Airplanes, Airports, and Ideas

July 19, 2006 by Liz

Field Trip

I’m on an airplane to meet with a project partner for the next few days. What a great opportunity to be a customer. I’ll be capturing moments and ideas for posts to come. Can’t let those real events go unrecorded. Observing is what writers do. I figure I’ll collect a week’s worth of ideas in the next hour or two.

I love flying, but the airport I’m flying into always has a delay. . . . More after I’ve landed.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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See the Customer Think series on the SUCCESSFUL SERIES PAGE.

Looking for This Week’s Ideas?

July 9, 2006 by Liz

Look No Further

Mike Sigers at Simplenomics has done your idea work for you. He’s got a keeper of a post on his front page offering 10 Post Ideas for Business bloggers. Go on over and check it out. Click the shot to get there.

This one is a classic. Thanks, Mike!

I’m going now to print it out.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

6+1 Traits of Effective Blog Writing

May 30, 2006 by Liz

Effective Writing Traits Kids Know that We Don’t

I’m writing a writing program again. Writing programs are like other products. They have their individual nuances. They offer particular features and benefits, but all solid writing programs offer certain things in common. The engine of any well-built writing program is the 6+1 Traits of Writing.

If you’re reading this post, it’s unlikely that you encountered the 6+1 Traits as a student. You could find plenty about them on the Web now. Unfortunately, what you found would take the form of lessons and research for teaching school children. Why should school kids and their teachers be the only ones with direct access to the information and the rest of us have to adjust our thinking?

I’ve decided a simple action is in order. [Read more…]

Finding Ideas Outside the Box

March 13, 2006 by Liz

There Is No Box

There is no box. There never was one. We just got taught to think inside one. You see, it was a management issue. With so many kids to teach at once, it’s more productive to teach one way of thinking than to manage a room full of creativity. . . . So when we weren’t looking, many of us learned the fundamentals of problem-solving, how to color inside the lines, and a way of thinking about things that isn’t all that different from a mime inside a box.

Just like the box that the mime pushes and touches even though you can’t see it. The box that we think inside isn’t real. The way to get out is easy enough–just stop believing in the box.

Life Without the Box

Life without the box is so much easier. It’s as if you now can use all modes of transportation available rather than always having to walk. The resources of your brain are freed up. Even better, it’s a lot more fun, once you get used to it, because thinking outside of the proverbial box involves playing with ideas not just thinking.

DaVinci knew it. So did Einstein. Most inventors couldn’t find the inside of the box if they tried. All great thinkers–folks we call geniuses–know that there’s nothing new to be gathered by staying where everyone else is doing their thinking. So let’s get on with getting out of it.

What You’ll Find Outside the Box

Every day, I’ll offer a strategy and some ideas for approaching your business from a new direction. Each strategy will be flexible and realistic. I’ll show you how to apply it to writing, problem solving, or refining your brand.

To be useful, even thinking outside of the box needs structure, so I’ll be using a problem-solution format. Then within each solution I’ll offer three content subsets: Information, Presentation/Form, and YOU/Function. Those three subheads come directly from What Is Content that Keeps Readers?

So, if you’re ready, I am. Enough with this introduction, let’s let the games begin. Everyone can think like a genius. It only takes a little practice, and a firm commitment to throw away the darn box.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Great Find: Top 10 Successful Blogging Tips

March 2, 2006 by Liz

Robin Good Logo

I was going through my stats and had some time one afternoon this week. So when a social bookmarking referral came by, I naturally checked it out. I like to see where things stand with each of them and there are so many now its hard to keep track. I went to the search function and typed in Successful Blog. It’s always interesting to see what I get back.

One of the results was Robin Good’s How To Write A Successful Blog: Top Ten Tips.

To be frank, I thought it was about time I learned how–no, no not really. But I did think it would be a fine addition to the Successful-Blog Survival Kit.
Great Find: The Robin Good’s How to Write A Successful Blog: Top Ten Tips by Sharon Housley
Type of Blog: Blogging Basics
URL: Robin Good’s How To Write A Successful Blog: Top Ten Tips.

Target Audience:Bloggers who are just starting out
Content: Sharon Housley who manages of marketing for FeedForAll wrote this article. She offers ten points and notes on each one. The points are basics of blog building technique and tactics. I’ve add my own points at the end of her list.

If you find this list useful, you also should know this about content.

Write content of the highest quality
Work to keep your writing voice consistent and friendly.
Post at predictable times so readers can look forward to something new.
Write about topics that you find relevant, that is, worth reading and talking about. In other words, write about things that are your passion.
Respond to your comments, your readers are the only ones who count.
Visit other sites and comment there, so that people see you as a reader too.

Hope this helps get you started!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Top 10 Ways to Become a Miserable Blogger

January 23, 2006 by Liz

Photo of White Arrow in Road pointing down

January, February, and March are boring. They leave me feeling like I have nothing to look forward to. New budgets, new plans, and New Year’s resolutions hover over. Everyone’s working and often everyone’s miserable. So I offer a list of 10 things you might do, so that when everyone’s having fun being miserable, you won’t feel left out.

Before you begin reading, prepare yourself. Adjust your thinking to realize that, no matter the season where you are, next winter is too near and next spring is too far.

Top 10 Ways to Become a Miserable Blogger

10.

9. Read the feeds for the exact idea you will write about, rather than just looking for fodder. Then decide all of the good ideas have already been done, because you know that five seconds ago someone took the last one.

8. Keep your mind focused on all of the things you have to do and how little time there is to do them. Check the clock often to see how behind you are in getting them done.

7. Don’t prioritize or make a plan.

6. Answer every email, important or not, as soon as you get it. While you’re there, think of the ones you might write and write them before you do anything else. If you’re going for the gold, do the same with telephone calls. Heck while you’re at it, call my mother-in-law.

5. If you finish with email and it’s still the same day, read other blogs that have no relationship to yours. In fact, choose blogs in a language you don’t even know. When you stop to eat lunch, clean the refrigerator.

4. As you read and comment on blogs, notice how much better every other blog is. Then think of the reasons you wouldn’t read your own blog.

3. Spend hours tweaking your template over details no one will ever notice.

2. When you finally sit down to write, know you will have writer’s block. Think about it. Talk about it. Then watch the clock.

1. Count your value as a human by links, stats, and number of comments.

There you have it. Follow this Top Ten List, and you will be miserable when you need to be. It will serve you well into Spring–which we know will be rainy, cold, and ugly this year.

If you’re an overachiever and you just need one more, here you go . . .

Definitely, positively, and for sure, buy into all of your own PR, and believe whatever other folks say about you, because everything put into print simply has to be true. 🙂

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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