Today, I'm interviewing one of my favorite bloggers Leo Babauta. Leo is a productivity guru and author of several books and blogs, most notably of which is Zen Habits, one of the 50 best websites of 2011, according to Time Magazine. Here's my interview with Leo:
Jeff: So, Leo, what are you up to these days?
Leo: I recently wrote a book called, The Effortless Life, which I plan to publish soon.
I wrote it publicly — people could watch me write it live, and help edit, via Google Docs.
It was a lot of fun.
Jeff: I love hearing how bloggers got their start. How did you begin Zen Habits? What was the purpose?
Leo: I started it in 2007 as a log of some of the changes I'd been making, and a way to share the things I'd been learning about changing habits and changing my life.
Jeff: You know, the way you approach blogging is different from other bloggers. You don't blog about blogging, like Darren Rowse or even Chris Brogan. You talk about productivity and life and inner peace. Why?
Leo: Readers come to Zen Habits to read about improving their lives, not about blogging. I started an online course about blogging so that I could help other bloggers, but I learned early on not to write about blogging for people who didn't care about it.
Jeff: You've made a living off of blogging and selling eBooks. Is there a secret to becoming a full-time blogger? How did you do it?
Leo: It's not a secret. Create very useful content that helps people solve problems they really want to solve, and do only that. On a regular basis.
This is the only thing I do, and I do it as consistently as I can.
Jeff: Interesting that you bring up content. Where do you stand on the whole “content is king” debate? Is it true or just a cliche?
Leo: Content is the only thing. Everything else is just distraction. This is why Zen Habits has almost nothing but content — and a few links in the side to help you find the best content on the site.
Jeff: I am always interested by what others are finding interesting. What fun and exciting things do you see happening on the Internet these days?
Leo: For writers like me, there's never been a more exciting time. Blogging, Twitter, Google+, and all the other social media all amount to the same basic thing: you can publish easier than ever before, and get feedback instantly like never before.
This has been, and continues to be, revolutionary.
We have more freedom, and the instant feedback helps us to hone our writing in ways we could never do in the vacuum that used to surround us.
Jeff: Do you have any new projects on the horizon?
Leo: I'm going to finish publishing The Effortless Life and see what happens. I don't usually plan very far in advance.
Jeff: Cool. Lastly, what advice do you have for someone who wants to write and sell an eBook (as you've done)?
Leo: Have a lot of fun doing it. The monetary reward is nice, but the fun of writing and publishing it is more important.
Be sure also to focus on the reader problem that you're solving with the ebook, and do nothing but help them with that problem.
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For more about Leo, read his blog and check out his book Focus, an excellent manifesto for a distracted generation (there is a free and paid version on his website). Also, check out his latest: The Effortless Life (affiliate link)
