Blog Republic

Aaron Brazell - The Blogger Interviews - Number Three

by Darren

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Aaron Brazell of Technosailor should be relatively well-known around the blogosphere. He’s been contributing to multiple blogs for quite some time and is involved with writing for a number of pay-for-play blogs. Aaron was kind enough to take part in our Blogger Interviews series. If you’d like to participate, we’d love to interview you.

1) I see you around the blogosphere a lot. You’re writing for several blogs. Do you think that specializing with just one blog is a good idea for most new bloggers?

For new bloggers, definitely stay with one blog. It’s important when you’re first starting to find a voice and that takes time, unless you’ve got previous experience writing publically. The blogosphere is a dangerous place for the “green” among us. The current of public opinion can change at any time and swallow a “green” blogger. With one blog, a writer can really focus on the quality of that source and develop his voice, focus on developing relationships with other
bloggers and really find his legs.

2) What got you into blogging in the first place, and how has your interest evolved? Take us through your thought process from the first time you first blogged and how you felt to the present.

Heh. Well, back in 2004 I was planning on going into the Navy and I was looking around the Internet looking for first hand accounts of basic training, etc. It was hard to find anything that didn’t have the “corporate” perspective of the U.S. Navy written all over it. My goal
was to start a blog for family and friends that I could have someone post my writings too while in training camp (since I wouldn’t have net access).

Needless to say, I did not go into the Navy but at the same time I changed my plans, I was having some degree of success blogging politics just prior to the U.S. Presidential election of 2004. So I just sort of rode that wave and then kept going.

Back then it was much more difficult to write. It was sort of a chore. Now, I enjoy it and even though I have my dry spells (been coming out of one recently, in fact), I find writing to be much easier to do now than it was back in 2004.

3) I see from your pictures that you scowl a lot, and often look “sort of crazy” or sometimes mad. Is this an act to intimidate the blogosphere?

Ah yes. The grizzly sysadmin look. Yeah, you know, I’ve developed sort of a persona on the Internet. I don’t know how accurate it is but I’m seen by many as sort of brash and in your face. Whether that is an accurate assessment or simply the face I put on, the picture of me
sort of typifies how the rest of the world sees me through my blogging. I’m okay with that.

4) I see you’re involved in multiple blog networks. Tell me what you think about a blogger joining more than one. Can they do right by all of them?

My feeling is a blogger should blog wherever he feels comfortable blogging. If he wants to blog for b5media and Know More Media and both sides are okay with that, hey, more power to them. If they simply want to blog for one network as many of our b5′ers do, thats up to them
too. Maybe networks aren’t even the way to go. It’s the ultimate question in the blogosphere and the answer is not 42.

We also know that the answer is not blogging for 9rules and anyone else.

5) You have a son you describe as your pride and joy. Would you tell him to become a blogger? Please explain.

Heh. I’m telling him to be a pilot! And he seems to be agreeable enough on that! It was always my dream to fly F-14s off of aircraft carriers, my eyesight prevented me from doing that. I’d love to see my son do that (and boy does he love airplanes!) but I will encourage him to follow his heart. Hopefully that will include blogging. And flying. Hopefully not at the same time.

6) What final words would you give a neophyte blogger? Tell us one piece of advice you wish you knew about blogging earlier.

Determine before you begin what you want to accomplish blogging. If you want to have a place on the net for your friends and family, by all means, go do it. If you want to make money with blogging, determine that from the start and make decisions that only guide yourself to that goal. If you want to be the next Glenn Reynolds, go forth and conquer the world. Just realize that defining success before you begin and keeping that goal in sight is the only way to keep you on course and making appropriate decisions to get there.

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