Always experimenting with new online publishing venues, I just wrote my first knol. Knol is Google’s attempt to out-wikipedia Wikipedia. So far it has not attracted too much attention, but I found this newborn article directory site to be pretty user-friendly. I like that that the author can control how collaborative the knol can be, from wiki-style groupthink to hands-off-this-is-mine.
I also like that Google is interested in verifying the identity of authors who write a knol. They even offer to call you at your home to verify your credentials. So this is a great way to get the word out if you are a freelance writer or otherwise looking to build your name or expertise.
On the flip-side, some have argued that Google’s knol is actually an attack on copyright because Google’s search algorithm favors in-house content, meaning a knol will rank higher in the search engines for a key phrase than the original source the knol has plagiarized. Maybe they’ll iron that wrinkle out; after all, it’s still in testing.
Anyways, here’s the link to my knol on lucid dreaming. If you like it, rate the page, or make a comment. The knol is also set for collaboration with my approval if you want to fill out some sections of lucid dreaming knowledge that I just grazed. For instance, because I am a mostly a spontaneous lucid dreamer, I do not have a wealth of experience with lucid dreaming techniques.
