Happy weekend to everyone! Hope its a good one for all. I wanted to provide an update on the network and also tell you im working on a book, which will hopefully be ready in a few weeks.

The book is about what i have learned since i first started blogging in April 2007, and it is aimed at newbie bloggers. It will feature 101 Random Blogging Tips For Newbie Bloggers, coincidentally that is also the name of the book. The book will be self published by me, and will be distributed in both a physical format and ebook format. (pdf download)

NEW! Book by G34 Media – 101 Random Blogging Tips For Newbie Bloggers by Missy Diaz

I like to think i have learned loads since i first started blogging and there really is alot to learn as a new blogger, creating a new first blog. So i thought i would put pen to paper and share my secrets, tips, tricks, and tools of the trade. Also the real motivation for the book came about 2 months ago when my 14 year old niece sent me an email letting me know, she had of all things, “started up a blog”. I was thrilled and as i replied i proceeded to write down a few blogging tips. Before i knew it, i had quite a very long list of tips, and essentially a book in my hands. So that is where the idea came from, and how the book concept came about. Thanxs, Cori.

sidenote: Mind you my niece’s blog is not for profit (atleast not as of this post), she only started it to talk to her friends and have an online presence to discuss what is the latest and greatest in her teen life. A simple and free blogger blog she writes on and adds photos to, about once or twice a week.

I will provide more details on the book as it nears completion, i do hope i have your support, and help me to tell the world about it. I need you (my blogger friends) big time, to aid me in spreadin the word. I plan on having a kick a$$ contest to promote and launch the book. So stay tuned for that!

Network Update – Blog Theft, Digital Point Forum Ban, and Money Lost

I have good and bad news to report in this update. First lets cover the bad news. One of my network blogs, Groovy Entrepreneur, was stolen from me 2 weeks ago. How? Well i had it up for sale at Digital Point Forum, someone (username: Huzur N Darem) made an offer, sent me money via Paypal, and i then proceeded to transfer the domain name and the blog itself. Well, an hour and a half later, the money was on hold “pending a Paypal investigation“.

Groovy Entrepreneur

Groovy Entrepreneur Blog Was Stolen From Me

Needless to say 2 weeks later, im out the blog, the money, and to add insult to injury i got banned ( 30 days ) from Digital Point Forum for leaving a 2nd feedback on the user above. Essentially right after i had received the money from Paypal, i proceeded to leave a positive iTrader feedback for said buyer, he did same to me. But after i learned of the money being on hold, i wanted to change or delete my feedback, but DP does not allow this. I wanted to warn others about what was happening, as he was still live on the forums (while all this was going down) trying to buy, or should i say, SCAM others.

DP doesnt care about scams or getting involved in Payal buyer/seller transactions, it is against their policy to leave 2 iTraders on same thread, so if you do it, they just ban you, and there is not much you can do about it. Below is reply from a DP staff member on my problem.

It’s VERY clear here. You do business at your own risk. This
is a platform – we are not mediators. You chose to send your
site before payment cleared – that’s no one’s fault but your own.
Take it as a lesson learned, and try contacting people who can
actually do something about it (like the domain registrar, host,
etc.) instead of us when you’ve already been given our policy
repeatedly.

Despite the very cold response (i have to grab a sweater when i read that reply), I hope my account access at Digital Point Forum is restored on July 10th. It is a good forum, im quite active on it, and it is THE MARKETPLACE of all online marketplaces, as far as domain name sales, website/blog sales, and more. Better than eBay, and cheaper than Sitepoint.

The only good news that came out of this whole thing, is that i was able to get my domain name (Groovy Entrepreneur) back from Namecheap, my fave registrar. I sent them an email explaining the whole mess, and they were able to push the name back to me. Thank You, Namecheap. I use them for all my domain name purchases, as they have an easy interface, excellent customer support, and good prices.

The only other good thing to come out of this blog sale scam, it i have learned to be more cautious with my Paypal transactions. I have excluded non US based Paypal payments, and i have learned about Escrow.com. They seem to be safer than Paypal when it comes to digital goods sales. See, the thing about Paypal in reference to any and all digital goods, is that these items are NOT COVERED BY THE SELLER PROTECTION POLICY. Why? Because according to Paypal there is no way to verify receipt of such items, they are not trackable, and therefore are not covered items.

What does this mean to you and me? It means you can get screwed big time (like i did) by people who know this and will scam the living daylights out of you. In my case it seems the person who sent me money used someone else’s account or some other type of fraud, but the bottom line is that because the item in question was a blog (a digital good) i was not covered by the Paypal seller protection policy, and therefore had no recourse. The money was initially placed on hold, then just this past Monday, was reversed, and sent back to the senders account. That’s it, its a done deal, nothing i can do about it. Except use Escrow.com next time.

So to wrap up this network update, i have a cool book about blogging in the works, i lost a dear blog of mine (which would have celebrated its one year anniversay this month), regained an almost lost domain name, and learned HOW NOT to sell a blog on Digital Point Forum.

Stay with me as i navigate the cold waters of internet marketing, blogging, and online commerce. With your help and support, the water might warm up abit. Peace, Missy.