Last night, I decided to re-read the blogs I have posted this semester - the good, the bad, and the just plain ugly (as in that end-of-semester meltdown I had last week). As I write this, Tazi-Kat is sitting by my side (as usual), and I am reflecting on all I have learned - and the irony of one particular thing I wrote.
On September 15, 2011 I blogged about an article I had read on "blogs as clubhouses". It was a short reaction piece, in which I wrote:
...with the saturation of the medium this is where my thoughts split from the author's, who continues on to describe how your personal blog can become a money-maker. Unless you come up with a truly unique topic, such as the Julie and Julia blog; and you are a trained and/or professional writer; and you have the necessary knowledge to produce an accurate, well-researched blog, then the odds of such success occurring are astronomical. This is not to say that one should not try to beat the odds; just that one should not set their sights so high that they are blinded by the sun every time they look upward.
As you can see, in spite of my tendency to aim high, I keep my expectations quite low. I suppose it is so I will not rest on my laurels, but continue to give my all towards every project I undertake. This way of life can be quite draining, but it stems from something I learned while working in advertising: your own opinion of your work is not what matters. It is the opinion of the people who are judging your work that matters.
Now, I am sure there is a chorus of young - and not-so-young - idealists out there carping about how they would never alter their "art" to please another; and I can tell you right now that those same idealists will never make a living off of their "art" - be it writing, videography, film, or actual art. People may claim that they don't believe in commercial success, but those are generally the people who are either already commercially successful or who do not have to depend upon the income generated from their art in order to pay their way through life - or the people who have ended up like Vincent Van Gogh: poor, and more than a little crazy.
Anyhow, back to my main point: I find it ironic that my clubhouse blog may actually bring me commercial success. I wonder if this is how Icarus felt...
Showing posts with label writers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writers. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Peer Reviewing Reviewed
I have discovered that peer reviewing has its pros and cons and unfortunately, for this class, the cons are outweighing the pros as the semester wears on and approaches the finish line. I have learned a lot in this class, and one reason was the chance to receive feedback from my classmates on the work completed. In fact, it was assigned work that they do give feedback in the form of constructive criticism. However, that does not mean that everyone gave it on time (before deadline) or even gave it all.
For our first class asignment - clubhouse blogs - I got feedback from one student, and I have to say it really wasn't helpful. For some reason, she thought Ask Tazi-Kat! was an advice column for pet lovers, and that it should run tips on caring for pets. The column offers general advice on a range of subjects, and has hardly ever addressed issues dealing with pets. As of this writing, it is up to 1100 hits (in 11 weeks), with 100 of those hits coming in over the past 3 days and a third of the total hits coming in within the last three weeks; as well as an ebook of the archives planned for January publication through Amazon.com; and daily subscription numbers also on the rise. If I had taken the advice to change the format, I don't think it would have been so successful, as pet-care is a very niche market; nor is it my forte.
Project Two did offer some very helpful review advice on travel writing, offering hints on what people look for when they travel to Providence; but even so, one of the reviewers did not offer their thoughts until after the due date for the project. As luck would have it, I got paired with this person for the next two group projects; and as expected, all deadlines were ignored. Thank God that I lucked out on Project Three, as the other member of the three-person group - the only other person I consider to be a contributing member - is an amazing student and an amazing worker. I know I keep touting him, but he seriously is that good. He graduates in May, and I have no doubt I will be seeing his name in the Wall Street Journal some day! (FYI: He is a Business and Finance major).
For Project Three, the recreation of a restaurant website, only one person got their peer reivew in by deadline (others were a week late!) and he gave some very helpful suggestions that were incorporated, and acknowledged on our Peer Review forum message board (including the suggestion that we add a Directions page to the site). The remainder of the reviewers posted their thoughts a week late, and basically said the same exact thing as the first person - lighten the background and add a Directions page - ignoring the fact that the edits had been made a full week prior. Explanations as to why there were no pictures of the restaurant or its food were posted to the forum (after the first reviewer suggested they be added), and completely ignored. Criticisms that we should add some kept pouring into the forum. It was all I could do not to post in a bold, red font "PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOU A$$ AND READ THE G-D D-MN PROJECT UPDATE!!! FOR THE LOVE OF G-D YOU ARE A SENIOR IN COLLEGE!!! PULL THIS KIND OF CR@P IN THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD AND YOU WON'T MAKE IT PAST YOUR FIRST 90-DAYS!!!!!!!" Thankfully, I have been practicing the art of patience since leaving the professional world of Marketing, and managed to keep my cool. (FYI, part 2: just in case you were wondering, we used placeholders [generic graphics] in place of actual pictures, so as to leave the picture choice open for the business owner to visualize).
With Project Four, the three contributing members of the group all agreed that the criticisms received were bulls--t, and only offered up because the reviewers had to say something. We received criticisms such as:
"You have too many links" (several of the links were required for the project, and could not be removed; the others were essential to the opertation of the site)
"I don't like the sports theme" (the page name is Intercepting Traffick and its purpose is to raise awareness of child sex trafficking at major league sporting events. DUH!)
"I think you have too much information on your site",with the suggestion that people would get bored and move on to another site (the site itself is an informational site with a targeted audience, not a general interest site.)
I have always tried to make my criticisms constructive...which is why this blog has so often turned into a rant. It's all just part of the process.
For our first class asignment - clubhouse blogs - I got feedback from one student, and I have to say it really wasn't helpful. For some reason, she thought Ask Tazi-Kat! was an advice column for pet lovers, and that it should run tips on caring for pets. The column offers general advice on a range of subjects, and has hardly ever addressed issues dealing with pets. As of this writing, it is up to 1100 hits (in 11 weeks), with 100 of those hits coming in over the past 3 days and a third of the total hits coming in within the last three weeks; as well as an ebook of the archives planned for January publication through Amazon.com; and daily subscription numbers also on the rise. If I had taken the advice to change the format, I don't think it would have been so successful, as pet-care is a very niche market; nor is it my forte.
Project Two did offer some very helpful review advice on travel writing, offering hints on what people look for when they travel to Providence; but even so, one of the reviewers did not offer their thoughts until after the due date for the project. As luck would have it, I got paired with this person for the next two group projects; and as expected, all deadlines were ignored. Thank God that I lucked out on Project Three, as the other member of the three-person group - the only other person I consider to be a contributing member - is an amazing student and an amazing worker. I know I keep touting him, but he seriously is that good. He graduates in May, and I have no doubt I will be seeing his name in the Wall Street Journal some day! (FYI: He is a Business and Finance major).
For Project Three, the recreation of a restaurant website, only one person got their peer reivew in by deadline (others were a week late!) and he gave some very helpful suggestions that were incorporated, and acknowledged on our Peer Review forum message board (including the suggestion that we add a Directions page to the site). The remainder of the reviewers posted their thoughts a week late, and basically said the same exact thing as the first person - lighten the background and add a Directions page - ignoring the fact that the edits had been made a full week prior. Explanations as to why there were no pictures of the restaurant or its food were posted to the forum (after the first reviewer suggested they be added), and completely ignored. Criticisms that we should add some kept pouring into the forum. It was all I could do not to post in a bold, red font "PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOU A$$ AND READ THE G-D D-MN PROJECT UPDATE!!! FOR THE LOVE OF G-D YOU ARE A SENIOR IN COLLEGE!!! PULL THIS KIND OF CR@P IN THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD AND YOU WON'T MAKE IT PAST YOUR FIRST 90-DAYS!!!!!!!" Thankfully, I have been practicing the art of patience since leaving the professional world of Marketing, and managed to keep my cool. (FYI, part 2: just in case you were wondering, we used placeholders [generic graphics] in place of actual pictures, so as to leave the picture choice open for the business owner to visualize).
With Project Four, the three contributing members of the group all agreed that the criticisms received were bulls--t, and only offered up because the reviewers had to say something. We received criticisms such as:
"You have too many links" (several of the links were required for the project, and could not be removed; the others were essential to the opertation of the site)
"I don't like the sports theme" (the page name is Intercepting Traffick and its purpose is to raise awareness of child sex trafficking at major league sporting events. DUH!)
"I think you have too much information on your site",with the suggestion that people would get bored and move on to another site (the site itself is an informational site with a targeted audience, not a general interest site.)
I have always tried to make my criticisms constructive...which is why this blog has so often turned into a rant. It's all just part of the process.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Technology: Rely On It To be Unreliable
I have been meaning to write this blog for a few weeks now, and have just been so busy putting together my final portfolio that my process blog got shifted to the bottom of the priority pile.
If you have been reading my blog you will know by now that my final group project for this class involves creating a social issues site at SocialGo.com. (If you have not been reading this blog, I suggest you go catch up and come back here when you have). When the syllabus was put together, SocialGo was free; now, it is only free for two weeks before they start to charge. THANKFULLY the good people in SocialGo's Finance Department understood the pleas of my professor, and the charges for our project sites have been waived through the end of the year. However, this situation illustrates why putting our faith in technology is not always a good thing.
I am reminded of a letter to Ann Landers that I read several years ago, about a man who knew he was dying (of illness) and wanted to leave some letters to his young granddaughter, for when she was old enough to read them. In order to keep them confidential, he typed them and saved them to a 3-inch disk. After he passed, his wife was uncertain if she should print them out, due to changing technology and the fear the letters would be lost. Ann Landers agreed with her, and got a heaping pile of mail from those who disagreed with her, saying to print them out would be a violantion of privacy. As I recap that letter, I am asking myself "How long has it been since anyone used disks?"
It is truly amazing how much technology has changed in my lifetime. I still remember 5-inch floppy disks...the TRS-80...and yes, Pong, which I still think is a balls-ass awesome video game, if you will pardon the expression. I am not exactly sure what "balls-ass" means, but it is what popped into my head when I was thinking about how awesome Pong was, and how I miss its quaint simplicity.
I often wonder what technological advances will come in the lifetime of the Wikipedia generation, and hope that it will help them to understand where I am coming from when I talk about the importance of learning to do things old school, instead of letting technology do everything for you - because if the computer systems are down and that research paper is due, it is always nice to know how to use the card catalog.
If you have been reading my blog you will know by now that my final group project for this class involves creating a social issues site at SocialGo.com. (If you have not been reading this blog, I suggest you go catch up and come back here when you have). When the syllabus was put together, SocialGo was free; now, it is only free for two weeks before they start to charge. THANKFULLY the good people in SocialGo's Finance Department understood the pleas of my professor, and the charges for our project sites have been waived through the end of the year. However, this situation illustrates why putting our faith in technology is not always a good thing.
I am reminded of a letter to Ann Landers that I read several years ago, about a man who knew he was dying (of illness) and wanted to leave some letters to his young granddaughter, for when she was old enough to read them. In order to keep them confidential, he typed them and saved them to a 3-inch disk. After he passed, his wife was uncertain if she should print them out, due to changing technology and the fear the letters would be lost. Ann Landers agreed with her, and got a heaping pile of mail from those who disagreed with her, saying to print them out would be a violantion of privacy. As I recap that letter, I am asking myself "How long has it been since anyone used disks?"
It is truly amazing how much technology has changed in my lifetime. I still remember 5-inch floppy disks...the TRS-80...and yes, Pong, which I still think is a balls-ass awesome video game, if you will pardon the expression. I am not exactly sure what "balls-ass" means, but it is what popped into my head when I was thinking about how awesome Pong was, and how I miss its quaint simplicity.
I often wonder what technological advances will come in the lifetime of the Wikipedia generation, and hope that it will help them to understand where I am coming from when I talk about the importance of learning to do things old school, instead of letting technology do everything for you - because if the computer systems are down and that research paper is due, it is always nice to know how to use the card catalog.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Looking Back To When I Was Green
I am taking this class - Writing for Online Environments, for those who forgot - as a way to update my Communications degree. I am enjoying it a lot, but sometimes I forget that my classmates are still learning...and that they haven't experienced life in an advertising agency or in the sales office of a TV station. I get aggravated over missed deadlines, and I supppose I always will, but it is more than that.
I forget that my classmates have probably not yet taken classes in Research Methods...that the extent of their writing experience ends with Writing 101, the universal college writing requirement...and that they have yet to learn how to balance their time. My boss tells me all the time that it is very easy for students to waste time without even realizing it, and then complain that they just can't fit everything they need to complete into their schedules. (As a Tutor, part of my job is to assist students in time management).
Sometimes, I forget what it is like to be young and "green". Kermit the Frog was right - it ain't easy being green - and although I can't see myself being more accomodating of missed deadlines, I can control my response to the situation.
I forget that my classmates have probably not yet taken classes in Research Methods...that the extent of their writing experience ends with Writing 101, the universal college writing requirement...and that they have yet to learn how to balance their time. My boss tells me all the time that it is very easy for students to waste time without even realizing it, and then complain that they just can't fit everything they need to complete into their schedules. (As a Tutor, part of my job is to assist students in time management).
Sometimes, I forget what it is like to be young and "green". Kermit the Frog was right - it ain't easy being green - and although I can't see myself being more accomodating of missed deadlines, I can control my response to the situation.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Deadlines Aren't Arbitrary
It is 2:20 AM and I cannot sleep because this group project is on my mind. I have to say, I am extremely impressed with how Group Member #2 took the draft/template website I created and turned it into the amazing finished product that it is, and how s/he managed to do it in such a short time. It blows my own efforts away (and I have been told that my efforts were quite impressive!), and I am happy to have been teamed with this person...I truly am; but at the same time I am somewhat annoyed that I have to be exclusionary of our third group member, who thus far has contributed nothing because "web design" isn't their "strong point". The beauty of this forum is that it is a classroom - if something is not your strong point, then that is what you are here to learn and it is all the more reason that you should be actively participating instead of taking a back-seat to others. Layout formatting isn't my strongest point, but I gave it a shot; and some of my efforts even made it into the final draft of the site!
The complete lack of communication from Group Member #3 also bothers me, although s/he claims to have left messages for me on Facebook. I double checked the link to my page that I posted, and it is correct, yet no messages have been received there. Anything posted to Sakai goes directly to my URI email, so there is no reason to post outside the closed forum of our classroom. I only provided my Facebook info because it is a quick way to get in touch with me in the case of an emergency - but then poor planning on someone else's part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
Having been asked to wear the mantle of Group Leader, I posted a thread about the final leg of this project today - the proposal memo. I was planning on doing it myself since Group Member #2 worked so hard these past few days in turning what started as my vision into a first-class cooperative; and, quite honestly, because the third member of the group has proven that s/he feels deadlines are arbitrary. I am really excited about this project, and if Group Member #2 agrees to it, I would like to submit the proposed website to the owners of the company who's site we chose to improve. Although I have no plans to return to design work, this site would be a huge plus for any portfolio, student or professional.
Anyhow, the reason I can't sleep is because Group Member #3 has requested the assignment of doing the proposal memo. Seeing how s/he has contributed nothing to the project yet, I realize it is only fair to give them the chance to do something...and yet I wonder: had I not posted the request for input into it, would s/he had taken the initiative to draft the proposal anyway? The assignment was posted 12 days ago, and here it is only 3 or 4 days before deadline before s/he makes an effort to contribute - and business writing is what s/he called their "strong point". If that were me, I would have jumped on it a week ago!
I guess I just feel that this group member is only seeking to contribute at this point because s/he would otherwise face the very real possibility of getting a zero for the entire assignment, considering that is what s/he has contributed to it. Therein is my quandry: Do I trust this person's motivation? Do I trust that writing the business proposal will play to their strengths, and thus strengthen the overall impact of this project?
What has me second guessing my decision to give this person the go-ahead to handle the proposal memo is that I can't even refer to their "reaction writing" for the last two readings (Palmquist's piece on what constitutes a good website and the "Design for Non-Designers" chapter) to judge whether or not assigning them the proposal memo would be a solid decision. S/he hasn't posted either of these required reaction responses to our group's forum, even though the first was due a week ago and the second due a few hours ago. See what I mean when I say s/he has proven that s/he finds deadlines to be arbitrary?
This proposal memo has become a monkey on my back, one which I would love to send sailing off of a cliff. I have a Physics exam on Monday, and studying for it is going to require a lot of my time this weekend. I want to believe that the proposal memo is in good hands, and that when I wake Tuesday morning, it will be posted to our group forum where the completed*** website now sits; but I can't...something tells me that in order to shed the monkey I am going to have to put together a back-up proposal just in case the assigned proposal is not posted in time to be included with the rest of the project.
[***I added these stars because one thought led to another, but I did not want to digress (for a change): Group Member #3 has informed us that s/he will review the site we created and add their own edits, which we can include or reject. When I commented that the site was complete unless anyone had any more edits, it was worded inclusively because it is a group project, but directed at Group Member #2 since s/he is the only other one who has been working on it!! As far as I am concerned, the website looks perfect - to add to it would be like putting lipstick on a pig - and Group Member #3 has no right to make edits to the website when s/he has contributed nothing to the creative process thus far.]
Well, it is now 3:21 AM, and I have a long day ahead of me...now that this is all out of my system, maybe I will be able to sleep.
The complete lack of communication from Group Member #3 also bothers me, although s/he claims to have left messages for me on Facebook. I double checked the link to my page that I posted, and it is correct, yet no messages have been received there. Anything posted to Sakai goes directly to my URI email, so there is no reason to post outside the closed forum of our classroom. I only provided my Facebook info because it is a quick way to get in touch with me in the case of an emergency - but then poor planning on someone else's part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
Having been asked to wear the mantle of Group Leader, I posted a thread about the final leg of this project today - the proposal memo. I was planning on doing it myself since Group Member #2 worked so hard these past few days in turning what started as my vision into a first-class cooperative; and, quite honestly, because the third member of the group has proven that s/he feels deadlines are arbitrary. I am really excited about this project, and if Group Member #2 agrees to it, I would like to submit the proposed website to the owners of the company who's site we chose to improve. Although I have no plans to return to design work, this site would be a huge plus for any portfolio, student or professional.
Anyhow, the reason I can't sleep is because Group Member #3 has requested the assignment of doing the proposal memo. Seeing how s/he has contributed nothing to the project yet, I realize it is only fair to give them the chance to do something...and yet I wonder: had I not posted the request for input into it, would s/he had taken the initiative to draft the proposal anyway? The assignment was posted 12 days ago, and here it is only 3 or 4 days before deadline before s/he makes an effort to contribute - and business writing is what s/he called their "strong point". If that were me, I would have jumped on it a week ago!
I guess I just feel that this group member is only seeking to contribute at this point because s/he would otherwise face the very real possibility of getting a zero for the entire assignment, considering that is what s/he has contributed to it. Therein is my quandry: Do I trust this person's motivation? Do I trust that writing the business proposal will play to their strengths, and thus strengthen the overall impact of this project?
What has me second guessing my decision to give this person the go-ahead to handle the proposal memo is that I can't even refer to their "reaction writing" for the last two readings (Palmquist's piece on what constitutes a good website and the "Design for Non-Designers" chapter) to judge whether or not assigning them the proposal memo would be a solid decision. S/he hasn't posted either of these required reaction responses to our group's forum, even though the first was due a week ago and the second due a few hours ago. See what I mean when I say s/he has proven that s/he finds deadlines to be arbitrary?
This proposal memo has become a monkey on my back, one which I would love to send sailing off of a cliff. I have a Physics exam on Monday, and studying for it is going to require a lot of my time this weekend. I want to believe that the proposal memo is in good hands, and that when I wake Tuesday morning, it will be posted to our group forum where the completed*** website now sits; but I can't...something tells me that in order to shed the monkey I am going to have to put together a back-up proposal just in case the assigned proposal is not posted in time to be included with the rest of the project.
[***I added these stars because one thought led to another, but I did not want to digress (for a change): Group Member #3 has informed us that s/he will review the site we created and add their own edits, which we can include or reject. When I commented that the site was complete unless anyone had any more edits, it was worded inclusively because it is a group project, but directed at Group Member #2 since s/he is the only other one who has been working on it!! As far as I am concerned, the website looks perfect - to add to it would be like putting lipstick on a pig - and Group Member #3 has no right to make edits to the website when s/he has contributed nothing to the creative process thus far.]
Well, it is now 3:21 AM, and I have a long day ahead of me...now that this is all out of my system, maybe I will be able to sleep.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Writers vs. People Who Write...and Why Mark Patinikin Gets On My Nerves
Why is it anyone who puts their mind to recording their thoughts in print on a regular basis considers themselves a Writer? If someone does their own car repairs, do they consider themselves a Mechanic? No. If someone home-schools their children, do they consider themselves a Teacher? No. So why is it people who upchuck their every thought or idea into printed words consider themselves Writers? I believe the reason that the person who repairs their own car or home-schools their children are not considered professionals is because they cannot do what they do on a professional level. Why is writing so different?
I consider myself a Writer because once upon a career, that is how I made my living! People found my work to be of such merit that they actually paid me to produce it! I guess this is why I get so annoyed at people who call themselves writers, yet have never had a single word published by a discerning entity that pays its contributors - regardless of how many freelance contributions they have attempted to see published.
I know that this is why Mark Patinkin's column gets on my nerves - aside from the sexist commentary he has been producing since his marriage started to dissolve, which would upset me even if I was not a Writer. Until quite recently, half of the stuff he has been writing for the Providence Journal have been lists - which my seventh grade Writing teacher always told me to avoid, as they are "the fodder of the unimaginative". I get angry because I know the man has an amazing talent, and he is producing work that is beneath him; work that is on par with "people who write", who use the oft heard on Thayer Street phrase, "I've lost my muse" as they try to excuse the drivel they know they are producing.
Until this class lit in me the flame that had faded, I never thought I would go back to professional writing. Now, I am not so sure; and this confuses me as to what I am: Am I a former and possibly future Writer? Am I a Writer on hiatus? Or am I just someone who writes? The search for identity continues.
P.S. Over the last few months, Patinkin's stuff has been amazing...I do hope that he has got his grove back!
I consider myself a Writer because once upon a career, that is how I made my living! People found my work to be of such merit that they actually paid me to produce it! I guess this is why I get so annoyed at people who call themselves writers, yet have never had a single word published by a discerning entity that pays its contributors - regardless of how many freelance contributions they have attempted to see published.
I know that this is why Mark Patinkin's column gets on my nerves - aside from the sexist commentary he has been producing since his marriage started to dissolve, which would upset me even if I was not a Writer. Until quite recently, half of the stuff he has been writing for the Providence Journal have been lists - which my seventh grade Writing teacher always told me to avoid, as they are "the fodder of the unimaginative". I get angry because I know the man has an amazing talent, and he is producing work that is beneath him; work that is on par with "people who write", who use the oft heard on Thayer Street phrase, "I've lost my muse" as they try to excuse the drivel they know they are producing.
Until this class lit in me the flame that had faded, I never thought I would go back to professional writing. Now, I am not so sure; and this confuses me as to what I am: Am I a former and possibly future Writer? Am I a Writer on hiatus? Or am I just someone who writes? The search for identity continues.
P.S. Over the last few months, Patinkin's stuff has been amazing...I do hope that he has got his grove back!
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