Some of you are starting to ask.
Well, without sounding coy, that’s where you all come in. As my focus group, I would appreciate your feedback on what you think is interesting/useful/appropriate, and its obverse (did I use that correctly?)
The objective, of course, is to promote my book, make it “discoverable” in cyberspace for as many potential readers as possible. The theory is that if people are drawn, somehow, to this webpage, and become subscribers or even occasional visitors, they may become intrigued enough to lay out $24 for a copy in a bookstore, or some $18.48 on one of the oneline dealers.
The question is, how to attract and hold them? (The same question we ask about our existing and potential clients in FINCA on a daily basis).
In this regard, as the initial terror of a new enterprise subsides and the excitement about it’s possibities begins to dawn, I am actually beginning to enjoy this process. It has replaced my usual drive to work inner monologue (“$#@*%!!!????) with “drafts” of my daily blog. It’s beginning to feel like when I start on a new book, in other words. I’m living it, and it is living in me. (I know, men will never know what it’s like to have babies, all right, allright!)
So, as my first step, I thought I would make a “contract” with my readers, as follows:
1. I will keep this up for all of 2011, which looks to be a very interesting year for FINCA, microfinance, Washington politics, and me in particular (I hope this book is going to change my life in some interesting ways, which I will share. Will also share my howling despair if it bombs). I can’t promise to make daily entries, as at times I will be a) buried with work, b) in the air, c) groggy from jetlag, d) incapacitated by cobra venom (the snake in the picture actually bit me *) or e) have nothing interesting or important to say.
2. I promise not to intentionally offend anyone. Intentionally b/c I can’t always know what will offend you, but trust you will let me know. And after we go “viral”, if things heat up, I will maintain a tone of civility.
As to the all important “content”, I am counting on you all to let me know what’s working and (snooze) isn’t.
One of you proposed that I use this as a platform to “rant” occasionally.
Please, don’t tempt me.
If I could, I would spend most of my time at Capital Hill with a sign around my neck, accosting Congressmen and telling them how I think they should behave, think and vote. Or, when I am in London, on a soap box at Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park.
I will, however, not shy away from controversy, especially in my chose field, microfinance.
I will try to limit my rants to topics I know something about. (i.e., not healthcare.)
As to my personal politics, you who know me probably know this: I occupy a razor thin band in the center of the spectrum: radical centrism. My politics is the product having lived and worked in over 50 countries of this world and met people from many different cultures, and having liked the vast majority of them. In fact, to be honest, I don’t really see those arbitrary lines between countries anymore: to me it is one world (Sing it with me: “We are the world, we are….”).
Time to knock off for now.
* Warning: I lie sometimes for dramatic effect (but did not in my book)
Rupert