Do It Myself Blog – Glenda Watson Hyatt

In an email exchange several weeks ago, social media strategist Chris Brogan suggested that I put together an ebook from my blog posts to generate some income for myself. Awesome idea!

The wheels began churning. I’d pull the best posts from my first year of blogging here and entitle the ebook The Best of…The Left Thumb Blogger. Adding Volume I to the title would enable me to create similar ebooks in subsequent years, assuming this one was a success. 

With Christmas fast approaching, I then began thinking that I could donate partial proceeds to my favourite charity the Union Gospel Mission for its Christmas dinner fundraiser. I headed to bed, feeling good about this plan.

Entering the bedroom, I heard a voice clearly say, "Feed 100 people."

What the heck? 100 people? Are you kidding? I’m only a small blogger with small blog traffic? How am I suppose to sell 100 ebooks to feed 100 people within the limited time before Christmas?

I proceeded with the idea the next day, with the voice’s words on my mind. Due to some delays because of other commitments and a few technical difficulties, the ebook took longer than expected to create, increasing my doubt to sell 100 copies in time. Once created, the project became a community effort:

• Todd Jordan and Robert Hruzek offered feedback on the ebook’s plan;
• Lori-ann Engel, in her new role as my virtual assistant (!), edited the ebook,
• S. R. Emerson assisted me in getting Mal’s shopping cart playing nicely with PayPal (please let me know if you had any difficulties in downloading the ebook);
• Joanna Young kindly stumbled the original post;
• Chris Brogan blogged about it and then tweeted it;
• Countless other kind souls then retweeted, spreading the message like wildfire through Twitterland.

What happened next was amazing and humbling. People – some friends, some strangers – purchased multiple copies of the ebook. Others, not wanting the ebook but wishing to buy Christmas dinner for people in need, bought me enough cups of coffee (using the link below the post) to keep me buzzing for a week!

In less than a week of launching The Best of…The Left Thumb Blogger: Volume I, enough money has been raised to feed Christmas dinner to nearly 80 people in need! And there is still one more week to go!

How heartwarming is that? Giving selflessly to people less fortunate – the blogosphere has definitely caught the spirit of Christmas!

Thank you.