If you write a lot or rather often have to write on a deadline, you probably have a ritual or three to get the creative juices flowing and wake up a sleepy writing muse. Now I thought some of my rituals were strange, well until I read some of the ones from Ragan’s folks—Writers’ rites: Wacky habits that get the ink flowing | Article | Homepage articles—outfits, gummy candy, singing out loud? Wow.
Me I have to clear the decks of email, RSS, blog comments, and @replies before I can unwind [...]
Tagged as:
Books,
inspriation,
Writing,
Writing Muse
When I’m helping people first start blogging, one of the first objections (fears, concerns) is that no one will be interested in what they have to say. In nearly six years of blogging I have yet to find someone start a blog that didn’t have some kind of audience.
Think about it this way, no matter what your topic, issue, hobby, whatever is there has got to be at least one other person (and most likely more) in the world who shares your feelings/experience/passion. The world is a huge place and [...]
Tagged as:
Blogging how to,
blogging tips,
Writing
I know it’s easy to point fingers at teachers and schools when kids don’t measure up, but when students are flunking basic English and writing exams and peppering their answers with emoticons they aren’t to blame—their teachers who let them get away with it are. I know the kids who are the ones who are actually making the errors, but why do they think it’s okay in the first place?
I also don’t buy relaxing grammar rules in the face of new technology either:
Thus, it looks like students are retaining the [...]
Tagged as:
Writing
I’m plodding through Chapter 10 of Using WordPress now. The chapter is on one of my favorite WP topics—using WordPress for things other than blogs (sites, collaboration, project management). I might be over-thinking this chapter, but it’s going well. As I was researching/double-checking some facts on using WordPress for websites, I came across a really great post on converting existing websites to WordPress. David’s method is simple, elegant, and one that I hadn’t thought of trying. I did some more research and am pretty well convinced that his method is [...]
Tagged as:
WordPress tips,
Writing
Not to take away from any of you being interested in Create Your Own Blog, but as many of you also know before CYOB was finished I started on my second book, Using WordPress. Using WordPress is a beginners guide to WordPress with screencasts and podcasts to compliment what you’re reading in the book.
For example, while you’re reading about how to find and install plugins, you can watch me find and install plugins on screen. When I started this book in the “Using…” series, it was the multimedia parts that [...]
Tagged as:
Writing
Yeah, I’ll admit it. I’m pschyed about the iPad. No, it isn’t perfect. Yep there are some obvious flaws (lack of USB port or SD card reader are big ones for me), but I’m excited about how this will change how we use computers. I remember I wasn’t too keen on the iPhone at first, but I knew from the moment I saw it that it changed how we would use and interact with smart phones from then on. Same with the iPad (I agree, the name is terrible, just [...]
Tagged as:
ebook readers,
ereaders,
iPad,
journalism,
Tablet computers,
Writing
I found out that my video camera can do interval recording! So I set it to record one frame every second. Now when you play it back at 30 frames/second you get the fast forward look.
So I don’t really type that fast, but I wish I did!
Tagged as:
just for fun,
video,
Writing
I’m going to tell you something that us “experts” don’t want you to know. Ready?
Blogging is dead.
Wha? Blogging is dead? Didn’t you just write a book on creating your own blog? Yeah I did, but let’s get this straight—blogging is writing and a blog is just a website that makes it really easy to do that. When I took on writing the book that would become Create Your Own Blog, I have to admit I was a little reluctant at first. Not because I didn’t think I could do it [...]
Tagged as:
Writing
It’s been almost six years since I started blogging. Not nearly as long as some of my friends, but long enough to have a few things that I know I’d do differently. With the book out and review coming in, like this review from the Vancouver Sun, I’ve had a little time to think about how and why I started blogging.
It’s not hype or urban legend, I did start my first blog on a whim. It was actually my second blog, I deleted the first one within days of creating [...]
Tagged as:
how not to blog,
how to blog,
start blogging,
Writing
Mathew Ingram believes that pinning hopes on a tablet from any vendor will save the publishing industry is just wasted energy:
As Om noted in a post about the Kindle HD, everyone talks about the iTunes model and the iPod, but while those devices have been phenomenally successful for Apple itself, the music industry as a whole is still a complete mess. A single device, however powerful or magical, can’t change the entire cost structure of an industry. The publishing industry should spend more time thinking about how their business is [...]
Tagged as:
Amazon,
Apple Tablet,
ebook readers,
ebooks,
ereaders,
iPad,
iSlate,
iTablet,
Kindle,
publishing,
Tablet computers,
Writing
Tris Hussey is a writer, teacher, blogger, and speaker on all facets of Internet life, WordPress, and social media. If you are interested in having Tris speak, teach, lead a workshop or consult for you, feel free to email tris [at] trishussey [dot] com.
