May
28
How To Make Your Blog Not Suck So Damn Much
This is important and emotional and important and, yeah. It’s important.
Once upon a time, I was broke and pregnant and on bedrest. I had no prospects and less hope. Things were very, very bad.
One day, on my lousy computer that I bought through Dell’s exorbitant payment plan — I’m still paying for that computer, by the way — I was surfing the internet and ran across Darren Rowse from Problogger. I don’t know how I found him and I don’t care.
It was a moment that changed my family’s future.
(Read a little more about it in Wanted: One Psychic PA, Lousy Pay. And while we’re talking about that blog post, you’ll be interested to know that three people read the title and applied for the job. Not kidding.)
I absolutely ravaged Darren’s blog. I read every post. Seriously, every one. I read everything I could get my hands on. I read his blog, I read the blogs he linked to, I read his comments. I read the interviews he gave on other blogs. I drank it in.
The best he had, as far as sheer action steps, were his series’ on building a better blog. I strongly believe the blogosphere has never seen anything this good. I credit Darren with this blog, with my house, and with the incomes of no fewer than five people.
Darren has written an ebook that contains his best of the best. (He’s done three 31 Days to a Better Blog series’.) It is 94 pages (188 really, since they’re beautifully designed by the lovely Reese so you can pack more info into a page without blinding yourself) and awesome.
You wanna know how I did it? THIS is how I did it.
I read the posts. I did the exercises. I cannot explain in words how critical this shit was in the development of IttyBiz.
Buy the book. Save an ittybiz.
Darren’s book is indispensable and $19.95. (Note: you’re sure as hell not going to see me give you anything indispensable for less than twenty bucks.) It has a 50% affiliate payout. That means that every book you buy THROUGH THE LINKS ON THIS PAGE, I get ten bucks.
Except, I’m not gonna keep it. I’m going to give it back. And then I’m going to give MORE back. Because that’s how I roll.
If you buy Darren’s book — and if you have a blog, you’re an idiot if you don’t — I’m going to give my affiliate share to Kiva.org. And then I’m going to double it.
This is the link. Click on it.
Buy the book, and let’s change some fucking lives.
P.S. If you don’t need the book but you want to help anyway, buy the book, let me know, and we’ll donate it to a needy IttyBiz reader who could use the help. We have readers in countries where $20 is more than a week’s wages.
You are awesome.
This is awesome.
And this is reason #474,323 I think you are a total rockstar.
Darren’s book is awesome too. Got it yesterday. Devoured it like it was chocolate cake. The best advice on blogging I’ve seen. Ever.
How could I not order this book after that endorsement? It’s wonderful that my purchase will help women in need. Thanks, Naomi. I’ve downloaded the book and now I can’t wait to read and implement it.
Thank you! This is gorgeous. Problogger has been on my must read list for a while, so thanks for the shove.
Oh. My. I’m a baby blogger, with about a month and a half under my belt. What a fantastic way to learn to do it better right from the beginning, AND (indirectly) make a contribution at the same time?
Book? Ordered and downloaded.
Naomi? Thanked, profusely. :o)
I was gonna buy it this morning but didn’t get a chance. I’m glad I read this post first so I could buy through this link. Go Kiva!!
Wow! I’ve been following Darren’s 31 Days posts and I can see how helpful it would be to have them all in one handy PDF. I’ve also felt a bit guilty that I haven’t been able to give as much to Kiva lately as I’d like to. Now I can do both guilt-free! Thanks, Naomi!
I saw another tweet about this and glad I saw IttyBiz’s before ordering.
I did the 31 days (actually am still doing it because I’m doing it slowly) and wasn’t going to buy the book, but since you’re doing the Kiva thing, they I’ll definitely buy it because as you said – it’s a good thing to review.
Like we needed one more reason to think you ROCK! Can I just say that I hope this costs you a fortune? And I mean that in the nicest possible way.
I first heard about micro-lending a few months ago, when a gentleman from another Rotary club came and spoke at my Rotary club. I thought it was a fascinating and way cool idea for empowering entrepreneurs.
I rarely buy informational products online, but between this recommendation, the donations to Kiva.org, and the fact that I need *something* like this anyway, I’ve done it. The PDF is sitting on my desktop, waiting for the end of the workday when I can finally take advantage of it.
Thank you, Naomi!
You’re so awesome for doing this. Next time I actually have $20, I’m there. ;)
Another cosign on how terrific Darren’s book is. Love.It. Thanks for making people aware of this transformative tool.
Naomi, I think this is so nice of you. Tell me how I can donate my copy to some deserving person. I wasn’t going to buy a copy since I got the e-course and pretty much have studied Darren’s steps forevah, but you made such a good case for buying it and donating to two good causes, how could I resist?
I started to get depressed about this but two things occurred to me (okay three actually).
1) Naomi said that getting a divorce would not exactly fit into my spare time or spare change – true it hasn’t.
2) I haven’t read all of Naomi’s and Darren’s free content yet so it would be stupid to pay for more content yet.
3) Until I figure out my USP, other than writing community soft news for the local papers as a freelancer (which I consider a paid internship) more information is probably lost on me. And, the bonus number four:
4) This is probably mostly about fear but when you’re exhausted fear is pretty daunting.
Oh Poo!! I had already ordered this before I saw your post here. Guess I’ll just have to donate to KIVA all by my little lonesome.
But just want to say that you are a rock a dilly, awesomesauce kinda mega big hearted gal and I just ADORE YOU BEYOND REASON…. again!!
I am a huge fan of Problogger and he was one of the first I started reading and studying also when I started blogging. Am working my way through the program!
i surely need all the help i can get and am a complete sucker for passing that help onto others. of COURSE i ordered it! then didnt see the tiny letters to download it so… going to go find it now :)
Thanks so much for this; I’ve been looking for a way to take my blog to the next step, and this looks like the way to work through the fear and just do it.
Love Kiva, they’re amazing. Great idea to pass on your affiliate earnings and double it. :-)
What a fabulous thing you’re doing! I went right out & bought the e-book.
You’re a star and I love that we live on the same island. Some day, I’ll track you down and squidge you to death with a hug.
Well, who can resist reading a post with a title like this? And the rest of the article was equally enjoyable. Thanks.
I adore you, Naomi, because of how you do what you do. And – I trust you.
“Great”, you say, “but that won’t pay my bills!” So, I’m scraping my last $20 together and and order Darren’s book through your site. (You’ll see…hang on a few, so I can finish this comment.)
Well, you’re going to give away your share and your bills are still unpaid. Then, you give away even more…to change some fucking lives…you blow me away, Ma’am!
But I agree: this is how we all should “roll” – giving, giving, giving. It’ll come back… somehow, big time! (I do the KIVA thing myself and it’s a total blast to receive the repayment notices. Can’t put a price tag on that kinda good feeling!)
Anyway, as we discussed via email a couple of weeks ago – you’ve given me so much through your generous sharing. I’m glad to be able to enter my payback phase with this first small step.
(Theme from “The Twilight Zone…)
My wife, who is pretty much oblivious to the world of blogging, emailed me the link to Darren’s ebook offer this morning – totally out of character, out of the blue. She’s never done anything like that before…lol. I said, “Honey – where did YOU find this?” She goes, “Oh, on some Zen blog, I think. I thought you might find it interesting.” Huh? (She’s actually the one who questions my blogging efforts from time to time, wondering if I’m wasting my energy.)
(End of “Twilight Zone” theme…)
So, how’s that for a confirmation? ‘Nuff said. Off to your checkout counter. You rock, Naomi, of course. :)
I was going to say “Naomi,YOU ROCK”!
…But I won’t because I’m trying to avoid cliche’s LIKE THE PLAGUE!
Dale
I have yet to finish putting my blog together, so I bought the Kindle version of ProBlogger Secrets for blogging your way to a six-figure income. This should set my mind at ease and help me figure this shit out. Thank for pointing me in the right direction. You are So Freakin Cool!!!