One day, Chuck had a big idea. His idea, borne, I’m sure, partly out of his own experiences, aimed to help other bloggers who’d been where he’d been: Bloggers who were writing great content but had few readers. He knew there were thousands, millions, of people out there who needed a solution to this problem. I can tell you one thing: Chuck’s not the only one who’s ever identified this problem. He’s probably not the only one who ever had an idea of how to solve it.

But Chuck did what most people never do. He didn’t just see a problem and come up with a solution.

He moved past the fear and did something about it.

We Need Chuck to Lead Us

Chuck Westbrook’s story is a great one, undoubtedly. In fact, it’s unfolding right as we speak. It’s exciting to be a part of a movement like this. The motion it creates is undeniably exciting. The potential is extreme. He has the ability to touch so many lives, to help so many people. It’s incredible. It’s inspiration. It’s real.

What’s even more amazing is that this story isn’t about Chuck promoting Chuck, or his blog, or his ideas. Even though he’s happened to have done a brilliant job at that as he went along.

No, what Chuck has done is what all great leaders do. He has lived out, whether he knew it or not, one of my favorite passages of a new book I love, that says this: “Leaders who set out to give are more productive than leaders who seek to get.”

In case you haven’t read it yet, the book I’m quoting here is none other than marketing guru Seth Godin’s new book about leadership, Tribes. I could write a book-long review of Tribes and post it here for you to devour. I’ve already reviewed it for my company’s newsletter that will go out to about a quarter of a million business people. I hope they all buy a copy of this book and love it. I hope it challenges, too, in a deep and meaningful way. Because it’s a masterful work not just about breaking through normal or pushing past the status quo, but about the pure empowerment that each of us has in our current world to really create change.

A Challenge. Make that Two.

Which all leads me back to Chuck. Chuck is exactly the kind of leader that Godin describes in Tribes. He’s someone. Just like you. Like me. Just a guy who happens to have great ideas and great relationships. But who also has the ability to overcome the fear and take the lead.

In a matter of mere days, Chuck has created a tribe. How he did it is fascinating. Ideas and relationships. (And letting go of the fear.) That’s all it takes, and look, you get this huge tribe of people, all motivated around one idea. All committed to one type of change.

So, about these challenges. My first challenge is to go get a copy of Tribes for yourself, and to read it. Don’t sit around waiting for a good time, don’t wait for someone to give you a copy, just pick it up and read it. Don’t worry, it’s a quick enough read you might just have time to read it twice tomorrow. And you might just want to.

My second challenge is to head on over to Chuck’s blog and join his tribe. You will undoubtedly learn a lot from what he has going on there and from the blogs he’s going to showcase. But if you watch closely, you will learn something more.

If you watch Chuck, you will see authentic leadership in action. The real thing. Alive and well and working. Right now. Today.

Okay, so it turns out there’s a third challenge, too. Here’s what it is: Take all this to the next level. Read Tribes, check out Chuck, and then do something. Do what most people never do. Let go of the fear that’s holding you back from the leadership you have the potential for. And then answer this question:

Who will you lead?

Wanna talk Tribes, Chuck, or anything else this post inspires? Head on over to the comments section. I’ll be there. Still want more? Keep up with me on Twitter or subscribe to this blog to get free updates. 

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One of those issues binding us all right now is the shaky shape of the economy. The news is unavoidable. The constant ups and downs in the market has everyone from wall street to main street panicked.

It’s a time of incredible uncertainty, to be sure. A time that will mark our generation. But with that, it’s important to realize that it’s also a time of incredible opportunity.

That’s because it’s more than simply what happens passively to a generation that defines it. The actions we chose, the choices we make, set the course to define the landscape of the future.

That’s where social justice comes in. Because the facts are these: when it comes down to it, in tough times, the easy choice (the one that to be honest, most people will make) is the course of self-preservation. When money gets tight, giving gets tighter, too. It’s a trend many organizations are already bracing for.

But here’s why the issue becomes so much more pronounced: in times like these, there is also an increase in the physical needs in the world around us.

What Can We Do?
Today, I’m joining literally thousands of other voices around the world to talk about the issue of poverty, this year’s Blog Action Day theme. As I’ve been thinking this week about what I have to say on the issue, I couldn’t help but see the very real problems that the issue of poverty face in this day, in this country. Not only are more and more people in need, from our own country, from across the globe, but resources seem to be increasingly scarce.

On a personal level, money is getting tight at higher and higher income levels. It’s a tough subject in a consumeristic society, one so driven by consumption and spending. Of course, the solution to solving poverty is not simply a matter of funding. But it’s a critically important element.

A Matter of Discipline
When it comes to making an impact on poverty at the personal level, it’s critical to realize that it takes a level of commitment. And that commitment requires a level of discipline. For so many in our world, the most immediate way to effect change is through financial support of worthy organizations. And that’s not a bad thing by any means. I support some myself. There are truly so many great organizations out there helping solve the issue, one person, one group at a time.

So often, I think that when it comes down to it, one of the most practical way we can make a difference to end poverty is to lead more conscientious lives ourselves. Leading with an attitude of humility and thankfulness for all we really have. Because we truly have a lot. For example, did you know that those making the median household income in the U.S., are in the richest 2% of the world?

So now, I could post all kinds of links to worthy organizations you could support, because that knowledge is supposed to make you feel guilty enough to want to give. But chances are, you’ve already heard the pitches, know the names of the organizations, because ending poverty is not simply a matter of knowing there are ways you can make a difference. Any informed citizen knows that.

What it’s really a matter of, especially in these uncertain economic times, especially to a generation just shaping our way in the world, is personal discipline.

Do you have what it takes to make impacting a cause worth it enough to you to change the way you think, starting with the way you spend, the way you give? If so, my suggestions are simple:

1- Work hard.
2- Spend less than you make.
3-Invest the rest wisely - and not just in the markets. Invest in organizations that will do good things with your money. Giving cheerfully even if you have little to give has a mysterious way of providing perspective and joy, two things not to be underestimated in times like these.

If you think these ideas sound old fashioned, they are. They’re how my great-grandmother made it through the Depression a widowed mother of three girls. And they still work today, though they may be harder than ever.

That’s why on this Blog Action Day, I’m not asking you to give a couple of stray bucks to a specific charity. Instead, what I suggest may be a radical change at a critical time.

I’m asking you to join a narrative of change, of social justice, that our generation is longing for. Start with the way you think about your money and where you put it. Start there because it’s often almost impossible to do. And then see what happens. Because to create real, dynamic change, you’ve got to get invested.

Creating the social justice that this generation knows is needed isn’t something that can wait until the economy improves.

It’s a real call, a call to action, not soon, not later, but now.

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My DVR alone is a great example. Only a few weeks into the new TV season, and I already have so many unwatched shows recorded I have to delete some each day to make room for the new ones. I don’t even have room enough for all of one distraction in my life. That should probably tell me something.

But here’s the problem: it can be such great stuff. Interesting people. Cool ideas. Groundbreaking programming. Globe-crossing networking. State-of-the-art toys. Thoughtful remarks.

It’s so good, we forget sometimes. I forget. It’s easy to ignore, really. But some of it is just stuff. Stuff that nevertheless fills our lives. Keeps us going so close to 24/7 there’s a sleep crisis in our nation. Solidifies “busy” as the best summary status update for a generation. Keeps us from ever stopping long enough to really get to know ourselves along the way. Or did you never wonder where the term “quarterlife crisis” came from?

So here it is. A simple dare. Three steps you should take now, before you do anything else. Before you sign up for grad school, move, get married, get a new puppy, change jobs. Before you start a new book, plan a weekend getaway, turn on the tube. Do it now before something else distracts you.

But be warned. It could take longer than you think. Especially if you do it right.

1. Stop.
Seriously. Stop. Remove the clutter. Shut out the extra voices, distractions, obligations. Strip down to what really matters. This is no small task. It can take days, weeks, months to really tear down all the physical and mental things we put in place to occupy our time, our minds, our days. Find the really necessary things, and boil yourself down to only them. It takes courage to do this. It’s a risk. You may turn some people off. You may lose a few friends (or readers). That’s ok. It’s only for a time. But it may be the most important time of your life.

The reason it’s important to stop is that it creates a sense of silence that is rare these days. But it’s critical. It may not be a physical silence. But if it is, that’s great too. Because silence is difficult. It forces us to really think. Which brings me to my next point.

2. Listen.
First, listen to yourself. Not to the pressures, the obligations, or even the people who typically surround you. Just listen to you. Find a physically quiet place, a place you can be yourself, and talk to yourself. Out loud if you need to. Write. Meditate. Draw. Question. Listen in every way you can. Tap into your emotional core. Don’t worry, it’s still there. Even if it’s hard to hear at first.

What are your emotions trying to tell you? About work, life, friends, priorities? Spend time connecting with your real thoughts and dreams. You might realize they’ve changed but your habits and paths haven’t. Or you might realize they’re the same but you’re going through the motions, making no real progress at all.

Then, when you think you’ve heard it all, Keep listening. Don’t miss something deeper just because you’re in a hurry to get back to your obligations. Rediscover your voice if you’ve lost it. Claim your own story.  As long as it takes, listen.

Then, listen to what’s around you. First, the people. Your spouse, friends, family. Listen to their energy, their insights. Spend time talking, eating, connecting. Then, listen to the things you do, your obligations, your motions, your distractions. See them for what they are. Some will be valuable. Some won’t. Weigh them. Think. Then, you’ll be ready for the next part.

3. Move.
Daring to stop won’t do you any good if it keeps you from ever moving again. Listening won’t help if you don’t act on what you hear. So take what you heard in the silence and figure out how you want to move within your life. Become intentional about your time. Every day.

This is the most important step. Because it’s about claiming your story, your future, your passion, your now. It’s about re-engaging in the active process of living a fulfilled life and turning your back on the distracted, going-through-the-motions habits, the grass-must-be-greener mentality.
Still, so many people skip this step and miss out. Because it’s hard to change. Hard to move. Maybe even harder than it is to stop. But the work pays in dividends.

So dare to stop, and let your emotion create the motion that defines your life. Live a life that matters. Now, today. Don’t wait.

Stop simply doing. Find what moves you. Do what moves you. Repeat.

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I thought what we had here was a great case of social media brand marketing. To me, all the pieces seemed to be in place. It looked like AMC had been monitoring the Twitterverse for fan mentions of the show to learn who to follow, a best-practice for brands wanting to enter the Twitter realm. They seamlessly integrated their brand with simple character and brand-building dialog. It was simple but brilliant, or so I thought.

And then, suddenly, the party stopped.

Yesterday, Venture Beat reported that the characters had been sent orders to cease their Twittering under the character names. It wasn’t clear if this was an issue of violating Twitter policies, but it quickly surfaced that it was a DMCA action

What Happened to Viral Marketing?
Soon after, the person otherwise known as @Paul_Kinsey blogged about effort. He says that as a fan of the show, when he noticed that some of the characters from Mad Men were tweeting, he quickly jumped on board as his favorite character. The interesting thing, though, is that he says he e-mailed AMC to let them know what he was doing. Further, he says he told them he would gladly stop if they just let him know. Instead, things escalated into legal action.

All of which brings me to the question: why all the ruckus, AMC? Some sites report that fan backlash against the network is likely - even if it just boils down to a grand disappointment. I contend that if so many people were so quickly following your characters online, so many people were enjoying the outcome, why not just take up the charge yourselves, sanction the efforts, and be excited about people who are so passionate about your brand that they’re essentially working for you, for free? What ever happened to the term brand evangelist, after all?

Couldn’t this have been a textbook example of viral marketing gone right? (Update: Maybe it is, after all.)

Is it Brand Identity Theft?
Thinking deeper about the issue, I can see where AMC might have been coming from. It’s frightening to think you may be losing control of a brand – be it the network brand, the show’s brand, or even the personal brands of the characters themselves.

Yep, that’s right. I’m talking about personal branding for fictional characters. Think about it for a second, and you’ll realize it’s a very real thing.

In that line of thinking, could you argue that these unsanctioned Twitter efforts amounted to brand identity theft? It’s not exactly a Fake Steve Jobs scenario, but it’s an interesting question.

Do the Same Rule Apply?
But at the end of the day, these are, after all, fictional characters or a hit TV show. They are not, actually, real people with real lives and identities at stake.

Right? Is it as clear as that, or are the lines blurred when it comes to extensions of a business’s brand?

What We can Learn
I’m still not sure exactly where I fall on this at the end of the day. But, the whole scenario does bring up some interesting points about managing brands online – whether business brands or personal brands.

1) Going online for brand management isn’t a choice anymore. If you’re a brand, no one is asking your permission to interact with your brand online. People are talking about you online. Now. Today. Interacting with your brand. Some will be happy, passionate fans. Others will be angry, negative detractors. You don’t have a choice anymore. That’s the power of the web. Everyone has a voice. You can either join the conversation and interact with your customers, which means giving up absolute control over your brand messaging, or try to silence the conversation. Which is probably not a great idea. (Because it doesn’t really work, and worse, it can backfire

2) Web users are writing new rules. Learn and apply. This whole case illustrates the powerful (both in the good and bad senses of the word) possibilities of the web in terms of brand proliferation. Your brand is way beyond water cooler talk in this world. Fans are empowered by technology, and your brand can benefit from broad-reaching exposure. But branding online is about more than face time. It’s about interaction. It’s about flexibility. It’s about showing your true colors. And though Mad Men has a Facebook account and a blog, this case shows us that the rules of participation are always evolving. Brands have to figure out how to adapt their branding as the rules evolve and still keep the passion of fans intact.

3) There’s a new metaphor in town. Don’t “manage,” engage. To be successful at branding online, the “management” concept sort of slips away. Instead, a new metaphor emerges. Brand engagement becomes key. This requires a new set of rules, rules which brands don’t always control, like norms and etiquettes. It means listening more and interacting more. And it requires engaging in the process of defining for your brand the fine line between letting fans passionately promote your it and letting them overtake it.

What’s Next?
This isn’t the first or last case we’ll see of businesses trying to define their new norms and responses to social media. More and more companies are hopping on sites like Twitter, Facebook, and beyond. Some of them have great strategies. Others don’t. Some simply don’t know how to engage with passionate users and opt to try and apply the old rules instead.

We Have the Power to Help Define
The great thing is that in this world, you can be a part of helping define the new norms. How do you want brands to interact with you? What examples of great social media marketing have you witnessed? Who’s doing things right? Who’s doing them wrong?

Update: The Silicon Alley Insider reports that AMC has wised up and let the Tweeting continue. So the same questions apply, but now maybe we’re looking at a great case of companies that do get it and are listening. Love to hear your thoughts. This will be an interesting one to keep tabs on, but it’s encouraging to see this process move so quickly.

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But sometimes, the smallest things can help literally change the world.

That’s why I participate in Blog Action Day. This year, the focus is poverty. On October 15, bloggers from across the globe will join voices to discuss, disect, and speak out about poverty.

I hope you’ll join us.

Because a really important tenent of Personal PR is that when you have a voice, you can use it.

You can use it to promote things - yourself, ideas, products, people. And you can use that same voice to promote understanding, affect change, and contribute to a movement.

Stop relying on your company’s corporate social responsibility. Don’t buy into the idea that writing a check is all you really can do to make a difference in the world. Embrace your own voice and take up the mantle of personal social responsibility. Speak out. It’s time.

What will you say?

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The Paradox of Jargon
Of course, in the world of writing, we call this stuff jargon. The stuff we say that has very important meaning, but only in a certain context or group or niche, etc. We’re taught to avoid it when writing to the general public. Boil things down in terms that make sense.

But here’s the interesting thing about jargon: it serves a function. It is a visible or audible metric of social capital within certain niches.

Test this sometime, and you’ll see what I mean. Sit down at a table of people and start talking about something, say, a web trend or tool that you’re familiar with. Try it out. Better yet, use the jargon of the trend or tool - jargon about jargon.

“So, I saw that Seth tweeted about Triiibes again the other day.”

What will happen is, you will wait to see what other people do. Does anyone know I’m talking about Seth Godin? That I’m referring to Twitter? Or a new trendy, exclusive social network?

This is a fun game, and hey, it can be useful in identifying interesting people you’d like to talk with. Or follow on Twitter. Or even learn from.

But I see this and hear it happening more and more. And sometimes, I can’t help but wonder, what do we sound like to the other people in the restaurant. Or at the table. Or on the team. Or at the meeting. The ones who don’t know the jargon. Who aren’t in the “club”?

The Real Problem with Jargon
Why do we do this anyway? Is it that we’re so tied up in our jargon that we just can’t separate terms from functionality or meaning or value? When I see conversations like this one, I have to wonder if really, it’s that we’re not always sure exactly what the terms or tools really mean. Or maybe it’s that we don’t always know how to say simply how they’re useful. Or maybe, we’ve gotten so wrapped up in tools and trends and that we just forgot to stop asking.

So here’s what I want to ask you: are your conversations about social media full of jargon or full of meaning? And how important is the balance between the two?

Here’s where the rubber meets the road on this for me, in my job, in my field, in my industry: defining why social media is important in public relations. The tools, the tactics, the blogging, the tweeting, the messaging, really, it all boils down to one simple thing.

It’s putting the “relationships” back in public relations. It’s as simple as that.

Now, here’s why this little exercise is important. Not just so you can describe to your boss or your mom or your client why social media matters, what it really means. Although, maybe you should (then again, sometimes, maybe you shouldn’t). But more importantly, most importantly, so you can remember it yourself. And focus on those efforts and tools and relationships that are really helping you achieve that one, simple, boiled down thing.

Because here’s the interesting thing. Social media means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. That’s part of the beauty of it. It’s flexible and broad-reaching and powerful. But everyone else’s definition is not and should not be yours. So, if you’re going to spend the time investing in the tools, learning the jargon, and becoming a VIP member of the club, make sure you take the time in the process to remember what it all means to you.

Ok. Your turn. Go.

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The thing is, since writing is a creative process, there is no one solution that will cure it every time. But tapping into your creative spirit is a good place to start. Not sure how? Start with these 12 tips.

Finding Inspiration

1. Read a great book. Fiction, preferably. I’ve stumbled on a new author I love, and in the last two months or so, read about eight of her books. Incredible not because it’s voracious (I grew up devouring books) but because in the last several years, I’ve been lucky to “find time” to read four or five a year. I felt guilty at first to be reading that much, with so many other demands on my time. But turns out, my brain craved the escape, and in return, handed me a gift: new ideas, new inspiration, better tone, improved voice. My writing – and creativity, have never been better.

2. Write something else. Poetry, perhaps. A letter to a friend – or enemy. Pen an eloquent grocery list. Type out your favorite childhood bedtime story. Switching up your writing style with these other forms can help you find and focus your voice in new ways. But it will also help you pull elements into your writing you may never have known it was missing: rhythm, assonance, consonance. Character, emotion, detail. Perspective, vision, clarity.

3. Write somewhere else. Go outside. Sit at your kitchen table. Find a quiet spot in a local café. Hang out among the stuffed animals in your child’s room. Face your chair in another direction. Changing where you write has an interesting power. Especially if you pay attention. It can be absolutely inspirational. What might you experience? New colors, forgotten memories, pleasant aromas, startling textures, interesting sounds. Place is powerful because of its impact on each of our senses, so tap into all of them and let your own creative spirit inspire you.

Writing in Reality

4. Take a break. In reality, sometimes, your writing creativity just gets tired. Creativity is much like a muscle: when you don’t use it, it can atrophy, taking time and practice to build back skill, and then develop endurance. But when you overuse it or don’t treat it with respect, you are vulnerable to strains and tears that can put it out of commission until it’s had time to heal. So even if your creativity isn’t broken, it’s important to treat let it rest sometimes. And if it is, give it the rest it needs so it can heal and you can get back to peak condition. But the other way creativity is like a muscle is that there are many types of creativity we all have, so you can – and should – still exercise your creativity, but maybe just using a different muscle, like cooking or music or play.

5. Hang out. Writing can be a lonely process. Writers often tend to isolate themselves, pour into their words, and tunnel in until they find when they come up for air, there’s no one there to relate to. So make sure you’re putting top priority on your personal relationships. But beyond that, have the courage to share your writing process with others. Toss ideas around with friends, or ask for feedback from people you trust. Opening up your creative process to others can be like plugging into a power source. Sure, your ideas may be great on their own, but they may be even better with the help of others.

6. Forget your niche. I have a love-hate relationship with the very concept of a niche. From a strategy perspective, it makes sense to have one topic that you focus on and write about, especially if you’re blogging. But from a reality perspective, it can be really taxing on the creative mind to focus too specifically in one area. Sometimes, your creativity will lead you into other areas, and trying to force it back “on track” is a sure way to shut it down completely. So instead, forget about the niche when you sit down to write. Write where your creativity is leading you. If you let your mind go, you may be surprised to watch where it leads – and it may be right back to your niche, but in a way you never would have thought possible. So, trust your creative instinct. You can worry about your niche later.

Changing Tactics

7. Change formats. The simple act of putting pen to paper is at times enough to get my writing creativity flowing. When you stare too long at a computer screen, it’s easy to lose creative momentum. So pull out your favorite paper. Jott down notes with a colored pen. Get crazy: bring out the markers, crayons, or paint. If you prefer to stay plugged in, change the font face or size you’re typing in. Create a word cloud picture to give your ideas and words unexpected order or form.

8. Write out loud. Have you ever noticed that when you write a story, it often sounds different than when you tell it to someone? The same is true with ideas. When you keep them within your head, the job of pulling out what’s needed can be tough, especially if you’re dealing with a pool of ideas. So find a friend and talk it out before you write. Put yourself in front of an audience and record yourself, and write from there. Talk into a tape recorder. Interview yourself Q&A style. Brainstorm ideas out loud in your car on the way home. Get talking about your ideas, and you’ll hear them grow and develop with your own ears.

9. Apply the 10-minute rule. If you’re having trouble starting, sorting out your ideas, or deciding where to start, stop what you’re doing, clear your mind, choose a focus, and write for 10 minutes. Don’t stop to think. Don’t edit your ideas before they hit paper or pixels. Don’t change word choice or sentence structure. Ignore the wiggly red lines of spelling mistakes. Just write, solid, for 10 minutes. You may find your efforts have taken you in a direction you didn’t expect but are happy to be going. You may glean one sentence or nugget that inspires your true starting point. You may find that you still don’t have a place to start. But trust me, you’ll find something. And any movement is better than the inaction you had before. And most likely, once your creative juices are going, you’ll find your flow in no time.

Embracing Freedom

10. Make it real. Take your idea out into the wide open fields of imagination and give it breath, life, reality. Tell a real story, or make one up to illustrate your ideas. Build metaphors from the ground up using inspiration from the world around you. As a writer, the way you write about an idea is your gift to it, and to the world.

11. Act like a creator. We often hear there’s nothing new under the sun. But what we forget is that this is not a statement of banality; it’s a challenge to use your own senses, perspective, and vision to make old things new. That, after all, is what the process of being creative truly is.

12. Write your way. There are countless tips to help you write better, stronger, more creatively. There are rules and guidelines and tipsheets and stylebooks and on and on and on. This post is just one of those resources. But where the rubber meets the road in writing is that – and how – you apply these ideas. And that is up to you. There is no one formula. No right or wrong. Instead of being held back by that, embrace it. Create your own rules – or throw them all out. Write how, when, why, what, where you want to. Just write.

Realizing Your Power

These 12 tips are just a starting point to harnessing your writing creativity. It’s really easy to write about the problem, to think, to brainstorm, to postulate. And a lot harder to act on it. The funny thing is, the action is what’s important.

The true power in writing with creativity is you.

You and you along will determine what you do from here. So, what are you waiting for?

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I have to say, I certainly am. The problem is, Knol is such a new tool, even though Google’s done an admirable job trying to define how the process works and what a good product looks like, no one really knows what to do with it yet, much less what to think of it. That’s because what will really define Knol is user involvement.

And you better believe Google knows that.

In a world where content is king, Google’s new service simply can’t survive much less become a threat to anything without thoughtful participation from a crowd of established experts. The reason for this is simple: That’s the added value Knol supposedly brings to users - expertise.

Google’s position is that they are answering some of the problems with the totally open Wikipedia format. How? By having experts write the content.

Trouble is, to get as much content as they need for Knol to become a go-to web destination, Google doesn’t have – or most likely even want – any sort of system of checks and balances in place to define or even suggest exactly what an expert is.

The good news is that the beta group of Knol writers seem to be pretty well defined as experts (interestingly, most of them are in the medical field). But Google’s now opened up the service, so anyone can sign up for a profile and begin Knolling away – on basically any topic they so desire. Think you’re an expert at baking pecan pies? By all means, no one’s written a Knol about that yet, so take your best shot. It’s a wide open world right now. An appealing place to dump some time and effort into creating your authoritative masterpiece.

Oh, I shouldn’t forget to mention that Google has solved the anonymity problem by requiring Knol writers to verify not only that they are human but also that they are writing under their true name. Of course, this check may stop some in their tracks. The required info to identify your name includes phone number and address. So now, Google knows even more about you. And it’s verified. Will they do anything with this? The company says no, but time is all that will tell.

So for all your data and expertise, what do you get in return?

The answer to this question is a bit unclear at this point. But, the good news is, at least there’s something. It looks like Knol’s banking on the appeal of creating symbiotic relationships with content creators. You write free content for Google, and if it’s good enough content, you may become known as an expert. But just writing a Knol isn’t enough to win the expertise. The service anticipates (and I would think encourages) multiple entries on the same topic. So you’ve got to write the best content.

So how will your Knol become successful? Also unclear. According to Google, Knol is intended to help solve a search problem. So there’s not really any system of organizing or promoting Knol content right now.

There does seem to be the potential to direct traffic through links. Although there does appear to be a nofollow in place, so you can’t juice the authority of say, your own blog, even if you write a really killer Knol.

What you may get, if you write a good enough Knol, is some cash.

At this point, one thing you’re sure to get by writing a Knol is – practice at writing a Knol. In fact, by jumping in and writing a Knol, you may even become a Knol expert. And if Knol takes off like it could, this could be an interesting new industry/niche.

So, are you already brainstorming the topic of your first Knol, or are there too many unanswered questions at this point?

There it is. To Knol or not to Knol? What do you think?

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More on the Great Knol Debate:

• Is Knol a Blog Killer?
• Day 1 Knol Search Rankings High
• Is Knol Google’s Attack on Copyright?

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Maybe you’re an expert at being an entry-level Gen Y worker, or on the other hand, you’re a Boomer who’s great at being fed up with those young demanding types. Perhaps you’re a seasoned parent or an expert job-hopper. Could be you’ve spent years fine-tuning the art of the elevator pitch or you’ve got the art of flambé down pat. Maybe you’re an expert at marketing or knitting or pet care.

Doesn’t matter. You’re an expert at something, so why not share your expertise with the world? The only question is: how?

If you’re a blogger, changes are, you’ve got a pretty good hold on whatever you’re an expert at. Congrats! Now it’s time to take that expertise to the next level with ninja-like Personal PR skills. It’s a fine art to hone and pitch your expertise. And the skill-set is ever-evolving in a new media world:

• Linking like a master networker
• Befriending top bloggers
• Building relationships through reader contact
• Making your comments section a conversation
• Using the powerful golden rule of blogging
• Knowing what comments not to post

And that’s just a start. Trust me, there’s always more to learn.

Today’s tip can help you break beyond the world of social media and self publishing to dip into the powerful world of the traditional media. Are you thinking, well I may be an expert at how to cultivate beautiful roses, but I’m not PR guru.

Luckily for you, the skills of media relations are also ever-evolving along with the world of social media. Every day, new tools are emerging to help connect people, and it just so happens that one new great tool can help you connect with the gatekeepers to the traditional media: reporters

You can help a reporter, literally, by signing up for this free service that will e-mail you queries each day that you can skim. If you see a request for a quote in your expertise, you simply e-mail your responses in. It’s as simple as that.

So go ahead. Help a reporter. Who knows, you may just end up helping yourself or your business a little along the way.

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