Do you have to be John Grisham to succeed at Blogging?

There are many articles on the net about successful blogging and there is a never ending stream of new recruits entering the blogsophere.

These new adopters eagerly search the how to pages of other bloggers in an effort to become a successful blogger.

The blogging craze and the competitive arena that it has become have bloggers scratching their heads in an effort to make their new venture a success.

For some, success as is defined as the tangible legacy of their cathartic journey.

This group seeks nothing more than to record their life and thoughts. They have no financial or political agenda other than their desire for self fulfillment.

As the internet evolves and socially engineered software becomes more streamlined, diarists have also evolved and for some, blogging has become their ticket to a new vocation and financial independence.
Blogs that have a high amount of visitors are able to monetize their web pages to an extent where the authors are able to generate enough income to derive a part time or full time living from their input.
For those desiring more than to see their diary online, the challenge exists to create content that satisfies their own literary standards but at the same time achieves populous standing.

The race to stand out from the blogging crowd has seen a multitude of online tutorials, e-books, educational courses, marketing plans and get rich easy programs bombard the web.

We no longer take much interest unless the author has something unique to offer us.

I have two friends who have their own web sites and self publish for a living.
One has an article archive of 17,000 posts and the other has an archive of 14000 posts.
One has been blogging for seven years and it took him five years before he was able to derive full time income.
The other was well established in his field before he became a self publisher.
He had a list of high profile contacts that provided exclusive information and this enabled him to establish his web site as a respected source of news in his field.

Their sites and interests are quite different but they both agree on one point.

There is no easy way to be successful. Content is king. If you desire success then you have to compile a body of works that has is both popular and voluminous. Be a John Grisham of your genre. Write all the time and learn to write what people want o read.
Quality, quantity and marketability are the key factors that never change.
I recently printed out all my articles and stuck the pages on the bookshelf behind my desk.
The small file looked so inconsequential next to the volumes of my favorite authors.
Like the rest of you, I have my work cut out for me too.

Is Amazon a godsend for publishers?

Publishers have entertained a rocky relationship with Google Adsense for the last few years.
Google has confused and frustrated us with their confusing rules handed out to advertisers and publishers.

Frustrated web site owners have endured lower click revenues, convoluted service terms and irrelevant advertising content in order to make a success of being a Google Adsense publisher.

In spite of its shortcomings Google has far outflanked the competition for advertising space.

Unlike the most of the competition, Google has won the minds of publishers with its "get paid for clicks" program.
Lately business for Google's Adsense program has reached
a plateau. Site visitors are clicking less. Google advertising revenue is flat.
Publishers are looking around for a new advertising revenue earner.

I recently joined Amazon as an affiliate.
Amazon is different to Adsense because visitors to your site have to buy something from Amazon in order for you to earn money.
Browsing an ad for further information and then closing the page will not earn you any money.
The task at hand may appear daunting but further examination reveals Amazon is a creative advertising tool that puts control of creativity in the hands of the publisher.
A few days ago I posted a niche article on Filipino music.
I was able to use one of Amazon’s ready made widgets to list a few of the CDs recorded by Filipino artists.
This widget brightens up the post and is totally relevant to the topic.
One of the most exciting aspects of Amazon is that you can enter the ad inside your actual post. The ad then appears only for that post which makes it ideal for Blogs. This is quite a different approach to Adsense where the ads appear on the side of all the pages.

What Are You Going To Do When The Recession Hits?

If it is not here already then it is on the way. I am talking about the world recession that is going to put a nasty dent in our lifestyle.

I am talking about the recession that will engulf our lives and threaten to repossess our mortgaged homes.

Share markets are tumbling. Blue chip businesses are still just hinting about what is to come.

An ill wind is brooding discontent. The leaves on the trees tremor in nervous anticipation.

How will you insulate your life against the wolf approaching the doorstep?

If you are reading this then you are already into blogging or reading blogs, or you are steeped into the digital world in some manner.

How will you survive the lifestyle change the next era will usher in?

When the cash reserves dissipate how will you improvise?

I will bury my woes by sinking further into the surreal world of my notebook pc.

As cash strapped citizen I will look for a better life in virtual games such as “Second Life”.

I will stuff my sinking share portfolio documents into the bottom drawer of my wardrobe and cover them with the happier colors of my sports socks.

I will become a superhero in the game of “Crysis” and use my powerful weapons to fight virus toting aliens who seek to take over our imminently recessionary world.
My world will be imaginary where reality is blurred.
Only the online world will exist and it will wash away the harshness

When the winds of discontent once again turn and leave us to return to affluence, I will once again draw the curtains across and gaze upon the new opportunities that await us.