Blogging – My Religion
This post was first published July 1, 2008.
Just got off the phone after a long, interesting conversation with a fellow blogger/consultant/entrepreneur. He had some tips and suggestions and some opportunities to discuss and it made me think.
It’s been a while since I started down this path and it’s been a lot of fun. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned so many new things that now I’m looking at opportunities that are a direct result of blogging rather than of my financial and professional services background.
That, to me, is pretty amazing.
I’ve become an evangelist for blogging as a tool to establish yourself in the mix, whatever, wherever that is. There are risks. Someone might criticize or question your credibility. Someone might attack you personally. Someone might remind everyone what a geek you were in 8th grade…
But I digress.
I’ve added my sister’s blog to my blogroll. She’s a real estate agent (and the south suburban walk manager for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation) here in Chicago, in the historic neighborhood of Beverly/Morgan Park where we grew up. She saw what I was doing and said, “Hey! I can do that too.” And she did. With a job, a family and all the other pressures modern families are under, she’s doing it – writing about the community we love and the people we know.
So, if you’ve ever wanted to put your stuff out there, tell your story, be judged on what you know, not what box you may have found yourself in…
Just do it. It’s not hard. It’s pretty forgiving. It’s neat.
Love this song, this post, and the full feed. Ms. McKenna, you rock.
Thanks Sis!I am still trying to pronounce it properly. Here on the Southside they call it a “blahhhg.” It’s still a work in progress as is everything in life. Thanks for your help, inspiration and you know all the rest! Love ya! M.A.
@Bart Thanks. Call me Fran. Almost everyone does.
And to everyone, do tollow the @retheauditors on Twitter. I started a month or two ago and I wish I’d done it before. I can’t read everything (wish I had the bandwidth) but it is a superb filter on news and trends. I get pretty much my whole financial worldview in just @retheauditors, @yvessmith and @FTAlphaville — just those three. Saves ages wading through the MSM (and you’d still miss what’s really important). They’re all slightly different of course. But without @retheauditors a huge chunk of important stuff wouldn’t get noticed. That’s before I even start on your origional content Francine.
Going back the main point of the post, even if you don’t feel up to actually blogging, get out and participate on a Discussion Forum. I can guarentee there’s one on a subject close to your heart. I moderate and participate in one on a specialist medical condition. Believe me, you get back what you put in with interest.
Cheers, Clive
Francine,
This post is still as relevant as when you first posted it. I am often surprised by people that I meet that want to be know for their intellectual property, but do very little to demonstrate their ability. With today;s tools, it is easy for anyone get published and get visibility.
Thanks for the reminder, and all the great posts.
hscohen
@hscohen
Thank you so much. I forget sometimes some of the things I have written. I am going through to create more mini e-books and I found this one. I’m glad you liked it. 🙂
@Clive
Participating in Discussion forums or becoming a regular commenter on specific blogs is also very useful if you want to get noticed for your interests and aptitude, subject matter expertise. With regard to regular commenting, I would make a few suggestions:
1) Pick select blogs that consistently write about things you are interested in and have complementary expertise.
2) Be selective with your comments. Make people start to anticipate your comments based on your selectivity and choosiness.
3) Be brief. If you want to write more than a few words, start your own blog or ask to do a guest post! 🙂
4) Put your name on it. Being anonymous allows you to be cheeky. To be valued and recognized, however, people need to see your remarks in context.
fm
@Clive
I hope I am following you back on Twitter! Please send me an email or a tweet if I missed you.
fm
I am really glad I read this post.
I decided to go to grad school for accounting after obtaining a BS in anthropology because I was drawn to the regulatory and ethical aspects of the profession, as well as the impact to which accounting can impact society, plus I have always loved math (unfortunately accounting seems to suck all the fun out of math for me now). I finished my degree as the economy collapsed, and started my career in advisory at GT as the country plunged into recession (moved to a regional firm after three years).
I have a lot of concerns about our ability to regulate accounting/control practices, the effects of the difficult political climate, and even the accounting profession itself, which have left me with a lot of pent up desire to engage in some writing and substantive discusion, but I haven’t really been sure how to go about it. I recently joined Twitter, and it has only exacerbated that desire – my thoughts do not translate to 140 words very well at all.
I’d appreciate any recommendations you might have on any good accounting/policy forums/blogs. I also really enjoy following you on Twitter, by the way.
@CharlotteJacobs
Hi Charlotte, thanks for your comment. What is your Twitter name so I can make sure I am following you back?
I think there are a lot of great blogs for accountants and auditors now even though there weren’t so many when I started.
Grumpy Old Accountants
Going Concern
Jim Peterson’s re:Balance
Dennis Howlett’s AccmanPro http://www.accmanpro.com/
Professor Albrecht’s The Summa
Professor Shaub’s BottomlineEthics.com
For Canadians, “Krupo” does A Counting School http://steeplemedia.com/blogs/krupo/default.aspx
Adrienne Gonzalez of Going Concern also does Junior Deputy Accountant http://www.jrdeputyaccountant.com/
Professor Mark Holtzman’s Freaking Accountant
Tom Selling’s The Accounting Onion
Sharon Gubinsky’s Gubinsky’s CPA Blog
CPA Success form the Maryland CPA Association
Joel Unger’s SEC Auditor
Professor Gillis’ China Accounting Blog
IIA CEO Richard Chamber’s Blog http://www.theiia.org/blogs/Chambers/
That’s just few and all of them will point you to others based on your interests.