personal-branding Archives - Page 21 of 41

Myth Busting “Write as You Talk” OR How to Write Conversationally

August 14, 2006 by Liz

I Can Think Writing

My IT husband wanted to know what I knew about writing. We talked quite a while. I told him that writing is written conversation about organized thinking.

As he does often, IT man gave his response in quotable form.

I can think writing, but I don’t know how to write it.

I could have answered, “Write as you talk.” It’s well known advice, but talking isn’t at all like writing. Really. That is a myth and I’m myth busting it now. So what does it mean to write as you talk? [Read more…]

Bloggy Question 18 — Suddenly You Have

August 13, 2006 by Liz

What Are Your Favorites?

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week, I offer this Blogging Question.

Suddenly your blog has been discovered. All of the big names, all of your heroes have put you on their blogroll. You’re now looking at 26,000 links — individual site links — to your now famous blog. You’re number 1 on the Technorati Top 100. You have a Google Page Rank of 9, the same as Boing, Boing and Slashdot enjoy.

What do you do with this good fortune?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Great Find: Motion Mall

August 13, 2006 by Liz

An Interactive Option to Amazon Advertising

I found this alternative advertising option reading OMMA, the Online Marketing Media & Advertising Magazine. If you’re willing to share a little ad benefit for a little interactivity and pulling power, you should take a look at this one.

Great Find: Motion Mall

Permalink: http://www.motionmall.com/

Audience/Topic: Any blogger who would like an Amazon program with some extra oomph and interactivity.

Content: Motion Mall is a Boston-based company that offers one-stop advertising that any blogger can setup and have running in four simple steps. All you have to do is

The benefits of Motion Mall are

What’s the catch? There is a reasonable service fee to cover the costs of the interactive interface and you might find that some readers spend more time interacting with the ads than reading your blog posts.

To check out Motion Mall, click the logo.

This is the most interesting new ad model I’ve seen in the longest while.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Great Find: Programmer Meet Designer

August 12, 2006 by Liz

Sharing Skill Sets

This morning Cat Morley started my email day with a lovely link that I have to share with you. If lack of a skill or two is holding you back from getting something done. You simply have to check this one out.

Great Find: Programmer Meet Designer

Permalink: http://programmermeetdesigner.com/index.php

Audience/Topic: Programmers, Designers, Writers, Entrepreneurs

Content: Programmer Meet Designer (PMD) was started because the folks behind it understand that no one person has the complete set of skills needed to do all of the things that it takes to run a business online.

PMD helps programmers and designers partner up to make websites and web applications that look and work great. It also lets entrepreneurs and writers find people to work with.

The search engine asks for my job role, the job role I’m looking for, whether the job is paid or unpaid, and the approximate length of the work.

As you might guess by the title, there are more listings for programmers and designers. However, the site has opened itself to writers and entrepreneurs. I found listings for them, but not nearly as many. To check out Programmer Meet Designer, click the logo below.

It never hurts to take a look at what’s out there.

Thanks again, Cat, for sharing your resources.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Content or Copy: Ignore the Difference at Your Own Risk

August 9, 2006 by Liz

The Pigeons and the Preacher?

When we were first married, my husband I were walking through a city park. The lawn was filled with pigeons. He voiced the most unusual thought. “Why are pigeons always the same size?” he said. “What if they are all baby pigeons and a great mother pigeon lives up on the roof of one of those buildings?”

Shortly thereafter we passed a young man in scruffy clothes who told us that the world was ending. He asked us to change the way we were living. He offered us the reasons and joys of how living his way would make our lives wonderful and give us peace forever. I wondered whether he’d heard the conversation about the pigeons.

If the two messages had been written as text–one would be content; the other would be copy.

Do know see the difference? I don’t mean to hold you hostage. But ignore the difference at your own risk. [Read more…]

Bloggy Question 17 — The Official Writing Book Discussion

August 6, 2006 by Liz

What Are Your Favorites?

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week, I offer this Blogging Question.

A friend comes to you and says he wants to be a better writer. What books do you suggest?

–ME “Liz” Strauss