design expert; he created The Vineyard Voice as a platform for our phenomenal Martha’s Vineyard community to share, document and feature the life that happens here. Blogs, written content, images, photography, audio, video and syndication pair with Drupal’s user-friendly, module abundant and search engine loving platform to construct a total win-win for the community.

The Voice has been and continues to be recognized for this achievement in bringing stories of the people and by the people together, forward and in the direction of a stronger community. One of Patrick’s many goals is to share this model, and to that end he offers consulting to communities looking to create a cohesive, utilitarian online presence - Drupal is an open source content management system (CMS) and available to all. He’s even consulting with the Knight Foundation in an effort to support local, community news sites.

I’m proud to work with and know Patrick. Combining my writing, web 2.0 passion, blogging and marketing expertise with his branding, design, open source technology savvy and his progressive mind, we are taking web and social marketing to a different level - content specifically created for the social web in a framework that not only supports, but invites community interaction and growth.

Check out The Vineyard Voice, contact patrick@vineyardvoice.org and tell him I sent you.

Update: A great interview with Patrick by Ron Miller was just posted to DaniWeb - check it out.