Review: An exciting new world opened up for me when I read this book
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 14, 2013
I am certainly familiar with online forums.  I belong to several and depending on my interests at the moment,  I will begin my day checking out who is online and what they are talking about today.  One of my faves is knitting paradise.com, aptly named for knitters.  Yet I have wide interests and have made friends with strangers once or twice on diverse forums.  Never, though, have I given a thought to the backend.  Who starts them and why, whether or not they yield a profit, and the idea of starting one on my own?  Well, I thought I was more likely to visit the space station.  However, that has changed since reading Power Broker.  This is a fascinating discussion of how one man took control of a topic he felt passionate about, his community, when he no longer felt at home on the the only game in town.  So in a weekend, he started his own forum.  It has been up and running for several years, makes a valuable contribution to his community and earns an income.  Plus, it sounds like a lot of fun.The name of the game is gaining authority according to Souza, and he shows you how to do it step by step, from choosing a subject or niche to choosing a domain name and web host.  While he doesn't exactly make it sound easy, I am no longer naive enough to think any worthwhile venture on the internet is easy, it certainly is doable.  This is the book to own if you participate in a forum, to find out how to get the most out of it and correct problems you may find with your community, and to use as a blueprint if you want your own forum.  Highly, HIGHLY recommend.  Plus, it is an interesting read for anyone interested in how we are and are not connected on the web.