Comments on: Reinventing Yourself Through Your Blog http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2009/11/01/reinventing-yourself-through-your-blog/ Technical Communication Blog / Technical Writing Blog Sun, 21 Mar 2010 03:43:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ellis Pratt http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2009/11/01/reinventing-yourself-through-your-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-145826 Ellis Pratt Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:04:13 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4947#comment-145826 Part of this is because of "the long tail" of the Internet. It's like dropping a stone into a pool and seeing the ripples go further and further out over time. The Chinese have the idea of GuanXi, and Blogs are a modern day manifestation of that concept. There are advantages to talking about more than just your business focus. Talking about your other interests, even your vulnerabilities, can make you more interesting and approachable. However, it's a matter of degree. Part of this is because of “the long tail” of the Internet. It’s like dropping a stone into a pool and seeing the ripples go further and further out over time.

The Chinese have the idea of GuanXi, and Blogs are a modern day manifestation of that concept. There are advantages to talking about more than just your business focus. Talking about your other interests, even your vulnerabilities, can make you more interesting and approachable. However, it’s a matter of degree.

]]> By: Tom http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2009/11/01/reinventing-yourself-through-your-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-145802 Tom Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:10:05 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4947#comment-145802 Alan, thanks for clarifying about the A/V setup and CARS. I updated the post a little bit to try to be more accurate. Even seeing the importance of recording sessions is something noteworthy. (I have to wonder, though, how well it recorded, because a lot of the time we didn't speak directly into those microphones.) I had a great time at the conference, especially the dinner and lunch conversations with you and the others. The content development best practices panel was also excellent, as was the panel on DITA publishing. I wish I had gotten there a day earlier to hear Stewart Mader speak on wikis. Alan, thanks for clarifying about the A/V setup and CARS. I updated the post a little bit to try to be more accurate. Even seeing the importance of recording sessions is something noteworthy. (I have to wonder, though, how well it recorded, because a lot of the time we didn’t speak directly into those microphones.)

I had a great time at the conference, especially the dinner and lunch conversations with you and the others. The content development best practices panel was also excellent, as was the panel on DITA publishing. I wish I had gotten there a day earlier to hear Stewart Mader speak on wikis.

]]> By: Tom http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2009/11/01/reinventing-yourself-through-your-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-145800 Tom Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:09:15 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4947#comment-145800 Richard, thanks for allowing me to write about you in this post. I knew that you mentioned half a dozen other mystery writers as we were talking that night, but Grafton is all I remembered. Thanks for adding Rex Stout's name here. Also, thanks for the note about writing posts that are both frequent and interesting. I always love to hear feedback like that. Richard, thanks for allowing me to write about you in this post. I knew that you mentioned half a dozen other mystery writers as we were talking that night, but Grafton is all I remembered. Thanks for adding Rex Stout’s name here.

Also, thanks for the note about writing posts that are both frequent and interesting. I always love to hear feedback like that.

]]> By: Tom http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2009/11/01/reinventing-yourself-through-your-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-145794 Tom Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:56:54 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4947#comment-145794 Larry, thanks for the tip about the Saul Caroliner article. I remember reading it and in looking at it again, I should have referenced in somehow. He has a lot of useful information, so thanks for linking to it. Re the absence of my name on the blog, thanks for the note. I need to also use my tom@idratherbewriting.com email address as well. I wish I could change my twitter handle to idratherbewriting, but it has too many characters (by 2). Ratherbewriting is already taken. I will try to brand my name more prominently on my blog. Thanks for the tip. It's kind of a major oversight on my part, and I appreciate your bringing it to my attention. Larry, thanks for the tip about the Saul Caroliner article. I remember reading it and in looking at it again, I should have referenced in somehow. He has a lot of useful information, so thanks for linking to it.

Re the absence of my name on the blog, thanks for the note. I need to also use my tom@idratherbewriting.com email address as well.

I wish I could change my twitter handle to idratherbewriting, but it has too many characters (by 2). Ratherbewriting is already taken.

I will try to brand my name more prominently on my blog. Thanks for the tip. It’s kind of a major oversight on my part, and I appreciate your bringing it to my attention.

]]> By: Larry Kunz http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2009/11/01/reinventing-yourself-through-your-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-145776 Larry Kunz Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:38:43 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4947#comment-145776 Former STC president Saul Carliner recently posted some thoughts about developing a personal brand. They're worth reading: http://notebook.stc.org/intercom-qa-saul-carliner-answers-your-questions/ Saul says that branding is a function of everything we do -- not just what we write in our blogs. He also says that we should draw a line between what we do, from a professional standpoint, and what we won't do. All of us who use social networking for business make choices about what to reveal and what to keep to ourselves. By the way, Tom, speaking of branding: I've noticed that it's very hard to find your name on your blog pages. If that was a conscious choice on your part, I'd be curious to know your reasoning. To be honest, there was awhile there when I could read this blog and see your tweets on Twitter -- and not realize that they came from the same person. That's all behind me now, of course. :-) Former STC president Saul Carliner recently posted some thoughts about developing a personal brand. They’re worth reading: http://notebook.stc.org/intercom-qa-saul-carliner-answers-your-questions/

Saul says that branding is a function of everything we do — not just what we write in our blogs. He also says that we should draw a line between what we do, from a professional standpoint, and what we won’t do. All of us who use social networking for business make choices about what to reveal and what to keep to ourselves.

By the way, Tom, speaking of branding: I’ve noticed that it’s very hard to find your name on your blog pages. If that was a conscious choice on your part, I’d be curious to know your reasoning. To be honest, there was awhile there when I could read this blog and see your tweets on Twitter — and not realize that they came from the same person. That’s all behind me now, of course. :-)

]]> By: David S.( @seemsArtless ) http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2009/11/01/reinventing-yourself-through-your-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-145759 David S.( @seemsArtless ) Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:37:30 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4947#comment-145759 An interesting take on things! Over the last few years I don't find myself thinking as people as 'bloggers' anymore, but perhaps the outside world still labels people that way? A good reminder, though, that a blog, or a Twitter stream, etc... just reflects a small subset of a person, and that there is likely other interesting aspects lurking out there. An interesting take on things! Over the last few years I don’t find myself thinking as people as ‘bloggers’ anymore, but perhaps the outside world still labels people that way?

A good reminder, though, that a blog, or a Twitter stream, etc… just reflects a small subset of a person, and that there is likely other interesting aspects lurking out there.

]]> By: Richard Hamilton http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2009/11/01/reinventing-yourself-through-your-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-145754 Richard Hamilton Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:36:20 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4947#comment-145754 Tom, thanks for the kind words; I enjoyed speaking with you, too. You've really carved out an impressive brand, and a piece of that is something that is under-appreciated, but that you (and Anne) do very well. You write frequent, interesting blog posts. Some people can handle the frequent part, others can handle the interesting part, but putting it together is harder than it looks. BTW, while I enjoy Sue Grafton's novels, my all-time favorite mystery writer is Rex Stout. He seems to be a bit out of fashion these days, but he's one of the few mystery writers that I will happily re-read. Tom, thanks for the kind words; I enjoyed speaking with you, too. You’ve really carved out an impressive brand, and a piece of that is something that is under-appreciated, but that you (and Anne) do very well. You write frequent, interesting blog posts. Some people can handle the frequent part, others can handle the interesting part, but putting it together is harder than it looks.

BTW, while I enjoy Sue Grafton’s novels, my all-time favorite mystery writer is Rex Stout. He seems to be a bit out of fashion these days, but he’s one of the few mystery writers that I will happily re-read.

]]> By: Alan J. Porter http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2009/11/01/reinventing-yourself-through-your-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-145752 Alan J. Porter Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:26:02 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4947#comment-145752 Hi Tom - Thanks for the mention and for plugging my various projects. It was great chatting with you during RoundUp this year. Just to clarify a couple of points: - Yes I do write the regular CARS comic book series, but I don't draw them. I create the stories and write the scripts and dialog, but a group of talented artists take my words and turn them into some fun pictures. - And I can't take credit for the A/V set up at RoundUp - that was all the work of the hotel's a/v team based on the requirements I gave them. - Sorry of you got the wrong impression when we were discussing the set-up. I didn't intend to take credit where it wasn't due. Cheers Alan Hi Tom –

Thanks for the mention and for plugging my various projects. It was great chatting with you during RoundUp this year.

Just to clarify a couple of points:
– Yes I do write the regular CARS comic book series, but I don’t draw them. I create the stories and write the scripts and dialog, but a group of talented artists take my words and turn them into some fun pictures.
– And I can’t take credit for the A/V set up at RoundUp – that was all the work of the hotel’s a/v team based on the requirements I gave them. – Sorry of you got the wrong impression when we were discussing the set-up. I didn’t intend to take credit where it wasn’t due.

Cheers

Alan

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