The purpose of this blog
is less sinister than you might think…or is it more. I aim to diagnose and treat ailments that
commonly afflict writers, such as writer’s block, mental obstacles, and the
internet. Ultimately, I hope to help you
become a better writer. So, you old
school writers grab a pen and paper, and you young ones dust off that monitor. And let’s start writing.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Biography
My background is
classified, but I will offer some glimpses of my personality. For instance, I
like fish that doesn't taste fishy. I enjoy reading paperback books instead of
hardcover. I love movies but rarely can find anything worth viewing. And I
dislike TV shows, even when they're appealing. My greatest
pleasure...well...one of my greatest pleasures is smoking cigars. I love a well
hand-made cigar, becoming transfixed by plumes of smoke dancing before me; it
cures the worst the day throws my way. Sorry, but I'm heading out for a smoke!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Steven Pressfield on Professionalism
Have you ever felt like
quitting? I have. Deep within the innermost sanctums of my
mind, I have heard that sinister voice explicate convincingly why I should
relinquish my dream of authorship.
You’ll never be good enough. That
isn’t writing. Such negative thoughts
metastasize all cogitation, destroying my will to continue writing. It’s times like these that encouragement
helps. I found this in the form of a short
video from one of my favorite authors, Steven Pressfield (PositivelyPositive1,
2011). He describes the type of
professional mindset needed to succeed.
Shun resistance, which Pressfield relates to “internal sabotage,” and
embrace a professional outlook in writing (PositivelyPositive1, 2011). So is writing aptitude needed?
References
PositivelyPositive1. (2011, April
19). Steven
Pressfield: overcoming resistance [Video file]. Retrieved from http:// http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH5B2j843WU
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Michael Connelly: a Predominant Force on Facebook
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Photo © Michael Connelly
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Facebook is big. According
to Experian, it’s one of the top three largest social networks in the virtual
world, and author Michael Connelly has established an effective presence on the
social network giant (Download, web).
But what makes his Facebook page so successful?
After reviewing two other author's Facebook pages, I chose to analyze the Black Echo author's page, simply because it intrigued me more. The other two favorite author's Facebook pages I checked out were Steven Pressfield's and Mark Frost's.
Content is essential, even for famous authors, such as
Connelly. An analysis of Mr. Connelly’s
Facebook page reveals key elements that attracts new audience and keeps
established readers craving more. Below
are several practices implemented on Mr. Connelly’s Facebook page that one
should remember when striving for social media success.
Social: your
Facebook profile is a portal to your personality, and it’s more than a one-way
street. Choosing an appropriate cover
and profile picture is important. Mr.
Connelly adds a personal touch with a portrait picture and a cover shot of the
cover of his latest novel The Black Box. The cover photograph alone piques the
interest of his readers, providing them a glimpse of what’s to come.
The about
section provides a succinct resume of his writing and proffers a link to his
official website that delves deeper into his biography and books. Also, his page offers information on upcoming
signings, book tours, book releases—both old (on e-books) and new.
Aside from
posting events, interaction with your audience is crucial. Obviously, when you’re as famous as Mr.
Connelly accomplishing such a task alone is quite onerous. Although Mr. Connelly has an administrator,
he interacts frequently via posts with his readers. A perfect example of such interaction is his
Facebook question and answer sessions.
In a video posted on Facebook the author answers the reader’s question. Each video is set in a different location,
adding intrigue to each posted video. In
one video you can discern New York City’s skyline from the balcony he’s
recording from (http://www.facebook.com/video/?id=21622339686). He also hosts contests
for his audience, sharing pictures of his readers reading his books.
Natural: I don’t
expect to see you scratching your nether regions or boasting of such
frivolities. I expect a person who can
express their natural voice professionally.
Don’t be afraid to show glimpses of yourself to your audience. Just make sure and choose aspects of your
personality you’re comfortable sharing with the public.
Consistent: maintaining a presence on your Facebook
account is imperative. Make sure to
schedule the social network into your daily writing regimen. Don’t just post text. Share information from other sites,
especially if they promote your work. Liking”
and sharing links are other promotional practices that broaden your
audience. Mr. Connelly makes good use of
these two practices by employing them to aspects that pertain to his work. For example, he shared a link to abanow.org,
which is a video of him receiving an award for The Fifth Witness novel (Connelly, podcast).
Diverse: although the reason for your Facebook
page is to promote your work, you must diversify. But your reason for social networking is to
publicize your writing. I understand,
but everything you becomes hackneyed
to your followers. Spruce your Facebook page
up with comments, videos, images, and links of your interests beyond the scope
of your works. Share a whole side of you
that doesn't push your products on them; after all, it is social networking.
Michael
Connelly’s Facebook success can, in part, be attributed to his application of
the
aforementioned practices. Of course,
it goes without saying that his awesome writing is the catalyst
to his
accomplishments.
References
“Download the 2012 digital marketer:
benchmark and trend report.” Experian marketing services. Retrieved from http:// http://go.experian.com/forms/experian-digital-marketer-2012?WT.srch=PR_EMS_DigitalMarketer2012_040412_Download?send=yes
Connelly, M. (Speaker). (2012, September 12). Michael Connelly accepts Harper Lee prize for
the fifth witness. American Bar Association.
Podcast retrieved from http:// http://www.abanow.org/2012/09/michael-connelly-accepts-harper-lee-prize-for-the-fifth-witness/
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