Here’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot recently. The sort of thoughts that plonk themselves in your mind just before you’re about to go to sleep, making your brain come alive, not letting you chill out and drift off.
Today I mentioned on Twitter that I was looking to publish a book. Since my first blog post back in December 2006, I have come a long, long way. I owe a huge amount to this humble web page.
Through this blog I have experienced some wonderful things. I have met some fantastic people. I have had some exciting experiences. And, I’m not ashamed to admit it, I have made some good money.
I don’t think this is a fluke. In fact, I’m sure it isn’t. I don’t think I’m an exceptional writer. A good one, I hope, but no better than thousands upon thousands of student journalists who go out there hoping to make their name in the industry. One fellow journalist wrote about this — about me — last week, and I’ve been meaning to post his thoughts ever since. Sadly, he seems to have deleted his blog posts.
He had it spot on. He said it wasn’t what I was writing, or how my skills as a journalist measured up against others. No, it was that I had managed to create an outlet for debate and discussion, drawing on a slightly-techy background. Once I created my blog, I set about getting to know people. The rest, as they say, is history. Or, in this case, it’s Google cache.
I’ve gone from blogging for one man and his dog to blogging for arguably the greatest media outlet in the world. But as the now anonymous blogger said, it’s no fluke.
The New Blogger’s Handbook will pass on every pinch of knowledge I’ve gained since starting jBlog. It will share tips that are both practical and enjoyable to carry out. Here’s my proposal:
The New Blogger’s Handbook
Whenever I tell people about blogging, whether it’s a presentation, a lecture or even just a chat, they’ll always ask the same thing: “How do I get started?”
I’ll pass on a few quick tips, but it’s never enough. Now, I can recommend my book:
Synopsis: Finally, a guide to blogging for normal people. The New Blogger’s Handbook guides any rookie through the wilderness that is the blogosphere. It will divulge everything you could possibly need to know about blogging.
From setting up (what sites to visit, what tools to download, what name to pick) to using your blog to enter your dream career, this book will offer practical and fun tips.
Chapters will include:
– Starting out: Do you want to spend money or do it for free? What software will suit you best? Do you want to do audio or video posts? All these questions answered and more in this chapter explaining the most common new blogger’s problem: “Where do I start?!”
– But I don’t know what to write about: Sometimes even the most brillaint of bloggers can find it hard to write regular posts. This chapter will help you find inspiration, and guide you, step-by-step, into setting up RSS feeds, email alerts and many more tools to help bring content to you.
– The Blogger’s Code: Now you’ve got your own blog, don’t spoil it by committing any blogging faux pas. This chapter will focus on unwritten code of bloggers, covering aspects like linking in/out, as well as what pictures you can use and how to credit for them.
– Keep secure: If you plan to blog a lot about yourself, you need to keep safe and secure. This chapter will go over every safety aspect of blogging, from keeping your software up to date, to what you should and shouldn’t say online.
– Getting read: How to attract people to your blog. We’re not just talking bumping up your Google ranking with sneaky tricks here, but actual proven techniques for getting your blog read by people who really matter. It’s not how many visits you have, it’s who they are that counts. You want people who can raise your profile, and people who will want to work with you.
– There’s more to blogging than just blogs y’know: You may think a good blog is all you need to succeed. For some, this may be true, but for others, using some of the many other social networking tools can help develop your online persona even greater. Starting with likes of Twitter — getting followers, integrating Twitter with your blog, gaining contacts — and ending with the potential goldmine that is Digg and StumbleUpon, this chapter will make you at ease with everything Web 2.0.
– Resources, jargon-buster and links: Just like a good blog, no book would be complete without passing the reader on to other places of interest. This section will offer an organised list of online resources, a handy jargon-buster, and links to many blogging related websites to help you on even further.
This is just a sneaky peak at the potential content of this book. I’m convinced that anyone can become a successful blogger if they tips I’ve picked up along the way.
If you are interested in publishing this book, please get in touch.
For more information on the history of jBlog and why I should write this book, please click ‘Read more’:
» Read more: Publisher wanted: The New Blogger’s Handbook
Quite often I find myself getting very irate with BBC viewers. Charlie Brooker 
I was on my way home from work the other night when I noticed my tyres were a bit flat. So I popped into the local garage to put a bit of air into them.
