Blogging Heroes reveals the secrets of effective blogging, delivered straight from the world’ s most popular bloggers It includes background about the top blogs on the Web (as determined by Technorati and by topic) and conversational interviews with the people behind those blogs. Readers will learn why these bloggers got into blogging, how they manage their blogs, and the single most-important element of each blogger’ s success. Also revealed are techniques for publicizing blogs (online and off), using blogs for marketing, and getting others to participate. The bloggers share tips on selecting topics, research, writing, dealing with problems, and more.

This book consists of informal Q& A interviews with thirty of the Web’ s most popular bloggers. The subjects represent the most popular of bloggers in general, as well as noted bloggers in certain subject areas, such as eBay, book publishing, and some brand-name consumer companies. Each such subject is the top blogger in his or her field. Each interview is preceded by an introduction to the blogger and her subject matter. The lead questions vary from one interview subject to another, but most ask either how the subject got started blogging, or when he became interested in the Web. (Succeeding questions cover the question not used as the lead.) As interviewer, the author leads each discussion and shapes it based on his research of the subject and the subject’ s responses. Personalities behind the blogs show through, but not enough to distract from the prevailing theme: Learn from the experience of the Masters.

Interviews are slanted toward the how-to elements and how each blogger became successful: Getting started (selecting a subject, hosting, software, etc.) Promoting the blog Managing posts Interacting with posters and “ lurkers”

Among more than 102,000,000 blogs, a few stand out as influential, ground-breaking, and singularly successful. These thirty bloggers, who write about everything from business trends to parenting, have been featured in Wiredmagazine, Popular Science, and on CNN, NPR, MSNBC, and 20/20. In one-on-one conversations with Michael A. Banks, these innovative, creative thinkers have shared their tactics, their philosophies, what drives them, how they mine for subject matter, and their personal secrets for success. Come and learn from the masters.

"One of the true beauties and powers of blogs is that they can give voice to people who are not heard."

—Frank Warren, PostSecret

postsecret.blogspot.com

"Don't write anything in a blog that you wouldn't say to someone face to face."

—Scott McNulty, The Unofficial Apple Weblog

www.tuaw.com

"For me, the future of journalism is blogging."

—Mary Jo Foley, All About Microsoft

blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/

"I do my best thinking via my blogs."

—Chris Anderson, The Long Tail

www.thelongtail.com

"When I look out at the blogosphere, I don't see lots of inconsequential blogs. I see lots of possibility."

—Gina Trapani, Lifehacker

www.lifehacker.com

why do they blog?

It's addictive. It consumes an incredible amount of time, energy, and effort. It is their passion. And these bloggers wouldn't have it any other way.

Among more than 102,000,000 blogs, a few stand out as influential, ground-breaking, and singularly successful. These thirty bloggers have been featured in Wiredmagazine, Popular Science, and on CNN, NPR, MSNBC, and 20/20. In one-on-one conversations with Michael A. Banks, these innovative, creative thinkers have shared their tactics, their philosophies, what drives them, how they mine for subject matter, and their personal secrets for success. Come and learn from the masters.

Preface.

Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

1 Dave Taylor: The Intuitive Life Business Blog.

2 Chris Anderson: The Long Tail.

3 Gina Trapani: Lifehacker.

4 Ina Steiner: AuctionBytes.

5 Mary Jo Foley: All about Microsoft.

6 David Rothman: TeleRead.

7 Frank Warren: PostSecret.

8 Mike Masnick: Techdirt.

9 Mark Frauenfelder: BoingBoing.net.

10 Robert Scoble: Scobleizer.

11 Peter Rojas: Engadget.

12 John Neff: Autoblog.

13 Ken Fisher: Ars Technica.

14 Deborah Petersen: Life in the Fast Lane.

15 Joel Comm: JoelComm.com.

16 Brian Lam: Gizmodo.

17 Kristin Darguzas: ParentDish.

18 Chris Grant: Joystiq.

19 Scott McNulty: The Unofficial Apple Weblog.

20 Philipp Lenssen: Google Blogoscoped.

21 Brad Hill: Weblogs, Inc.

22 Steve Rubel: Micro Persuasion.

23 Rebecca Lieb: ClickZ.

24 Deidre Woollard: Luxist.

25 Gary Lee: An Internet Marketing Web Site.

26 Richard MacManus: Read/WriteWeb.

27 Eric T.: Internet Duct Tape.

28 Victor Agreda, Jr.: DIY Life.

29 Steve Garfield: Steve Garfield’s Video Blog.

30 Grant Robertson: Download Squad.

Further Reading.

Index.