Book Review: Bloggers Boot Camp: Learning How to Build, Write, and Run a Successful Blog
Bloggers Boot Camp is a great resource for beginner and intermediate bloggers. I've been blogging for a few years and many of the advice dished out in the book are some of what I practice, and then there are also new tips I've never seen before.
The authors Charlie White and John Biggs definitely have the credentials to write this book. They have worked for Wired, Mashable, Gizmodo, TechCrunch and other companies. The experience they get are from the ground, from the front lines. Many live examples, so called war stories, are included.
This book is different from other blogging books because it has very actionable and technical tips. In a way, the instructions are actually training you to be a journalist, one that writes online. As a blogger, you're less constrained by the rules, but you still need journalistic skills to make sure that your writing is engaging enough for your readers. It teaches you how to source for stories, how to angle them, and even talk about things like commonly misused words.
This book is quite frank at stating what will and will not work. Your success is directly related to the degree at which you follow through all the instructions. The focus of the book is on creating quality content. One of the main tips is to write 1000 words for each day. It's not easy, but it's good training, and the book has lots of ideas on what you can write to achieve the length and quality.
What's lacking is perhaps the part on monetizing your blog which is a rather short section that you will need to explore further on your own. The book does not promote quick get-rich tips, however it's one that will get you started on the right track and mindset.
Get the Kindle version if you can since the book is mainly text. The page layout with huge blocks of text aren't very inviting. But it's still an easy read because the tone of the authors is very conversational.
It's a great book that I'll read again just to have the advice sink in and break whatever bad habits I have.
This is one of the better books on blogging I've read, and I've read quite a few.
Highly recommended to beginner to intermediate bloggers.
Companion site: https://bloggersbootcamp.com/
Below's a video interview with the two authors.
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