Ben,
I think if you want to put a quality product, you could aim for a 10-20 page report, and a suggested structure could be:

1) cover page (1 page)
2) intro – instigator blog, ben – bio (1 page)
3) meme intro – why you start it, what it’s supposed to achieve, how viral was it, did it meet your expectations (1 page)
4) edit and repro the content – (include a bio or one or two of the author’s preferred link – sign up to the feedburner/bloglines link or mailing list. (as many pages as you have content for).
5) conclusion by yourself. (can give away a goodie if you have one), or include a list of your favourite blogs, etc. (1 page).

simple, yes?

Ben,
I think if you want to put a quality product, you could aim for a 10-20 page report, and a suggested structure could be:

1) cover page (1 page)
2) intro – instigator blog, ben – bio (1 page)
3) meme intro – why you start it, what it's supposed to achieve, how viral was it, did it meet your expectations (1 page)
4) edit and repro the content – (include a bio or one or two of the author's preferred link – sign up to the feedburner/bloglines link or mailing list. (as many pages as you have content for).
5) conclusion by yourself. (can give away a goodie if you have one), or include a list of your favourite blogs, etc. (1 page).

simple, yes?

I think a free e-book is an excellent idea, I’m all for it.

As for editing out content it’s difficult to say what to edit or not, but I would definitely edit out the intro for where the idea originated (which could be written in a cover page), and removing the lists of those who’ve been tagged. It’s irrelevant to the reader.

I think a free e-book is an excellent idea, I'm all for it.

As for editing out content it's difficult to say what to edit or not, but I would definitely edit out the intro for where the idea originated (which could be written in a cover page), and removing the lists of those who've been tagged. It's irrelevant to the reader.

Hi Ben:

Colleen Wainwright tagged me to contribute to this productivity guide.

When I was retained by Microsoft to be their workplace effectiveness spokesperson, I was asked to come up with some of my best quick productivity tips. The article, “Accomplish More at Work So You Can Spend More Time With Your Family” was created because they wanted me to show people how to leave work at a reasonable time. (The article is at http://www.rebeccamorgan.com/articles1.html)

But the one that I’ll contribute to your guide is one I think many people don’t take full advantage of:

• Redeploy the Troops (Your Past Work)
Don’t start from scratch if you’ve already created work you can reuse, even if it’s just a part. If you need to write a memo, start with the email you wrote to your boss on this topic. You’ve already invested time to compose and craft your message, and spell check. Tweak that work so can save your time.

I can’t wait to see what you’ve created!

Rebecca Morgan, CSP, CMC
Bestselling author, consultant, speaker
Featured on Oprah, 60 Minutes and NPR and in the Wall Street Journal
http://www.RebeccaMorgan.com

I’m sure you’re not going to be short of volunteers for the job, but I’m happy to do cover artwork for the project. 🙂

Not totally sure yet!

One thought I’ve had is to create something myself, perhaps using images that represent each of the writers who’ve taken part in the meme.

The other idea would result in a selection of ‘illustrations’ to choose from – all created by bloggers… I’d then do any postwork required.

Drop me a mail if you like, and I’ll explain the second in a little more detail!

Ben,
How’s the project coming along?
Drop me an email if you need help.

I have a contrary view… and a reason why the book should be carefully considered before it is written.

I think productivity tips are similar to pieces of bright coloured candy.

They taste nice, but they aren’t a good substitute for meat and potatoes (or, here in Jamaica, for jerk chicken and hard-do bread!)

They are hardly the building blocks that one needs for a healthy lifestyle, and too much of a focus on them is, well, unhealthy.

Not to pour too much cold water on the idea… I WILL read it once it’s completed, but you may do well to have a “Warning” sign at the beginning saying that someone should not expect to implement these 100+ tips and, by itself, become more productive.

Please don’t take this as damning criticism…

I have a contrary view… and a reason why the book should be carefully considered before it is written.

I think productivity tips are similar to pieces of bright coloured candy.

They taste nice, but they aren't a good substitute for meat and potatoes (or, here in Jamaica, for jerk chicken and hard-do bread!)

They are hardly the building blocks that one needs for a healthy lifestyle, and too much of a focus on them is, well, unhealthy.

Not to pour too much cold water on the idea… I WILL read it once it's completed, but you may do well to have a “Warning” sign at the beginning saying that someone should not expect to implement these 100+ tips and, by itself, become more productive.

Please don't take this as damning criticism…

I enjoyed reading this post on productivity and look forward to your ebook. Hopefully I don’t just end up reading 😀 and doing nothing afterwards which is what happens with all those Lifestyle magazines that get lapped up by women.