Writers Wayside

Convert any content for mobile use

Sandra Friend — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:38:45 +0000

Want to take content along on your iPhone for the long plane ride ahead? Need to bring your address list for postcards back home? Boy, do I wish I’d come across this nifty site BEFORE that long trip I took to Texas last month.

The site: ebookhood.com. You can convert any RTF or TXT file, raw text (cut and paste) RSS feed, or web page to a format that can be read by any of numerous mobile devices.

Writing Institute Offers Top-Notch Instruction

Sandra Friend — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:34:49 +0000

Energize your career with an intensive three-day weekend of workshops and small group sessions on the business of writing, from tapping online markets and building your brand to negotiating contracts, producing content, and developing a marketing strategy for your work. Ideal for established journalists, public relations professionals, and new writers alike, the 2009 SATW Institute takes place January 9-11 in Orlando, Florida. The Institute offers one-on-one interaction with nine notable faculty members, including Christopher P. Baker, 2008 Lowell Thomas Journalist of the Year. This 14th annual event opens with a presentation by author Ted Simon at the Orlando Public Library at 5:30 PM on January 9. Simon has motorcycled around the world twice, most recently at age 72, and written two travel memoirs about his journeys.

Registration for the Institute is limited and priced at $395, which includes most meals. To register, visit www.satwinstitute.org or contact Herb Hiller at hiller@funport.net or 386-467-8223.

How to deal with DocX

Sandra Friend — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:48:31 +0000

I never got on the Windows Vista bandwagon. I heard too many sour reports from folks who bought a Vista-based computer early, and I managed to snag one of the last Dell computers shipped with Windows XP on it. No need yet to upgrade. But, I occasionally get correspondence from folks - including editors - in those dreaded DocX files. How to cope?

Just head to DocX Converter for a quick and easy online conversion of the otherwise unreadable document; you’ll be able to save the converted version. What’s especially great is the dropdown box of conversion options, as it essentially gives you an extensive toolkit for converting various file types.

Camera Phone + scanR = Hours Saved

Sandra Friend — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 23:48:03 +0000

Now this is a bright idea: use your camera phone to capture notes, research, business cards, and original documents. I’ve been doing this since digital cameras came out, in order to make it easier on me when I do research in the field. But using your camera phone goes one step better. Here’s why.

Once you’ve captured those images, use scanR to manage them. You can photograph a document and instantly fax it, convert business cards to vCard format for your customer database, or simply allow scanner to convert those images into PDF or simple text for later use. Monthly fees start at $3 for unlimited scanning and storage of images.

Twitter Tips at TwiTip

Sandra Friend — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 03:53:30 +0000

Darren Rowse from ProBlogger has an excellent NEW blog devoted to the growing phenomenon that is Twitter. Get tips on tools, what to tweet about, and how to conduct yourself in this new universe of microblogging. As a writer, I’ve found Twitter quite valuable for making connections and fostering dialog, and will share some of my tips for writers on Twitter soon. Meanwhile, check out TwiTips … and if you’re on Twitter, feel free to follow me there!

Is your content drifting around the ‘net?

Sandra Friend — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:10:08 +0000

In today’s digital world, sending out your content via RSS feed means that anyone and everyone can post it on their website. Good for you? It depends on the purpose of your blog or content feed. If you’re worried about misuse of your content, including swiping of work – especially from those of us who post full articles without a feed – do a little detective work with the help of Copyright Spot.

On my first test, I discovered an aggregator who’s pulling in my RSS feed with that of many others to create a mashup of bloggers around the world who blog about hiking. I wouldn’t mind so much if they’d asked first, but that’s the nature of RSS. Copyright Spot will help you keep an eye on where your content is popping up.

Keep up with Mashable

Sandra Friend — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 16:12:51 +0000

One of the most valuable daily emails I get for keeping up with Web 2.0 and social media trends is from Mashable. Their tag line is “All that’s new on the web” and indeed, their correspondents push a tremendous amount of info about what’s hot and new down the pipeline. You can subscribe via RSS or email to keep up with the flood of great tips for effective use of the web. They caught my eye a short while ago with a post “The 7 Weirdest and Wackiest Uses for Wordpress.” Give them a look!

Has your Wordpress blog been hacked?

Sandra Friend — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:02:34 +0000

Kudos to the sharp-eyed Donncha (one of the original Wordpress founders, remember that name in your first blogroll?) for catching an insidious trick that’s inherent in some Wordpress templates. Irrelevant links on your site can drain off your search engine rankings, and there’s a way that some clever hackers have figured out how to insert links into your footer file. That’s why it’s important to keep up with upgrades!

Take a look at your footer under the Design tab. Does it have garbled code that you can’t read? If so, you’re at risk and may have been hacked. And check if you’ve been hacked by using this nifty little tool.

Full details on how to fix your problem are on Donncha’s blog.

Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox

Sandra Friend — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:50:55 +0000

Before blogs ever existed, Dr. Jakob Nielsen was putting commentary on the web several times a month regards the emerging Internet and usability. I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Information Science back in the early 1990s, and his work was among my studies, opening my eyes to how people interact with websites. His site remains as simple as it did back in 1995, when I first started designing websites, but his advice is as relevant as ever. I’ve added his site as a permanent link on the blogroll, and strongly suggest you browse through his archives - especially the Usability 101 and Top Ten Mistakes of Web Design. Visit the site…

Building Your Brand

Sandra Friend — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:28:47 +0000

Once you’re published, one of the most important steps you can take to expand your online marketability is to build your own brand. What do you want to be known for? Granted, if you’re like myself, your interests - and subsequently, your published work - is all over the map. But brands build customers, and loyalty. Prove yourself true and reliable to your readers, and your brand will stand the test of time.

Here’s a concise, well-stated article by Lisa Barone covering five major aspects of personal branding. As Lisa says, “Remember: A personal brand is what you are, not how you act.” Read the article…