New domain for already successful sub domain?

[baldlygo]

My website .com has a good location at google and MSN. during the years I've noticed that I have a great "word" in my pocket too. That word is not so related to my website, but there is some connection.
So I started a new website on word.website.com and it become very successful too.
Now I'm thinking of splitting it to 2 domains.

What do think I should do:
a. Not splitting and continue the success
b. Split and make 301 redirects from the old sub domain to the new domain? (that's what I'm thinking to do)
c. Spend my sleeping time on righting new content for the new website and keep the old one?
d. other....
e. all of the above

Thanks and sorry for the bad English (my mother loves me anyway)

[caveman]

My 2 cents: The short answer is: Why mess with success? The Web is littered with people who made major changes of the kind you contemplate, and either never recovered, or recovered only after months and months of pain. Not saying that that will happen, but the odds are not greatly in your favor.

IMO, the two best reasons for subdomains to exist (spamming aside) are:
1) subtopics that clearly demand their own site for some reason (like a store attached to an info site, for example), or,
2) topic/site ideas that related to the main site, but clearly demand their own site.

Keeping in mind that the SE's view your subdomain as a separate site already, and assuming you have nothing to hide, I personally would leave well enough alone.

Possible scenarios that might change my POV include:
1) The subdomain topic is so far removed from the .com site that they make little sense being together (the sort of thing I meant by something to hide, in the event of a hand check), AND, you can afford short term/medium term traffic loss.
2) You have major plans for the subdomain that for whatever reasons strongly imply the need for an entirely separate site, AND, you can afford short term/medium term traffic loss.

I expect that other members have differing points of view, and/or might wish to add to add some thoughts.