Successful Blog

Storytelling Hits Home

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“The way to make a movie is to understand that you’re speaking to one person at a time, in the dark.”        

As bloggers we write to tell stories as a way of sharing information in a personal engaging way. A filmmaker takes the same approach and looks for feedback to gauge the response of viewers. We see the fruit of our efforts as individuals respond to our work and, in doing so, allow us to to become part of their community.

This week,I was struck by how powerful the failure of a community can be on an individual. My most recent film project, (Yes, I’m a multi-tasker!) is a documentary about a teenage drug addict. I have built a relationship with my subject and she has let me into her life, her family and, I like to think, into her heart. We have an understanding and although, she relates to me through a lens, figuratively and literally, she trusts me. Recently, we met to shoot some footage. We spent a day together hanging out, talking about her life, her plans and how she was doing. She seemed okay.

The next night I received a call late in the evening. She was sobbing and explained she had been arrested for a robbery. She needed money for drugs and was desperate. She was sorry she let me down and was scared. When I hung up the phone all I could think about how was her community had let her down. She had been in trouble with the law before and had just been released from a facility – no follow-up, no counseling, just released. Her community let her down. When the “fruit” hit the fan, she called me, her filmmaker, her storyteller, not the people I might list on her bio. 

I think this is a very striking example of what happens in the online community, we tell a quick story, we watch for a response, and we may even respond to a few comments. I’m working to let the people know in my community when they make “that call”, I’m on the other end of the phone – are you?

Kathryn aka northernchick

How Might a Promise Like that Change a Life?

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What if you took yourself seriously?
What if for just one week you

  • . . . saw your strengths and not your weaknesses?
  • . . . did the work on your projects to your highest standards?
  • . . . gave yourself the respect you’d give to the holiest, most whole person
    you might meet?

What if you made a promise, swore to keep it, and only told it to yourself?

Would you take an extreme challenge to treat yourself as the best you — not the one you take for granted. Have you done so already?

How might a promise like that change a life?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

5 Things We Learned Blogging in College — When No One Even Knew They Were Talking About It

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A Guest Post by Holly McCarthy

The blogging phenomenon has been growing exponentially over the last several years and has become one of the primary modes of information dissemination in the process. Besides information, people are able to analyze, express opinions, and target specific audiences with which to share their thoughts and feelings.

There are many people out there who have been blogging for far longer than you might think. Many things we consider standards of blogging seemed to have developed out of the ether, so to speak, but they started with these first pioneers of the blogosphere. The thing is, most bloggers did these things and helped to pave the way without even doing it consciously.

Some things we learned blogging in college, when no one even knew they were talking about it:

  • Voice
    The importance of voice in writing is something we learn along the way as writers. It distinguishes us from the others and demonstrates our ability to express ourselves. In some cases, blogs have adopted a unified voice that gives them both authority and credibility, while in others the uniqueness shines through. In both cases, the voice of the author is important and relevant to readers.
  • Relevancy
    As blogging started to grow, young bloggers realized that you had to keep things relevant in order to attract readers. What is the point of writing and putting yourself out there if nobody is reading what you have to say? Common sense dictated that if you wanted to be read, you had to write about what was going on. This helped in the development of niche blogging.
  • Carving out your niche
    Niche blogging came about as a response to demands from the readership. As blogs became more prevalent, the need to get more specific began to arise. Your blog couldn’t just talk about anything and everything; you risked losing your readers if you didn’t maintain some sort of focus. Finding and developing a niche was simply a natural progression toward the blogosphere we now know.
  • Networking
    Another thing that happened along the way was the realization of the importance of networking. Long before all of the social networking and Web 2.0 developments, people had to promote themselves, and this involved developing a network of people with which you shared your posts. Emails were the preferred mode of dissemination, and we tried hard to get our content read. It was the only way to make sure that what we were doing was getting read — and it allowed for feedback as well.
  • Determination
    In the beginning, all things are a labor of love. With goals in mind and finding new and improved ways to get things written and published, the blogosphere has grown to its current incarnation. The determination of those who’ve worked so hard over the years has paid off, and we are now able to write, publish, develop content, and spread the word with more ease than ever.

We learned standards and quality goals just by doing it. Go figure.

Holly McCarthy writes on the subject of continuing education online. You can reach her at hollymccarthy12 at gmail dot com

Thanks, Holly!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

YES WE DO! How Will You Begin?

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Hope They Do Too

Last night at Open Comments we were sharing quotes. I came across one I like so much I posted it on Twitter as well. This is it.

Everywhere I go I find a poet has been there before me.
–Sigmund Freud

RobynMcMaster responded by sending me this: @lizstrauss You said “Everywhere I go I find a poet has been there before me.” It gave impression you were inspired to write poem.

and so for Robyn, for Lucretia Pruitt, who surely would have written far better sonnet had she chosen to, and for all of us, I did.

YES WE DO!
When, in wonder of new life in my arms,
I looked upon my sleeping son,
And called angels down to keep this heart unharmed
To hold him whole, what fate might come.
Passing time finds a boy to his full height
Earth-tied like me, his world light years from mine.
Far from my mom’s eyes on me at night
Audacious hope harbored also in her mind.
When I think upon changes in that short span
I forgive the broken promises and loved lost prizes
And hear a two-year-old’s “YES I CAN!”
From White Houses to world spaces of all sizes

The awe of “YES, WE CAN!” is “YES, WE DO!”
Hope lives in places where they love their children too.

–E Strauss 01-21-09

Success requires work to realize that hope.

How will you begin?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

The Mic Is On: We're Talking about Quotes and Song Lyrics

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It’s Like Open Mic Only Different

The Mic Is On

Here’s how it works.

It’s like any rambling conversation. Don’t try to read it all. Jump in whenever you get here. Just go to the end and start talking. EVERYONE is WELCOME.
The rules are simple — be nice.

There are always first timers and new things to talk about. It’s sort of half “Cheers” part “Friends” and part video game. You don’t know how much fun it is until you try it.

Where’s Robert Fulgrum When We Need Him?

  • or the Beatles
  • or Ghandi
  • or Mother Teresa
  • or Mark Twain
  • or you?

And, whatever else comes up, including THE EVER POPULAR, Basil the code-writing donkey . . . and flamenco dancing (because we always get off topic, anyway.)

Oh, and bring example links.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
image: sxc.hu
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Jim G, Mr. Detroit, and a Saloon Fight: What Makes You a Fiercely Loyal Customer?

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I grew up hearing fiercely loyal customers tell stories about my dad. Other such stories I lived myself …

I was about 20 years old, home from college for the weekend. I stopped by the saloon to see my dad. All the guys were razzing him saying things like, “Close the cash register, the Boss is in town.” I was grinning back, “A smile from my dad is all I’m after.”

Some guy from Detroit swaggered in like this was any old bar, and he was some hot stuff. The big spender sat down and ordered a 50-cent, 8 oz. draft beer. He chose the red stool to Jim G, a guy about my age, who saw my dad as his surrogate father.

I had just thanked Jim G 83 times for fixing the flat tire on my boyfriend’s car — he’d driven out 17 miles to help me when I was stranded on route 80. We met for the first time by the side of that highway just 18 hours earlier.

I didn’t notice the Detroit stranger order his beer. I never served drinks there. Everyone knew my dad didn’t want me to. By the time the guy got it, I was teasing my dad and talking to a Joey D. He was an old guy who knew me since I was still sitting on the bar with my feet hanging.

Next thing you know, Mr. Detroit threw a fist in Jim G’s face. They were having it out right there in seconds. My sixty-something dad flew over the bar, pulled the guys apart, and handed them over to a couple of friends. Then, as a deputy of the county, he called the cops to pick up Mr. Detroit for visit to the local jail.

It was then that I heard the story. Mr. Detroit had asked Jim for my name. Jim said, “I told him ‘You wanna know, ask her or ask her father.’ I wasn’t going to tell him if you didn’t want him to know.”

Later that night, my dad bailed Detroit out of jail, took him to breakfast, and sent him on his way.

In a small town saloon, personal and business relationships can’t be separated. You throw guys in jail and you bail ’em later. You feed ’em and let ’em know you’ve been there.

My dad cared about the people who were his customers and so they cared about him. He looked out for them and they looked out for him. Investment made investment returned. It’s the ROI of relationships — in spades. For me, it was like church, family, and Mark Twain to be there. Lots of others felt the same way that Jim G and I did.

What makes you a fiercely loyal customer?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!