I'm Just Sharing

Posted by Mitch on Jun 9, 2009

Here’s the scenario. Y’all know I’ve been writing for other people lately. It’s been bringing in some cash, which is always nice, and if I can actually start getting more for my writing this could turn into a different career direction for me. I’m enjoying it a lot.

However, sometimes it doesn’t go perfectly. This one guy asked me to write 20 articles on quitting smoking. So I did all this research, and came up with 20 articles on why people should quit smoking, including a couple of fairly long ones.

I sent him a couple for approval, which is how I handle everyone I write for who asks for multiples, and he writes back that he only wanted things that specifically talked about quitting smoking and nothing else. Well, you know me; I wrote everything kind of related to this venture of trying to quit smoking, such as why it’s hard, certain drugs, ways to quit, groups that need to quit, information about nicotine, etc. To me, it all went together. He didn’t dispute that, said he liked what I’d written in those two articles, but said he already had articles on the other stuff.

At that point I decided I would keep the entire package for myself and either resell them to someone else or use them for myself. I’ve decided to use them for myself, and thus, I have created a new niche website called Smoke Not So Much. It’s an informational website against smoking, but of course it also talks about why it’s hard and gives hints on how to quit.

My wife helped me decide on the colors, and away I went. It’s not totally done yet. I’ve had the domain name for about two weeks now, and finally last night said I just wanted to get all the initial pages completed and uploaded. I have done little internal linking; that’ll come later. I’ve got my Adsense up, and one product on each page, which I’ll be adding to for those longer pages. And I have a disclaimer page, where I put an email address where I could be reached.

Here’s the thing. We always wonder just how many pages a site needs to be up and running. This one has 22 pages, though only 20 of them are actual information. I think that’s fine to get started, and I can always add to it as I go along. Of course, if I get too many pages, I’ll probably have to change the menu on the side in some way, as I’m not sure listing 50 pages on the left side would be preferable to too many people. But for now, it’s up, running, and it might even make a dollar or two.

Oh, if you’re wondering about the name,… you wouldn’t believe how many names I tried to find a domain name for quitting smoking. I went nuts, and couldn’t think of anything. So my wife came up with 10 names, and out of those 10, only two were available, and this is one of them. So, it’s not a perfect domain name, but who knows, since so many people these days say “not so much”, it could work.

Let’s find out.

51 Comments »

Sue Townsend:

Good luck! I wish my husband would quit… he just says, “I DO quit, several times a day, before I start again.” Have you included a 2″x4″ board upside someone’s head to get their attention? (Just joking.) I hope that this site will help people lead healthier lives by not smoking so much or at all!

Mitch Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 1:42 PM

Thanks Sue. I hope it does two things; gets people to at least think about quitting smoking, and makes me some small bit of money for sharing the information.

June 9th, 2009 | 1:22 PM

Kikolani:

That’s a lot of good research you put into those. Definitely a great website to show off your writing skills, and hopefully some people will come across it and quit smoking themselves!

~ Kristi

Kikolani´s last blog post..Benefits of Blogging – Gaining a Worldwide Audience

Mitch Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 1:44 AM

Thanks Kristi; I hope to achieve multiple things with this site.

June 9th, 2009 | 6:45 PM

Althea Garner:

A great website, Mitch and certainly it isn’t healthy to smoke, however, there are a few things to consider here:

1) Tobacco is not healthy in its consumption, but like so many other drugs, it’s a choice until it owns the consumer. You, for example, are diabetic but I have heard you say that you cheat at times, and that’s not healthy for you, is it? Just like you, smokers try to abstain but they cheat, and when it seems so hopeless, they give in to their addiction. Yet smokers are outlawed, where dibaetics (as an example) are treated with sympathy. We could argue that smokers made a conscious effort to start smoking but diabetics didn’t choose to be diabetic. Or did they? Isn’t diabetes linked to sugar excess and overweight and aren’t these things also a choice?

There are many such diseases – not just diabetes.

2) One can argue that there are other things that are just as unhealthy for us. For example, drinking. Some non-smokers drink too much. Indeed, some non-smokers use drugs. I am amazed at the number of people who take drugs (or smoke pot) who say “I don’t smoke” and leave it there – they don’t admit to their own drug of choice, but condemn another. I’ll bet that the sex addict who looks quite innoquous when he/she goes to work, also says: “I don’t smoke”! We have to stop treating smokers as though they were lepers – they are tax payers and human beings, too.

3) It would be nice if they took some of the taxes that are currently being paid by smokers and put it into ways to help those who do smoke, quit. My only brother was a heavy smoker, paid the taxes to smoke (his drug of choice) and despite wanting to quit, no remedy worked. He finally died of a ruptured aortic anyeurism. Now was this because of his smoking or because he chose a really unhealthy diet. Who can say?

4) Quitting cannot be easy. While our medical system favors the cessation of drugs and even assists with drug rehabilitation, there is little done for smokers. If you are a meth addict, the drugs to rehabilitate are covered by medical insurance and yes, so are some of the products for smoking cessation – but, again… they don’t work!

5) Some people just like to smoke. Hey, it’s better than family murder which is prevalent in so many countries! Perhaps when compared to the alternative, smoking is not so bad – at least for others. If drug addicts and alcoholics can be rehabilitated (and assisted by the government to do so), then why not smokers?

6) We need to remember our Constitution – the freedon of choice, and if that choice is to smoke, then so be it. We need also to remember that smoking was spread to the rest of the world by America – Native Americans smoked the peace pipe with explorers, and thus tobacco was introduced to the world at large.

We owe the world a remedy and one that works! Let’s take that cigarette tax and stop using it to prevent cancer and rather use it to help those with a very real addiction – a medical problem – to overcome their addiction and this way, there will be fewer cancer patients to fund.

Let’s get to the source of the cure with the source of the money, by treating the source of the problem!

While I am at it, let me say that I believe that there should be some changes in our laws. I truly believe that drugs, prostitution and pornography should be legalized – this way we could better monitor their use and tax the living daylights out of them! If these three things were legalized and taxed, our country would have no shortage of funds!

It’s great that there are some moves to help smokers quit, but in my opinion, considering the price that they pay both in ill health and in taxes, we are not doing nearly enough to help smokers overcome their very real addiction.

Althea Garner´s last blog post..

Mitch Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 1:55 AM

Hi Althea,

Very interesting post, but of course I’m going to almost totally disagree with you.

First, no one chooses to get diabetes, but they most certainly choose to smoke. Two, not everyone who’s diabetic is heavy, as my dad wasn’t, and diabetes runs in my family. I’m probably the only one whose overweight with diabetes. Three, no, diabetes isn’t linked to sugar excess; that’s a myth that those who aren’t diabetic keep believing. It’s linked to pancreatic failure and not being able to produce enough insulin. Juvenile diabetes has nothing to do with sugar excess; matter of fact, diabetes has little to do with sugar at all, but glucose, which is produced through carbs more than straight up sugar. Now, smoking is the cause of most diseases that almost wouldn’t exist if smoking was outlawed, including most forms of cancer and emphysema; check it out, since I wrote about them.

Three, if I’m out eating a cookie, it bothers no one. Cigarette smoke bothers everyone, even smokers. It gets in everyone’s clothes and hair and eyes and skin, even non-smokers. Over 10% of people who get lung cancer but weren’t smokers got it from second hand smoke. So, smoking not only kills smokers, it kills people who are around them.

Fourth, I also talk on the site, briefly, about the Native American contribution to smoking; almost nonexistent. They only smoked on special occasions; they never fell prey to addiction because they didn’t over indulge. Europeans most certainly did, and not only did they bring real smoking to the world, but they were also the cause of many animals in America becoming either extinct or almost extinct for over hunting; yeah, I’ve written articles on that also lately.

In conclusion, comparing cigarettes to diseases that most people have no real control over isn’t close to an apples to apples discussion. There’s no other event than smoking that kills so many other people who don’t participate that’s totally preventable. Smoking kills more people than car accidents; more people than war. And no one ever had to pick up a cigarette; that’s my take on it anyway.

I mean, diabetics do have to eat after all.

June 9th, 2009 | 11:53 PM

Steve:

Wish you all the best! Really a good venture and nice idea!

Mitch Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 1:57 AM

Thanks Steve; we’ll see how it goes.

June 10th, 2009 | 1:36 AM

John Dilbeck:

Good morning, Mitch.

Congratulations on your new site. Helping even one person to quit smoking is a great thing. If you can help more – and earn something from it – that’s even better.

What I really like is how you took a problem – articles you already wrote that didn’t fit what the person wanted – and used them to your own advantage by building a new site.

I think that shows creative thinking and adaptability, which are a couple of qualities I’ve always associated with you.

Act on your dream!

John Dilbeck´s last blog post..Why do blogs have a higher failure rate than restaurants?

Mitch Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 10:48 AM

Thanks John. I’m hoping that the loss of the immediate income is multiplied many times this way. Who knows; I may have found a new way to build content websites.

June 10th, 2009 | 8:03 AM

Trade Show Guru:

Hey Mitch,
What an awesome new site! Talk about great keyword content! This new site is a great example of what I think an information site properly seo’ed should be like.
One minor thing though… I clicked through on one article (Alcohol And Smoking) and the page title (according to the top of my browser) is “Alcohol Smoking” which is what google will show on its search results if that page comes up in a search. I think people might be confused by seeing that (how do you smoke a liquid?). Perhaps it should have the “and” in it? ~ Steve, the trade show guru

Trade Show Guru´s last blog post..Slumdog Millionaire ROCKS

Mitch Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 10:50 AM

Hi Steve,

From an SEO perspective, there are things called “stop words” that you don’t ever, and I mean NEVER, want to put into your title. Words like “and”, “the” and so on, will not only be ignored by the search engines, but if they’re in the title they’ll stop at those words and skip anything that follows them. That’s why my title only mentions “alcohol” and “smoking”, since those are the words that page is supposed to be found for.

June 10th, 2009 | 9:38 AM

Jake:

Now take that site and sell it at Sitepoint or DigitalPoint and make a few hundred bucks on it

Jake´s last blog post..Another Concert – Another Memory

Mitch Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 10:51 AM

That’s always a possibility for later, Jake. Right now, I just want to bask in the glow of actually completing another project.

Ned Carey Reply:
June 13th, 2009 at 12:43 AM

That is what I have been focusing on lately. Completing projects (and not starting new ones). My version of “basking in the Glow” is I have a Staples “That was easy” button that I push every time I finish a project.
Ned Carey´s last blog ..So How Did You Do In the Tax Sale?

Mitch Reply:
June 13th, 2009 at 1:55 AM

Now that’s funny! I want one of those buttons.

Ned Carey Reply:
June 13th, 2009 at 9:50 AM

I got one for my girl friend as a joke for Christmas. When you push it, it says out loud “That was easy”. I thought that was so cool I had to get one for myself.
Ned Carey´s last blog ..So How Did You Do In the Tax Sale?

June 10th, 2009 | 9:38 AM

Althea Garner:

Well, Mitch, my job here is to play devil’s advocate – not to support smoking and I know little to nothing about diabetes – the concept of being diagnosed with it scares me, but I used that because it would probably be something you could relate to.

Yes, I agree that smokers shouldn’t smoke for all the reasons that you gave. I also believe that there shouldn’t be so many cars on the road (they kill innocent people, too) and that we should pull out of Iraq (that also kills innocent people).

My problem is not with someone like you trying to better the world, which you are, and I admire you for that, but more that anyone should foist their beliefs on others. Let’s face it, you don’t smoke. Have you ever smoked? I am told that it is the hardest thing to do, to quit, but if one hasn’t actually been there and taken the steps/drugs proposed, how can they know a] that it works or b] what failure is like?

Have you tried any of the products that you are promoting? Are you absolutely certain that the products promoted on your site don’t have side effects that might cause more damage than smoking (but then you already implied that it’s the effects on others that concerns you).

My issue is not with your cause (helping others to quit smoking) but your cure (promoting products you have never tested yourself). This is like me teaching real estate without having a license and having never sold property. How can I teach others to do something I have never done, myself?

Then there is the reason that we as a nation are disliked by the world – our propensity to involve ourselves in other people’s business. Just as we go into other countries and tell people how they should run theirs, we tell people within our country, how to live their lives.

Mitch, where are our freedoms and where are our rights? The mere fact that a non-smoker can tell a smoker to quit is unconstitutional. That’s like a pedestrian telling a driver that they should quit driving because it kills other people on the freeway! We have no right to tell other people what to do, unless it is against the law and even then, we are expected to call the police and go through the correct channels. Smoking is still legal and unless a smoker has the desire to quit, it should not be our place to foist our opinions on them.

BTW. I’d really like to see some research done on gout. My husband suffers terribly but the information out there is conflicting and scant. It was believed that gout came from over-imbibing but Bruce doesn’t drink (ever!) and if one were to believe the list of foods to avoid, he’d be living on nothing but fruit.

Ideas?

(Now…. wanna smoke that peace pipe?)

http://ocdreamhometeam.wordpress.com/2009/06/09/northern-california-hotel-for-price-of-a-house/

Trade Show Guru Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 10:48 AM

hey Althea,
I can’t resist commenting on this.
Regarding your quote: “The mere fact that a non-smoker can tell a smoker to quit is unconstitutional.”
I don’t agree. I can tell people what to do, and they can tell me what to do. That is free speech. They don’t have to do what I say, but I can tell them what I think. I think smoking should remain legal, but be discouraged. It is bad for you, but you are free to decide if you want to or not, or if you want to stop.
The great thing about the internet and Mitch’s new website is that the only people who will find it is people that are looking for information on HOW TO STOP SMOKING. I doubt any smokers that like smoking and don’t want to quit will “accidentally” stumble onto his site.
Finally, if your 19 year old daughter wanted to start smoking, would you say “Who am I to tell you what to do? Do whatever you want.” Or would you “involve yourself in other people’s business”?
Well, one more thing… nothing like a healthy debate! Thanks for letting me toss in my two cents. ~ Steve

Trade Show Guru´s last blog post..Slumdog Millionaire ROCKS

Mitch Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 11:01 AM

Actually Althea, I have never smoked; I don’t have any vices other than chocolate.

Having said that, if you looked at all the pages on the site, you’ll notice that I don’t have a single product on there that has nicotine in it. What my research showed is that people get addicted to the nicotine in other products almost as much as smoking many times, especially if they’re not working with a counselor of some type helping them to wean themselves off the stuff. So, even though I’ve never tried any of these things, I do know that the ingredients are non-addictive and safer than anything containing nicotine. And yes, my research showed that there are no side effects from the products I’m promoting there, although some people will still feel withdrawal symptoms from trying to quit smoking anyway; that’s just how it goes.

As it regards smoking around the world, you can’t blame the United States on this one. The push against smoking around the world is coming from the World Health Organization, and the rules they want are way more stringent than what we have in this country, and probably one of the reasons the U.S. hasn’t signed the accord. But on one tells anyone else they “must” quit; what they do say, though, is where they can’t smoke, which is where others who might not smoke may congregate. Did you know that worker’s compensation incidences around the country dropped significantly in states that banned smoking in cigarettes and bars? It was a direct correlation, especially on those employees who never smoked to begin with. Their rights should be protected as well, wouldn’t you say, especially since they didn’t ask anyone else to come into the establishment to help kill them?

At this point I think we’ve probably both made our points. I don’t care if someone smokes or not, to tell you the truth. Former smokers probably care more than I do about it. However, my dad passed away from lung cancer and renal failure, and I know what I had to see over the last couple of months of his life. I also know it was a direct result of smoking, and at that point he’d actually quit for 20 years, but had smoked for over 35. I don’t wish that vision on anyone else, or any other visions of having to watch someone trying to breathe with an oxygen mask on, seeing the fear in their eyes. But if that’s what people choose for themselves and their family members, as you say, it’s their choice.

June 10th, 2009 | 10:06 AM

Althea Garner:

Trade Show~

Now THAT is a sensible reply! THANK YOU!

And you’re right… anyone can voice their opinions and correct – this IS freedom of speech!

When my son came to me and told me that he wanted to smoke, my job as a parent was to educate him as to the risks involved. I gave him my opinion and my parental advice, but he went ahead and smoked, anyway. His choice as a (then) adult.

I was fortunate that of his own volition, he quit smoking, only to reach the age of 37 and be prescribed marijuana for medical reasons! Isn’t he still smoking?

I rest my case, but REALLY appreciate your objective opinion.

June 10th, 2009 | 11:00 AM

Mirjam:

very interesting post and even more interesting comments and discussion that followed LOL

The everlasting discussion on whether or not to “promote” products you haven´t used yourself … I feel a new post coming up!

Have a great weekend Mitch! (and to your readers as well of course)
Mirjam´s last blog ..Start Excelerating Business Growth in Times of Crisis

Mitch Reply:
June 12th, 2009 at 11:50 AM

Hi Mirjam,

Heck, Sire and I are still waiting for your post on contests that you talked about earlier in the year.

I hope you at least got a quick look at the site. Lemons and lemonade, you know.

June 12th, 2009 | 5:44 AM

wilhb81:

Mitch, you know what? I always advised my friends who has smoking for their entire life to quit smoking. They mostly ignored what I said. Is it very hard for them to quit smoking, I wondered?
wilhb81´s last blog ..The Useful Business Tips 33: 5 Simple Tips That Can Help You Enhance More Sales

Mitch Reply:
June 12th, 2009 at 12:58 PM

Hi Wil. Quitting any habit is tough. The thing about smoking is that the chemicals in nicotine are meant to keep you wanting more and more. If you go to the site, read the article on nicotine and it’ll explain why, but it’s got to do with dopamine. That’s why it’s insidious; it’s not just making a decision to lose weight like food, because the chemicals are actually working against you.

June 12th, 2009 | 12:17 PM

Mirjam:

oh boy oh boy, good thing you reminded me of that hahaha

I did look at the site actually
Mirjam´s last blog ..Start Excelerating Business Growth in Times of Crisis

Mitch Reply:
June 12th, 2009 at 12:58 PM

I figured you had, but what kind of marketer would I be if I didn’t mention it, right? lol

June 12th, 2009 | 12:20 PM

Ned Carey:

Mitch,

I hope you follow up and let us know how it works out for you. I see posts about Niche blogs but I would love to see an actual example with real results.

Ned Carey´s last blog ..What Are You Doing to be Successful?

Mitch Reply:
June 13th, 2009 at 1:56 AM

Well, this is a site and not a blog, but still, if it does what I hope, who knows, right? Of course, I’ve promoted it this week, so next week it’ll be totally on its own.

June 13th, 2009 | 12:50 AM

Deneil Merritt:

Looks like you got another google adsense earner on your hands plus it helps people quit smoking. I think you have a winner.
Deneil Merritt´s last blog ..Believe In What You Do

Mitch Reply:
June 14th, 2009 at 9:14 AM

Thanks Deneil. We’ll see if it can adequately keep up with all those other anti-smoking sites.

Deneil Merritt Reply:
June 15th, 2009 at 4:57 PM

You welcome, hope to see it bring up your google adsense earnings. Can’t wait until the income report.
Deneil Merritt´s last blog ..L.A. Lakers Won 2009 NBA Finals

Mitch Reply:
June 15th, 2009 at 6:09 PM

It’ll probably take a few months; it took some time before my medical billing site started generating any income.

Ned Carey Reply:
June 15th, 2009 at 10:31 PM

Medical Billing site? What the heck do you write about? Is this an interest of yours or a field you are expert in?

Maybe my focus is too narrow minded. You seem to go in directions I would have never thought of.
Ned Carey´s last blog ..So How Did You Do In the Tax Sale?

Mitch Reply:
June 15th, 2009 at 11:21 PM

Why Ned, you’re behind the times, my man! lol First, check this post out, then check out the site. You’ll learn more stuff about me that you probably never wanted to know.

June 14th, 2009 | 7:43 AM

Sire:

Nice Site Mitch. I used to smoke when I was a kid, but as I couldn’t afford to buy them I used to make my own. I used the paper out of my school exercise book as the paper and then I would try different ‘tobacco’ to find something suitable. The bark off the grape vine was no good because if you puffed too hard it would burst into flames. The tuft of hair that you would find on a corn cob wasn’t that hot either.

I found the perfect ‘tobacco’ was the dried grass in an alley. What made me give it all up was I saw this dog pissing on my supply and I never smoked since.

My father used to smoke, more than a packet every couple of days. He quit cold turkey when the doctor told him it was bad for his health. I know others who have also quit cold turkey. Reckon for some it must be a battle of wills.

The problem with many people smoking is that it not only affects them, as it affects those in the vicinity as well as second hand smoke is just as bad if not worse than smoking itself. What I do not understand is smokers complete disregard of those around them, especially those moronic parents that smoke with their kids in the car.
Sire´s last blog ..Save Even More Money With eBay

Mitch Reply:
June 17th, 2009 at 10:24 AM

Sire, you’ve touched on a major pet peeve of mine. When I was a kid, my dad smoked in the car, and it was miserable. I’d lay on the floor in back of the car; my parents thought it was because I was more comfortable there, but truthfully, it was because the cigarette smoke didn’t seem to come down that far.

Dog was urinating on your supply; that’s priceless! LOL

Sire Reply:
June 17th, 2009 at 8:07 PM

True story too Mitch. About your dad though, the thing is that in those days he wouldn’t have known about the effects on people breathing in the smoke he exhales. If he did I bet he wouldn’t have done it. There is no excuse for those who do it today.
Sire´s last blog ..Digital Photos Make Great Gifts From Post Cards To Calendars

Mitch Reply:
June 17th, 2009 at 8:20 PM

Oh, I never blamed my dad for anything like that; now, at a certain point he knew, and he didn’t do it anymore.

Jake Reply:
June 17th, 2009 at 11:04 AM

@ sire… that was pretty damn funny!
Jake´s last blog ..25 Random Things About Me!

Ned Carey Reply:
June 17th, 2009 at 12:17 PM

Sire,

I love it!

Perhaps that’s the answer for other people to quite smoking. Imagine a dog peeing on your cigarettes before lighting up.
Ned Carey´s last blog ..So How Did You Do In the Tax Sale?

Sire Reply:
June 17th, 2009 at 8:09 PM

@ Jake & Ned – Glad you liked it guys. You know Ned, I wouldn’t put it past the marketing guys making that a positive, like less tar or something
Sire´s last blog ..Top Screen Recorder Gold The Powerful Video Recording Software

Ned Carey Reply:
June 18th, 2009 at 9:56 AM

Sire,
Years ago an Aussie friend said that you guys call beer – piss.

I can see it now, a picture of a guy smoking and holding a beer and the caption is “Less tar, more piss”

Apologies to Mitch or anyone else who is offended.
Ned Carey´s last blog ..So How Did You Do In the Tax Sale?

Sire Reply:
June 19th, 2009 at 2:15 AM

Gee, I didn’t know you were into marketing Ned. Sort of gives a ‘piss up’ a whole new meaning doesn’t it?
Sire´s last blog ..Save Even More Money With eBay

June 17th, 2009 | 10:12 AM

Althea Garner:

@Sire:
“especially those moronic parents that smoke with their kids in the car.”

In the State of California, it is against the law for anyone to smoke in a vehicle that contains minors.

I thought that all States passed this law?
Althea Garner´s last blog ..

Mitch Reply:
June 17th, 2009 at 10:26 AM

Well, first Althea, Sire lives in Australia. Second, we don’t have that law here in New York, far as I know.

June 17th, 2009 | 10:24 AM

Althea Garner:

Sorry to hear that. I had heard that NY has a TON of smokers – also that they pay HUGE prices for cigarettes.

Maybe California isn’t so bad after all!
Althea Garner´s last blog ..

Mitch Reply:
June 17th, 2009 at 10:40 AM

Yes, the cigarette tax is very high here, mainly to help pay health care costs related to smoking, or so the Governor says.

I think NY was first in banning cigarette smoking in public places, but after that I just don’t know.

June 17th, 2009 | 10:30 AM

Sire:

They are actually working on that here as well but the problem is most of these morons won’t listen.
Sire´s last blog ..Using CJU’s Rotating Banner Function

June 17th, 2009 | 8:10 PM

stop smoking cold turkey:

wow what a collection of information! fancy a link trade? thumbsup from me!