This is not your typical rags to riches story, but an interesting rant from Jason Calacanis over at calacanis.com about what people did before they hit the A-List in blogging.
I have to agree with Jason on some things, and disagree with other things on how to be an A-List blogger. I agree with you have to have something to say, and not be afraid to say it. While I tailor what I write here to fit into the geekdom that I get published in, the idea is to have relevant content to what the formatting is.
You have to work hard, I do not agree with the idea of blogging 3 to 8 hours a day for 3 to 4 years; I rather work on the idea that if you do what you love to do, then the money will follow (which so far has held true for me). I work hard at blogging, I surf the news looking for new interesting things, then I put my spin on it, not always popular, but then a little controversy is good.
What I thought was most interesting was his list of what people did before they blogged, it had Robert Scobel in it, so of course I noticed this list quickly. Nevertheless, here is what Jason says they did before they became A-List Bloggers.
- Scoble was the biggest nobody in the world–working at a electronics store in fact–before he became the world’s most famous blogger (or most powerful depending on which story you read).
- I (Calacanis) was down and out print publisher before I became “A list” — whatever that means.
- Peter Rojas was an underemployed Red Herring beat writer before he become the best paid/most respected blogger.
- Rafat Ali was out of work before he started his A-list blog.
- Xeni Jardin was a conference producer with me before she became A-list.
- Perez Hilton was a total nobody and now is a celebrity in his own right.
- Who ever heard of Wonkette before wonkette?!?! no one.
- Steve Rubel was another PR guy in an cheap suit before blogging (now he’s a famous blogging in a cheap suit 🙂
- Mike Arrington? A lawyer who no one would give the time of day to (compare that with now!)
- ZeFrank? A nobody.
- Adam Curry? Worse than a nobody–a former VJ!
- Elizabeth Spiers was a business journalist before Gawker fame–and now running her own blog company.
Source: Calacanis.com. Editors note I shortened this list to fit into this blog, the original list has 16 people. I added Calacanis’s name in the reference to “I” on line 2.
Lots of hard work, lots of blogging, lots of things to have an opinion of, and most of the information is valid.
What do these people have in common? They never let anyone else limit their success. They took their place in the blogosphere.
Spend 3-4 years blogging every day for 3-8 hours a day and then tell me you didn’t make it to the A-list and people held you back… I *might* believe it after that. Source: Calacanis.com
I agree with the idea that you should never let anyone limit your success. I have sometimes spoken out of turn, and had to do an equally public apology, but that fits in with the idea. The readers have to believe that you are honest, if you make a mistake; you should not limit your own success either. Nothing wrong with proving you are human along the way.
This blog is almost at its anniversary date, and I have to admit it has been an interesting year. So maybe not 3 or 4 years to determine success, each person determines success in their own way. I don’t blog 3 to 8 hours a day, but I do blog, and the best thing, nothing has limited what this blog says, in that calacanis is dead right, don’t ever let anyone limit your success.
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