I don’t know Guy Kawasaki. But I’d heard enough about him to add his new blog to my RSS reader right away. In the Valley Guy’s reputation as a VC is someone who’s off the wall, funny, and deadly wise. I saw him moderate a panel once (back when I was excited about going to panels) and he was disarmingly self-deprecating, a smart move.
Alas, his early days of blogging show that he hasn’t learned the lessons of other dead VC blogs like Allen Morgan of Mayfield or Robin Bordoli of Mobius. If Guy isn’t careful, he’ll follow some sure-fire practices that are bound to prompt him to give it up:
- Always give advice. There is plenty of entrepreneurial advice out there. We don’t need more "how-to’s."
- Corollary to #1: Wax advice in a Top 10 list. Spare us.
- Long posts. Guy said he spent 90 minutes on his Top Ten Lies of VC’s post. This is not sustainable. Besides, in blogland people don’t like reading long posts anyway.
Some suggested course corrections:
- Be personal.
- Be brief.
- Stop giving blatant advice. Tell stories, where lessons are implicit.
Note: Jeff Jarvis posted a similar observation this morning. I did a draft of this post earlier and am only now publishing it. Goes to show in blogland, every minute counts!
Hello Ben,
I’m a regular reader of you blog, and was very surprised today to be browsing another site I visit religiously and see a comment that might be from you on it. It’s a Disney related site….I’m a big Disney fan.
It’s http://www.jupelo19.com and if you click on the blue comments box, there is a comment in there from a “bigben”, and the content of it sounds like something you might have the guts to say.
Was that you? Are you a Disney fan? Just curious.
Tim: thanks for the note. I did not leave that comment. Any comments I leave I sign “Ben Casnocha” (though I suppose someone else could also write my name…)
It’s kind of interesting to hear you suggest to Kawasaki that he avoid long blog posts. How long was that “formal book review” you just posted? 🙂 🙂 🙂
Ron – true, but I try to alternate lengths. Also, it’s not just length which I’m talking about….
Hi great insight on writing for blogs. Thanks. I’m in my own dreamworld competition with Kawasaki to kick his ass in technorati. I’m going to take your advice to heart. Thanks have fun! Oops, that was advice heh heh!
Candy
http://gnosticminx.blogspot.com/