What's a blog and what's in it for me?

That's what the owner of a B 2 B magazine wrote back when I asked for a copy of his first issue magazine. It was very specialized, but had a large business market. I am always surprised at what is out there and thought it would be an interesting addition to my collection. I wrote back:,

A blog is net speak for "web log," or a diary on the internet. Blogger.com is my host, and it is owned by Google (plain text like mine is free). If you click on the URL I gave you, you'll see very small ads at the top of the page. Google/Blogger supplies those based on the content of my articles. I have no control over that. Because blog entries are diaries, the most recent entry is always the first you see. Some are very elaborate with photos, columns, dancing bears. There are about 10 million blogs (I have four)--about the war, about poetry, about horses, about education, etc.--anything you can imagine. Some people think they are changing the face of information (not me). I'm guessing 9 million are written by teen-agers full of angst and hormones. Nothing in it for you, that I know of. However, your magazine will be in there with the heavy hitters like Oprah and Maxim. Most first issues never see a second, and I wish you a lot of luck! Since you have a very specific niche and market, I think you'll make it.

Mr. Crabby Editor said he didn't want to raise his profile by being in my blog and he didn't care about Maxim and Oprah and he was already in his second issue, thank you. Another editor of a B 2 B said, sure, no problem, and gave me a password to her website and a year's subscription.

Hmmpf. Mr. Crabby Editor must think a lot of people read this! Should I take that as a compliment?