Writers Looking for Markets?

Read this article from the Wall Street Journal Business Section
America’s Newest Profession: Bloggers for Hire by Mark Bell with E. Kinney Zalesne

The Information Age has spawned many new professions, but blogging could well be the one with the most profound effect on our culture. If journalists were the Fourth Estate, bloggers are becoming the Fifth Estate.

bloggers who do it for a living successfully are 2% of bloggers overall. It takes about 100,000 unique visitors a month to generate an income of $75,000 a year. Bloggers can get $75 to $200 for a good post, and some even serve as “spokesbloggers” — paid by advertisers to blog about products. As a job with zero commuting, blogging could be one of the most environmentally friendly jobs around — but it can also be quite profitable. For sites at the top, the returns can be substantial. At some point the value of the Huffington Post will no doubt pass the value of the Washington Post.

Whether you are looking for extra income or a whole new writing gig -
blogging has to be explored. Already blogging? Stay tuned for a series
of extra income tips for writers coming soon on this blog.

Again- America’s Newest Profession: Bloggers for Hire

May the muses be kind
But let me remind
It’s still up to you
Twitter’ll help too
And,
I’ll see what I can do.

- Val Spangler, Mister Senior Blogger
@SeniorTweet on Twitter.com
Senior Writer Blog
Senior Tweet Blog
Twitter Search Tools
Business Twitter Uses

Video attracts and engages visitors. If you are building your email list (and
you should be), incorporating video into squeeze pages is a no brainer.
However, for many of us, the technical side of video is quite daunting.
Add to that some insecurity about one’s appearance and “stage fright”
and most of us stay away from video (and even audio).

Successful internet marketers use videos alot and much of the time it is
in their squeeze pages as well as on their sales pages. If you want to adopt
their successful strategy and tactics, here is the tool you have been looking
for - Easy Video Producer.With just a web cam and Easy Video Producer
you can have your own personalized video on your squeeze page collecting
names and email addresses of your visitors in no time.

Easy Video Producer is FREE!

About those other concerns, appearance and stage fright - Easy Video
Producer allows you to redo your video until you get it the way you want
it. Plus that flexibility takes alot of the nervousness out of the process.
Believe me your visitors are far more concerned about your message and
your offer than they are about your appearance.

HERE IS THE BEST PART! Easy Video Producer is not only free to you -
it is free for you to give away on your squeeze page. Your visitors give you
their names and email addresses and they get this easy to use free
service as well as the ability to give it away free themselves. Such a deal!
VIRAL VIDEO!!!

How and why is someone giving away something of this value for free???

Well, like many internet marketers, this company has learned that free
products and services are the way TO START BUILDING YOUR MASSIVE
MONEY MAKING LIST!. Using this strategy gives them and you a
better strategy for getting more eyeballs in front of their other products
and services.

Easy Video Producer is in prelaunch. Click on the link below and save
your place in the process and start building your downline down to 10 levels.
You’ve heard it before and I will repeat it again for you here…

THE MONEY IS IN THE LIST!

Even if you are a social marketing wizard and have a lot of followers,
if you are not building your list, you are leaving a lot of money on the
table. People still read their email and it is an additional way to continue
to build a relationship - remember, every email is a selling opportuntiy.
You don’t have to sell every time - in fact, you shouldn’t! If you are
a social media marketer, you know the future is in building relationships.

The use of video creates an impression of authority as well.

I’ll stop here by reminding you- “>Easy Video Producer is FREE!

So get your place in line by watching the prelaunch video and signing up
to get ready to have access to this highly viral, easy to use, “>Easy Video Producer.
Click on this banner below or any of the other EVP links and get started
building your massive email list. It will put money in your pocket.
The Public Launch is Tuesday, March 10. You will get specifics when you sign up.

I will definitely be one to take full advantage of this free service as I grow my
email list while I am also making new friends on Twitter and my other social
network sites. Make sure you take advantage of this no strings free offer -
you’ll be glad you did. Easy Video Producer - public launch on March 10th.
Sign up and get on their notification list and hold your place for your down-line.

Video Builds Lists!

Val Spangler
Mister Senior Blogger
@SeniorTweet on Twitter.com
Senior Writer Blog (You are here.)
Comics Cartoons and Creativity
Business Twitter Uses

The elite meet in the Twitterverse!

Combine your traditional list building with a social network marketing strategy. Sign up with Twitter. You will find new friends from around the country and around the world - people you’d never meet otherwise - expand your universe - follow tweeters of your own choosing - great fun! But! keep the discipline to manage your time to write. Let Twitter add to your writing - not be a distraction.

I just watched a video of Jon Stewart interviewing Jeff Bezos about Kindle 2Kindle 2.
My refer came from reading, Book Lovers: Stop Whining about the Wonderful “Feel of Paper” written by Chris Dannon for the Fast Company Blog.

Please wait to read that until after you finish reading this post, you’ll be glad you waited.

Book lovers how do you feel about Kindle 2, the digital book device from Amazon?

Before we go on, as a lifelong bibliophile, I have a confession to make. I haven’t read a
paper based non-fiction book in over a year. Mea culpa, mea culpa!

Come on give a guy a break. I’m computerized and IM’d. Where I used to feel guilty
reading a book when I thought I should be doing something else, now, I feel guilty
because I’m not reading books. No excuses. I live in Mountain View, CA, a city with
an outstanding library and it’s not far from my home.

However, I stray ..how are YOU doing on the book reading front? Better than me I hope. My wife, who was raised in a book starved home environment, now reads
several times as many books as I. Mysteries mostly - good- hard cover books -
not paperbacks, but hard cover ones out of the library.

Kindle 2? Not for her. Not likely for me. For different reasons we are not likely to pay
for a device that enables you to have access to thousands of books (at $9.95 each)
after paying the $395.00 for the Kindle 2. She’s not a techy and we both like to hold
books to read.

I may be an “early adopter” for some business things but not for pleasure, if you can
callreading a book off a Kindle - pleasure. The convenience I can see and appreciate.
However, I would miss moving all of my hundreds of books one more time. Being a
mobile pack rat bibliophile is a curse with its own punishment.

For those of you who have your own Kindle, what do you miss, if anything, using
the device and what particularly do you like about it ?

For those of you who have not had your Kindle fire lit, what, besides the price, is
keeping you from digitizing a bigger slice of your world?

Have you written about these digital developments affecting the publishing world?
Should you write about them? Can you afford to ignore them? If you are well
established perhaps not. Otherwise,…??

Let’s hear your views - comment or let us know where you have written on this
subject. At least get your feelings out and deal with them by writing.

Me? I’m going to reminisce about doing research in the special collections of the
top floors of the U. of Michigan libraries and remember vividly the smell, that
special smell, of old books. I may even get out a couple history books that were
first published in the 1860’s or 1870’s on the life Sen. James G. Blaine (Who?) I’ll
show Bezos and Kindle2.

Well, by now, I am sure you have a strong sense of my feelings about Kindle 1 or 2.
And, even more so, about the continuing loss of independent booksellers in the face
of the chains, the internet and Kindle. I hereby solemnly swear that I shall never
purchase a Kindle. And, if given one, I shall donate it to the library because I know
it has voice delivery as one of its features and those who are sight challenged may
enjoy its use.

This turned out kind of ranty didn’t it? There I go again with cause for another
“mea culpa”.

Now, I hope you turn off your computer and go read a book.

Me? I’ve got a couple of more posts to write ..

- Val Spangler, Mister Senior Blogger
@SeniorTweet on Twitter.com
Senior Writer Blog (you are here)
Comics Cartoons and Creativity
Business Twitter Uses(coming March 1st)

Tweet! It may be good for your writing.

Whether Twitter will improve your writing or not - it’s up to you.. I think it may have an effect. However, I can be sure that you will make new friends and renew acquaintences from around the country and around the world - some you’d never meet otherwise - expand your universe - it’s great fun! One caution: keep the discipline to manage your time to write. Let Twitter add to your writing - not detract from it.

Who among you are using Twitter?

Do you know where to go to find out?

Here’s the place - Twellow.com

Yes it’s a take off on the Yellow Pages - only with a focus on Twitter members.

When I did my last Twellow search for “writer” there were 13,849 people found on Twitter with some connection to or participation in writing activity.

(Searches are done within the bio, name, and location
sections Twitter users provide on their profiles.)

Here is what the Twellow login box looks like - you must be a member of Twitter
to search because your User Name and Password are required to use the system.
They provide a link to sign up if you are not a Twitter member. They also explain
what protections they provide for keeping private that information

Yes, that is a bit scary and enough so to scare many of you away. (Shades of
Brave New World, 1984 and Fahrenheit 451) Just gulp and do it or you become
too “out of it” for much of your audience. (I have to gulp! - sometimes two or
three times a day as I constantly modify my privacy protectionist nature.) Why?
Why do it? Curiousity and Legacy. Expand my audience - carefully.

Choices - so many choices!!! - - - Twellow?

Check it out - it doesn’t hurt for a writer, any writer, to be somewhat familiar with
the emerging developments in the digital universe, in this case the Twitterverse.
However, I will admit it does take a bit of courage to trust these systems and
those who operate or use them. You decide for yourself.

I hope your exploration will be worth your time. That is one of the challenges of
participating in the digital world and its access to new people and new information
- how do you manage your time exploring it?

You will note that there are very few, if any, “best seller names” in your “writer”
search results. Perhaps it is because they are too busy writing!

Twellow.com - Enrich your mind - explore your writer world - but don’t waste time.

Above all write!

Val Spangler, Mister Senior Blogger
Senior Writer Blog (You are here.)
@SeniorTweet on Twitter.com
Comics Cartoons and Creativity
Business Twitter Uses
(coming March 1st)

Expand your universe.

Meet new friends on Twitter. Friends from around the country and around the world - people you’d never meet otherwise - expand your universe - get new ideas - new contacts - expand your “writerverse”. Scary perhaps but great fun! My last caveat: Keep the discipline to manage your time to write. Let Twitter add to your writing - not be a distraction!

Kiosk Hosting Services: Quality-Service-Dependability-Opportunity

This post is a followup to previous Ampersands cartoons discussions.

My granddaughter had seen my Ampersands on my computer and the other day
she asked me if I had any more Ampersand stories. I did. So I got it up on her
computer and “PLOP” she was on my knee and wanting to read the dialogue
with me. Interesting idea for a parent or for teachers (absent the knee “touching”).

When we finished I asked her if she liked that - of course, she did- it was her idea!
Then she surprised me by indicating she’d like to do it. “Do what?” I said. She had
already written up a “newspaper” in her own handwriting and drawing with the
Ampersands - so that was what I thought she meant. NO, she wanted the
cartoon strip with blank balloons that she could fill in. So for me a new challenge.
How to get them printed out in workable order - - working on it.

My questions for you parent or teacher - Could you make use of such a product-
either a how-to-do-it for yourself or a block of cartoon templates with blank
balloons for the kids to fill in.

Writers? What is in there in this example and model that is of benefit to you?
I would imagine writers for children might find it somewhat interesting but what
about you more “advanced” writers - any use to you?

Take look and tell me what you think. Parents especially - what about this as an
addition to your rainy day activity arsenal? Imagination, writing, storytelling/
speaking, relationship skills, what else can you think of that might be a benefit?
Here goes…

Lunch time in the schoolyard.

What ideas pop into your head? Can you see yourself making use of writing exercise
like this for your children or students?

Writers - are you looking for a product model to develp for a new income stream?

Let me know what you think? I’ll keep at it and learn more about the most efficient
ways to get these cartoon blanks to you (and F*r*e*e!).

Tell me a story, _________, pleeease!

_ Val Spangler

Tweet me @SeniorTweet

The Ampersands, Rhoid and Rah, Can they stimulate your writing?

What gets your writing juices flowing? Take a look at this blank cartoon template
and get into the characters enough to develop a brief exchange that you think
would begin to build their identities.

What does it mean to be an ampersand?

What’s in a name? Why Rhoid? Why Rah?

What do you think of the comic strip layout? Confining? Challenging? what does it
do to your thinking, if anything?

If you are active on Twitter, can you see the parallels between the 140 limit and
getting what you want to say inside the balloons?

Do you think this kind of a device would work well in the classroom? What level?

Please share your thoughts.

Tweet me on Twitter - @SeniorTweet

Thanks for visiting. Hope this was of some value to you and your writing.

- Val Spangler
Mister Senior Blogger
Senior Writer Blog (you are here)
@SeniorTweet on Twitter
Comics Cartoons and Creativity

If you can’t find something to write about in the descriptions of the innovations,
you are in an advanced stage of … writer’s block.

The Nightly Business Report- The Top 30 Innovations of the Last 30 Years

An easy way to access the information is in a slide
show - the 30 innovations are presented in reverse order
30th first. Go here for the annotated list.

http://www.pbs.org/nbr/site/features/special/subdir/top-30-innovations_slide-show/

For those that don’t have the time at the moment to look at the
explanations - here’s the list in descending order:

1. Internet/Broadband/World Wide Web
2. PC/Laptop Computers
3. Mobile Phones
4. E-Mail
5. DNA Testing and Sequencing/Human Genome Mapping
6. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
7. Microprocessors
8. Fiber Optics
9. Office Software
10. Non-Invasive Laser/Robotic Surgery
11. Open Source Software and Services
12. Light Emitting Diode products (LEDs)
13. Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs)
14. GPS
15. Online Shopping/E-Commerce/Auctions
16. Media File Compression
17. Microfinance
18. Photovoltaic Solar Energy
19. Large Scale Wind Turbines
20. Social Networking via Internet
21. Graphic User Interface (GUI)
22. Digital Photography/Videography
23. RFID and Applications
24. Genetically Modified Plants
25. Biofuels
26. Bar Codes and Scanners
27. ATMs
28. Stents (Heart)
29. SRAM/Flash Memory
30. Anti-Retroviral Treatment for AIDS

For those that have the time to study the list - go through the slide show and
then print out the list. Take a few minutes to review the list and see if you agree
or disagree with the order of importance.

If in the review of the list there is a topic in which you are vitally interested, go
with it and write. about it. You may focus only on that topic or in its relative
ranking on the list or both.

Or, take on the whole list and question the implicit bias in the ordering of the list.

Or, … have fun and enjoy the process - a lot of big ideas with very, very
interesting repurcussions on us and our world. Keep us posted about either
through commenting or email or Twitter.

- Val Spangler
Senior Writer Blog (you are here).
@SeniorTweet at Twitter.com
Mister Senior Blogger
Twitter Uses
Comics Cartoons and Creativity

You'l be glad you did!

@SeniorTweet at Twitter.com

I just turned 70!

Come celebrate with me and read my little bit of humble poetry.

So surprised how that can be
To have come this far, so little legacy.
But I’m determined as you will see.
To build a proud and proper legacy.

The past was fast.
The future a little slow
So far to go of Frost I think.
Miles to go before I sleep.

And miles to go before I sleep.
But I too have promises to keep.
To myself and others,
my love is deep.

I say to you out there
Do not despair.
Get off your butt
and out of your chair.

Take action. Take care.
Love. And help others bear.
The burdens that we all can share.
Fill the void with words of hope.

To better help all others cope.
With negativity this slippery slope.
A nod, a little smile.
To help all with that extra mile.

We each must take that extra step
To keep promises made, promises kept.
To build that legacy, a promise I must keep.
And miles to go before I sleep.

Come join with me in building legacy.
Each day the best we can.
Whether woman, whether man.
Wherever we are, whatever we can.

No footsteps washed away with tide.
A legacy we make with pride.
Our loves, our family by our side.
Proud legacy, no need to hide.

No need to wander.
No need to roam.
Your legacy
Should start at home.

I ask you friend - come write with me to build YOUR LEGACY!

- Val Spangler, Mister Senior Blogger

You

Please follow me -> http://twitter.com/SeniorTweet/