Here’s an interesting one.

Kevin O’Keefe (a well-known US law blog champion) comments on Doc Searls (a prolific A-list blogger) who comments on Nicholas Carr (a not-so-prolific B-list blogger) who comments on how to get a link from an A-lister.

Nick Carr says:

As the blogophere has become more rigidly hierarchical … it has turned into a grand system of patronage operated … by a tiny, self-perpetuating elite. A blog-peasant, one of the Great Unread, comes to the wall of the castle to offer a tribute to a royal, and the royal drops a couple of coins of attention into the peasant’s little purse. The peasant is happy, and the royal’s hold over his position in the castle is a little bit stronger.

Doc Searls says:

Bullshit.

Want to succeed in the blogosphere, or the Web in general? Easy. Do search engine optimization. Here’s how:

1. Write quotable stuff about a lot of different subjects.

2. Do it consistently, for months if not years.

3. Link a lot, as a way of giving credit and of sending readers to other sources of whatever it is you write about.

That’s it.

I can’t promise royalty, because there isn’t any. But I can promise a rewarding relationship with the readers you’ll get, regardless of how many there are.

As Kevin says, this is “excellent advice on how to to succeed on the blogosphere”, but I’m sure Kevin also hopes the royal might drop a couple of coins of attention in his purse. Me too.

Update: Well blow me, it worked! A coin in my purse (see the Bonus link).