Q: First off, congratulations on your new position. You've worked at the prestigious Gizmodo blog and created Dethroner, one of my favorite online men's magazines. How's it feel to be working at Boing Boing? It's probably no secret to you that many people can identify Boing Boing as a top blog even if they don't know much about web-based pubs or blogs. In fact, as a PR person I have run into this quite a bit: a person with only a shallow understanding of blogs asking, "How do we get Brand X on Boing Boing?"

A: It feels great! I know it must sound like some big internerd f***fest every time I say it, but I have always been huge fans of the Boingers and to be welcomed into the fold was a surprise and a huge bump for my ego. And they've been nothing but supportive and encouraging, which is amazing. Best work co-workers I've ever had. Go Team Venture!

As for getting something on Boing Boing, just send it in. We get hundreds of submissions a day, though, so a personal note explaining who you are and why the readers should care about the story goes a long way. I don't chuck out press releases, but my brain secretes a protective anti-dreck emulsion every time I see one show up in my email. But a personal note I'll read and often respond to, even if I don't necessarily think it's a good fit for the site.

Q: You did an interview on Boing Boing Gadgets at Gizmodo, and from that interview and the rhetoric coming out of your posts, it sounds like you're still defining the role of Boing Boing Gadgets. You described it as existing outside "the churn." In other words, if I'm describing it correctly, you don't feel the need to comment on each and every development in the tech/gadget world – Engadget, Gizmodo and several others do that. You only want to write about the subjects that seem interesting to you. Is that correct and is that still your mission?

A: Jason Kottke, who is an inspiration (and who I am currently stalking) recently said this: "If you're wondering what I do all day, the answer is: throwing stuff out. kottke.org is not so much what's on the site as what is not chosen for inclusion."

That remains my mission. Fortunately it runs parallel to my desire to only write about things I find personally interesting. It may not be the most effective method to quickly build pageviews, but I'd rather people read Boing Boing Gadgets and find most of the posts interesting, rather than skimming through a list of the day's releases, quality or not. Like I said to Gizmodo, I think there's a place for that style of comprehensive blogging, but it just doesn't interest me personally. I am blessed to have the luxury of business partners who share the same philosophy.

Q: Let's talk about PR. You're a powerful force in blogging. Every PR/ad/marketing person with a tech or gadget story to pitch would like to talk to you. How do you want to be approached? What advice, cautions or feedback, if any, would you give to people like me and my clients?

A: Let's be frank: I am probably the most powerful person on the internet.

Just be real. Don't be apologetic. I understand that working in PR is slowly sapping your belief in the inherent usefulness of humanity, but if you're apologizing for sending me something boring because it's your job, it's not going to motivate me to post it.

On the other hand, you don't have to be my buddy, either. There are a very small number of PR folks that I am actual friends with and our relationship built over time based on things beside the products they hawk. Frankly, I don't *want* to be your friend, because when you have a shit product that I don't want to pass on to my readers, it makes me feel like a dick for doing my job.

That sounds more prickish than I wish it did, but I've just met too many PR people who think they can trick bloggers and journalists into mistaking them for friends. That may work for some, but most of us can see the covers of your Dale Carnegie books peeking out of your hip new messenger bag.

So be friendly, not slimy, I guess. Be professional. (Even though so many bloggers are not.) And tell me why your product is worth mentioning with real English, not a list of incrementally updated stats, business successes, or lame partnerships with over-the-hill rock bands. If you can't do that, the product may actually suck. Reconsider your clientele!

Also, I almost always prefer talking to an engineer or a developer who actually worked on the project rather than the VP of Marketing, should you want to set up an interview. I've met plenty of marketing folks who knew the technical ins-and-outs of their product, but they were usually once in the trenches themselves. (I once had a great interview with a VP from Sprint who ended up being a 30-year veteran of the Bell system who not only answered my question, but took half-an-hour to explain the history of call echo mitigation technologies on pre-digital telephony switches. Most of it didn't go into my article, but it was invaluable for background that helped my understanding of the subject.)

Finally: Most journalists are suckers for free booze. Sad but true.

Q: Having worked in journalism myself, I can attest to this. But I know for a fact that at least two of the Boingers abstain. Still, if one wants to treat Joel Johnson to a beverage, what's his choice?

A: I'd rather not answer. Sounds too much like I'm fishing for a freebie. :) As far as I know, all the Boingers are teetotalers. I'm the only one willing to do the Lord's work.