I hesitated when I read the words video book in Steve’s upcoming post “Betting on Yourself, Part Two“. Maybe video? Or video series? But, not book.

What do you do with an author, when he doesn’t do outreach like other authors? You thank him. I don’t always agree with Steve. When he makes a decision I don’t agree with, I nudge him toward my preferred direction.

Last week Shawn talked about publishers selling their own books, via his post Last Year’s Model. I want to see publishers doing more of their own selling—and I want digital libraries, too. Part I: Pay Attention 1998 was the year of You’ve Got Mail. Meg Ryan played the owner of the independent book store being forced out of business by the big chain store going up around the corner. Booksellers embraced the film for being on target with what was going on in the book world. Looking back, right on target would have been a film about online sharing and…

“You need to tighten your boots “They hurt.” “They’ll loosen once you get going.” “No they won’t.”

Whenever I tell someone about Bob Danzig, they’re inspired to learn that someone who lived in five foster homes by the time he was eleven achieved so much—and then they’re shocked to learn that he was with the same company for 40+ years. I met Bob in 1997, just as he was heading into his 1998 retirement from the The Hearst Corporation. Bob started as an office-boy, just out of high school, at the Hearst-owned Albany Times Union. Twenty years later he became the publisher of the paper, and then moved to New York City as CEO of The Hearst…

Jose Bautista joked that he led for foul balls. And then he landed on the Blue Jays’ doorstep. Jays’ manager Cito Gaston saw something in him. And Jays’ batting coach Dwayne Murphy pointed out how to fix his swing.

Two weeks ago, Jeremy Brown asked if going “after the ideas that scare [Steve], because that’s where the remarkable is hiding” carries over to my work. Have been thinking about it since then. I’m not out in the jungle hunting Scary.

Last week I started thinking about recycling as a strategy. Here’s what usually happens when something slaps me in the face: There’s something I’ve been doing, or something someone I know has been doing, but I never consider it. I see it, I know it’s going on, but I don’t put a name on it. I don’t acknowledge it.

Outreach campaigns are like children. Each is different. An example: I have two kids. My son passes out on planes within the first few minutes and sleeps the entire way. My daughter is energized by being strapped into her seat and becomes that nightmare child who kicks the back of your seat the entire length of a five-hour flight. I walk on the plane with both kids. I treat them the same way, but what works with one doesn’t necessarily work with the other. There are things that work with both of them from time to time, but in general,…

Thank you for all the comments and e-mails that followed last week’s What It Takes post. I’ve spent the past week thinking about what I wrote, why I wrote it, and how I feel about the responses. Seth Godin mentioned that Steve’s books are gifts. I agree. Change up the old Hair Club for Men line, to: I don’t just work with Steve, but I’m a fan, too.