Spreading the Kerouac word

The Daily Beat currently has 75 followers. In May 2010 we had 46 (I know this because I blogged about it here). In November 2008 we had 4 (of course, that was right after inception). In January 2009, we had 16 followers. Other than that, I don't have much in the way of historical data.

Allow me to wax narcissistic for a moment. I would love to have more followers! And more pageviews! I think, on occasion, I post something that is either inherently worth reading or points to something that is. If you're already a follower (thanks!), you know that this is a Kerouac-obsessed blog and everything I post has some connection to Kerouac or the beat generation. That means I might post about Jack, or Neal Cassady, or Allen Ginsberg, or about books that are written by newer authors about the beat generation or at least are beat-inspired. I try to keep you up to speed on beat news (e.g., the upcoming beat movies, On The Road, Big Sur, and Kill Your Darlings) and events (e.g., Lowell Celebrates Kerouac!). Most of all, I try to be both informative and fun. Heaven knows there's enough trash on the Internet. I hope it's never a complete waste of time to visit this blog. If it is, let me know how we can improve things.

But I digress. This post amounts to a plea. If you're a fan of The Daily Beat, follower or not, please do what you can to increase traffic to this blog, whether followers or pageviews. You can spread the word on Facebook by sharing when I provide a link to my blog. If you're not my friend on Facebook, ask (but tell me it's because you read my blog so I'll know you're not some stalker). You can spread the word on Twitter by Retweeting my blog posts. If you don't already follow me on Twitter, search for "thebeathandbook." You can spread the word via e-mail to beat friends by providing them with direct links to posts (e.g., to my interview with the great Al Hinkle). You can spread the word in your own blog by providing a permanent link to The Daily Beat. Finally, you can spread the word in person using the old-fashioned method of face-to-face communication (I think we still call that "talking").

I'll return the favor if you have a blog! Just ask. I share on Facebook and Retweet on Twitter all the time, and if your blog is beat-worthy, I'll post a permanent link on my blog.

I make no money with this blog. Yes, you'll see Google ads, but that's a joke in terms of income. I've made $6.23 over the lifetime of the blog. Rather, it's all about sharing my love for Jack Kerouac and the beat generation with like-minded others. A "labor of love," so to speak. Once you're on the beat path, you feel compelled to connect with fellow beat travelers as well as do a little proselytizing.

So, if you like The Daily Beat, please spread the word however you can. And thanks in advance for your help.