43 Folders

Back to Work

Merlin’s weekly podcast with Dan Benjamin. We talk about creativity, independence, and making things you love.

Join us via RSS, iTunes, or at 5by5.tv.

”What’s 43 Folders?”
43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

Six Apart redesign (plus a few thoughts from your author)

TypePad - What’s a weblog? - Merlin Mann’s 43 Folders

The nice kids over at Six Apart have—in conjunction with the wildly talented MULE Design Studio—just launched a beautiful redesign of their site that consolidates their Movable Type, TypePad, and LiveJournal brands nicely.

They asked happy TypePad users like Julie Moos, mathowie, and me to each respond to the question, “What’s a Weblog?.” Here’s a bit from my screed.

The trick, if there is one, is to zero in on the thing that really makes you want to share your stuff with the world, and then go with it. Photos of fire hydrants? Video clips of on-air profanity? Haiku about Regis Philbin? Awesome, awesome, awesome. Just, please don’t make macramé.

Remember that the “kit” is just there to get you started—that the ease of posting does not in any way parallel the sometimes painful act of creating. Your visitors crave a fresh voice that surprises them and makes them feel grand about the wonderful things people are making from that same basic set of tools. Give us a little of yourself, and leave that macramé in the basement.

About Merlin

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Bio

Merlin Mann is an independent writer, speaker, and broadcaster. He’s best known for being the guy who created the website you’re reading right now. He lives in San Francisco, does lots of public speaking, and helps make cool things like You Look Nice Today, Back to Work, and Kung Fu Grippe. Also? He’s writing this book, he lives with this face, he suffers from this hair, he answers these questions, and he’s had this life. So far.

Merlin’s favorite thing he’s written in the past few years is an essay entitled, “Cranking.”

 
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Cranking

Merlin used to crank. He’s not cranking any more.

This is an essay about family, priorities, and Shakey’s Pizza, and it’s probably the best thing he’s written. »

Scared Shitless

Merlin’s scared. You’re scared. Everybody is scared.

This is the video of Merlin’s keynote at Webstock 2011. The one where he cried. You should watch it. »