John Battelle – I’d really not have done anything differently. It turned out really really well and I had no idea where it might go. I’m pleased as can be.
Robert Scoble – If I had to start my blog again I don’t know what I would have done differently. I don’t have any regrets, honestly. Yeah, I wish I had even more time to blog. I wish I could read even more people’s blogs. I wish I had more time to make more photos and share those. I wish I had more time to hang out with interesting people and share their thoughts. I wish I had invented Memeorandum.
Mark Frauenfelder – I don’t really have an answer for this. The great thing about being a blogger is that you can change the blog anytime you want. Boing Boing has evolved over the years and will continue to evolve as we figure out new ways to do things.
From Darren – While some might wonder whether they can learn anything from these responses I think they both give some insight into blogging and each speaks of my own journey. I don’t think many successful bloggers really know where they are headed with their blogs when they first start out – I know I didn’t have a clue what I was getting into on the day I started mine – but one of the key characteristics that I find many (if not all) top bloggers have is an ability to work hard but let things evolve.
I’ve got an metaphore brewing in my mind that is a little unformed (please forgive me) – it’s sort of like riding a horse in a race. I talked to a jockey about this once and he told me that good jockeys know when to drive the horse hard and when to let it go with the flow and do it’s thing. Drive it too hard and you can over do it – give it the reins at the right time and amazing things can happen.
Good bloggers have a knack at letting their blog take them where it will take them but also knowing when to kick the heels in and drive it forward under their own steam (mixed metaphors I know – but you get the picture – I hope).
