Chris Garrett is a professional blogger, Internet marketing consultant, writer, coach, trainer and web geek. You might know him from such sites as ASPToday, ASPAlliance, Threadwatch, Performancing, ProBlogger, and CopyBlogger. Most recently Chris started posting blog tips weekly at The Blog Herald.

Please tell us something about yourself that we still do not know.

Is there anything people don’t already know? My life is a pretty open book, I have been blogging for over 10 years, possibly longer depending on your definition. On top of that I took part in that “5 things people don’t know” meme :)

Why do you blog?

It’s a really fun and rewarding way to make a living.

How did you get into blogging? What is most gratifying about blogging?

The social side, the interaction with people all over the world, that is what got me into bulletin boards, then the internet and later into blogging. Even if I had Bill Gates kind of money I would still do these things I think.

How much time everyday do you spend blogging?

Actually writing, it varies, but along with everything else it is pretty much 12 or more hours a day.

How do you attract readers? Any tips on getting the word out about your blog and driving users to your site?

The very best way is to network with other bloggers. I can’t emphasise that enough. Your best traffic and your best opportunities come from bloggers.

What blogs do you read? Can you share with us some URLs of your favorites?

http://dilbertblog.typepad.com/
http://stephenfry.com/blog/
http://boingboing.net/
http://www.seobook.com/
http://www.successful-blog.com/

I made a list here and it hasn’t changed much since then.

Can you give us a ballpark figure as to how much you earn from blogging? How do you monetize your blog?

No :) I made the decision early on that I wouldn’t talk about my income. Suffice to say I make a living out of indirect monetization. My blogging provides all my income in one way or another.

What common mistakes do you see other bloggers are doing?

The biggest mistake is giving up too soon. Another is to focus too much on “tricks”.

What advice can you give to someone who’s starting a blog?

Focus on people, if you find an audience and serve them you won’t go too far wrong.

Is the blogosphere crowded already?

Just like in the rest of the world, no matter how crowded it becomes, there will always be room for one more original and valuable voice.

Is JohnChow.com worth the $30k that it’s making monthly? What makes it worth all the money?

Value is in the eye of the beholder. We are talking about him, there is value just in that.

Posted on March 6th, 2008 by Dominic Rivera
Filed under: Blogging, Interview