• Blogging lessons

    Posted on November 6th, 2008 by and currently 11 commenting.

    I’m really struggling for a blog post today, so instead of trying to force something, I started reflecting on this little Brains on Fire blog experiment that we started just about three and-a-half years ago.

    So here’s what I’ve learned about blogging:

    1)    It’s hard. We try to populate our blog with relevant content Monday through Friday. Sometimes it’s easy. Sometimes it’s hard. But most of the time it’s hard.

    2)    The posts that I think will get a lot of comments never do. And the ones that I think won’t get any comments get a lot. I’ll never figure out how that works. I guess it basically means different topics resonate with different folks.

    3)    You need people to disagree with you. Even if sometimes they don’t make any sense, it’s good to have a dissonant voice ” whether that’s a constant one or random folks. It goes back to the Brains on Fire philosophy that Like is not a Brains on Fire word. We want people to love you or hate you. The same goes for us.
    4)    Writing makes you think. And thinking makes you smarter. In every conversation I have, in every interaction, at the back of my head I’m looking for that next blog post.

    5)    Sharing makes us all smarter. I’ve learned more from the comments on the blogs than I have writing them.
    6)    Kindred spirits are everywhere. And they will mostly come from outside of your industry.

    7)    Some of our best practices have been born out of blog posts. See Geno’s Fan Cycle and Passion Dial. Or Campaigns vs. Movements.

    8)    It’s a group effort. I love the different voice and different perspectives that contribute to this group blog.

    9)    You can’t force people to blog. Either they’ll get into it or they won’t. Good intentions and all that.

    10)    You can’t be afraid to put yourself out there and mess up. It’s blogging. It’s about ideas that need to be tested and things you’ve learned along the way. And it’s not always right. That’s what’s great about it.

    There you have it. And, of course, we’d love to hear what you’ve learned as well.

  • http://www.slantsixcreative.com neal s

    All great observations and all true. I think they all go to one point that spans them all: it’s important.

    Whenever I go to a website now where the content is static it immediately throws up a red flag. While the word “blog” still has some stigma, I think, the act of updating your content regularly and inviting your users/fans/friends/readers to interact is mandatory. Otherwise, what are you doing?

    Great stuff as always, man.

  • Michael

    I actually just started a blog yesterday, and my sole reason was because I always wake up and read the Brains on Fire blog, and I love it, I’ve read every post for the past few months when I first was introduced to it. So thank you for inspiring someone else to blog. And don’t forget, just because people don’t write a comment, doesn’t mean you haven’t impacted them in some way.

  • Lora

    An oddball bit of feedback: I read your blogs delivered directly to my mail box through an RSS feed. It’s great, except that I have no way of knowing who wrote it. (unless I click back to your site). It’s not a big deal, and occasionally it’s amusing to try to guess based on the writing style, but it would be good if the authorship of the blog came along with the contact.

    But the fact that I read your blog enough to be able to tell who writes what without seeing a by-line should tell you a little about how valuable I find the BOF blog…

  • http://www.themurr.com DaveMurr

    I think blogs were invented to curse anyone who never paid attention in creative writing 101 (that would be me).

    Having a new blog myself, I too struggle with posting 5 out of 7 days a week. I just don’t want to put up anything on there… though that would be nice.

    Your last point is the strongest – don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

    I’ve learned if you plan to post a lot, don’t discouraged if you find yourself able to keep up. Posting everyday is a lot harder than it sounds.

    Also keep a small notepad (not rich enough for an iPhone) or something with you at all times to write down blog ideas – you never know when inspiration will hit.

  • http://parkandco.com Park Howell

    Amen, brother. BTW, by brother Mike is nicknamed “Spike” as well. And I guess that’s the bottom line to figuring out why oh why I should blog. Because it connects us. Even if it’s something as simple as a shared name. And, perhaps, blogging angst.

  • Pingback: Pourquoi blogguer? Les leçons à en tirer | Guiberube

  • http://themarketingspot.blogspot.com Jay Ehret

    Spot on, Spike. While blogging is definitely about sharing, it’s also an exercise of self-introspection.

  • http://charlestonparksconservancy.org jim

    Yours and other industry focused blogs give me the clues to what I might be looking at, reading or asking questions about when I get the opportunity to actually have a conversation with you creatives. So keeping it on the edge is certainly why I come back…..

  • http://www.digitaldriveby.com Jon Eckert

    Amen to needing people to disagree. Controversy sells; though it doesn’t have to be hurtful, or violent, a good discussion, argument, or debate is always interesting.

  • http://thebrandbuilder.wordpress.com olivier blanchard

    #2. No kidding. :D

    Some weeks are more prolific than others. Creative cycles, project cycles, lunar cycles… You can’t be in the mood to write epic posts every day, year after year after year. It’s okay to take a day off every now and then.

    As long as Geno covers for you on those days. ;)

  • http://www.theresaevans.com theresa evans

    Thank you jesus – for admitting the obvious – i want my brain to be on fire – amazing people doing awesome stuff – need a re up!