Leave It Behind > Brian Bailey

Last stop...Canada

The book made it's last stop on its journey and its first across the border. Jason Boucher, a pastor at Lifecentre in Ottawa, received his copy and had some kind things to say.

The biggest compliment I can give the book is that it helped me put language to what I have been doing without really knowing why. Language gives me both context and clarity, which are brilliant.

He also loved the Build a Better Blog chapter and the tip to spend a lot of time reading blogs before you start blogging. Here's the full post. Thanks, Jason!

And with that, the Blogging Church Journey comes to a close. I hope you've enjoyed each of these different perspectives on the book. Here's where it landed over the past two months: Perry Noble, Gary Lamb, Tadd Grandstaff, Tally Wilgis and Ben Arment. Thanks to everyone for being part of the journey!

Contest

The Blogging Church is easily available online, but it should theoretically start showing up in local bookstores. Christian bookstores are the more likely destination, but Borders and Barnes & Noble may be stocking a few copies as well.

I want proof.

As much as I love Amazon, there's just something different about seeing the book for sale in a physical bookstore.

The first person to send me a picture of The Blogging Church for sale in an actual bookstore will receive a $20 gift certificate - your choice of either Amazon or iTunes.

You are in no way obligated to actually buy the book, but you are not allowed to take your own copy into a bookstore, take a picture, and leave (you know who you are). And while you're asking around at your local bookstores, you might as well suggest that they carry the book if they don't already. It's always good to have a tiebreaker just in case.

Ready? Go!

Cool stuff coming

Many of you have posted kind words about The Blogging Church on Amazon or in blog posts. I really appreciate everyone who has purchased the book and taken the time to read it. I hope it has sparked ideas and that you've found it truly helpful. And more than anything else, I hope it's fun to read, whether you find yourself agreeing or disagreeing. One of the nicest comments I've heard was from a staff member of a church in California who read the book and loved it. Then his wife picked it up and enjoyed it as well. That makes me happy because I don't want the book to seem like it is written for a narrow audience of male geeks. Whether you are on staff at a church or a committed member, a longtime blogger or someone who generally avoids technology, male or female, I think you'll enjoy the journey of the book and gain a new perspective and loads of information along the way.

Here's the latest news...

The official press release is being finalized right now. Jossey-Bass will be sending the book and the release to a ton of media organizations, both religious and otherwise. I have no idea what the response will be, but it sounds cool!

Leadership Network is about to launch its campaign for the book, including a slick email and three minute promo video. I'll let you know when you can check it out.

Rick Scheibner just posted his review of the book. He shares his favorite chapter, least favorite chapter, and a lot more interesting feedback.

Eminently readable at 183 pages, this book explores the logistics and theories behind the art of blogging. Although it’s written with church communications in mind, there is plenty of information here for anybody who wishes to put blogging to work for them.

You can read the full review here.

Tony Morgan received his copy of the book last week. He hasn't read it yet, so for now you'll have to settle for some cool pictures and his review of the "beautiful blue cover."

I have a fun contest to announce. Details coming soon!

Fast Food

Today marks the end of our 21-day fast! The fast was the focal point of the new year at our church, as part of the series Larger Than Life. The focus of the fast was turning our hunger toward God and as someone who had never fasted, I've been truly amazed at the experience. The fast was essentially a vegan diet focused on fruits and vegetables, while avoiding meat, caffeine, dairy, wheat, sugar, and processed foods in general.

Throughout the fast, I had a completely unfair advantage in being married to Lori, an incredible cook who knows how to make healthy food taste great. She was very creative throughout and really shouldered a huge burden as she researched recipes, shopped at new stores, and found innumerable uses for oats. I think the biggest sacrifices for her were coffee and chocolate. The thing I missed the most was, funny enough, cereal!

Ben participated by having no meat or fast food, and he did a great job trying new foods. This is also the first series where he's attended each service with us (sometimes in addition to his children's service). It's been very interesting to share that and discuss the messages afterwards.

I discovered through the fast that food is a distraction and a crutch even for someone as seemingly uninterested in food as me. It was good to break some habits and use that time to focus on, and more importantly, listen to God. I love to build a wall of to-do's and general busyness to protect myself from things both hard and eternal.

It's been a terrific way to start the year. I'm so thankful to be part of a church that never ceases to challenge us to push forward, go deeper, get uncomfortable, and reach out.

One of the highlights of these 21 days for me has been our pastor's video webcasts. You can check them out here - make sure you start at the beginning to get the full experience. The final one, with just 24 hours left in the fast, is an absolute classic.

Lori has also been sharing her thoughts on the fast in three great posts - read one, two, and three.

Tomorrow morning? Coffee cake and vanilla chai!

10 Steps to Writing a Better Book

Writing the book was a very long process filled with surprising twists, frustrating moments, and, periodically, a real rush of accomplishment. There were moments when I was sure I could write down 1,001 things I'd rather be doing and nights when I fell asleep thanking God for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

Now that it's over, of course, many of the struggles are fading from memory and writing a book sounds like the greatest thing in the world. All I have to do to kill this feeling is mention it to Lori and Ben and see the look on their faces! They have much better memories than I do.

I don't know if or when I'll be blessed to write another book, but just in case, here's a list of what I would do differently the next time around. If you're facing a big writing project, you may find a helpful idea in here somewhere.

Top 10 Steps to Writing a Better Book

10. Get more exercise
I found myself always feeling the pressure of the next deadline and thinking I couldn't afford the time to exercise. Whenever I did, though, the obvious happened - I had more energy and a clearer mind, so I was actually more productive.

9. Allow time for editing and formatting
I wrote the book using a text editor, partly so I wouldn't spend hours messing with formatting. However, when it was finally time to turn in the final draft, I faced many, many hours of converting the document to Word and formatting all of the text to meet the publisher's specifications. And once you start this process, you naturally start editing at the same time because you're reading it in a totally different way.

The next time I would make sure I had at least one full week after I was done writing before it was time to turn in the draft.

8. Have a regular place to work
At first, I took advantage of having a laptop and wrote wherever I felt comfortable. I later learned the value of having a primary place the provides a focus and reminds you subconsciously that it's time to work.

Of course, a change of location now and then is still a good thing. During the last two months, it occurred to me that it might be fun to write at our local library. It wasn't completely free of distraction, but getting out of the house and knowing that my time there was limited helped me focus.

7. Schedule rewards at each milestone
I wish I had planned rewards for significant accomplishments during the writing process, instead of focusing on when the book was done. Breaking up the process into smaller victories (such as finishing a chapter or hitting a certain word count) would make the whole experience more fun.

6. Disable wireless for long stretches
Having wireless internet access throughout the house, at the library, and seemingly everywhere else means that endless distractions are never more than a click away. I would recommend turning off wireless internet access for a few hours and then rewarding yourself with a quick fix.

5. Write a small amount each day
My goal from the beginning was to write 200 words a day, which is a lot less than this post. Even that was often a struggle, though. I always felt a certain pressure to try to get every word perfect - a book is just so permanent. Blog posts are great writing practice, but I don't agonize over each word in the same way.

When I struggled, I would finally decide to skip a day, then another. Next thing you know, it's Saturday afternoon and you have to write 800+ words just to break even. It's much better to write something, anything, each day and leave the perfecting for later.

4. Set aside time for book busywork
I had no idea that there are so many parts to writing a book that have little to do with writing. There are contracts, marketing materials, photos, emails, book design, contributors, permission and release documents, research, interviews, blogging, formatting, and more. Next time, I would choose a day each week to focus on the side projects and take a break from writing. On other days, I would make it a habit to write first, then tackle everything else.

3. Develop one writing process and stick with it
I'm sure this was because it was my first time, but I invested a lot of energy into experimenting with different writing approaches and then transitioning from one to the other. I tried just about everything - outliner software, text editors, Word, and Writeboard. I created one complete file containing the entire book and then saved every chapter individually. I tracked my progress in a least three three different ways.

I think I've found the best system that works for me - a combination of a text editor (TextWrangler) and Backpack. iTunes was a big help in the end as well.

2. Print it out
I doubt many people need to be reminded to do this, but I actually didn't print out and edit any of the pages until the very end. I did all the writing and editing on the computer. Of course, when I did finally print it out, it was a revelation. I was able to see the text in a totally different way and find mistakes and areas for improvement much more easily.

The editing part was actually fun, so I wished I had printed out each chapter as it was finished and made editing part of the ongoing process.

1. Schedule regular getaways to write
After the first month of writing, Lori suggested that I pick a weekend and go stay in a hotel for a night or two to write. I was a bad combination of naive, arrogant and cheap because I consistently resisted that suggestion until the deadline was just one month away. I finally went to a local hotel and spent two days and nights just writing. It was easily the most enjoyable and productive 48 hours of the entire experience.

Writing at home during evenings and weekends is a huge challenge. You are surrounded by people you'd like to spend time with, things you wish you could do, and things that need to done. It's a formula for frustration.

Getting away gives you permission to be selfish with your time and gives your family permission to really enjoy the weekend without having to make sure the movie isn't too loud. You come home refreshed and with a lot of momentum heading into the week. Plus, you get to feel like one of those cool writers who goes off to a cabin or secluded resort to write. It's the best investment you can make.

After all, writing is a wonderful privilege that should be thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated.

WXRT Radio Chicago

I recently spent the day in my musical paradise. Lori and I lived in Chicago for 9 months after we were married. We loved a lot about Chicago, especially the train system (which I actually rode to work everyday), the museums and stock exchanges (very interesting tours), and endless concerts and cultural opportunities. The one thing I have always missed more than anything else was the best radio station I've ever heard - WXRT.

Before and after Chicago, I've rarely listened to the radio. I rarely enjoy much of the music and the DJ chatter, contests, and crude humor is of absolutely no interest. XRT, on the other hand, is better than Pandora at choosing songs to fit my musical tastes and the conversation doesn't insult your intelligence.

Since we left, I've always visited the XRT website 2-3 times a year to see if I could listen online. For years, it wasn't an option and when they added the ability last year it was through AOL and required a PC. Still no luck.

Then, last week I checked once again and streaming is finally available. I've listened for hours already and quickly found  5 new albums I want to get. I will admit that the station trends older and can have a touch of a classic rock feel at times, but they do a wonderful job of incorporating the best new music as well. Even when they play the biggest names, they select from the artist's entire catalog, not just the solid gold hits. If you want to know how unique the station is, all of the hosts are the same as when we left nearly (gulp!) 14 years ago - just a bunch of interesting people who love music and Chicago.

You can get a taste of the fantastic music selection by viewing the recently played list. Here's a random sample over a few hours:

Elvis Costello, B-52s, Van Morrison, White Stripes, Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Reed, Collective Soul, R.E.M., Nirvana, The Cure, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, The Who, Sinead O'Connor, Robert Randolph, Coldplay, Phish, Rolling Stones, Wilco, Norah Jones, Elton Jon, David Bowie, Al Green, Neil Young, Santana, Beck, The Kinks, Eurythmics, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, and Gomez

Plus, you get to share in the cold and snow without actually being there! Listen in and see what you think. And I can't write a post about Chicago without saying congratulations to the Bears for reaching the Super Bowl!

The book visits Ben

The book made a stop at the home of Ben Arment, talented blogger and pastor of History Church in Virginia. I'm a big fan of Ben for three reasons. First, he shares the name of the greatest 11-year old in the world. Second, he loves U2 as much as I do. And third, he's a political junkie of the "Journeys with George was good, but The War Room will always be my favorite"-type.

Ben actually is one of the contributors to the book, so you never know how that might cloud someone's judgment. Here's an excerpt of what he had to say [emphasis entirely his own]:

I literally read this book in one hour. I've never read a book that fast in my life, but it was really well written and covered the scope of blogging without dragging. I'm a bit beyond the blogging primers, which are in abundance at bookstores, so it was nice to read one that didn't walk me through setting up a Typepad account.

Brian knows his stuff, and it was great to read about his connections with some of the top tech bloggers in the nation. [Brian is an extremely likeable guy on his blog; someone I'd love to have dinner with.] Innovators in the church world are drawing the attention of innovators in the marketplace. This book documents it.

I'm glad the book is an easy read and all, but the thought that I took a year to write what someone read in an hour is a little disconcerting :)

Ben goes on to make a great point that the book could have been called "The Blogging Pastor" since there are very few successful church or team blogs. He's right about that - the best blogs are almost always the voice of a single person. This is a good time to mention that my preferred title was Blogging Church, without "The". I liked how "blogging" could serve as both an adjective and a verb in that phrase, and I especially liked the verb version. The publisher  didn't insist on much, but they were adamant about the "the". They thought the other way was confusing. In case anyone is interested or is working on a new and improved version of this book, the working title was "The Miracle of Blogging".

Thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts, Ben. I'm up for dinner anytime!

The first video journey

The Blogging Church has made its way to Virginia, the home of one my favorite bloggers, church planter Tally Wilgis. Tally not only posted an incredibly generous review and the requisite photo, but took it to the next level by providing the first video review! Major bonus points for Tally. Here's an excerpt:

Brian and Terry run the gammot on tools and tricks as well as providing great insight in how not to use a blog. One of the benefits to this book is that it takes into consideration the end users and their varied levels of experience. I can't say enough about how effective they combine basic information with stories of application, inspiration and any other 'tion' you can think of.

The novice will be given enough information to drown them if they try to absorb it at one sitting. The experienced blogger will gain a new perspective on just how influential their slice of the internet experience could be when used properly.

Check out the full post and video here.

Also, in the process of recording an audio endorsement for the book to be used in a future Leadership Network promotion, Blogging King Mark Batterson had some nice things to say about The Blogging Church. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this as Mark is a very busy man - he writes more in a year (books, articles, posts, sermons) than most of us read!

Just read my advance copy of the blogging church and I loved it. Great combination of practical and inspirational. Highly recommend it for beginning bloggers and blogging veterans!

Thanks, Mark!

Order from Amazon.com

Obama is running

It's official, Barack Obama is running for president. You can read the full report from the New York Times and also check out his website. He made his initial announcement via this short video.

His speech is well done and uses simple, elegant phrases. As I've noticed in many of his speeches, he has the great ability to use words effectively and in a way that resonates with people.

I've been struck by how hungry we all are for a different kind of politics.

It's not the magnitude of our problems that concerns me the most. It's the smallness of our politics.

Most presidential campaigns involve a candidate who seems to speak directly to the moment. That candidate doesn't always win, but I would imagine that the Clinton campaign is very concerned that Hilary may seem to speak not to this moment, but to another, far in the past.

I'm very glad the Senator has decided to run. The Democratic primary debates should be fascinating, with Obama, John Edwards, Hilary Clinton and others. It's great to see serious people seize a moment of opportunity, take a chance, and speak with a different voice. At a similar moment in 1995, I wish Colin Powell had made the same decision.

The challenge the Republican Party is going to face is generating similar interest in its primaries and debates, though Giuliani and McCain will certainly provide an interesting and substantative storyline. The Democrats will likely feature both a woman and an African-American with a very real shot at becoming president.

This post has nothing to do with positions, policies, or who I support. I don't know the answer to that, but it's unlikely to be Senator Obama. I love presidential campaigns, though, and especially primary season. It's really the spring training of politics - a period when it seems like anything is possible and a Vermont doctor or business magazine publisher could become president. Once the nominations are settled and the vice-presidential candidates are chosen, the excitement fades and everyone realizes that it's going to be the Yankees in the World Series again. But every once in a while, an unknown governor makes it all the way to the White House and the Red Sox actually win the World Series. The next 15 months just got a lot more interesting.

In stock at Amazon!

It looks like Monday, January 15th is the official release date of the book - The Blogging Church is now in stock at Amazon.com! Anyone who pre-ordered the book should be receiving it shorly. Those of you who were waiting patiently for the Add to Shopping Cart button, your moment has arrived.

Plus, you now have the chance to post your own review. The Amazon reviews for the book are live - your feedback is greatly appreciated! Jim Minatel has posted a review on Amazon and his blog. He provided a goldmine of perspective, criticism and praise.

In the final analysis, it's a great book, one I'm proud to recommend to anyone involved in the ministry especially the 2 pastors at our church I'm sharing it with.

I'm so glad he enjoyed what was my favorite chapter to write, "Build a Really Bad Blog". His thoughts on what is a missing piece of the book are so well said I want to share them here. The book focuses on the role blogs can play in the church when written by staff members or key leaders/volunteers. What it fails to address significantly is the impact of members and attendees blogging. Jim's reasons are:

One, I think the book might have reached an even broader audience by explicitly addressing the when and how of church member blogs. Two, there are more members than staff. Members can put a real face on their spirituality, frailty, humanness through their blogs, things that Brian and Terry point out can help the unchurched be attracted to a church. And as Terry and Brian point out, church staff are already frequently overloaded to the point that regular care and feeding of a blog may just not make their mission priority list. And finally, if you attend a church that encourages you to evangelize the gospel, invite new members, spread the good news, blogging is a great way to do that.

I think he's right. The book would be better and appeal to a wider audience if it addressed this topic as well. I honestly don't know that I have enough insight to offer on that subject yet, but it would certainly be worth exploring. Read Jim's full review here and then go write your own on Amazon!