Not To Be Trusted With Knives - Latest Comments in Pitch My Blog

Re: Pitch My Blog

AOM — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:06:52 -0000

Haha! You wrote that! See sidebar pic caption.

Re: Pitch My Blog

Tod Maffin — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:12:13 -0000

"Pants."

Re: Pitch My Blog

Raul — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:31:18 -0000

Beth's blog is the online repository of the crazy thoughts of a fashionable, funny, science-y, geeky, sporty and social gal. Often showing an extreme amount of wittiness, it can also contains items that may (potentially) be serious in real life.

Summary enough?

Re: Pitch My Blog

Beth — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:28:34 -0000

@AOM - Wow, that's much better saying my blog is about "my science-y brain thoughts," which is the best I've come up with so far.

@retrocactus - Great idea! It's on Twitter now!

@Dan - Extra points if you can play 'avoid the advisor' WHILE reading my blog!

Re: Pitch My Blog

Dan — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:26:14 -0000

To paraphrase Eggers, you could say that your blog is a heartbreaking blog of staggering blogginess.

Although, personally I consider your blog one of the favourite PhD procrastination tools available. It ranks up there with PhD comics, crackbook, constant email checking and playing 'avoid the advisor'.

Re: Pitch My Blog

retrocactus — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:14:05 -0000

Make your pitch fit into a Twitter post....TwitPitch!

Re: Pitch My Blog

AOM — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:02:16 -0000

"It's about my experiences as a freelance scientist, educator, artist, model and social engineer."
Then you could add "And my groovy readers."
But that's up to you. :)

Re: Pitch My Blog

Beth — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:25:59 -0000

Hmmm... I was thinking of it more in terms of pitching my blog to individual readers, like just people I meet there, rather than business. Unless you think someone would be willing to pay for my savvy and charming observations on modern times?

Re: Pitch My Blog

Demonweed — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 03:57:56 -0000

Perhaps it is acceptable to be flexible here . . . even a little improvisational. Consider the recipient of the pitch. Then contextualize a facet.

@science editors, "Candid reflections on higher education flow through the course of a blossoming career. Commentary on science issues of the day mingles freely with all manner of personal anecdotes."

@culture (trend) editors, "Savvy and charming observations on modern times are framed against the backdrop of academic life. An eclectic mix is subject to constant change."

@Canadian Prime Ministerial history editors, "Are you sitting down? Have I got the blog for you . . . "

Presumably the idea behind a pitch is a business context rather than an appeal to individual readers. The advantage of having little apparent focus is that a case can be made for a wide range of possible foci. The most basic Jedi mind tricks can then make that appealing focus the center of attention during the conversation that follows. Beware of getting completely defined by one facet, but be confident in presenting the one that generates a sparkle in the eyes of prospective collaborators.

Also, be prepared to field questions about the title. If there is a specific incident you are willing to disclose, find a charming way to tell the tale of it. If not, think through a response that exploits mystique. Of course, there is more to life than business -- perhaps the best way to go is to share several mutually exclusive and entirely fanciful tales just for the fun of that experience.