Since I've been searching for the meaning of (online) life
lately, I was led to an article by Neil Patel on Entreprenuer.com called 10 Little Known Social Media Tools You Should Be Using Now.
I decided to try TweetLevel, to see how I'm perceived and I
hit on two of the five categories: Idea Starter and Curator.
I like that, and it's apt. I have always enjoyed leading the
way with "show & tell". Setting trends, rather than following
them, has ever been my style (or, rather: doing what I like to do, and if other
people like it too, so much the better). Putting together like items (such a
DJ'ing on-topic playlists, being able to recommend other films based on one,
knowing which fashions from different eras will go together, etc.) has always
been a passion of mine. Happy to know it shows.
Idea Starters –
this small collective of people are the creative brains behind many of the
thoughts and ideas that other people talk about. Even though they may not
necessarily have a large audience themselves, their insightful opinions often
flow and are repeated throughout conversations long after they have left. They
are typically well connected to other idea starters (where they collaborate on
thoughts) and amplifiers (who they often rely upon to spread their views). Idea
starters tend to be well connected to curators and amplifiers.
Curators – this
group though having a far smaller audience are perhaps one of the most
influential groups. Long after the idea starter and amplifier have left a
conversation, it is the curator that maintains discussion. This niche expert
collates information about a specific topic and is frequently sought after for
advice about this specific area. They often take part in discussions with idea
starters and are avid readers of topic-specific amplifiers.
Now… if I could just figure out how to monetize all this
passion. That's ever been my M.O., since I was a kid with a horse, living in a
tourist town: Pony Rides, $1.00 — I'd make enough cash to buy some candy or a
record, and off I'd go to have fun. While I have never been rich, I have always
been successful in making just enough money to support my fun-habit. That's well
and good, but it would be nice to have a few extra bucks left over once in
awhile.
To this end, I recently read an excellent book called The$100 Start-Up (by Chris Guillebeau) that's been quite
inspiring as I move into an especially creative phase in my work. Rather than
just writing reviews of other people's original works, I'm focusing on my own. (Which
also means I have to deal with the creative aftermath: selling, and staying.)
I have e-books in the zeitgeist and on the horizon (four of
my paperbacks went out of print from their respective publishers and I took the
rights back). Also, I was hit with a flash of inspiration on a hands-on art
project which I started and finished in just a few hours. (Yesterday, as a
matter of fact!) I satisfied the muse, then I got down to biz. Already found a
virtual gallery to exhibit the pieces, then I am going to sell them on Etsy,
based on principles which are applicable through advice given in The $100
Start-Up.
I'll keep you posted on my progress. (via Twitter,
naturally!)
Out now: Ghost Writer (fiction) and Guide to Animal Movies & 50 Years of Ghost Movies (non-fiction)
Click the "Dirty Records" link to see the photos in full-size.
