Posted by John Hewitt on June 19, 2007 under Blogging, Journalism, Writing | 
A Lack of Interest
I haven’t had a newspaper subscription since the early nineties. I occasionally buy the local paper, but it is usually because I want the car or the grocery ads or because I have some time to kill in a restaurant. I certainly don’t buy the local paper looking for journalistic excellence. For the most part they run the same AP wire stories that everyone else does, and their local coverage consists of mostly basic police/court coverage, business stories, road construction updates and reasonably good coverage of the sports scene. None of these are things I can’t do without, and I can find any of it on their online version when I bother to go to their site, which I rarely do. For the record, I also don’t bother to watch the news, local or national, on television.
New News Sources
I am, however, far from uninformed. I read the news just about every day, spending at least ten minutes and as much as an hour reading. For several years now, however, I have done almost all of my reading online. Google News is my primary source, but I also subscribe to feeds from a number of specific publications and quite a few blogs. I would subscribe to my local paper’s news feed, if they had one. The weekly paper does, but the two daily papers have yet to figure out the technology I guess.
A Very Long Decline
Print journalism is in the middle stages of what I expect will be a very long decline. Newspaper readership has been dropping for many years now, but over the past couple years that drop has been accelerating. There is no reason to expect this drop to end any time soon. Sadder yet, newspapers are having trouble online as well. People aren’t just leaving their print version behind, they are leaving their online versions behind too.
An Outdated Model
The biggest problem is the lack of real journalism. For years now, newspapers have been getting by on wire feeds from AP, Reuters and a variety of smaller news services. Back before the Internet, this model worked because a person in Tucson wouldn’t have access to a newspaper in San Antonio, so it didn’t matter if they ran the exact same stories. Now, however, all that duplicate national and international coverage can be accessed by anyone anywhere. Why read your local paper’s limited international section when you can access the news from anywhere in the world through the web. With Google News and other news aggregators, it is just as easy to find out the news in England from England as it is from your local paper. As for that AP article, it is repeated so endlessly online that you are bound to catch it too, if you bother to look.
Raw VS. Canned and Bland
Print journalists endlessly deride bloggers, and some of their criticisms are valid. Many, though by no means all, bloggers have less news experience and greater political and personal bias than newspaper reporters do. They make up for those shortcomings, however, by being more timely, more passionate, and more detailed in their coverage. The world of journalistic blogging (there are many blogs that have nothing to do with the news) is uneven, but when it is good, it is far better than the canned, bland news stories that the newspapers reprint.
Decline and Rebirth
Newspapers are going to continue to decline in readership and relevance as long as they continue to follow the old model of wire stories and short, uninteresting local articles. The only reason to pick up a newspaper (or visit a newspaper’s website) in Fresno is to find out what happened in Fresno. Only newspapers that invest heavily in local coverage and allow their writers to spend more than 300 words on an article will be relevant as the years pass. That probably won’t happen until the giant corporations that own most newspapers lose interest in these unprofitable entities and move on to other media. It is difficult to image any conglomeration of newspapers embracing individual voices and local reporting. Once it becomes unprofitable enough, however, I predict that as newspapers begin to fold and be sold, passionate local people will return to print. Until then, I’ll continue to get my news online.
Posted by John Hewitt on June 14, 2007 under Freelancing, Productivity, Writing |
For You Hollywood types
Screenwriting is perhaps one of the strangest and most counter-intuitive careers in all of writing. Learning the ropes of that industry can be a challenge for anyone. John August, the screenwriter behind, Go, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Big Fish and Charlie’s Angels writes an excellent blog about screenwriting and the film industry. This week he gives advice to a relative newcomer who wants to know whether or not to direct his own script.
Should I direct my Spec?
Why can’t people follow the instructions?
The good folks over at Freelance Switch have put together a nice set of advice for people applying for freelance gigs. Their central pint is that most people don’t get the job because they don’t follow the rules. I’m not talking about the “unwritten rules” I’m talking about the guidelines the potential client has clearly laid out. As someone who has hired freelancers in the past, I completely agree. My requirements were relatively straightforward, about a half dozen clearly stated requirements, and inevitably the applicants would fail to follow these rules. This is one of the reasons there are so many unsuccessful; freelancers in the world, and the reason why anyone with a little common sense can succeed.
How NOT to Apply for a Freelance Position
The Ferris Effect
Marketer Alex Goad hasn’t Read The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
week yet, but he is seeing the effects. Two of his business partners abandoned a new project to stick to their more low-maintenance income, and one of them decided to live abroad. They’ve even put autoresponders on their email. If none of this makes any sense to you, then you should probably read the book. Paradigm Shift: Work Smart, Play Often
Posted by John Hewitt on June 12, 2007 under Movies, Poetry, Writing |
"That's no moon. It's a space station."
One of the mistakes many beginners make is that they try to emulate someone else's voice. It is fine to love a certain poet or style, but when it comes to writing poetry, you have to realize that the only voice that will work for you is your own voice. Don't worry, all of those poets who have influenced you will still be there in the back of your mind when you write, just don't waste your time wondering how they would write a line. What matters is how you write.
"Into the garbage chute, flyboy."
One of the great joys of writing poetry is that moment when you have a sudden breakthrough. Your can spend hours sitting around trying to get one poem to work, then all of a sudden inspiration strikes and another, better poem emerges, seemingly without effort. You are going to write a lot of bad poetry in your time, while you are looking for those inspired poems. Sometimes, you'll even write a great poem without ever feeling inspired. The point is that you have to keep working in order to get to those good poems. Don't give up just because you feel like you're surrounded in garbage. Success might be waiting behind the very next door.
"These aren't the droids you're looking for."
Another easy mistake to make is avoiding a topic because it feels too personal, too uninteresting or not "poetic" enough. A well-written poem can be about any subject that matters to you. The important thing is that it does matter to you. Embrace the topics that you think you want to avoid. Challenge yourself to write about anything and everything that has meaning to you.
"I find your lack of faith disturbing."
Poetry and self-doubt go hand in hand. Don't dwell on the shortcomings of your poetry. If you are worried that your poetry isn't good enough, then keep writing and keep studying other poets. Training and experience do matter, even in the realm of poetry. Life is a very long road. Don't expect to master everything the first time. As long as you keep working and believing, you will keep improving.
"Let go"
Inspiration is a fleeting creature. When you finally get inspired, you need to allow yourself the time and the space to keep writing. You may have had other things planned. The phone may ring. There might be a knock at the door. When you are inspired, you need to ignore all of that, because once the inspiration leaves it may not return again easily. Embrace the inspiration you get and follow it for as long as you can.
Posted by John Hewitt on June 11, 2007 under Poems |
The blackjack dealer scowls a little
I can't tell if she is angry or confused
As she stares at my winning hand
I'm at the beginners table for the dealers
She's been doing it for maybe three days
And she doesn't have it down yet
I don't care as long as the count is right
Or at least in my favor
But the dirty, drunk, foul old man
With the bad complexion and soupy eyes
Wants to punch her in the nose
Or maybe punch me I don't know
I took the dealers bust card
It turns out and it was fine for me
But didn't work out so well for Dirts Magee
As I have begun to call him in my head
Dirts and I have been at it for a while
And I don't like him
Or the unsettled dealer
But I am winning
The hundred I sat down with is four hundred now
While Dirts' is down and unless he has more money
On his way out the door if his luck doesn't change
Which by the looks of him it never will
I'm dealt aces, split them, and come up with two blackjacks
The old man stares in disbelief as his nine turns to fourteen then busts
I am stealing his hands he mumbles and I think he'll leave
But he reaches into his coat pocket
Pulls out a wadded twenty
And sticks around for more punishment
It's time for a new deck and our hapless dealer
Accidentally sends a quarter-stack of cards to the floor
Prompting Dirts to curse in a language I've never heard
He yells for the waitress and when she reluctantly comes
He puts her hand on her ass while he orders a whisky and orange juice
She looks at me and I ask for Malibu and Coke
The old man rolls his eyes and mumbles
He catches a few hands
Not enough to start winning
Just enough to stick around
Glaring at me while I stack more chips
After I pass the five hundred mark
I cash out
Sure enough he does the same
He follows me out to the street and I don't know
If he is planning to rob me
Or just punch me
But I turn around and look at him
Out here the difference is more apparent
Than it is at the table
Compared to him I am a giant
We stare each other down for a moment
But whatever fight there was has gone out of him
He turns around and heads back to the casino
I loosen the grip around my wallet
And head to my hotel
Waiting to be happy about winning
Posted by John Hewitt on June 7, 2007 under Freelancing, Productivity |
As you probably know, celebrities are one of America’s most precious natural resources. Without star power, America would be just another country, like Canada or New Zealand. When it comes to celebrities, Paris Hilton is at the top of the heap. Not known for her talent, generosity, intelligence or class, she has nonetheless become one of America’s most talked about women. An example of her skills at presentation and publicity can be seen in her recent stay in jail. We truly can learn from her. Here are five lessons freelancers can learn from Paris Hilton’s three days in jail.
Get an Early Start
One of the keys to success as a writer is to start a project as early as possible. Don’t wait until the last minute. Paris Hilton showed up at jail two days early. That allowed her to get an early jump on her jail term, just as you should jump on projects as soon as possible. How many projects have you gotten off to a poor start on, simply because you put them off? Make sure to tackle projects in a timely manner so that you can make the most of the results. You, like Paris Hilton, just may be rewarded for it down the line.
Look for Creative Solutions
Rather than turn herself into jail at the women’s facility, where everyone was waiting for her, Paris cleverly turned herself into the men’s facility. This allowed her to be processed much more quickly and with fewer distractions than if she had attempted the same thing at the women’s facility in front of the hundreds of paparazzi and interested bystanders. How many times have you struggled with a project only to figure out an easier method later. Take the time to look at your options before you start. Good planning can eliminate needless work.
Make Sure Your Presentation is Attractive
Unlike other celebrities, who failed to prepare for their mug shots, Paris Hilton showed up in an attractive outfit with impeccable hair, makeup and a smile on her face. Take a look at your portfolio, business cards and web site. Could they be more attractive or professional? Take a look at your work. Have you been cutting corners on presentation?
Make Space for Yourself
Paris Hilton made sure to get her own special cell. This allowed her time to think about her life and her options. Without that private space, her three days in jail may have been substantially less productive. If a prisoner can find space for themselves, surely you can find a place to put your home office. Having a quality workspace helps you perform quality work.
Don’t settle for less than you deserve
Most prisoners would have simply eaten the food that was given them, no matter what the quality. Paris Hilton refused to settle. Rather than eat food that wasn’t worthy of her position, she simply chose not to eat. Not only did this prompt the facility to release her, it allowed her to shed the extra weight she has been carrying since Christmas (she was up almost two pounds). How many bad clients or low paying jobs have you accepted simply because you felt you needed the work? Sometimes you need to hold out for something better, just like Paris Hilton.
Posted by John Hewitt on June 5, 2007 under Blogging, Books |
The beauty of blogging as a business is that the overhead is so low. Even a robust blogging operation generally costs only a few thousand dollars a year to maintain and for those who are very strapped for cash, blogging can be done for almost nothing. All you need is access to a computer and space on a free public blogging service such as blogger. Just because blogging can be done cheaply, doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from investing some money into your blog. Let’s say that you’ve already secured a web provider, Internet connection a decent computer. You’ve also been blogging for at least long enough to build up a backlog of articles for people to read once they arrive at your site. Now that you have the basics taken care of, you’ve come up with another thousand dollars to invest in the site. The question is, where can you spend it in order to do the most good? Here are five ways to spend $1000 on your blog:
Advertise
Advertising is an obvious and easy choice when you want to drive traffic to your blog. There are hundreds of ways to advertise. Both Google and Yahoo offer context-sensitive advertising services that allow you to spread the word about your site. There are plenty of other online advertising services as well. A more time consuming, but possibly more rewarding system is to look for web sites (blogs and otherwise) that appeal to similar users and contact them directly with an offer to pay for advertising space on their site. Don’t limit your thinking to the web though. You may find you get more mileage out of a well-designed newspaper or magazine ad. If your blog is more about a locality, you may even consider radio advertising (television is probably out of your range).
Have your site redesigned by a professional
An attractive and professional looking web site lends authority to a blog. A quick check of a site such as elance.com reveals that there are many web designers willing to create attractive web sites and logos for under $1000. Just be sure to find a designer who has created sites that you consider to be attractive.
Give the money away
One of the best ways to drive traffic to your site is to hold a contest. Problogger.net has gotten a lot of mileage (and links) out of its Group Writing Projects. The latest project offered a prize of $1000 cash and resulted in 893 other bloggers writing for the project (and linking to problogger). Not only does a contest like that attract new visitors who want to join the contest, but the links generated by the contest will pay dividends for years to come.
Hire an assistant
For $1000 you can hire a virtual assistant to spend 20 hours a month for 5 months helping you with various blog related tasks such as research, basic web design, web marketing, webpage maintenance, optimizing web pages for search engines, accounting and taxes.
Release a book
Finally, for $1000 you can use a service such as Lulu to print and distribute a book. If you have been blogging steadily, you may find that you have enough material for a book already on hand. There are several advantages to publishing a book. It gives you something that you can sell through your blog, having a published book adds to your stature as a blogger, a book gives you an additional marketing and public relations tool, and a book gives you something you can show to your parents and friends to prove that you actually have been doing something worthwhile with your time.
Posted by John Hewitt on under Blogging, Freelancing, Movies |
My Retro-Hip Blog Banner
Do you see the multi-colored letters that form my name at the top of the page. I did that on purpose. I was trying to recreate the look and feel of an early nineteen sixties cocktail bar sign, the sort of thing you would find in a Rock Hudson / Doris Day movie or (my personal favorite) the Kim Novak, James Garner, Tony Randall classic, Boy's Night Out. It may or may not be the best look for a site by a 21st century writer, but I liked it. This all leads me to a conversation being had over at ProBlogger about how much design matters during the early stages of a blog. I subscribe to the philosophy that the first, most important thing to do is start writing quality posts and worry about fancy design earlier. Read: Does Blog Design Matter in the Early Stages of a Blog?
Somebody Out There Made it Work
Have you wondered whether or not to try freelance writing for other blogs? In my opinion, it isn't worth the effort. It is far easier to write and market your own blog about things that interest you than to try to squeeze money out of the notoriously tight-fisted blogging community, but Leo Babauta claims to be making $2000 a month freelancing for blogs, and he offers a boatload of advice for people who want to follow in his footsteps. In my opinion, there are far easier ways to make $2000 a month, but I don't begrudge anyone who wants to try the exciting world of freelance writing. Read: How to Become a Freelance Blog Writer
28 Years Later
When I was a kid watching Meatballs for the first time, I thought it was an instant classic. After 28 years or so, it turns out the movie was merely great, which is why I still don't want them to remake it. Unfortunately, Hollywood continues its self-devouring ways and has commissioned a script for a new version. I wonder if this one will have the lead character laughing and joking his way through a date rape scene. Read: Who's Ready for Another Serving of 'Meatballs'?
The Book is Flat, and Thick
On the traditional book front, I am reading Thomas L. Friedman's The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century
. After reading Timothy Ferris, I became more interested in the influence of outsourcing on the technology industry.
Friedman's book discusses the benefits and challenges of a truly global, mobile economy. I'll be discussing it in more detail once I finish reading it.
Posted by John Hewitt on June 4, 2007 under Productivity, Writing |
Often, people who want to write get bogged down when it comes to actually sitting down and writing. The time commitment and mental commitment that writing requires can be intimidating. Even professional writers can get bogged down by large, seemingly endless projects. Here are five tips to get you moving in the right direction:
Create Specific Times in your Schedule for Writing
One of the differences between an amateur writer and a professional is the way they treat their writing time. If writing is something you do in your spare, unscheduled time, then your productivity will always suffer because most people never really allow themselves to have spare, unscheduled time. When they do, they plop down in front of the television set because they are “tired” and they need to “unwind”. Productive writers set aside specific times to write and they use that time.
Divide Your Project into Manageable Parts
Sitting down to write a novel is a daunting task. Sitting down to write a chapter is a little better and sitting down to write a scene seems much easier. Large projects aren’t finished in one session or even a dozen. Setting daily goals with specific targets makes it easier for you to keep control over what you are writing and gives you a greater sense of accomplishment.
Increase Your Accountability
If you set a specific date for completion of a project, or even a project phase, it will motivate you to work harder in order to meet that deadline. Making that deadline public is an even greater motivational tool. When it comes to writing, peer pressure can be an excellent motivator. If you join a writer’s group in which you need to present and discuss what you have been writing on a regular basis, it gives you a reason to keep working even when the project gets tougher.
Relocate
When your work space is the same as your living space, it can create problems. People like to associate home with relaxation. When you add an element of work to your home life, it blurs the lines between work and relaxation, which generally results in less work AND less relaxation. You may want to find a space outside the home to write. If you can’t afford an office, you can try your local library or a restaurant / coffee shop with a wireless Internet hotspot.
Consider Other Types of Writing
In many cases, people choose projects that aren’t suitable for the amount of time they have to devote. For example, a person who only has three hours a week set aside for writing, and who has to divide that amount of time into two or three sessions, is probably going to have trouble writing a novel. Novels are extended, time-consuming efforts and the delay between beginning a novel and completing it can make the entire effort seem wasted if something goes wrong. That same person may do quite well writing poetry, short stories or personal essays, all of which are much more manageable on a tight schedule.
