We all need more knowledge, and despite the Internet being really really big. Like seriously, it’s huge! Finding the right info is tough, and before long we get stuck playing Angry Birds and stalking, sorry, following peoples strides through life via Facebook and Twitter. Do not worry though for the time to fret isn’t here yet because I’m coming at you with my favourite stories/musings of the last week. So without further wasting your busy time, here are my tales:
To Write Or Not To Write…
Actually that title is a little bit misleading because the answer is of course to write. To join a writing group on the other hand is a different matter, and this so happens to be one of my main aims for 2012. That was until I read a very interesting article from Myke Cole who basically made me see it from a new light.
Now I still think I will join a writing group because I feel I need to improve my writing and gathering feedback is probably the best way. It is nice to see however, that I’m not alone in being a stubborn person who doesn’t like criticism and just wants people to like them. Whatever your views on writing groups are this is an interesting little read, so click on through for some magical words to grace your eyes.
Crowdsourcing for Books…hmmmmm, Interesting
Everyone loves a good old crowd source these days, whether it’s a flash mob from T-Mobile coming together and dancing near a train, or a combined effort from hundreds of people making a website/magazine be the popular thing it is.
The digital age, along with social media, has allowed this to become a genuine everyday aspect of our lives, and the possibilities of it becoming a normal part of book publishing are beginning to stir.
This week I read articles from Jim Kukral and Scott Vankirk, both discussing the subject in their own way. I seriously recommend both posts because this is an interesting topic indeed. I especially like the idea of Scott’s wikiesque book community, where people of different skill sets come together to make a book worthy of a bookshelf.
Trends such as these will be very interesting down the line, so read this now and show off to your friends. Trust me, it makes you look really smart: either that or pretentious and annoying. Whichever way you see it, proceed…
Attract New Readers With Ease
At least that’s what these articles say…follow these steps and you’ll see new readers fly your way. Obviously it isn’t this simple, but these two articles produce some fine ideas, Linda Formichelli offering some great insights into how to attract new Blog Readers, and Joel Friedlander looking at engaging with new Tweeters.
For any budding author out there these are two tools that are really a must, and the tips offered by Linda and Joel are very good indeed. I’ve already gone back to some past posts and added some quotes and startling facts, and some of the tools Joel recommended are real keepers. It’s certainly worth a few minutes of your time and you may just pick up a few newbie’s along the way. Enjoy…
An Author Is More Than A Writer
Jane Friedman (someone you should follow every day…just saying) interviewed John Warner about the correlation between an author and an entrepreneur, and what he sees himself as.
As most do, he sees himself as a writer first, but to maintain that as a full time profession the business side of things closely follows it. Take a look for a fascinating insight into managing your time, and how bringing services you love into your author marketing can really help you enjoy the whole process.
There’s a million and one tips and insights into this around the web, but I really liked this interview. I suggest you wonder over to Jane’s site and partake in some wisdom and tomfoolery.
Well Done Bristol, Well Done!
Maybe it’s because the council I reside in is quite useless, but a current marketing effort from Bristol seems like a really nice movement in the forward direction.
‘The Around The World In 80 Days’ campaign will help a host of businesses get involved, engage with the local community, and overall this should help the entire area in a rather cold, wet, and economically brutal time of year. I don’t praise the authorities too often, but Bristol gets a big thumbs up on this occasion. I can only hope one day my own council does something half decent. Hmmm, maybe not.
Myspace is Back?
I’m certainly not convinced, but Myspace seem to be having one last crack at things with Trouser Snake himself the man at the helm. The once mega social network is having to turn to more creative sources these days, what, with just about everyone’s Myspace account dwindling away in the distant past. I mean seriously, do you still remember the password? Christ, do you remember your username?
The one saving grace for Mysapce has been it’s music and is still a fine place for Bands to set up a page and get word out. So that’s the plan it seems, to centre things on music, but will they be able to keep up with Spotify? They maybe rather different now, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Spotify became a giant fairly soon and integrated pages for Bands to set up places for fans to reach them. It’s surely the next step, no?
Whether Myspace will get back to the top, or even survive is another thing, but it’s good to see some fight in them. Don’t give up guys!
For The Love Of God London, Are You Kidding Me!
This is the ‘Really…Are you God Damn serious’ part of The Turndog Tales this week. If you click on the link below you will see how London’s planning to stop volunteers at the Olympics from tweeting! Yeah, good luck with that one!
The big question though is why? This isn’t something you will be able to stop, and in the process you’ll just piss people off and they’ll want to tweet even more. Just to annoy you, Boris, just like every teenager in the country is doing right now to their parents because they won’t let them go out tonight.
Will tweeting the fact you saw Usain Bolt really create the world to stop spinning? What about a picture with an American Gymnast (yes please by the way), will this create such uproar that the Olympics will stop and terrorists will take over?
Educate the volunteers for God’s sake, and encourage them to tweet and share the right things. If done right this could become huge. Once again a missed opportunity… from England? ??Wow, who would have thought!
So that’s it ladies and gents, another Turndog Tales over with. I’ve been rather busy posting myself this week, and one story I really like is my Hipster/Brand Comparison. It would kind of be cool if you checked it on out, plus The Millionaire Plan that has now 8 editions to its name J
Oh, and if you’d like a sample of my actual fiction writing then Click Here because I partook in a Blog Chain for the AW Forum. It’s dark I warn you, but it was a lot of fun (in a sad kind of way) to write.
Until next time folks…
Turndog Millionaire – @turndog_million
