This afternoon, high above some western state, I took a moment to review Disruptive Thoughts. I spend a decent amount of time on it every week and I wanted to reassess to ensure that it still brought value and was moving in the right direction.
If you’re interested, here’s what I concluded.
A major goal of this project was to improve my writing. There’s been good progress on this front. While my ability to articulate ideas has improved, I’m still far from happy with the time it takes me to write some posts. This is a new goal of mine. If you have any tips, I’d love to hear them. (What says you Brian? Liz?)
Traffic has increased month over month and feed subscriptions continue to climb steadily. Not exponentially, just boring old linear advancement. While nice, the growth of these metrics has never been a goal of mine. I’ve been more interested in increasing the conversation occurring via Disruptive Thoughts – and with this I’ve had good success. I continue to be blown away with the number of great people that I’ve been able to connect with thanks to this site. Very cool. If you’re a regular reader and haven’t dropped me a line yet, take a moment to say hello… I’d appreciate hearing from you.
Lately I’ve been studying more of the theory of start-ups and early-stage companies than the past 6 months. If these boring thoughts start to enter posts, taking my focus away from exploring start-up strategies through non-traditional and indirect means, well, you’re just going to have to deal with it 
Some things that may be interesting:
- I was picked up by the Boston Globe’s website the other week. Kind of neat.
- After receiving a number of requests for consulting I took a few opportunities to point out that I wasn’t interested in being a consultant. After that, the number of requests immediately increased.
- A few weeks ago I won my first blogging award.
- On a regular basis I get emails from PR type companies asking me, indirectly, to pimp something. I get a lot of requests to listen to new music. This is a nice perk – it’s cool that new music is searching me out - and each of these requests get a listen. Remaining credible to you is everything, so rest assured that I’ll only pass along what I like. Same goes for web sites and services. If I ever get a big product to test (I check my mailbox every morning Ed) I’ll be sure to pimp it every chance I get, lauding the positive traits, spinning the negatives, and turning my entire audience into consumer zombies who purchase and proselytize your product
- I’ve realized that the way that I consume stuff has been altered by blogging.
- Number of inbound links is anemic relative to other metrics, which I’m fine with. Just an observation that I’m trying to explain in my head.
- A blogroll has been glaringly missing since day one. I don’t want to mundanely toss a list up – that’s boring and doesn’t do justice to what the people on it deserve. I have a few ideas. Stay tuned.
So a few short-term things to work on and some things to think about. But I’m happy with the value that Disruptive Thoughts brings me.
The time it takes to write a quality post (or anything else) is a tough one. Sometimes, I know exactly what I want to say, and yet I struggle to make it come together. Other times, I have an idea while standing in line at Starbucks, and I just sit down and bang out 800 words that just seems to flow. I know that’s probably not what you wanted to hear, but that’s the reality for most everyone I suspect.
I can understand that. But what about tips in general? To improve the post writing processes should one have: time constraints? an outline? ……..
The time it takes to write a quality post (or anything else) is a tough one. Sometimes, I know exactly what I want to say, and yet I struggle to make it come together.
Other times, I have an idea while standing in line at Starbucks, and I just sit down and bang out 800 words that just seems to flow.
I know that’s probably not what you wanted to hear, but that’s the reality for most everyone I suspect.
I can understand that. But what about tips in general?
To improve the post writing processes should one have:
time constraints?
an outline?
……..
Fraser, I think the fact that you’re asking deserves a thoughtful answer that’s not expressed here. How about an email? lizsun2@gmail.com I love your blog.
Fraser,
I think the fact that you’re asking deserves a thoughtful answer that’s not expressed here. How about an email? lizsun2@gmail.com
I love your blog.
This sounds like I’m going to email, get a response or two, and then a huuuuuge consulting bill in the mail
This sounds like I’m going to email, get a response or two, and then a huuuuuge consulting bill in the mail
Love the retrospective. I love the site and you have definitely helped me grow over the past few months. I am planning a retrospective myself when I hit the year mark in another couple months (I can’t believe its been that long already). I am hoping to post more and vary my topics a bit even at the risk of getting off the VC/start-up meme. I have to say I am bit jealous of your contsulting offers. I am not in the market to become a consultant either but an offer or two coming from my blog would be nice.
On another note: for all you Chicago readers out there - I am working with Frank Gruber to put on TechCocktail. TC is a free even and will be held for the first time on July 6 here in Chicago (and quarterly thereafter). Our goal is to bring VCs, entrepreneurs, technologists and other business professionals together to form a community like the one in Silicon Valley. The site has all the details and RSVP info - TechCocktail.com. Fraser - are you going to be in Chicago around then? If so, I’d love to have you at the event and we could possibly fit in a baseball game too!
Love the retrospective. I love the site and you have definitely helped me grow over the past few months. I am planning a retrospective myself when I hit the year mark in another couple months (I can’t believe its been that long already). I am hoping to post more and vary my topics a bit even at the risk of getting off the VC/start-up meme.
I have to say I am bit jealous of your contsulting offers. I am not in the market to become a consultant either but an offer or two coming from my blog would be nice.
On another note: for all you Chicago readers out there - I am working with Frank Gruber to put on TechCocktail. TC is a free even and will be held for the first time on July 6 here in Chicago (and quarterly thereafter). Our goal is to bring VCs, entrepreneurs, technologists and other business professionals together to form a community like the one in Silicon Valley. The site has all the details and RSVP info - TechCocktail.com. Fraser - are you going to be in Chicago around then? If so, I’d love to have you at the event and we could possibly fit in a baseball game too!
will be partying in muskoka for the month of July. we can hook up. take you the key at bala. My best buddy rob owns it. Maybe we can get youa gig
will be partying in muskoka for the month of July. we can hook up. take you the key at bala. My best buddy rob owns it. Maybe we can get youa gig