Monday, June 20, 2011

My Audition for Blogger Idol 2011


" Any fellow writer who knew me before I even had a Facebook could tell you, I didn't initially choose to start a Blog.  Rather the realm, itself, chose me and threw my ambitions into motion. Like those before me, I've said it before and I'll begin by saying it again, because it's what I am:  A Writer. " 

Like everyone else wants to be?
Perhaps.  But ...
"What makes me a Writer worthy of being a Blogger Idol"?


  • The need to discover truth even in fiction?
  • That thirst for righting wrongs through commentary?
  • That core longing to put myself on the creative map?
  • Or merely all of the above and the ability to make it work others and not just for me?

For me, its difficult even to narrow down the motivating factors with all the categories featured as the Header for my Blog;  each encompassing my fondness for all products of the written word and artistic mind, as tools essential to creative inspiration.  Like any writer, I care about:  Reaching an audience, Communicating my vision, and networking with others most at home with an art that is otherwise the most lonely of pursuits.  It took being told a Blog is a great way to achieve this & more.

I never really expected a big audience. It was hard enough and most time consuming just trying to figure out what exactly I had to offer, if anything at all. After reading a few dozen Blogs, all it seemed to take was the humility I felt among such minds to make me want to pay it forward immediately. I can safely say the rubber was put to the road for me with my Ode to Writers video tribute. With it I honestly felt I was giving back to the community that had welcomed and encouraged me the most. Yet, despite my jaw having landed somewhere in the center of the Earth, likely never to be recovered from all the feedback received since, I've all the humility to notice the experience speaks volumes as to what people seem to favor:  Imperfection. We all have to start somewhere, after all. 

Thus, I found my motive from whence my Blog made birth.  That I could use it to offer something if not everything I have to give during this period of my literary & social evolution.  The testament being the aim only to practice what I preach via the Show-&-Tell of the fiber of my mind and being, before raising even a penny of profit.  Figuring only then can I hope to be worth the merit of my following and target audiences. Meanwhile, staying true to the industry being the least-competitive pool anyone could dive into: that if others can benefit from what I offer and apply to my own style & strategy, then I can consider the experience worthwhile. The ultimate payment always found in the evidence of how much the fruits of ones labors have meant to others.


 

Sunday, June 12, 2011

First Official LLP Poll: Open Call For Navigation Inspiration


" ...'Til all my sleeves are stained red, from all the truth that I've said. Come by it honestly I swear. Thought you saw me wink, no? I've been on the brink, so ... Tell me what you want to hear! Something that were like those years? Sick of all the insincere, So, I'm gonna give all my secrets away. This time don't need another perfect line ... Don't care if critics never jump in line ... I'm gonna give all my secrets away. " – "Secrets" by One Republic.


Recently, my blog notes -- which I have a habit of stashing in my rough drafts outbox prior to birthing them as office files for editing and publishing -- all vanished during a routine disk space cleanup. Unfortunately, this has been the most major factor that has left me stumped for the past couple of weeks as to where to begin picking up the pieces.  So ... Quick Decision! Instead of succumbing to the laziness that is working on what I find easiest or more catering to my current attention spans, I thought it best to surrender the entire occurrence as one of those Everything-Happens-For-A-Reason windows of opportunity, and use the fresh slate to humbly pay tribute to all my loyal subscribers. How? Well, that's where this Poll & Blog entry comes into play ... through which I give readers & subscribers free reign over the productivity department, by allowing you all to vote on the poll and even utilize the comments boxes to navigate specifically which categories should flourish first and via what themes and topics.

Now, some of you may have noticed this poll was started some time ago, and was much simpler … perhaps the reason why it received so few votes. Bearing that all in mind, I've decided to further put my money where my mouth is by starting it over and fleshing it out very intimately … adding multiple different topics, each with predetermined page category in parenthesis, including in this blog a brief synopsis for each slot available to vote on and what it stands for. Thus: “Which of the Categories above do you wish to see flourish most????” … Pledges, Bliss of Solitude, Scrivenerium, Vidcrafting, REEL Reviews, Rants-N-Raves, and/or Fellowships?


LLP  Pledges:  Authorial  Updates
  • Authorial Quotes & Notes – Topped off with my “Thesis of an Intellectual” pledge, everything from memorable quotes and tweets made completely by yours truly, to random editorial notes regarding changes & personal experiences presently consuming my thoughts and attention.


Rants-N-Raves: Random Blogs of Passion
  • Political Exposés – Mostly self-explanatory, but for perspective accuracy, all stemming from my personal outrage as to conspiracy theories and everything embodying anti-political passions. Given the willingness to stake my life on the fact that the world would be better off without the flux of politics and the suit-&-tie henchmen behind it all, bending every constitutional and spiritual law there is to be left on the verge of being broken.
  • Religious Exposés – Again, self-explanatory, but for perspective accuracy, all stemming from Universal Spiritualism which I personally identify with. Unbiasedly finding the middle ground all religions share while eagerly condemning the hypocritical narrow-mindedness keeping witch hunts and unfounded bloodshed in the name of the divine thriving still today.
  • Industry Exposés – Personal reactions & interpretations on controversial news articles, celebrity scandals, and breaking news of all sorts from all around the world.


REEL Reviews: Intellectual Dives in the Entertainment Pool
  • Screen Critiques – From New Movie Retreats and Box Office hot topics, to older Flicks Reminisced in the flux of the cable listings and DVD releases. Being an avid movie-goer and collector I at least attempt to broaden my horizons therein, and so topics may consist of my personally favored genres and franchises, yet new releases especially are always a coin-toss as per expectations. And older ones, well, sometimes its funny to look back and see something and wonder what possessed you to like it back in the day.
  • Seasonal Installment Critiques – Covering the realms of Video Gamescapes and TV Series. Again, some level of bias to be found herein, given I am as picky with Video Games as I am with Television Shows, hardly having time to enjoy either without sacrificing time from writing and otherwise. Yet, that motivates me to truly disect the experiences for all their worth and the time invested into it.


LLP Vidcasting & Vidcrafting Documented
  • Visual Walkthroughs – Covering the How-To Tips & Tactics and Behind-The-Scenes commentary of the creative processes and journey to fruition for each video crafted and published on Youtube & Podcasts and the various purposes behind them.


Ye Ol Scrivenerium: A Sanctum for all Writers
  • ICP Workshops  –  The Invention, Construction, & Performance of various elements of writing … fiction and otherwise. Covering Milieu & Stages, Ideas & Plot Premises, Characterization, Structure of Events & Scenes, Editing & Description, Flashbacks & Flashforwards, Themes, Strategies, Style & Voice. All perspective blogs personally interpreted and put to use via my own Literary endeavors, from all notes courtesy of The Elements of Fiction Writing DIY novel series.


The Bliss of Solitude: Official LLP Projects
  • Workshop Show-N-Tell – As good as my word, I'm not one to give advice I wouldn't make use of for my own personal betterment. What's good for the goose is good for the gander, so this is my means of actually practicing what I preach in Le Scrivenerium. Displayed through sneak peeks of my current literary projects upon which I apply my presented workshop tactics.
  • LLP Current Events – Literary Projects, Video Projects, Fellowship Projects, Graphic Projects.


Fellowships: Promotional Projects & Sponsored Listings
  • Words That Bind – Written collaborations and/or commentary on the blogs and sites of my sponsored fellows listed on the sidebars. Links listed will include Co-Blogs, Guest Blogs, & Blog Reviews.
  • Graphics That Bind – Graphic Art and/or Video collaborations with fellows looking to benefit from Vidcraft and photo manipulations. Promotional Projects, Web designs, Book Trailers, Musical Montages and Lyricals.

This being an extended poll, I obviously would favor as many votes as I can get, especially to include comment submissions on any select page for open feedback and even personal requests on desired topics/projects. Or, of course, in a less public and more professional fashion, I would like everyone to feel free to utilize my gmail to put forth the same thoughts and desires, if any. 
As I keep a vigilant eye on the vote count as it progresses, I will still be writing and blogging and networking every chance I get … so the numbers will rule in all. The topics with the most votes along the way are the ones I will be focusing on. They will be the compass I depend on from now on, and you … my beloved readers … continue to be the guiding winds and gravity. 


That all being said, you can locate this Poll in the left sidebar, entitled with the aforementioned question above.  Just look for the Compass!  From there:
  1. Please refer to the options under the picture & question, based off this run-down synopsis of each category and topic. 
  2. By all means, everyone, feel free to vote at will.  I've enabled multiple votes and, therefore, look forward to multiple comments submitted on the designated category pages above. 
  3. To comment your specifics, just click on the category page on the navbar above, and submit your comments there as corresponds to the options you voted for on the sidebar. 

 
All in all, I am much obliged and can't wait to see the verdict!