Passion

When people talk about passion, it is an yearning for something that one puts their whole heart into. They just can't get enough of that something or someone. Well, this I thought I had about writing spending the past 20 years reading and learning, but another class and another editor says I have a long way to go. What the hell have I been doing these 20 years just wishing I was a writer and sitting on my hands? No! I just read and write. Why am I not better at what I thought I loved or was passionate about? Why, do I keep getting told I have a long way to go? People reading this those very few might see that this what I'm writing now had errors in it. Such as grammar, punctuation, spelling and others. Why can't I get the help my cousin Wilson Rawls did?

You may have read some of my other posts, and if you have you may read a lot of me bitching and moaning about things. You might be sick of it well I'm sorry. I'm here to shed light on my life no matter how boring it might be. I have wanted to be an actor, a script writer. I wanted to be a great artist. Why did God allow me to live when my appendix ruptured? I wanted to do something more than guy bagging groceries, but lately I think that is where my life is heading. I wanted to do YouTube videos, but they disabled my account because someone clicked repeatedly on a video and of course, when I disputed this, I didn't write it well enough for them to reactivate it.

When I was in high school, I wanted to play football that didn't work. I played baseball as a kid who went nowhere. I wanted to sing and be in a rock group, that didn't work. I think I'm smart, but am I? I can't dance. I can't is so my word these last few days. I wanted to do voice-over work but living in Idaho, there is no school or help of any kind and no money you can't move to a place that can help.

So, my passion for what I want to be and do is gone, and I don't know where my life will go. I know my faith is so small an ant is too big.

So what do I do? Where do I go from here? I've done the college thing ran out of loans and no degree to show for it. Those friends with their own businesses won't hire me because I live to far, but the main thing is I have no education. I'm not fit I'm not hot I'm not female, so there are many things against me. So, please tell me what to do? My passion is gone. People say others have it worse, but why do I feel I'm living in the worst? (This I wrote off my meds. Still trying to get them.)

Halloween

I haven’t blogged on here much because I have had thoughts of doubt and of failure. You might think by the title I will be talking about Halloween, but to your disappointment, I will not. I will be talking about my writing. Yes, I write more than for school and blogs. I write comic books. I write with grammar errors and structure issues. I write stories, but my issue is showing a story and not just telling. You might ask why I have trouble. Well, I don’t know, really I don’t know. Okay, I lied I do know I just have an issue with descriptions. Yep, I have stories in my head, but I have issues putting them in a detailed descriptive manner. So, my goal before the end of the year is to be more descriptive.

Becomeing a comic book writer

The video that I watched had some good steps and thoughts that I actually never took into my own thoughts about. Now when you want to be a comic book writer that I need to do them all the time, and I need to write and write, and also to read a lot of comics This I knew. However, I never thought of becoming friends or keeping up with the editor of the comics. Moreover, to write about a character that is known, but not necessarily a franchise character for that comic book company.

If you can get your writing out and become a name somewhere else this will help in the comic book writing, and so I’m going to write and try to get my name out there in any way I can.

Brad Thor Facebook Review and Other Information

When looking at Facebook and social media it makes one think of who, what, where and when. This you may ask yourself, WHAT?! Well let me explain with whom it can be who your audience is or who are you and what are you trying to get across to people (fans) that will keep them posted on what you’re doing and what you’re working on. It allows you to show where you're going with an idea and where you have been physically if you post check ins. Then it comes to when, when will your work be complete? When will you be at this or that location?

When looking at Brad Thor’s Facebook page you see when he created it, 06/09/09. Now you may ask ha HE didn’t create it someone else did for him. Well looking at his about section you get a Welcome message this makes it sound like someone else created the page. Then you go down to Biography, and then you see “me” and “I” being used. Yes, someone else could be writing this information too and act like the main man himself, but I feel that it’s Brad himself. Then we get to some personal information. It describes his education where he worked and his other novels. Then you get to his personal interests where there are quotes that HE (or someone who thinks that HE/SHE is HE):

"If you can dream it, you can do it" - Goethe

"A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor and bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government." - Thomas Jefferson

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free." - Ronald Reagan

All over the place, you see links to his website to get even further information about him. Brad posts political information that is close to one of his books, or he posts something that has to do with the military because well, his books all work around some sort of military operative or person. He reposts things that he has read or seen online. He has a wealth of information on his page, and if you follow him (LIKE) on Facebook then you get the most up to date information that he is reading, watching and well writing too. I have also seen him post comments to things that others have posted to his wall.

When it comes to Brad Thor’s Facebook page and others, I’ve seen they network with their fans, and some make sure to comment to them as well no matter how popular they are. Which I think is a great thing and something I look forward to doing.

Blah Blah Blah: Some other information about Facebook and how to keep your fans.

Well, you’re at the end of my blah blah blah. However, this was done as part of an assignment for a class that I’m taking at Southern New Hampshire Online. You may be wondering if there is more to this review, and I can say yes. I have researched the following about Facebook for writers, and I’m here to give you some of the main points and some of my thoughts.

It is a good practice to write in plain none complicated English. Don’t use big words that people have to go to a dictionary to find out about especially for those who are checking via their mobile phone. They don’t have the time or space to look things up.

Write compelling but clear headlines, don’t get cute. Headlines are the first thing that people see, and if it’s not clear nor short then you have a problem.

Write in the active voice, get to the point.

Online writing is visual, long, dense paragraphs turn off online readers. Create white space in your copy by keeping paragraphs short and using bulleted lists when appropriate. Use bold text to accent key information and use block or pull quotes to draw readers into the copy.

One main idea per sentence, keep sentences on point.

No sentence without a fact: Every line you write needs to move the story forward. If a sentence doesn't have a fact, cut it.

For every 1,000 or so words that you write in an online article or blog post, be sure to include:

•       Three subheads: Subheads are bold, one-line headlines that break up long chunks of text and organize information. Keep the same headline-writing rules in mind when you write subheads.

•       Two links: Links offer additional information for readers who want to go deeper, and they also give your post authenticity and transparency about where you information came from without getting into long, narrative attributions.

•       One graphical element: A photo, a chart or anything else visual helps readers. Whatever you use, make sure it advances the story: don't just put a photo in the post for the sake of posting a photo.

Strategies for Effective Facebook Wall Posts

•        Posts made between 8 PM and 7 AM receive 20% more user engagement.
•        On Wednesdays, fan engagement is 8% above average.
•        Posting one to two times per day produces 40% higher user engagement.
•        Posting one to four times per week produces 71% higher user engagement.
•        Posts with 80 characters or less receive 66% higher engagement. Very concise posts – those between one and 40 characters – generate highest engagement. Only 5% of all retail brand Wall Posts are less than 40 characters in length, even though these receive 86% higher fan engagement.
•       Ask questions to spark dialogue – “question” Posts generate Comment rates double that of “non-question” Posts.
•       Fill in the blank Posts receive 9 times more Comments than other Posts.
•       Offer fans “$ off” and coupons. Posts containing these offer-related keywords receive the highest engagement.
•        “$ OFF” offers receive twice the engagement of “% OFF” offers.
•       Avoid complicated Wall Posts. Status-only Posts receive 94% higher than average engagement

 References

Brad Thor's Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brad-Thor/83629783989

Best Practices For Writing For Online Readers. (n.d.). ReadWriteWeb - Web Apps, Web Technology Trends, Social Networking and Social Media. Retrieved October 13, 2012, from http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/best_practices_for_writing_for_online_readers.php

 Tracker., E. (n.d.). Writing Effective Facebook Posts | Social Media Today. Social media news, strategy, tools, and techniques | Social Media Today. Retrieved October 13, 2012, from http://socialmediatoday.com/bigsea/370308/writing-effective-facebook-posts