Today, I'm pleased to have Chris Brogan on the blog for an exclusive interview. He agreed to answer some questions that I had, and I think you'll find the responses interesting.

I hope you enjoy and share it.

With the rise of Twitter and other micro-blogging platforms, is blogging on its way “out” or stronger than ever? Why/why not?

Blogging might actually be diminishing, but that's hard to tell from the numbers. The rise of spam blogs (splogs) is up highly, masking the numbers that Technorati reports in their State of the Blogosphere. I can tell you that those people who are blogging as a media outlet business are still going strong. Those who are blogging solo or personally are definitely seeming to slow down.

You're working on a new book with Julien Smith, right? Can you tell us a little bit about what we can expect/anticipate?

We can't announce much on it yet. It's definitely not Trust Agents 2. We're talking about motivations, business relationships, and how to improve one's business prospects.

What one-sentence advice do you have for people who are just getting into social media for their business?

One sentence? That's tricky. Here we go. Start with a goal, such as wanting to engage prospects and customers more, and then work to understand the environment where you're seeking that relationship, by listening before you take action, and finally, be helpful far more than you promote. (It's a long sentence, but technically, one sentence.)

It seems that this new economy is favoring and rewarding the “right-brainer” creative types more than before. Do you agree?

I think that's partly true. I think Richard Florida's book Rise of the Creative Class has come to be a lot more true than it used to be. I think that right-brainers have the problem of execution and steady operations to contend with, but that there are lots more opportunities for people who don't seek to be cogs inside larger machines.

What's the digital entrepreneur's biggest challenge?

I'd say that the digital entrepreneur's biggest challenge is to keep it top of mind that what came before is every bit as true as it was then, and that not all your efforts should be digital. There are real world analog sales and marketing efforts that have to happen to grow business.

Should everyone blog? Why or why not?

Everyone shouldn't blog. Some folks don't have the time. Blogging might not help their particular business goals, especially if their business is transactional. Some people might consider videoblogging or audioblogging. Text isn't the only way to blog.

Who or what are you reading these days that is really motivating or influencing you?

I read ALL the time. I just finished Making Ideas Happen by Scott Belsky and loved it. I just finished Today We Are Rich by Tim Sanders, and think everyone should have it. I've got a stack of about 30 books to read and maybe review in the next few weeks. Who influences me? Sir Richard Branson.

What's one regret you have with regards to work, blogging, your personal life, etc.?

I regret very little. Every experiment and/or every mistake has been something that I've learned from and grown from. I guess I regret the hours away from my kids, but when I'm with them, I'm REALLY with them, so I make up for it.

What is “success” for you?

Success is the ability to say no to whatever I want (work wise) and being able to have time and space to say yes to what matters to me.

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