Introducing a new regular post, called “What Bloggers Can Learn” – where we discuss how things that you wouldn’t NORMALLY associate with blogging can give us all something to think about!

This week we’re going to discuss what bloggers can learn from Prison Break — the break out television show on Fox which recently launched its second season this past monday. If you’re not watching, its not too late to jump on the bandwagon — it involves a wickedly smart structural engineer who arranges for his own arrest so that he can bust his own brother out of prison for a crime his brother did not commit. What has made it such a hit is how it deftly arranges the step by step process in which the break out occurs, but how it creates the incredible drama and suspense that echoes classic thrillers, such as The Fugitive.

What Can Bloggers Learn from Prison Break:

[Caution -- Spoilers ahead!]

1. Planning is important: Michael Scofield, as the genius engineer who breaks out his brother, has NOT ONLY the entire plan of the prison tatooed on his body, but clues as to how he’s going to do it as well. When you’re blogging, its critical to know where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. How are YOU going to keep track of what you need to do? Maybe you’ll find solace in GTD — many others of us have! No matter what you do, have a system of doing things will be the key so that you won’t forget what you’ll need, but so that things can be done on autopilot.

2. So is being Flexible: In episode one, and in nearly every single episode that follows — well into season 2 — although there are detailed, intricate, plans, nearly all of them fall apart. Things that Scofield had planned on don’t pan out, scenarios that were built on assumptions crumble, and people he may have depended on flake out. Even though YOU have a plan A — do YOU have a plan B? If adsense doesn’t pan out, will you have other sources of revenue to pay for your hosting? Just like Michael Scofield, being flexible is a key to your survival as well. Maybe you should look into affiliate programs in addition to text-link-ads.com … ?

3. Making Friends is Important: Scofield’s Plan to break out his brother was and continues to be contingent on the help of others …whether they knew it or not. Abruzzi, the Italian kingpin had the means of the getaway; Charles Westmoreland, the cash. No matter how big, bad, intelligent or hardworking you are, well, no one finds success on their own. To accelerate your own blog’s success, you’ll need traffic, you’ll need links, and you’ll need the recommendation and good reputation built upon the relationships that you build. Start participating in the blogosphere and make some new friends!

4. Finding Value in the Least Likely Places: Criminals are typically regarded as bad folks — people you wouldn’t normally associate with. Well, in a prison these are the only folks you’ve have to deal with, and as the season unfolds, we find that there is something redeemable in almost every one of them that Scofield works with. When you’re writing your posts, are you merely repeating what everyone else is posting — is there an echo here? Or, are you digg hard to find new stories, the story behind the story, and the insight behind that opinion? If you’ve only limited resources, try and discover new value where others every one may have overlooked something.

5. Keep It Fresh: Prison Break the television show is also different in that characters die. With regularity. It keeps the show fresh and gives the show a sense of urgency and danger, since you don’t really know if any of your favourite characters will REALLY survive the conflict that presents at the heart of any given show. For your own blog, are YOU mixing it up? Keeping it fresh? Keeping your hard earned visitors just a little offof their toes? Is your blog giving your readers a sense of moving forward? Of evolving? The bottom line with blogging is you’ve always got to be entertaining … and one way is to keep it fresh.

Well, that’s it for this week — tune in next time for more on how things in pop culture (and other things) might have something to teach us about blogging. Like a fuzzy electric yellow fictional animal for example. ;)