Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Problogger event: It's all in the interpretation

If there's one thing I love about my job, it's the people I get to hang out with. Sounds strange, given that I'm sitting in my study on my own most of the day, but true. Being a writer and a blogger brings me into contact with all manner of fabulous, effervescent, smart, funny chicks (and blokes too, but we'll focus on the female for today). Nobody gets a writer like another writer.

On Friday afternoon, I spent an hour or so at the Sydney Writers Centre with the team, eating cakes and serenading Keith Urban discussing important things, and then several more hours closeted away with Valerie Khoo and Kerri Sackville, to discuss our session at the Problogger Training Event in Melbourne in October.

We're talking about how to get paid to write - making money off your blog, if you like - and judging by our session on Friday it will be hilarious very useful. A blend of the creative and the brass tacks of business. Much like our team. Picture Kerri doing high kicks on the conference table and Val outlining a strategy on the whiteboard and you've pretty much got it.

Unfortunately, when we tweeted our plan to conduct the entire session in song to Darren Rowse, Mr Problogger himself, he asked for a few changes. Along the lines of incorporating interpretive dance. Which may require an entire new meeting.

What a shame.

Seriously, though, here's a question: if you were to attend our session at the Problogger event (and I sincerely hope that some of you are going to be there!), what would you most like to know?

We'll call it a focus group, if you like. The Fibro Focus Group. Makes it sound very official.

And if you can deliver your question alongside a suggested 'interpretive dance' move, well, then, so much the better...

[image: valentinovamp]

11 comments:

  1. That's a big question Al - maybe the better question is what DON'T we want to know :)

    But I know common themes in fellow blogger/writers is this:

    How to deal with rejection
    How to have the confidence to call yourself a writer
    The different avenues for making money from writing
    How to best showcase your talents on your blog
    What you should be doing to put yourself out there (ie not wait to be discovered)

    Um, that's all I can think of now. Can't wait for the session. Even if I have heard all before, I will just enjoy having you all in the same room and hearing you speak!

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  2. I wish that I could come but living in Sydney and four kids is holding me back : )
    Before kids I was a journo but I wrote what I was told, sitting in an office. Now that I am driving what and where I write I have a few questions ...
    - How to drive traffic to my blog
    - Blog etiquette - we all know what to troll but what else. I live in continuous fear that I am offending someone online because I dont know 'the rules'
    - How to write about friends and family without offending
    - How to make money from a blog without being trashy about it
    - And in terms of freelance stuff ... How to know who to pitch to and what to say ... Im good with the ideas and the writing but not great at the sales part.
    Anyway, that's what I'd want to know. So sad to miss the interpretative dance!!

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  3. *flutters arms and shimmies around the room*

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  4. High kicks on the conference table??
    Please tell me Kerri took her shoes off first and didn't scratch the table surface.

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  5. I would really love to know all about blog etiquette too. Hopefully one day I'll be able to attend one of theses fabulous events!

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  6. I might have to put it on the calendar. A weekend in Melbourne with the sisters could be a right laugh! So my question (accompanied by a running man move) is this: How to make money on/from your blog without having to do product reviews/giveaways/sponsored posts? Cheers x
    PS Sorry I didn't see you at the weekend. I didn't think you would be too happy to share the tonsilitis/vomit combination we had going on here!?!

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  7. I'm thinking we have another meeting just so we can eat cakes and serenade Keith Urban again.

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  8. if you guys PROMISE to do jazz hands and some pistol fingers I would LOVE to be there. But don't have the money because I can't seem to monetise my blog. OH THE IRONY.

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  9. Ooh, I can't wait to sit in on your session and check out your MOVEZ!

    I'd love you to share some tips on how to write reviews/sponsored posts/advertorials and maintain your own voice.

    And if you could include my fave interpretive dance move of 'holding an imaginary stone towards the sun' I'd be ever so grateful.

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  10. I'd love to hear anything you gals have to say. If I can get there.

    As for the interpretive dance, just channel David Armand a la Fast and Loose and you can't go wrong. Here's a sample:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ1BfI5y91s

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Thanks for popping by the Fibro. I love to hear from you!

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