This is turning out to be quite a job. It spurs me on when people I know and respect are interested - cheers alek. Hopefully I can come up with something you will find useful. I haven't had much time for the forums lately (work stuff / holidays) but will just keep on keeping on with the writing and hopefully knock your socks off.
Thanx for the compliment Dominic - I happened to be taking a break from taking down my 26,000 Christmas Lights (not that exciting to see on the webcams, but I turned 'em on) so I can totally relate to being busy with holiday stuff. Looking forward to what you end up writing - Happy New Year to 'ya.
Geez Louise, bit of interest around for it. There is a lot of stuff to cover so I'm at the stage where I've written a lot, everything I write prompts more so I'm gonna need to cull it down and structure it properly. Anyone here a book editor? lol It's actually going to turn out quite well, I'm really happy with what I've been able to cover so far.
Any book editors here....come on fast and help Dominic here.... we are eagerly waiting for his book...
WOW - here is a brilliant example of how to use the media. An elderly indigenous Australian has announced the media stunt of the year - this will be international news if it goes ahead and will seriously shame the Australian government. You probably wouldn't appreciate as its a cultural thing, but symbolically its a big deal for aboriginal elders to present a traditional painting to anyone (currently its on display in our Parliament [equivalent of congress]). A mark of deep respect. Now, taking the painting back in a coffin and burying it is not only the ultimate media stunt but culturally the most damning action possible. Aborigines betrayed: Yunupingu "We will unhook the painting that I and other indigenous leaders painted, lift it into a traditional log coffin and return it to Barunga, where we will hold a sorry funeral ceremony," Mr Yunupingu said. "We will dig a hole and bury it. It will be a protest but I also hope that it can represent a new start for Aboriginal people." full article - Sydney Morning Herald This guy is a highly respected commentator. So he could have done a press release and said whatever he wanted about how he was pissed things were going badly and what the issues were - it would have still been published. By announcing that he will do something symbolic and embarrassing for the government means the story can grow legs and become international news. Culturally, what he is doing is what aboriginals call a 'shame job' which is basically a public shaming (ultimate humiliation for a wrong doer). Media wise he has hit some key factors that make a story very newsworthy: New + Unique + Conflict + Consequence + Great Visuals = BIG STORY. I'll cover in more depth the elements of what makes a story newsworthy and why, but there are a few elements to wet your appetite.
I see Matt Cutts has said that links from PRweb press releases are of no seo value in google: via se-roundtable forum.
Here is an update for anyone interested: I've edited it back to 17,000 words but have more to cover so it will probably be around 20,000 words when it's done. It has helped that I haven't had daily net access this past month so have had more time. Disclaimer: Trees were harmed while editing the draft (but no puppies). Realistically I see it available at the end of March as I want to get some journalist friends to do some editing too then of course some people here too.
Hi Dominic - sounds like a very interesting topic indeed. If its not too late I'd like to be added to your list also.
Dominic, Please add me to the list of interested - and appreciative - parties that would like to receive a copy. Regards, FlyinBlind
Sorry for the delay folks. I had to shelve this for a bit as my personal time to work on stuff like this has been limited by demands from my 'day job.' Having left the manuscript for a while I think I have a better sense of it, from reflecting more, so have a lot to add. Also I have been able to get some top shelf experts to privately review my draft and they posed some good points that I need to work on. So yes: 1. more work needs to be done 2. I'm still chipping away at it Anywho, shout out in this thread if you are interested and hopefully I'll be able to get it to you soon.
Cheers Cyclops. This thread is 163 days old today, so I feel like a bit of an ass not delivering in the time I had hoped to. Something I haven't worked out yet is how it might sit with journalists I've worked with and need to keep good relationships with. Their relationships are more valuable to me than helping other webmasters, even if it was an ebook or something. I'm still going to do it (geez I've spent so long writing the damn thing) but I've got to work out how not to piss them off basically as they and I both know friendships are part real and part professional give and take based on what they want and what I want... but a bare naked narrative about how to manipulate them... I've just gotta work out how to do it in a way that they won't blacklist me in revenge. Anyway, I just hope people don't think I've put it out there then held it back. As I have said, it's on it's way, just please don't think I'm an ass because I said I'd do something and it's taken me a whole lot longer to deliver.
Don't sweat it - Google has made us all accustomed to waiting for great things with its sandbox. Heck.. take another 12 months or state you may never finish it. We will still all wait with high hopes! Pete