Blogging For Dummies III: Look for it in 2010!

I did something pretty exciting this week: I signed a contract to write the third edition of “Blogging For Dummies!”

“Blogging For Dummies, 2nd Edition” came out in January of 2008. Shane Birley was my co-author, and we had a lot of fun (there was also some stress) in working through the book. We really poured as much knowledge as we could into the 368 pages of the book, but you can never cover everything. Doing a third edition is going to give us a chance to respond to the feedback we have received from readers, and to get even more great information into the book. So much has happened in the blogosphere in the year and a half since the second edition was published!

The third edition will be published in January 2010, and I’ll let you know as soon as it is available to pre-order on Amazon.com. In the meantime, we’re about to embark on the writing part of the job, so if you have any suggestions for things that simply must be part of the third edition, or that we got wrong or missed the first time, leave a comment and let us know! This is a great chance to shape how the book comes together so that it is exactly the resource your need!

There was some other exciting “Blogging For Dummies” news in the last couple of weeks: I received copies of “Blogging For Dummies, 2nd Edition” that looked a little odd. Turns out the book has been translated into Italian! “Blog per negati” is what the book is titled in Italian. It’s pretty fun to see it, even though I don’t speak Italian myself. There is also a “Blogging fur Dummies” (German).

Explore the Ball Possibilities with AdHack

AdHack (people-powered advertising) wants you to Show Us Your Balls! They’ve created part 1 of an awesome video campaign for .... well, you get to decide!

Here’s the idea: You watch the video then write the script for the sequel. AdHack will actually film the top script and then promote your contribution. Wow, creative control and free publicity. You can’t lose.

Here’s your starting point:

Want to learn more? Visit http://adhack.com/balls.

AdHack founder James Sherrett says, “The brands that succeed in the world of open advertising harness the power of hearing what passionate, powerful consumers have to say. These are the folks who benefit most from commissioning AdHack commercials and advertisements. They have the balls to let go.”

Bloggie Nominations Are Open

Nominate yourself and all your favorite blogs for the 2009 Weblog Awards. Nominations are open January 1-12. You can vote on the finalists from January 22-February 2, and the winners will be announced in March at SXSW. There are tons of categories to choose from, and besides the “Best New Weblog” category the only requirement is that the blog fit the category and have been around sometime in 2008.

Here’s the list:

• Best Web Application for Weblogs
• Best Australian or New Zealand Weblog
• Best Asian Weblog
• Best African Weblog
• Best European Weblog
• Best Latin American Weblog
• Best Canadian Weblog
• Best Photography of a Weblog
• Best Art, Craft, or Design Weblog
• Best Food Weblog
• Best Fashion Weblog
• Best Travel Weblog
• Best Weblog About Music
• Best Gossip Blog
• Best Entertainment Weblog
• Best Sports Weblog
• Best Weblog About Politics
• Best Computer or Technology Weblog
• Best Topical Weblog
• Best Teen Weblog
• Most Humorous Weblog
• Best Writing of a Weblog
• Best Microblog
• Best Group Weblog
• Best Community Weblog
• Best-Designed Weblog
• Best-Kept Secret Weblog
• Best New Weblog
• Lifetime Achievement
• Weblog of the Year