Successful Blog

Being Smart by Accident: Why Living Your Brand as a Writer Is Everything

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Every Choice IS the Story

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In 6+1 Traits — Word Choice, I make the point that we cannot talk without talking about ourselves. The words that we choose to express what we mean also reveal things about who we are and our world view.

The same is true about every choice we make. What we bring to each choice is our experience as a person and a writer. Therefore, each choice we make reflects who we are in a most telling way. Our writing and how we present it says more than we sometimes imagine. That’s why we need to internalize what we stand for, what we value and offer as an entire story. In other words, as a writer, a business person, someone people read . . .

It’s crucial to live our brand to communicate clearly.

I had this brought home to me by a reader, TS, this week. Choices I unconsciously made affected how he saw, not just this blog, but blogging in general. I’ve included an excerpt from his email that tells the story. . . .
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Net Neutrality 12-05-2006

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Net Neutrality Links

I’m adding this link to the Net Neutrality Page.

Turning net neutrality upside-down

. . . In this particular case, the CRTC determined, in effect, that Sportsnet’s deal with Bell would need to be on terms “that are no less favourable than those accorded [Rogers Cable].”

It strikes me that a different twist on the net neutrality issue arises from this kind of decision.

We tend to think of net neutrality as seeking to ensure that ISPs don’t engage in bit-boinking – degrading the traffic of content providers that refuse to pay for protection. Is there a corollary that examines whether content providers can or should deny an ISP access to their content on equivalent terms to other ISPs?

Want to know what you can do?
MA Bell Monopoly Versus the Free Internet — Tell the FCC Net Neutrality Is Not Negotiable

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
NET NEUTRALITY PAGE

Scorpia Is a B.A.D. Blogger

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Blogger A Day Call: Hello is Scorpia there?

The first words I heard were “Hi Liz! Here we are again.” And sure enough, there we were. Only this time we weren’t trying to figure out why I couldn’t find my way into her chat room (crazy software issue she resolved in no time at all). This time we were up for a real conversation, and a real conversation is exactly what took place

I started with a question that I had been wondering — What are the folks who visit Scorpia’s Gaming Lair like? Scorpia told me that by twist of fate, luck, and technology, the people that have been her readers have always been grown-ups. She said that in the beginning, the adults had the computers; now they’re the ones who have the CPU/RAM/VIDEO to run the games. It was clear that no Playstations or X-box conversations are happening at the Lair. Scorpia serves up solid information — reviews, hints, and conversation on real gamers’ games.

We spent some time talking about podcasting and blogging. We did a while on business. We even talked about my inability to see what I type. Somehow Scorpia and I got to talking about words on the web that we’ve read and never heard said. That brought us back to words from high school facade, canape, and faux pas and the first time we heard someone say them.

Next thing you know we’re discussing how we don’t watch television and what we say when people ask us if we saw some show or other. Then we got quite involved in discussing videos. She said she had only bought eight. I told her I had only bought one. We talked about which they were and came to the same conclusion — we couldn’t see why we would buy them, if we didn’t plan to watch them many more times than once.

Scorpia said she felt the same way about books. Then she went on to say that she had shelves and shelves of them. She said that she goes to the library unless she plans to read a book more than once. I said that tied me to someone else’s schedule.

When we got to talking about what books we like, Scorpia mentioned Erle Stanley Gardner. I mentioned my mother’s index card of his titles. She knew it was so that my mom didn’t buy a copy of The Case of the Velvet Claws twice. We both agreed that his Perry Mason novels weren’t his best stuff. Then Scorpia went on to tell me that mysteries from that era were her favorite reads. When she can’t find those, she said she likes history. I said I like that rare fact-based historical fiction. Scorpia answered that she preferred the real thing.

I didn’t find that surprising. Everything about Scorpia is the real thing.

B.A.D. Blogger Quote

Game bloggers are like everyone else who cares about what they do, they’re serious about it.–Scorpia

Stop by Scorpia’s Blog, Scorpia’s Gaming Lair, and say hi!

Thanks, Scorpia, you B.A.D. Blogger!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Want to be a B.A.D. Blogger see the. . . a B.A.D. Blogger? page in the sidebar.

Why Am I Giving You Directions to the Bar at the Top of the Hancock at 7 a.m.?

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All You Have to Do Is Ask

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I’m a believer in Permission Marketing. I’m with Seth — it’s not hard to ask. As a customer, I find it easier on everyone when I ask my question. As a service provider, I like asking what people think and how they do things. As a teacher and a person, I get jazzed when people ask me to help.

One thing I don’t ask for is directions online — I’ve had MapQuest take me to the wrong side of too many towns too many times.

Yahoo Maps, well, Yahoo! invaded my computer by loading their toolbar on my machine without including me in that decision.Sorry, I like to think for myself. I didn’t include them in my decision to delete it.

I get my directions from websites or people who know the way.

Until today . . . when I read the TechCrunch review of AskCity, and played, yeah played, with their maps.

It’s so cool!
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Net Neutrality 12-04-2006

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Net Neutrality Links

I’m adding this link to the Net Neutrality Page.

Net Neutrality Update — Markey’s back

Net Neutrality champion Ed Markey will take the reins of the House Telecom and Internet Subcommittee.

[ . . . ]

His welcome announcement comes as the Government Accountability Office issued a new report finding there’s less telecom competition out there than we thought in the big-business market, which was supposed to be more competitive than consumers have at home. The report also chastized the FCC for not keeping up with what’s going on in the telecom industry.

Want to know what you can do?
MA Bell Monopoly Versus the Free Internet — Tell the FCC Net Neutrality Is Not Negotiable

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
NET NEUTRALITY PAGE