Twitter’s Magical 140
According to Wired magazine, blogging is dead. Sad that the venerable blog post…which broke down barriers of publishing…may be on the way out.
In some ways, it’s true. Blogging was amazingly democratic. Anyone could be a published author, just by posting a blog. For a little while, media giants reacted to the voices of regular people, some of whom became self-appointed experts.
Over the last two years, though, the media caught up. Many top blogs are part of the established media network. Professional journalists and media channels are using blogs to attract, well, us. Now, that democratic blog landscape is being claimed by mainstream media, decreasing the ability of regular people to become key opinion leaders.
Part of the problem is that the blog post…usually pretty short…is just too long. Our attention span is waning to the point that a few paragraphs is too much mental lifting. See Me Read Book.
The predicted replacement? Twitter.
So, if I seem a little long winded to you, check out my Twitter account at http://twitter.com/BuddyWeb
Twitter posts (called Tweets) are limited to 140 characters. That’s about the length of one long sentence. For me, that’s usually two punchy, short sentences.
So, if you like someone’s writing, you can subscribe to their Twitter. Their random thoughts can be posted to Twitter. In best cases, Twitter posts are sharp, interesting, or funny observations. In worst, it’s agonizingly dull people sharing their banal lives.
And, as marketers see this shift, they are discovering new and interesting ways of leveraging the Twitter channel. Or at least as much marketing as you can do in 140 characters.
All hail the short attention span. Just do it quickly because we tend to bore easily!
THIRD PHOTO REFERENCE BOOK ON SHELVES HALLOWEEN
BUDDY SCALERA’S THIRD PHOTO REFERENCE BOOK ON SHELVES HALLOWEEN
Author Publishes Three Pose File Books in Three Years
PARAMUS, NJ – The third book in the “Comic Artist’s Photo Reference” trilogy by photographer Buddy Scalera will appear in national book chains and comic stores nationwide on Halloween.
Comic Artist
The 144-page “Comic Artist’s Photo Reference: Men & Boys” features 1,000+ photos of actors in superhero poses, shot specifically for the needs of illustrators. The book is part of Scalera’s three-part series which started with “Comic Artist’s Photo Reference: People & Poses” (May, 2006) and then “Comic Artist’s Photo Reference: Women & Girls” (May 2008).
Each of the books in the series includes in-depth art lessons by respected comic book professionals, including David Hahn (Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four), Rafael Kayanan (Conan, Star Wars, Firestorm, Batman), Mike Lilly (Vampirella, Nightwing), Mark Smylie (Artesia), and Rodolfo Migliari (Green Lantern, Elektra, Kiss). Preview photos on www.buddyscalera.com.
Males of different ages and body types are featured in superheroic poses to help professional and aspiring artists draw accurate anatomy in their comic books, storyboards, videogames, manga, and more.
The 144-page softcover book and CD-ROM package retails for $24.95 in Barnes & Nobles, Borders, (ISBN-978-1-60061-004-2), comic stores, Bud Plant Comic Art, and Amazon.
“Artist’s can use these reference books to draw better foreshortening, shadows, clothes, and action poses,” explains author Scalera. “Many professional artists utilize photo reference to create superhero comics.”
Scalera is the creator of another photo reference resource, a three-volume CD-ROM collection of pictures titled “Visual Reference for Comic Artists” Vol. 1-3. He is also a superhero comic book writer with credits writing for Marvel Comics including Deadpool, Agent X, and X-Men Millennial Visions. Most recently he wrote the critically acclaimed mini series “7 Days to Fame” published by After Hours Press.
For more information and preview photos, visit: http://www.buddyscalera.com
INTERIOR PHOTOS:
http://www.buddyscalera.com/comic_artists_photo_reference_3/index.htm
COVER ART by Rodolfo Migliari:
http://www.buddyscalera.com/comic_artists_photo_reference_3/CAPR3_cov_500.jpg
Free Music I Paid For
Ever since the dawn of cheap, recordable tapes, you really haven’t HAD to pay for music. If you knew someone with an album, you could buy a cassette tape and make a copy.
With the ‘Net, getting free music became even easier. Every song you could ever want. Free. No strings attached. Awesome!
That is, until the musicians pointed out that the music wasn’t actually “free.” It was kinda “stolen.” But most of us didn’t feel like thieves. Paying $18.99 for a new CD? THAT feels like robbery.
When iTunes added 99-cent downloads, it became easy to “do the right thing.” Affordable. Good for the environment. You actually feel good about buying music.
I won’t say that you should pay for music (you should) because it’s the right thing to do (it is). I won’t mention that you wouldn’t want your work stolen (you wouldn’t). Even though some of these musicians are nauseatingly rich (they are).
I’ll just say this…here are my:
Top 10 Best Songs that I Paid for This Year
- My Apocalypse – Metallica – Seriously, the finest headbanging masterpiece in a long time. Every track on this fast, furious album makes up for their last album (awful). It’s that good.
- On the Radio – Regina Spektor – I discovered this on Pandora. Offbeat and quirky. Catchy too.
- Chicks = Trouble – Motley Crue – The title says it all. Classic Crue.
- Woke Up This Morning - A3 – Yeah, that song from the Sopranos. It’s much longer than the version used on the show, but has the same groove.
- LDN – Lily Allen – Another song discovered on Pandora. It’s got a great video on YouTube.
- Distractions (Live) – Sia – That amazing singer from Zero 7. Her big break was on the last episode of Six Feet Under (clip on YouTube). This song showcases her amazing and unique voice.
- Love Song – Sara Bareilles – A good pop tune that I heard on the radio.
- End of the World – Great Big Sea – A much, much faster version of the song by REM. With fiddles.
- Woodchipper’s Ball - Hugo Montenegro – Unlike anything else on this list. If you don’t like it, don’t be surprised.
- Bad Girlfriend – Theory of a Deadman – Heard it on the radio. Didn’t like their other songs, so I didn’t have to buy the whole album. Perfect.
What’s on your list of favorite songs you paid for?
Me Read Book
So, I read a book. Yay me.
Took about a week, even though it was a short book. It wasn’t even that good, but I read it to see if I could still do it.
Like most people my age, I am reading a lot less. And I rarely read novels anymore, although at one time, I used to average a paperback a week.
Now, as I try to read fiction, I can barely make it to the end. I’m so used to reading in small chunks on blogs and websites, I barely have the endurance to make it to the end of a book.
So immediately after I completed that first book, I started another. I’m trying to retrain my brain to read things longer than a blog.
Which, um, you’re reading now. So, I guess I’m sort of making you a little dumber. Yay me.
Me go read book now.
Podcasting Your Brand Message
Looking for a new way to spread the word about your business or service? Look no further than your iPod.
If you have an iPod (isn’t that a requirement for living in the USA?), you have iTunes.
There’s a button for “Podcasts,” which are audio programs. Like radio shows without the radio.
I download podcasts every time I plug in my iPod. It’s a free and legal service provided by Apple.
One of my favorites is the screenwriting podcast “On The Page,” hosted by Pilar Alessandra. As an educational and motivational resource, On The Page is nearly as good as having your personal writing cheerleader. (Note: If actual cheerleaders would like to cheer for me, please send photos.)
On the podcast, Pilar would talk about her Los Angeles screenwriting classes. These sounded great, but could be a long drive for me, since I live in New Jersey.
Then…she announced a New York class. And with the speed of Mercury and the riches of Midas, I sent her $125.
I sent my money because the podcast actually proved that Pilar knew how to teach screenwriting. Think about it. I sent a total stranger $125 over the Internet. Because I listened to her podcast every week, Pilar was not really a stranger. Her podcast proved that she was what she claimed: A professional who taught the craft and business of screenwriting.
For Pilar Alessandra’s screenwriting classes, podcasting turned out to be an effective marketing tool.
Is something you’re doing worth talking about? Consider speaking about your brand message through a podcast.
Pilar ALESSANDRA & Buddy Scalera in NY
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