In the fine tradition of Robert Scoble and his weekend blowups we have this weekend’s installment courtesy of Jason Calacanis and Tony of Deep Jive Interests having a disagreement that is providing some good weekend comment tag.

It started with Jason commenting first on a month old post by Tony about the A-List and the blue-collar class of bloggers and then went on to write a whole post about it (guess he musta really got riled up). Tony’s original point was to question the self-righteousness of the blogging elite against people who use PayPerPost (make money from posting reviews). In the post Tony basically stated that there was indeed a class separation in the blogging world - specifically the tech bloggers - between those in the A-List (Technorati link rating) and the rest of the tech blogging world; or as he called it “the blue-collar class of bloggers”.

In his retaliatory post Jason refuted that there was even anything such as an A-List of bloggers and then goes on to list the ways that any blogger can reach this non-existent A-List in under 90 days.

If you want to be part of the A List you can do it in < 90 days:
1. Blog intelligently. Think about your post for a day before you hit publish. Do research–do primary research in the real work. Write something with insight, and include links to other folks ideas.
2. Go to 2-3 events or conferences a week.
3. Get a great domain name that is easy to remember and spell (i.e. buzzmachine.com).
4. Go to TechMeme and write an insightful piece daily about one of the top stories.
5. Start emailing other bloggers with feedback on their stories. (don’t beg for links)
6. Be smart.
7. Don’t be an idiot.
That’s it… you’re now A-List.

Well I hate to tell you Jason but unless you are already among the tech elite using your list don’t mean shit. I have been blogging seriously now for the almost 8 months after taking the better part of a year just figuring out the ins and outs of where I wanted to center myself in this tech blogging world (and still fine tuning to this day).

I like to think that I am intelligent and write fairly well (forgiving the occasional spelling error and dying keyboard screw-ups); after all one doesn’t get to be 50+ and be in the tech world for going on 20 years without learning a thing or two. As for including links to others .. you betcha - I do that without even thinking about it but I am seeing a growing trend among A-List bloggers to not honor the trackbacks; or even have them turned off all together. So what’s the point - we both lose out then.

As for the conferences - come on get real - why should that be a requirement for joining you in the clouds especially since A) I live in another country and B) food and shelter takes priority over some stupid ass kissing conference. Just because I don’t meet those requirement I shouldn’t be penalized but according to you I am.

Domain name - well I would think that WinExtra would be pretty easy to remember and definitely easier to spell that calacanis.com; and why should I worry about the so-called hot topics at TechMeme when I have 200+ feeds coming in of which your’s is one.

As for the rest of your points - well I like to think I meet or exceed them so tell me why after eight plus months of daily writing am I not in the A-List huh? .. I should be according to your suggestions - oh wait forgot about those damn conferences and TechMeme things.

But I’m guessing by Tony’s follow up post; and the comments therein, that I’m not alone in taking exception.

You know what’s a joke? Being so far removed from ordinary bloggers that you don’t think there is an “A-list”.

Listen, I’m not disparaging the fact that you, Scoble, Jarvis (and a host of others) are not hardworking. Far from it.

But there are intangibles that you all bring to the table that most people don’t have; and I think it speaks to the fact that even though you guys do have the credentials (Jarvis), the connections (Scoble), or the publicity/notoriety (you — from Weblogs) that you *still* have to work so hard says something.

The point is Jason that posts like yours and the cavalier attitude you seem to have towards those of us that try hard everyday to add something of value; whether we get paid to do it or not, does as much damage as any PayPerPost review posted. You and the rest of the A-List are the visible representatives of the tech blogging world and as such are what every other tech blogger wants to be for whatever their personal reasons maybe. We all want to sit at the same table but you guys sure seem to be trying hard to either close the door on us or at the very least making the road a lot hard than it should be.

Conversation Tags: blogs, blogging, bloggers, Technorati, A-List, elitism