Weekend Writers Cafe - Open Friday-Sunday (October 5-7)
Welcome to this weekend’s Writers Cafe. What’s been happening in your writing week?
Subscribe to comments, so you can jump back in to the conversation anytime you like over the weekend.
Share your marvellous mini milestones or super successes. Any projects you’d like to toss around, questions you have, jobs to offer, requests for interviewees, or help you need? Or just kick back and shoot the breeze about anything writing or blogging related.
If you read my post on Dear Abby - Everyone Wants To Be My Friend, you’ll see I’m confused about Social Networking. Be sure to read Scot Herrick’s comment at my post. It’s great. That could be a post in itself, Scot! Scot blogs at Cube Rules.
One of my questions this week is Which Social Networking Tools Do You Find Useful?
Do you think it’s good to concentrate on one or two, or to go to as many as you can? Are different social networks better for different age groups, different interest groups etc? Any tips, thoughts or questions about Social Networking?
Alicia Sparks is having a Best of Spam in 2007 Carnival… what fun… talk about turning a negative into a positive. Check it out.
Invitation To Bring A Link To The Writers Cafe
You are welcome to leave a useful link for writers along with your comment. It can be from your own site or from another one (no afffilate links please).
Networking at the Writers Cafe
At last week’s Writers Cafe we gave Lillie feedback on the cover of her upcoming book, celebrated Suzanne’s & Joanna’s book successes, shared info on writing scams, blog contests, group writing projects, and we shared successes. There was a real networking buzz, and it was a lot of fun.
Please Spread the Word About the Weekend Writers Cafe
If you like the idea of the Writers & Bloggers Cafe, you may like to Stumble this post on StumbleUpon, or let others know. The more writers here to share ideas, the more we can help each other. A special thanks to Keltrehai who blogged about the Writers Cafe, and helped us spread the word.
Thanks to all who joined in the fun and visited the Writers Cafe last week
Sharon, Joanna, Suzanne, Laura, Genesis, Lillie, Mary Emma, Keltrehai, Glenda and Todd.
Good morning all! Back at the cafe, what´s good today?
To answer your question, Yvonne, I use Facebook and StumbleUpon more than anything else. Not sure how useful Facebook is, but I have made some interesting friends there! SU is definitely useful for driving traffic to your sites. I recently read that you can get more traffic (without voting for yourself) by voting for webpages or blog posts that link to you. Handy tip.
Hi Yvonne and everyone
Friday again - help!
The whole social networking thing is pretty bamboozling and I’m still tiptoeing my way around and not totally convinced of the merits of investing much time there. I didn’t like Facebook at all to begin with but have now got used to it - have met some friendly and helpful people in Edinburgh who meet once a week (in a real cafe!) to talk social media and that’s probably - ironically - the main spin off.
Trying to get my head round stumbleupon just now - partly through realising (via Liz Strauss) that you can find who’s stumbled a post of yours and go and thank them. This is a nice way to connect up with your readers
Found a useful article on how to make the most of the different sites - and work out what you’re there for - so posting that and the Liz piece on ‘thankyous’ below
Bye for now - be back later in the weekend
Joanna
http://www.instigatorblog.com/the-10-minute-daily-guide-to-building-your-social-media-profile/2007/09/26/
http://www.successful-blog.com/1/the-secret-to-massive-diggstumbleupon-traffic-without-spamming/
Hey Genesis - Welcome! You’re the first one here. If I was rich and famous, there might be a prize for that! For now, all I can offer is to help yourself to cake and coffee instead!
Interesting tip about StumbleUpon. I guess it makes sense, as you are thanking the people who link to you, and there’s a chance a reader who discovers them through SU might click through to your site… hmmm
Joanna - Thanks for the links. Both are useful. Thanking someone is a great (and obvious idea). Why didn’t I think of that?
Here is a link from Dana Wallert which is a roundup of lots of posts about StumbleUpon. http://danawallert.com/04/34-stumbleupon-posts-that-arent-crap/
She also recommends Sphinn. Has anyone used Sphinn?
StumbleUpon is, by far, the community I use the most. I’ve also started to use Sphinn although I did join up two weeks after its July 2007 launch. Sphinn is particularly good for search engine marketers, but freelance writers can find it helpful too as we should offer SEM and SEO as part of what we do for our customers.
Hey Matt - I like your Avatar! Good point about the SEM and SEO as a a value added service. I’ll move out of my comfort zone and go check out Sphinn! Thanks for joining in the conversation.
Hello everyone! I thought I’d try my hands at baking and brought these chocolate brownies to share - make sure you get your piece!
Have been busy with academic writing more than anything else this week. My report on “Quality of project management and its implications on software quality” is due in 2 weeks at uni and even when I want to write a short story or anything, right now I simply can’t get anything nerdy out of my head….
Amy - Yum! Thanks for bringing chocolate brownies. I actually don’t mind academic writing, but when you “have” to do it as an assignment, it’s a bit different. Title sounds impressive! I know what you mean about when you are in that mode, you can’t diverge and do too much creative. Not long to go… Good luck with it.
It’s hard to say which is best. I get the most traffic from Stumbleupon, but that’s occasional, although I am starting to make a habit of using it, so that should grow. This week, three of my posts have been stumbled, adding an extra 700 or so unique visitors to the blog. Hopefully, some of them will return.
I also got a lot through BlogCatalog and I participate in that community more. . Apart from that, I have a presence on many of the sites. I’ve set Facebook up to update itself whenever I post to my blog but don’t use it much, and I find the MySpace interface offputting, though again, I’ve got a profile there.
I haven’t used Sphinn but I’ve heard about it so much in the last couple of weeks, that I think maybe I should.
This week has been mostly a housekeeping week on my blog, sorting out my newsletter and doing a roundup of content. I did have one post that got some attention, about taking time off at the weekend.
I’ve decided that I’d like to feature quality guest posts about writing more often on Get Paid To Write Online. If anyone is interested in doing one please get in touch via the contact form on the site. I’m also happy to do a guest post in return.
Phew! That ended up being a mouthful. Happy weekend everyone.
Yummy! I’ll have a brownie too.
I use primarily StumbleUpon and Sk*rt. (Although I have few friends on Sk*rt.) When I first started blogging, I used MyBlogLog, but I rarely go there anymore. I suppose I could be tempted to try Sphinn.
I have a presence on some of the other social media sites including Facebook, but I don’t really use them.
For me it’s an issue of time. Some of the people seem to be at all the social media sites and they must literally live online. I have kids, a family, paying work (that I have to do to pay the bills).
In fact someone e-mailed about social media the other day and I replied that while I used SU, I really preferred to interact the old-fashioned way - through e-mail and comments. Of course, this limits the number of people I can reach and probably my blogging popularity …
@ Laura - I think e-mail and comments is the only way to build quality relationships that will turn into who knows what - friendships, joint projects, collaboration in the future, laughter, inspiration, support… so if there’s only so much time in the day I’d say you were using it the right way
Love your piece on clarity and focus - we must be on the same wavelength just now.
Joanna
PS Yvonne, I’m still anonymous! Don’t know why. At Jeanne Dininni’s suggestion I updated my mybloglog profile (as they’d changed the way you log in) but my photo still isn’t showing. Anyway - it is me, honest - and I’m not in a feed either!
Sharon - I’ve never really understood the difference between MyBlogLog and BlogCatalog. Are they just different versions of something similar? Isn’t that intreresting that your most popular post this week was on taking time off… not surprising really… sounds like you struck a chord with writers there.
I’ve found guest posting has been great for my blog, as others have expertise you may not necessarily have. I think it works well for both parties.
Laura - I hear you on the time issue. I don’t know how some people keep up with all the social networking. I like email and personal contact too.
Joanna - I believe it’s you, even though you are still anonymous… LOL… sorry I can’t help with sorting that out… strange. I agree that building relationships is important, and I prefer the old fashioned methods too. I’m enjoying your clarity theme… must head over to check out Laura’s post.
I suppose MyBLogLog and BlogCatalog are very similar, though BlogCatalog is far more attractive. BlogCatalog seems to make it easier to find blogs in the same niche and has a lot of nice features, so I prefer it, but it can be hard to tell the difference, I agree. It’s more a question of feel than anything else, for me. Andy Beard did this post on what he perceived to be the differences - andybeard.eu/2007/07/mybloglog-vs-blogcatalog-differentiation.html . Maybe that will help.
Hello, everyone!
I confess I’m totally inept at social networking … but I’ve never been very good at networking in real life, either.
I joined MyBlogLog a good while ago, and at first, I tried to respond to eveyrone who visited from there. But, as others have said, I just don’t have time to keep doing that. I live on my computer and spend a lot of time online but just can’t get the hang of the social networking sites. I’ve tried to use StumbleUpon because I’ve heard so much about it from Matt and others, but I just get confused and frustrated. I consider myself a reasonably intelligent person, but, for some reason, making sense of social networking is beyond me.
Didn’t mean for this to sound so whiny …
Joanna!
Thanks for the compliments on my post! Your input really means a lot.
Lillie, I find the whole social networking thing fairly time consuming and confusing as well. It took me AGES to learn Facebook!
I´ve tried a few other networks, such as Sphinn and Sk*rt, as well as Buzzle and BlogCatalog. Each one has their own way of doing things and since I have two kids under two and have to actually write enough to survive, I tend not to learn a lot of new things. A bit old fashioned of me, perhaps, but life does get in the way of all this stuff!
Not that I would have it any other way, of course.
Ok, I have to go finish up a writing assignment, then I´m going to go check out all the great links people have left here!
Hi everyone, Happy Friday!
I haven’t done much yet with social networking at all. As the mom of a teenage daughter, I have spent so much time nagging about not talking to strangers on Facebook and MySpace, that I don’t know if I am ready to skin that cat yet.
I’ve had a busy week 40+ hours at my out of the house job and who knows how many playing with my newborn business. Now I don’t have to work outside again until Monday night, so I get to play on my computer all weekend. Hopefully, by that time I will have some of the housekeeping beginnings coming together.
I think I will try one of those brownies now before they are all gone. See you in a bit!
Hi, everyone,
Sorry I couldn’t join you last week. but glad my mini empanadas did. Found out how reliable Tech-ex is. Care for some Pecan Tarts?
Have a great weekend, y’all!
Princess
Just a quick note to say that I noticed that a few people have accessed the contact form, but nothing has reached me. If you’re interested in a guest post exchange, please email me on webadmin at doublehdesign dot com. Thanks
Sharon - Thanks for sharing the link with us re MyBlogLog vs BlogCatalog
Lillie - It is all a bit overwhelming. I agree. I think I’ll just concentrate of SU and one or two others for now.
Keltrehai - It’s great to get a block of time to get things done. Enjoy the brownies.
Princess - Thanks for sending those mini empanadas for last weekend’s Writers Cafe… yum.. and pecan tarts for us this week. Hope you visit regularly.
What is Tech-ex?
Sharon - I’m sure you’ll have some takers for the guest post exchange. I’d love to do it myself, but at the moment, I’m flat out. Keep in touch.
As always, there is some great networking going on here. Yvonne, I congratulate you on an excellent idea with this writer´s cafe!
I´d like to look at what keltrehai had to say, about not talking to strangers on Facebook and similar applications. How does everyone feel about that?
For me, I first got into Facebook in particular on a personal level, to reiniciate contact with some high school friends and have a way to communicate easily with my sisters back in Canada (I live in Guatemala now) and because of that, I have a lot of personal info, photos of my two little boys, and the like on there. When I joined the Thirty Day Challenge, back in August, I gained a lot of “friends” who are fellow IM wannabes, but they are not people I know.
While I feel that living in Guatemala affords me a certain amount of protection, it is still a scary world out there and it makes me a tad nervous . . . how do you all deal with this? Do you have accounts soley for business? How social can a business account be, really? Thoughts, idea, opinions, anyone?
Thanks for the great input on my cover last week. I’ve passed your comments on to the publisher, but she’s just had surgery and hasn’t been up to doing anything else yet. I’ve also got a couple of great quotes and the promises of some more, so we’ll have plenty to choose from.
I’ve had a busy week - more than 30 billable hours, including a rush project on a grant application for an artist, ongoing work for several regular business clients, creating a Web site for a client whose book is due out the end of the month, and the final edits on a manuscript for a self-publishing author.
The last is another fictionalized family history - accurate as much as possible, but the story filled in with imagination when details aren’t known. The wanted to use real names since it is a true story, but it was hard to keep everyone straight. Henry is married to Henrietta, and one of their eleven children is also named Henry. Henry Sr.’s best friend has the same last name as Henry, there are three generations of Robert X, etc. - and everyone has a couple of nicknames.
So I suggested a character chart at the beginning of the book to help readers keep people straight. Creating that chart was one of my major accomplishments this week.
Since you gave me such great input last week, I’m asking for help again. This time I’m trying to choose just the right word. The book with all the confusing characters is the story of the author’s family from his great-grandparents to his own generation. His great-grandparents were slaves, his grandparents were slaves freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, his parents experienced the prejudice and segregation of the Jim Crow era, and the author is a middle class American in a biracial marriage. The amazing thing is that he had no education but taught himself to read and write working in the restaurant business.
Now … after that background to set this stage, here is my question. I’m trying to come up with a high-concept tagline for this story: the story of a family’s journey from slavery through Jim Crow to ______. I’m looking for the right word for the blank. I’ve thought about assimilaton, integration, and inclusion. Do any of those strike a chord with you? Do you have any other suggestions?
Thanks for any input you can give me!
Genesis - Thanks! It’s fun, isn’t it… and great to network.
I can’t really chime in too much on your question about privacy. I don’t give out too much personal, although when you need to fill in various online forms, you wonder where it ends up.
Apart from personal details, and family photos, some people give out a lot about their private lives too. If you are in business or looking for a job, “letting it all out” online is not a good idea, as employers now look you up on the web. What do others think about the issue of privacy? How much are you prepared to talk about on the web, regarding your private thoughts and personal details?
Lillie - Wow! You have been busy.
I remember you talking about the slavery book. That would be a really interesting read. One of my favorite books was Life Is So Good by George Dawson. He learned to read at 98. Yep! That’s right - 98. It actually sounds somewhat similar to the one you’re working on.
As I’m not from the U.S. I’ll bow out of giving an opinion on your word quandry. Good luck with it. I’m sure others here will have some great ideas.
Hi guys
A brief stop only - the sun is blazing here and it’s too nice to be inside for even a moment! (It’s most peculiar weather - been miserable all summer and now we’re nearly into winter it decides to become magnificent! Actually it’s almost too hot in the sun - but that’s spoken as someone who’s got used to most northerly climes)
@ Lillie
Like Yvonne I hesitate to offer a word because I think whatever you use will have cultural significance that we can’t ‘read’ from outside the US. I did think however that the words you were toying with maybe weren’t as powerful as they could be. What came to mind instead was “self-determination”.
Of course this might have cultural baggage I don’t know about. It also might make your sentence too long. Although if you dropped the Jim Crow ref you’d have a nice alliteration
Best wishes with the project
Joanna
Joanna - Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your magnificent weather while you can.
Couldn’t you just use the word “freedom?” Maybe that’s too obvious and not what you’re looking for.
Hello all!
Well, I’m joining the party late (Saturday night here in the US), but I’ll give it a whirl. So, some commentary on the good comments here so far:
1. Social sites. I always look at it from two perspectives: time and audience. The time aspect is that I can only spend so much time doing stuff that is related, but not central, to my objectives. If I wanted to, I could spend all of my time blogging, or working Facebook, or going down rabbit holes at StumbleUpon. So I have a limited amount of time. The audience perspective helps me determine where I should be spending my precious time. Is my writing audience on MySpace? Facebook? In my case, for Cube Rules, it’s on LinkedIN and other career management sites. So, for me, it’s writing and working with blogs. Everyone talks about Social marketing, but they ignore the audience. Figure your audience, then focus your time on that.
2. My big success this week with writing was I was a presenter (today!) on Technology for Writers: how a writer can use technology to market their work. This was for Write on The Sound here in the Seattle, US, area. Forty-five participants, lots of good questions, and some great feedback from the organizers (this really moved our participants in a new direction; something we need to do more(!)). And the good news is: based upon my blog and this conference, I’m booked to do another iteration of this in May at a different Writers Conference!!
3. One of my more interesting positions coming out of the presentation workshop: unpublished writers don’t know how effective blogs can be to market their work — so writing a blog about technology for writers won’t get the traction it should. Instead, I should write a book about it because unpublished authors read books, not online (Yvonne — this is the tie-in to Ten Keyboards I couldn’t figure out). So write the book and then use Ten Keyboards to be the online platform for the book…
4. Lillie: From slavery to role model. From slavery to pioneer. From slavery to innovator. Something to think about.
See you Sunday!
Scot
Scot -
1. You always add something insightful to the discussion. Thanks for the reminder about audience. That’s always a good compass for any decisions.
2. Congrats on the Technology For Writers conference. That sounds like a perfect fit for you… sounds really interesting. Maybe you could do an online teleseminar too.
3. Great that you found such a wonderful direction for Ten Keyboards… yet another famous author in our midst at the Writers Cafe. Be sure to keep us posted on progress
I just love all this forward progress and news of people’s successes!
Sorry, Yvonne, I meant to enclose an explanation but forgot…. just coined TechEx to replace FedEx.
Have a beautiful week ahead.
Hi all, I am new here. I just found this writer’s cafe after reading a guest post here. Great stuff. I desire to write a book and teach. My biggest issue is finding the time to write consistently. More on that at another time. I am glad I found this group. I get a lot of traffic from Stumbleupon. I am getting some traffice from Facebook and LinkedIn. I also would recommend Yahoo Answers. That has proven to be a great place for me to connect with new readers for my blog.
I will be back to visit next weekend and contribute to the conversation. I look forward to getting to know you all. I do know Scott!! And I just met Yvonne earlier this week. Have a great week everyone.
Coming in late to congratulate all who had great accomplishments this week and to thank those who suggested words for me.
Joanna, Slavery to self-determination is definitely worth considering. As you suggest, it might be better to drop the Jim Crow reference.
Laura, The reason I don’t want to use freedom is because legally the slaves were free after the Emancipation Proclamation, but they had no resources to live independently. The family stayed on the plantation as sharecroppers for some time before they could leave. However, your suggestion made me think of independence - that might be better, freedom and self-determination both.
Scot, Role model, pioneer, innovator … all good words for me to think about. However, I’m leaning toward a word that describes a condition (slavery/independence) rather than a word that applies to an individual (the book is about a family).
Hope everyone has a wonderful week. See you back here next weekend!
Princess - Thanks… I love coined words… It’s a living language.
Hi Lillie
As an Aussie, I think you would be surprised at international interest in this book and topic. I think Joanna’s suggestion of slavery instead of Jim Crow may make it more readily accessible/meaningful to a wider audience outside the US, unless of course, you are targeting only a U.S. audience…just a thought.
I look forward to reading it.
Darlene - Welcome! Yahoo Answers… that’s interesting. Maybe you can tell us more about that at the next Writers Cafe. I’m glad you found us. Spread the word, and I looking forward to seeing you here on the weekend.
Happy Saturday! How’s the coffee? Just stopped to catch up with everyone. What’s new?
I have a question for you: As I have mentioned, I have opened my own freelance businees. Here’s my problem. How do you take an assorted work history that is mainly bartending;/waitressing, etc and turn it into a writer’s resume? Most of what I have been doing is internet content and such, so I sell the material outright when I sell. I would love any creative help I can get. (I have ALWAYS hated resumes, but a lot of people want them.) Thanks!
Teresa
Oct 12th, 2007 at 8:52 am
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