Sometime’s you catch the zeitgeist (that’s German for guy-with-zits), sometime’s you deliberately rip off an idea, and sometimes an idea’s so great everyone has it simultaneously. As a charitable individual (you should see this chick I slept with back in ’98), I’ll go on record as saying that I find a link between my repeated public statements regarding launching a sex-blog network, my announcement that I’ll be working with the team behind 9rules.com, and this announcement regarding a ‘competing’ network by a guy who’s just acrimoniously left the 9rules fold, completely impossible to fathom.
In case you haven’t got an email from them yet – here it is.
…
Sent: Friday, January 20, 2006 2:58 AM
Subject:sexblogsinc.com is hiring
You’ve been invited!
So in the Late Spring of 2005 we will be launching SexBlogsInc., yes a massive sex blog network like none other With people who have been in the adult eterntainment industry, design industry and mass marketing industries. I’m sure this will be a huge success because of the energy and dynamics of the people involved.
Terms
We pay our bloggers 100% of the first $250 in monthly ad revenue from their blog(s) - then 50% of any additional ad revenue. We have a bonus structure for additional ad revenue that comes into your blog. You get full editorial control over your blog, with only a few guidelines. And you get to own all the content.
Ok this is where you say: I’d like to blog for you!
Great. Send us a note at liberalcowboy@….com with your ideas for a niche topic within the sex industry. We are offering $100 Hiring Bonuses for people hired by February 15th, who post atlest 5 posts a week for 60 days.
The spelling mistakes in the above excerpt are all theirs (and the rest are all mine).
There’s nothing which confirms a great idea as certainly as being emulated so, whoever they’re emulating should be flattered their idea’s a good one.
The offer they’re making sounds pretty good – albeit very traditional. If you’re seriously considering joining their team - here are the questions I’d be asking:
- 100% of $250 isn’t a lot of money, so what are they expecting to make overall?
- If they want blog ideas, does that mean they don’t have ideas of their own? If you submit an idea for a blog but don’t get hired, will they launch an identical blog with another writer?
- What experience of the adult industry do they have or are they hoping to learn as they go? Who do they know?
Despite not being able to offer a cash incentive, I am pleased to say the response from bloggers wanting to work with me has been flatteringly porky. I think they understand that they’re name and reputation is as much at stake as my own, and only want to be involved in something they believe in. If I was less interested in building smart teams who’ll work for the same goal, and more interested in getting blogs up, so I could say ‘look – it’s a sex blog network’ I might try cash, but I figure $100 wouldn’t be nearly enough.
Bloggers wanting to add their blogs to our new network, the wait is almost over. I’ll soon provide details of how and where to apply (and for those who think it’s solely up to my own discretion – it’s not). We’re going to build community, traffic and revenue, and I’m excited.
As for Sexblogsinc.com - don’t worry about me joining them, I haven’t been invited (to read all my networking rants wisdom, smack the ‘networking‘ tag).
Haha, funny stuff. I guess all industries need a Mr. Pibb to compete against the impending Dr. Pepper
Mike - you’re right. Us + a sex blog network = Crazy Delicious!
Is this the same guy that asserted that Sam Sugar = Paul Scrivens over in the comments at Blog Herald? If so, his grammar hurts my soul. . .
Oh that is too rich! I’ve been around long enough to have seen good people ripped off time again. Think of it this way, that dude has to wake up every day knowing he has nothing new to add to the world.
Now I want a Dr. Pepper!
This was clearly a joke. Haha. Nice Sammy
Whatup girl! People call me Scrivs, but you can call me Sam Sugar.
Scrivs! - everyone Scrivs is here (look busy).
(…and by Scrivs I mean me of course).
Can you take down the other email address too?
“This was clearly a joke.”
Except the domain was bought last Saturday
So, who is the gun runner? Because I have these Sudanese rebels I’ve been talking revenue streams with. . . Not the mention the Nigerian widow that keeps emailing me.
Ellie - Ziggy no live here! Ziggy no live here!
Mike - talk about synchronicity eh? It’s amazing to watch these things happen purely by chance.
If Sam = Scrivs, then I suppose that means Sam (or is that Scrivs?) will forgive my lack of email correspondance of late, as I’ve been writing more to Scrivs (or is that Sam?).
Well, when you get right down to it, Sam, my only interest in joining a sex blog network is because it’s you… I mean, hey, there are lots and lots of blogs and networks, but there’s only one Sam Sugar (or are there two? Does Scrivs count?).
But seriously, it does boil down to trust. And I’m all the way behind betting that you can make it fun, interesting and of course, lucrative. I can get prestige anywhere, but money and fun are worth their weight, etc.
Someday though, when I get old and lazy, I think I’ll just stop acting on my ideas, give them all away and make my living as a cool hunter with the inside track. Heh. I mean, hell, why *not* profit on the labors of those who can’t ideate (is that a word? I think it is). Man, why didn’t I think of *that* before?
BadAss, I think you’re onto something, on both counts.
If I have a choice between working with someone with a proven track record and a sense of humor and someone who gets into large, messy, public fights… well…
If I want $250 I turn on my phone. If I want something interesting to do I see what Scriv’s up to. I mean Sam. Wait…
I have to agree with Sabrina and BadAss…. I’ve had opportunities to be paid for blogging before, but the only reason I’ve agreed to do it is because of Sam. Nice guy, I think (so ok, I have a teensy crush - but seriously, he’s a nice guy), and it comes down to what BadAss said: trust. I trust Sam and, as far as I know of, he’s not the least bit scheisty (unless he’s extremely covert about being a shady character). Plus, even if this thing doesn’t make a cent, it would be a cool experience, I think.
Bottom line, if Sam were secretly rotten (y’know, hypothetically) and none of us figured it out, then obviously he’s so brilliant that working with him would be a smart move. Besides, now that I know there are two of him, I actually understand how he finds the time to accomplish stuff and still answer email like a warm, caring person. Double your pleasure, etc.
I’ve met a lot of cool people the last couple months, largely through Sam, and I really like the community that’s sprung up around these blogs we have. So far, I’ve seen almost none of the infighting and petty BS that bloggers as a culture are famous for. Has anyone else noticed that? If that same cohesive sort of endeavor extends to the new sex blog network, who knows? I’m not naive enough to think we’ll change the world exactly, but a good example is probably never wasted.
Gosh, I sound so… optimistic. heh.
I just want to figure out this gift he has for getting hordes of people to do his bidding with a smile… but yeah, whatever this is, it’s going somewhere good. Why stop now?
We’ve trusted him this far.
Guys - I’m getting a bit dewey eyed here. Thanks for the kind words though. If I am Scrivs I gues I better get back to 9rules and.. you know, do 9rules stuff.
Well I came in the middle of this. Read the comments about/by Sam Sugar/Scrivs, they were decent. He seems genuine. I’m in, if the offer is till open. What do I need to do, where do I go. I have a blog, Jennas Blog, http://www.jennastoydepot.blogspot.com it provides product reviews and erotic stories. But it’s mine, and I can change the format. Anything (and I use that term loosely) for some some decent cash!
We all have a bit of a crush on Sam, his Sugarness.
And I haven’t even met him yet.