Twitter & Facebook

Like many other writers and artists, I have a Facebook page and love seeing the number of "likes" go up. Besides, few things spur me on more when I get lazy than to imagine that 2000+ 'fans' will be disappointed with me if I don't finish my novel or do not give it my very best.

From time to time there are initiatives on Facebook that help people get more "likes", but there are other ways as well. One of them is Twitter.

I have a lot of followers on Twitter—roughly 13,200 at the moment—and I've got so many because I always take a proactive approach. I regularly look at the list of followers of other writers and follow those I find interesting. If they follow me back, I introduce myself with the following message:

Thanks a lot for the follow, (insert name here). Please let me introduce myself: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MakedaQueen-Makedas-Sister/115244978463 & http://ruppertlindemann.jimdo.com/oil-paintings-drawings/ Nice 2 meet U! :)

True, many on Twitter do not like DMs (Direct Messages), but they do not mind a simple, friendly introduction like this. In fact, most appreciate such a convenient way of getting to know who I am and what I do, and roughly one in ten will "like" my page while visiting it. Needless to say, I always ask them for a link to their FB page so I can return the favor.

I have met tons of great writers and artists in this manner and treasure even those who did not "like" my FB page. I am sure you will have a similar experience if you use Twitter this way. It takes a little bit of work, but is well worth the effort.

Some thoughts on writing

If you are a writer, you are actually making movies. Only, your audience is given nothing but close captioning on a blank screen. Your viewers see only words in front of them, yet those words will create images in their minds that surpass anything projected onto a screen. They even provide a soundtrack to amplify and enrich your story (yes, a well-told tale creates music in the soul). And not only are you the director, the cinematographer and the scenic artist, but disguised as you characters, you also play every part in your film, and you do it so well that no one recognizes you. It's quite a project and a challenge, isn't it? So take your sweet time and make it an Oscar-worthy masterpiece. :-)

Having fun with homophones...

I was shocked to learn that Odysseus himself was inside the Trojan Whores. And I thought he was always faithful to his wife, Penelope. ;-)

Morbid digressions of a writer's mind

The combo 'KS' makes the same sound as 'X' — so why keep 'X' around? I only hope my wife doesn't ponder my usefulness along similar lines. ;-)

From Tehtena's Diary...

"Even though I may arrange them differently than others did in the past, the words I have at my disposal are not new, but have been used by countless souls in countless different circumstances and combinations. Oh, how I wish I could speak of my love for you in a brand-new tongue, with virgin words that have never before come over anyone's lips— but then, how would you get my meaning if I did?" 

— — —

"Seek out a hill crest, my sister. There lie down, face-up, and gaze at the sky now far below you. See how deep it is? Such is my love for Solomon." — Tehtena, in a letter to Makeda which was never sent out.

— — —

"Two wrongs don't make a right...but three lefts do. Try it—you'll see." — Tobiel, the carpenter