I’ve been dropping hints all over the place. I’m going to start selling things, soon. I have ideas for products and services and *hands in the air* I’m writing a book with Danielle LaPorte.
But I haven’t asked you what you need.
Inspired by Nathan Hangen’s straight talk about selling (“the good idea fairy doesn’t pay jack shit“), I’m looking for advice about what to sell on my blog from the experts of this blog.
you.
dearest Reader, what do you want from me? What do you need? What would you be overjoyed to buy? What do you want me to create?
trust me – I’m listening. Hard, and with my heart.
I wanna share a stage or a panel on “how to *really* write for a blog.” I don’t care if you organize it, if I organize, or someone else does the honors.
Then light up the effen house.
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Deacon
replied:
on February 12th, 2010 at 9:04 am
@Dave Doolin, I want to see that.
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Dave Doolin
replied:
on February 12th, 2010 at 6:16 pm
@Deacon, yeah, you should be in on this as well. You have the chops for it.
Let’s start planning out some triangulation.
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Kelly Diels
replied:
on February 12th, 2010 at 6:23 pm
@Dave Doolin, Deacon, I’m sooooo interested in a bizarre love triangle.
Or a business venture. I’d be okay with that, too. I guess.
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aha! ebooks? e.g., “Arousing Passion – and Comments – from your Readers”?
Blog “makeovers” – perhaps by auction, once per month – post reviewing bidder’s blog, focusing on YOUR areas of expertise (e.g., voice, authenticity, passion, sexiness, etc. – or perhaps design, layout, etc. w/ pasted on changes), making suggestions to up the blog’s appeal – and open to comments from readers.
Or – even more girlie – “sleepovers,” i.e., Kelly-camp, w/ limited seating virtual camp, everyone at camp gets to learn from everyone else about being passionate and real. But what happens at camp stays at camp.
etc.
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Kelly Diels
replied:
on February 12th, 2010 at 6:17 pm
@ami | 40daystochange, I do believe you are my new branding consultant.
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Kelly,
Thanks
The highest honor someone can pay me is saying I made them think.
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Kelly Diels
replied:
on February 13th, 2010 at 9:52 am
@Nathan Hangen, awwwwwwwwwww. And you’re so right.
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I love this – I definitely think you could create a series of instructional, but fun, exciting and provocative e books on how to write in your own voice…really dig deep and make it happen – your voice is so unique and so YOU – I think others would love to figure out how to tap into theirs more…
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Kelly Diels
replied:
on February 12th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
@Laura Cococcia | The Journal of Cultural Conversation, I like this idea. I have no idea how to execute it, but it is a gorgeous challenge. I’m going to stew on it. Thank you.
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I second all of the above. How did you grow your blog and keep your unique voice and also balance life with kids? That’s what I want to know — and detail the steps you took to get to where you are now, quitting your day job to write — that’s what I would like to know!
Heidi
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Kelly Diels
replied:
on February 12th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
@Heidi Howes, OK! This is good stuff. Thank you for the suggestion, Heidi. I appreciate it.
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I’d love to see an ebook like “Arousing Passion” like Ami said … and maybe an ebook based on how to go from pornification sex to real, passionate sex … a juicy, Kelly version, because clearly that sort of guide has been done.
I’m pretty much all over anything you write about sex & love, because your fresh viewpoint is gleefully mind-expanding. So, thanks for that.
- J
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Kelly Diels
replied:
on February 12th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
@Jess, omigoodness. I like your style. I’d like to write that book. mwah.
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This weblog is being featured on Five Star Friday – http://www.fivestarfriday.com/2010/02/five-star-fridays-edition-91.html
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Kelly Diels
replied:
on February 12th, 2010 at 6:20 pm
@schmutzie, oh my goodness! I’m in some pretty fine company:
“This Five Star Friday roundup is brought to you by a troublemaker, motherhood, violence, fear of flying, the love of a boy, relief, gaining perspective, judgmental attitudes, yoga, the end of a friendship, a grandmother, prom dresses of yore, renewal, alter egos, an amazing sister, fear, mental health, identity, autism, and personal truth.”
Thank you so much for including me.
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perspective.
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Kelly Diels
replied:
on February 12th, 2010 at 6:20 pm
@Paddy, I would love to sell perspective. What do I charge for it, Paddy? xo
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Paddy
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on February 14th, 2010 at 12:26 am
@Kelly Diels, do it one to one by donation? people can be quite generous if you blow open their world
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“What I Know Now” booklet. I was going to do this myself, interviewing people 30-50 for personal histories and writing them in such a way that others might learn from crap that happened to them, and the ways they have dealt (or not dealt) with what happened. You really have the writing style, I think, to pull this off in a poetic way.
You could post the “personal histories” on your blog, and periodically create a booklet out of the ten best / ten most popular. Photography or artwork would be a great touch, only available in the purchased booklet.
You could split the profits of purchases with the interviewees, 50% Kelly, 50% divided amongst the 10 in the book. That might give them more incentive to really open up about sh*t, and perhaps to provide compelling photos along with their story (not porn, but artsy in a way.)
Okay, just barfing on your comment thread. Go, go!!
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Kelly Diels
replied:
on February 13th, 2010 at 9:53 am
@Paul Kaiser, Why aren’t you doing this? It is a gorgeous idea.
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I think small is the new big and more focused, itty bitty products do better … pick a problem and nail it (kissing with class, make your first fifty online, … etc.)
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Kelly Diels
replied:
on February 12th, 2010 at 6:21 pm
@J.D. Meier, that’s a cool idea. tiny products, with tiny prices, getting down ‘n dirty with a specific topic. I love essays. This could work.
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Dave Doolin
replied:
on February 13th, 2010 at 7:08 pm
@J.D. Meier, Violet Blue has this space well-covered. Always room for fresh perspectives though.
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You need to sell an e-book on sex and love, woman. And power. And gender stuff. And art. Seriously. You are morally obligated to continue to bring your hot-pink (and I’m not talking pastel meek and mild pink, but spirited insouciant fuck-you HOT-pink) perspective to the world. Especially the world of bloggers and people who buy stuff from bloggers. Write a guide on how to be a really good bad girl. Who blogs. I’d buy that, and give copies to my friends.
xo.
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Kelly Diels
replied:
on February 12th, 2010 at 6:22 pm
@Justine Musk, hot pink all the way!
Ok. You KNOW I want to write that. mwah.
Thanks for the advice.
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Kylie
replied:
on February 12th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
@Justine Musk,
Yes, this.
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More (ebook, perhaps) on what women really want (as your previous post suggests) and how to write it that way.
I’m semi-lucky that way, a couple of my readers (writing as BJohn)asked if I was male or female.
Being able to switch male/female viewpoints in fiction writing would be a tremendous asset. _Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus_ helped a lot; now how about your viewpoint.
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Just got here…is this one of the “blogs” that everyone is talking about?
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Kelly Diels
replied:
on February 13th, 2010 at 9:53 am
@Josh Hanagarne, why yes, darling, it might be. mwah.
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I’m going with Cupcakes! I say that because this is the first post I’ve read and I don’t know much about the site yet, so I figured cupcakes are something everyone enjoys.
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I’m totally with Heidi, above. I’d love to know more about how you grew your blog, and how you balance life and all its demands with the work necessary to build a great blog. And maybe some info on how you deal with the occasional writer’s block and lack of motivation, if, in fact, you ever deal with either of those things. : )
And also, as Heidi mentions above, the steps you took to get to where you are now, quitting your day job to write, etc.
In the meantime, I’ll continue read your blog, and enjoy every sandwich, uh, make that, “enjoy every post.” (channeling Warren Zevon there for a minute)
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Dude, I don’t know how to say this without lots of innuendo, but I want lots of your writing, so if it’s an e-book, please make it way too long, so I can spend some time with it.
None of this concise shit.
Only selfishly so I can hang out with you.
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