I’m giving one lucky ProBlogger reader a Christmas present this year – read on to find out how you can get in the running for it…
I was just taking a look through my essential books for bloggers post in which I list 70 books that I and a few blogging friends recommend and decided to do refine it down to the 10 books that I think had the biggest impact on my thinking (on a blogging perspective) in 2006.
Ironically none of them are about blogging specifically and some of the books are actually quite old, but I picked them up this year to reread them and am glad I did.
Here they are in no particular order:
- The Story Factor – a book that I’m currently reading about being influential and persuasive through the practice of story telling. Really enjoying this one.
- Ogilvy on Advertising – written by renowned copy writer David Ogilvy this book has a lot of great copywriting principles that translate well into blogging.
- Advertising Secrets of the Written Word – another copywriter sharing good common sense strategies for copy writing.
- The E-Myth Revisited – a business book that helps small business earners move from building themselves a job to building themselves a true business.
- Lovemarks: The Future Beyond Brands – I always rave about this book that looks about a paradigm shift in advertising and the rise of emotion, sensuality and more in branding/marketing.
- Unleashing the Idea Virus – the first book that I read by Seth Godin that back in it’s day rocked my world
- Tipping Point – Malcolm Gladwell’s classic book on ‘How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference’
- Join Me – I don’t think you can get this new any more but a great story of a guy who started accidentally started a movement and what he learned along the way. This is written almost as a novel in a humorous and easy to read style.
- Don’t Make Me Think – Common Sense Web Usability
- 1000 Most Important Words – a guide to unlocking our “passive” vocabularies and developing a keener appreciation of the richness of language
As an end of year Christmas gift to one lucky ProBlogger reader I’m going to randomly pick one commenter (on any ProBlogger post) to receive all ten books.
To be eligible you simply need to leave at least one comment on ProBlogger between now and 25 December.
Consider each comment to be an entry with no limit to how many times you can enter. Of course comments need to be genuine (ie related to the post, not spammy) to be considered (beware, too many comments too quickly and you’ll trigger my spam detecters).
Wow, good books from Darren Rowse. I’ve been searching for some of those books here in my local bookstores but they don’t have copies of it. I did saw The Tipping Point but it was too expensive. I hope I get to be picked.
Happy Holidays!
WOW – I didn’t quite expect THIS reaction :-)
nice….
I think I comment only once per your posts. You post too quick anyway! Sometimes I miss them. :)
Hope I am ramdomly picked!
E-Myth Revisited and The Tipping Point- Both great books! I read them during college and each have had a profound effect on me.
I’d love to have those books. ^_^ hope it can help me.
Darren,
that is a great idea to bring your readers out of hiding.
Pd
This book prize for comments idea is great. I should try the same thing over at my blog.
Here’s my entry. I haven’t read a single one of those books!
[…] Darren’s Xmas gifts competition December 8th, 2006 by Kamrul Darren Rowse over problogger announced his Xmas presents for his readers. In fact not only his regular reader any commenter between now and December 25 will be the eligible for winning ten awesome blogging books. Darren will randomly pick up one commenter (on any Problogger post) to receive all ten books. […]
this is just going to cause mass comment spam…
hope this comment wins, lool.
Nice touch, and Merry Christmas to you too Darren. :)
I think this is quite a fascinating idea. I’m curious if comments like “great idea” really count as “genuine.” I definitely don’t want to start some kind-of flame war, though.
A couple people mentioned that they don’t have the cash to do something like this. What about giving away a book you already own? Presumably you have some books on your shelf that you have read & found useful. Have a contest like this and give one of those away. Just be sure to specify its condition at the outset. People probably wouldn’t mind, since it’s still free, right?
One final thought – check your local library for these books. I checked for “The Tipping Point,” and our library has several copies (1 available!). You might also try inter-library loan, if your library doesn’t have the book you’re looking for.
Wow! I want to win! I echo the sentiment of David in PA (Commenter #35):
“Whatever you decide to do with the books, God bless, for your service and excellence in blogging.” I am a faithful reader, too!
Wow! Now that’s an excellent gift for any blogger. Thanks Darren. ;)
Chuckle….. the comments so far are a delight to read.
Just the sort of information a struggling artist as myself needs to help with marketing her work.
To the winner, I congratulate you in advance as I know it won’t be me because I am such a newbie to this blog but boy I have learn’t a LOT!!!
thanks Darren–very kind and thoughtful of you
http://www.minor-ripper.blogspot.com
i haven’t read most of those books, therefore i need them. i’m surprised that “Blog Marketing” by Jeremy Wright wasn’t on the list.
Darren,
This is clever while being yet helpful and generous. You teach and I learn.
Merry Christmas!
I’d love to have those books. I hope it can help me to promote myself blog. But I am afraid as a chinese, could i have a chance to win the prize……….
Wow, I’d like that books. I’ve not read any of them, I blog in spanish. But your brief explanations make them seem interesting. I can’t imagine that 70 books. I’ll need more than 2 years to read them.
Well these are great news! Thanks Darren!! :D
What a fabulous prize! Best wishes to everyone, and thanks to YOU, Darren!
As practically always, Darren, your idea is both clever and elegant.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, these 10 books is a going to be one great present for someone this Christmas! :)
Considering that I live in Japan and English books are sold at twice cover price in stores… I would love to win this contest!
Nice list, and also i’m unlucky person, thanks in advance for the book .
Thanks Darren for the generous offer
Just getting (re)started blogging and ran across this post. Thanks this site has helped a ton.
I am familiar with three of the books on the list. Tipping Point, E-Myth and 1000 words are all worth reading. I will have to look at the others after the holidays. Much Peace
I have E-Myth Revisited and it really is a great book, even if you are not in business for your self.
And Darren, if you pick me, Any ot the 9 would do. =) The Ogilvy, Tipping Point and Join Me look very interesting.
Very Cool! I could use some new reading for the holidays. Thanks Darren!
That’s nice of you :) Think I’d need to pick up my reading speed if I were to read them, but I think it’d be cool to get. A few of them look pretty interesting from what you wrote, and I’m sure the others would go down well! May have to get my hands on a few regardless.
Thanks, Darren.
I learn so much here, and know that I could learn from one of those books.
You keep providing reasons to come back here.
Gladwell’s stuff is definitely worth reading! Great Contest!
My favorite among the pack is Ogilvy on Advertising.
Darren, i want to get the books ,i am from china and still a collage student ,i am very eager to reading the books your suggest but i don’t have monny to pay for it ,so if you can help me and send me one of them ,say thank u to you ^_^,and i reading your blog for a short times ,but it’s very useful ,thanks for give me so many knowledges ,best wishes, from a chinese guy .
Oh oh, pick me!!
Darren,
Have you seen the quality of comments drop since announcing this competition? I wasn’t going to say anything at all, but I’m a sucker for books. It’s good to see bloggers taking their inspiration from older sources, not just books published in the 1990s or later – especially something like storytelling.
I continue to be amazed at how much there is to be said on the subject of pro-blogging: you’re certainly a prolific author on the topic!
no – while there are a few that are obviously leaving the odd comment for the competition there has been some great conversations lately.
I don’t know that comment levels are really up that much – that wasn’t really my point – I just wanted to give some books away and do something a bit fun.
[…] ProBlogger.net has a contest running during December 2006 – every genuine comment posted on their blog earns you a chance to win their favorite 10 blogging books! As this demonstrates, bribes are usually a fairly effective way to build community Listen to this podcast […]
Pick me…pick me !!
I have never really thought about books on blogging. Sounds like some interesting reads will have to start paying more attention to things like this.
[…] Problogger Darren Rowse (a guy that I admire greatly for his experience, wisdom and level-headedness) lists his 10 favorite blogging books. […]
[…] Mid December I posted that I’d be giving a special Christmas present to one lucky ProBlogger reader who left a comment here at ProBlogger between then and Christmas. […]
[…] (I’ve been trying to give one away for a while but unsure of how to do it. When I read Darren’s Christmas Giveaway I knew he had the perfect solution.) […]