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Problogging By Accident – 6 Months, 6 Tips and $6 Off

by Nick Cernis | 18 July 2008

Put Things Off is six!

This month PTO celebrates six months of kittening around.

Before you start, I know that it’s a crime to tally up any event on a month-by-month basis but, like the fluttering hearts of the long-lost lusters whose eyes locked across a crowded metronome museum, I’ve been counting every beat.

Today I want to share my thoughts, feelings, and advice on the heady experience of going from long-term procrastinator to semi-professional blogger almost entirely by accident in 6 months. First, an offer you mustn’t refuse.

Todoodlist sale: get $6 off!

If you’ve been umming, erring, or generally putting off buying my ebook since its release late in March, I’d like to give you the chance to buy it today for just $8.

To take me up on the offer visit this special page, type the code 6months (without spaces), and hit the “buy now” button to checkout with card or PayPal. The offer is only good until midnight on 31 July 2008, so grab it today before the price goes back up. Sorry! The $8 offer is now closed. Buy the book for only $14 instead.

Todoodlist: the figures laid bare

I’ve received a lot of mail from bloggers and writers asking whether or not it’s worth scribing an ebook. Many pitch their queries subtly (’how are sales going?’). Others have been rather direct — I suspect some of you would ask for my PIN number on a first date (it’s 8792 — not that I’m easy). The short answer is yes: just write it.

To further satisfy your curiosity and fuel your enthusiasm in a suitably vague way, let me share this: Todoodlist has taken over US$5000 (but less than $10,000) in sales in just over 3 months, and opened several doors for me. I’ve been deeply honoured that a lot of you have bought, enjoyed, and supported it.

I’m also lucky to have heard from many of you. For all your emails and failed letter bombs, my heartfelt thanks. Perhaps the most wonderful note came from Italy, typed by a kind soul who said that swapping software for the Todoodlist had saved hours and released him from the chains of enforced overtime:

“I simply could go home to play with my kids.”

If Todoodlist had sold only one copy and amounted to nothing more than those 10 words, it would still have been worth it — for me, there’s no greater compliment.

On becoming a problogger

I won’t brag about problogging success, largely because — as a blogger — I’m not as successful as many of you and I have another job, which makes me a semi-problogger at best. Only six months ago, I thought that blogging was a joke. Back then, I saw it as a kind of emotional pyramid scheme, where everyone heaped praise on the people at the top and hoped that reciprocal favour and fortune would follow.

To some extent, I was right. But it turns out that many wonderful people lurk in the pyramid who’ve earned their fame for good reason and who give back generously:

People like Harrison McLeod and James Chartrand, who’ve kept me sane and given me top quality advice whether I wanted it or not. People like Naomi Dunford, who taught me that blogging wasn’t just a synonym for bitching anonymously — it can be a playful form of self-expression too. People like Tim Brownson, who is wiser and wittier than he knows (but don’t tell him I said that), and a true joy to work with. All of these generous folks have their own books and established blogs, and every one is excellent. Visit them today and give them your money.

To the great many others who I’ve bumped into along the way, bless you. When I find a way to thank you all properly and in full, I’ll write about it here.

On doing it by accident

Truth be told, whatever small successes I’ve had have been almost entirely by accident. I never saw blogging as the ticket to a world of opportunity that it’s become. If you’d told me in December 2007 that over 60% of our new business leads at Goburo would come through this blog by June 2008, I’d have spat out my tea to make way for the thunderous laughter that followed.

While finding happiness in blogging was an accident for me, it’s an accident that I saw coming. For months, I’ve gently coaxed my energies towards their inevitable rendezvous with the golden lamppost of moderate success. And, because you don’t just come here just for the repartee, it’s time I shared some tips to help make sure the same thing happens for you.

6 tips to achieve moderate success in 6 months

Not as catchy as “Earn a million in a day!” is it? If you want to achieve superfame and megariches overnight, I’m not the guy to ask.

If, however, you’d like to walk around wearing a constant glow that suggests “I might not be rich, beautiful, or athletic, but I’ve never been this happy and my pockets are full of cake”, then take my advice:

1) You need to be blogging

If you’re not blogging, you’ve probably already heard that you should be. I put it off for years because I couldn’t see the benefits, but I’ve learned that they are numerous:

Build your business
Meet new people
Learn more about yourself
Find a hobby and hidden pleasure in writing
Create a small but welcome income stream

If you’re not comfortable calling it ‘blogging’ because of flashbacks to that dodgy diary your Mum discovered when you were 15, just use the term ‘writing’ or ‘publishing online’ instead.

Whatever you do, get some good web hosting, choose a niche you’re passionate about, buy a strong domain name, and head over to WordPress.org so you can outsource the technotwitchery and concentrate on writing. Forget the “5 posts a week” rule: even one post a month is a good start for now.

If you’re already blogging, keep going. Yes, that emotional pyramid is tall and spiky, but I’m told the view from the top is great. If you get there, throw a rope down, will you?

2) Just launch it

When I’m asked what one ‘productivity tip’ I would give, these are the three words I use: just launch it. I spent 5 years of my life meticulously planning various businesses, and drafting my master plans. It all amounted to toffee. Think about it: 5 years of my young adulthood I’ll never get back gone for toffee.

Fortunately, I did most of my boozing and law-bending in the years before those, so I’m not bitter. But in the 5 months after I decided to just launch it, put myself out there and see what happened, I’ve had more fun and greater opportunities than the 5 years I spent slaving over business plans, mooching with angel investors, and embarrassing myself in Dragons’ Den-style pitches, all while holding down a job I was growing tired of.

If you’ve got a dream — even if it seems overwhelmingly scary right now — break it down and launch a small part of it one month from today. Mark the date in your calendar right now, before you put things off.

3) Teach people (or fake it)

I’ve learned to respect teachers more than most other professions. Their goal is a humble one: to spread the knowledge. The fact that they often border on the verge of breakdown is, at worst, evidence that kids these days can be real shitbags and, at best, horribly rotten karma.

Whether or not you respect teachers, sharing your knowledge will do more for your abilities and influence than you could possibly imagine. It’s only when you start teaching that you realise how much or little you know; it forces you to close those gaps in your knowledge and develop as a consequence.

If you don’t think there’s anything you can offer, think again. At the very worst, force yourself to become an expert in something you love, and then fake the teaching bit.

4) Learn how to market and sell

Blogging has another great consequence: you’re forced to learn to promote and sell your ideas. Once you can sell an idea (a kind of ‘product’ that doesn’t even exist), selling real stuff is easy in comparison. Start by learning how to spread your ideas, continue by selling others’ products and then…

5) Create your own product

Being an affiliate (someone who sells others’ products for a percentage of the sticker price) is great, but it’s a tough job. You’ll never be as passionate about selling other peoples’ stuff as you will be about your own.

6) Learn basic graphic and web design

The power of putting your own content online without paying anyone can’t be underestimated — and that’s coming from someone who earns their core living as a web designer! Consider learning basic web and graphic design. I recommend Lynda.com for some great video tutorials that won’t break the bank.

The golden rule

To sum everything up in a single tip: work hard and be nice to people.

The future for Put Things Off

I’ve got some big ideas for Put Things Off (and a great new project launching next week!), but I’d love to hear your thoughts. What would you like to see more of? Less of? Any other ideas? Leave a comment below!

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20 comments so far:

18 Jul 08
17:07

GirlPie

In the blogging world, age is like dog years: 6 months is like 4 years of offline age! I’d never have know you were so new, your book is swell, todays’ tips are dead-on (Havi@FluentSelf.com will probably agree), I anticipate each post of yours, and love the blogs I’ve met through PTO — keep up the good work!