As I write this review, I will admit a little smirk on my face in light of the title of this particular book and the nature of this particular medium of communication.

Here’s the irony – it’s a review of a book about making money at blogging….on a blog. Shame on me.

This was a book that I’ve been eyeing for awhile and finally picked up and dove into. I’ve been a “blogging dabbler” up till now. I’ve had big dreams of getting more involved in blogging but until I make a more committed plunge, I won’t claim to be anything near a professional (or even regular) blogger.

After reading this book by two of the more well-known pioneers of turning blogging into a profession (Darren Rowse of ProBlogger.net & Chris Garrett of chrisg.com) – I do feel like I’ve been able to get a better grasp on what makes professional blogs and those that write for them tick.

The biggest thing I’ve taken from this is the need for two things…

1. FOCUS
Without focus, a professional blog is nothing more than a personal journal which isn’t a bad thing, but not something that is likely to generate a great following and significant revenue. (as a side-note, this blog lacks the sort of “focus” that I’m referring to – this particular blog is a random collection of things that come to mind)

2. A PLAN OF “ATTACK”
No, there will be no Normandy or Iwo Jima moments but there must be an ongoing battle for attention. Before setting out, a plan involving many “fronts” will be required. From commenting on other blogs, to link sharing, directory listings, SEO, etc…there isn’t just one way to acquire readers. Of course, for all these efforts to work – you must be providing good content.

While these strategies aren’t really applicable to this particular blog, which is more fun than “work”, there are strategies I plan to implement on my other budding blog resources.

“ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income” (Darren Rowse, Chris Garrett)

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