Friday Discussion: Self-Publish vs. Guest Post

Here’s something I’m struggling with literally as I write this post – so I thought I’d bring it up for a lively group discussion.

You may have seen me ask the question last night if you follow me on twitter.

What do you do if you’re writing along, and good stuff is happening, and you suddenly think “this might work well as a guest post” – keep it for yourself or find a place it might fit?

I’ve heard a couple schools of thought on this one.

A couple weeks back Srinivas Rao brought Nathan Hangen and Kelly Diels back for an episode on BlogcastFM, and the topic came up.

I’ve listened to and read enough of Nathan’s stuff to know his answer – give your best stuff away.

Same for Srini – he acknowledges he’s “wasted” some of his best stuff on his own blog.

Kelly went the other way, saying she would absolutely keep the content for herself.

What do you think?

I was in the middle of writing a post for Pursuit of Change last night that I think was turning out pretty good. All of a sudden, I didn’t want to “waste it on my own blog.”

Your thoughts, comments, advice, epiphanies would be appreciated. Thanks!

Tagged as: blog, blogcastfm, Blogging, guest post, kelly diels, nathan hangen, srinivas rao

http://artofgreatthings.com Jeffrey Tang

I'm firmly in the “give it away” camp – if only because I've wasted far too many of my ideas by trying to keep them to myself. I guess posting an idea on your blog isn't exactly keeping it to yourself, but it's in the same spirit: the “this is too precious to really give away” mentality – which in turn springs from the fear that you'll run out of valuable stuff to give. I blog because I've discovered that the more I bring my ideas out into the open, the more I have.

I read this somewhere: “Ideas kept in secret are like flowers kept in the dark – they wither and die.”
http://www.pursuitofchange.com/ Mike Tiojanco

Thanks Jeffrey,

The weird thought I had as I was writing the post intended for today was, “Is it weird that I'm going to save this one for a guest post and put something of lesser quality on my own space?”

That's what gave me pause about the whole situation. Love that quote though.

Could also say “Goals” instead of “Ideas”
srinirao

Hey Mike,

Thanks for the shoutout. Since you quoted me on this, I think it'd be ridiculous for me to say the opposite. I'm still in the give it away school. But I will say this. Sometimes I get attached to some of my best work. I like it and I don't want to give it away. It's special to me. If you have a post like that, then maybe you should keep it. Food for thought.
http://twitter.com/kthorwall kthorwall

Mike,
To me, the best option seems to be to think it through – just as you did. After reading the other comments, I think they're right: often, giving it away is the best option. However, if it gives you pause, there's a reason. The reason may simply be because you need to think through the idea of giving it away to come to the conclusion that this one (whichever that one is) should be kept. Or vice versa. If you are getting good stuff “out there” more traffic will (most likely) flow “home” too…and as that occurs, you don't want all your good stuff away from home; no one will come to visit anymore.

Generally, I don't even think I have enough “good stuff” to comment on a post from someone else on their blog…but as I do this more, I see that sometimes that is just the point. Some of my best posts on my own blog have come from a comment conversation on someone else's ideas. So, even if my giving away isn't always the best, the more I try it, the better I get – all around.

Keep thinking it through. Trust your instincts. Be willing to share, but also be willing to keep what should be kept. Keep the balance.
http://www.pursuitofchange.com/ Mike Tiojanco

Thanks Srini,

Still pondering the one I was writing about… but I'll make a decision eventually!
http://www.pursuitofchange.com/ Mike Tiojanco

Thanks Kara,

Don't undervalue your thoughts – you've got good stuff to contribute.

And thanks for the advice – good to keep some good stuff here at the home base for people to come back to.

When are you coming by to hang with the fam?
http://twitter.com/kthorwall kthorwall

soon hopefully. next week begins fridays off for the summer…so perhaps we can finally make something work!

Friday Discussion: Self-Publish or Guest Post?