Karen's Korner

Microblogging is defined as a form of blogging that, in comparison with  traditional blogging, is much smaller in content. A microblog could consist of just one sentence, or even a sentence fragment. Oftetimes, it answers the ever-vexing question: “What are you doing?”

Sound familiar? You might know this as Twitter …

 probably the most well-known microblogging site. When Twitter fluttered into cyberspace in 2006, web users didn’t know what hit them – but soon, an astounding portion of the population would be familiar with Twitter.  The popularity of this microblogging tool has grown exponentially over its four-year lifespan: It is estimated that, in 2007, users posted 5,000 tweets; in 2009, that number skyrocketed to 2.5 million; and this year, Twitter plays host to approximately 50 million tweets EACH DAY. That is completely mind-boggling!

OK, now that you know just how many people are using Twitter, why are they using it? The answer to that question is almost as varied as the type of people that use the Internet every day. Businesses, like Tasti D-Lite;  nonprofit organizations, like my personal favorite, the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA); and government agencies are tweeting about everything from promotional giveaways and store holiday hours to severe weather alerts and sustainability tips and trends. And don’t forget about your Average Joes, like me , who use it to post far less significiant pieces of information. I mean, who other than my friends and family really care about my upcoming class presentations or Mystic Tan adventures? Maybe nobody…but that’s  the great thing about Twitter; it’s so versatile and can be molded to fit your own personal use and lifestyle. You can use to communicate funny stories, inside jokes, and complete nonsense to a close community of “followers” or use it to help another person or cause.

 The other day, a friend of mine (a follower) tweeted an Amber Alert about a child who was suspected to have been kidnapped, allowing her to spread this important message to all her followers, who could then spread it to their followers, and so on. In the vast, social mega-network that is Twitter, one tweet might seem like one star in a galaxy of millions, some of which might seem more important because of their size or apparent sparkle, but even one simple tweet by an Auburn college student cause a limitless chain reaction that could ultimately change someone’s life.

When I got my pale pink Blackberry last summer, I truly thought I was on the cusp of today’s smart-phone technology – keeping up with the Joneses of the 21st century, if you will. After all, it is one of most popular smart phone brands, only behind the Apple iPhone 3GS, the HTC Droid Incredible, and the Motorola Droid, according to Cnet Reviews.

Now, I look at my once-treasured phone, with the pink paint pitifully chipping off and its lack of cool Blackberry “apps,” and I almost want to laugh. I may as well have one of those 5-pound Nokia phones with the lime-green screen that I flauted as a freshman in college, back in the olden days of 2000.

About the only redeeming quality of my phone is the background image, a photo of my sweet kitty, Mikey, who was hit by a car and killed this past weekend. (See my very first post for a heart-melting picture of him!) And while that is kind of a depressing sidenote, I know, my point is that although I find these smartphones intimidating, they allow us to express ourselves, our emotions, and connect with others in a way I only thought was possible through more “personal” means of communication: Friday night dinners with friends or a hand-written letter written in cursive and sprayed with perfume.  I never thought a CELL PHONE would give us so many means of expression and communication! With smartphones, the possibilites seem endless; for instance, not only can you take a picture of just about anything, anywhere, you can also send that photo – immediately – to others. Not only can you view the menu of a new restaurant, you can get directions to that restaurant or even find other nearby dining options. And, as I was amazed to find out last week, you can order a pizza online and customize it right down to the crust. Mmmmmm…pizza.

And while I don’t have many apps myself, I find that the Facebook app seems to be the most popular among my friends. Personally, the dozen or so hours I spend cozied up to my laptop or on one of the campus computers is plenty of time for me to peruse my favorite social-networking sites, including Facebook and Twitter. That’s the same reason I don’t have an e-mail app or Blackberry Messenger (BBM); it’s not just to continue to frustrate my husband, who can’t stand that I don’t have the same 24-hour access to cyberspace that he does. I mean…he and everyone else might actually have to CALL my PHONE to reach me. The horror!

OK, putting aside the smart phone sarcasm for a moment, I said earlier that I think these powerful little gadgets open up vast new options for us, and I hold to that. I think my aversion to some of the apps simply comes from the fear of having to learn something new. I know, I know … apps are easy-peasy to use, so everyone says, but can’t I just wait until I after graduation (May 14!) to fill my brain with more information? I don’t think there’s room now, unless there’s a way I can temporarily store brain power and retrieve it later. Is there an app for that?

Don’t misinterpret my title…it’s not that I don’t think press releases are important, it’s that they always need to answer the question: “so what?” I am speaking from experience, but not as a public relations specialist; I used to be a journalist (well, a practicing journalist; “used to be” implies that I’ll never go back, which is not necessarily true) who had to sift through piles of press releases to determine if they contained information local readers would actually care about.  Will it excite them? Fill them with compassion? Make them incredibly angry? It needs to envoke some kind of emotion.

 In addition to answering the “so what?” questions (rather early in the press release, I might add), it’s important that these documents state the who, what, when, and why. If all this isn’t immediately apparent, there’s a good chance the news media will trash it. Oh,  wait…I mean…they might accidentally lose it.

PR Web Press Release Newswire gives some more detailed press-release tips; here are some paraphrased highlights:

-Ask yourself, is your news “newsworthy?” This is obviously related to the “so what” question.

Start strong. . You have a matter of seconds to grab your readers’ (usually journalists) attention.

Write for the Media. This seems pretty obvious as well, but it always helps to remind yourself of the primary audience.

Realize that not everything is news. Face it; that’s life. Some press releases will be eagerly scooped up, others will be “misplaced.”

Avoid fluff, embellishments and exaggerations. Journalists learn to smell “fluff” from a mile away. Even if the fluff is true, you may want to tone it down a bit to enhance your credibility.

Economics of words. I love this tip. Words are tool; use them to construct the quickest, most meaningful message. “Eliminate needless words; vigorous writing is concise.” - Strunk and White, Elements of Style.

There are additional points to consider when your writing press releases that are released solely online, whether it’s an attachment to an e-mail or a social media release (SMR), which is making even mass e-mails of press releases seem old school! These are distributed via the web, often interactive, and cab potentially be  a visual treat for the audience, but there is something to the old adage “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”  Personally, I think it just complicates the whole press release process and severly depersonalizes it.

But, if you totally disagree with me and are solely going to disseminate SMRs (I see how it is…), it’s important to remember that folks don’t read online text the same way they read print documents; first, they are going to skim and jump around more when reading online. This means you should design for easy scanning, which means big, bold headers; adequate leding (space) between lines; and clear, no-fuss typeface, to begin with. Keep it as short as possible; reading is more difficult online due to the screen glare. Your readers (mostly journalists) may print out your press release if you e-mail it, but they’ll read it as an electronic file first.

Other than a standard e-mail attachment or an SMR, organizations can also post press releases on their website in an easy-to-find place so that they can be accessed by anyone who visited the site, instead of only the people they directly send them to. You might keep a link to the freshest, most recent press release in a highly visible spot on the site home page, making sure it’s “above the fold” and visitors do not have scroll down the page to see it. There could also be a link to an archive of older press releases, which can give your site visitors insight into what types of projects and goals your organization is working toward.

Before Facebook took the crown as the most popular way to avoid actual productivity at work and fill up an insomniac’s sleepless nights, there was YouTube. Well, there still is YouTube, but other social media seem  to have caught up in terms of addicted users.

But, I have to admit, there’s nothing that can quite compare to watching people broadcast their lives. Uploaded photos, “about me” descriptions, and even podcasts just can’t compare to actually seeing a video of a person’s most exciting/mundane/hilarious/tender/disturbing moments. Proof: See one of my favorite YouTube posts of all time. (Yes, I know you’ve probably seen it and think it’s corny, what with Steven Tyler bellowing in the background, but Christian the lion makes me cry every time I see him wrap his huge furry paws around his long-lost owners!)  And there is no way any other form of social media could adequately capture the emotion of that moment. 

The great thing is, if you’ve got even a phone that takes video, a webcam, or the massive, 15-pound video camera of the 80s, you can connect and share your life with people you’d otherwise never communicate with. YouTube has an unprecedented ability to link well-known public figures like politicans and celebrities with us Average Joes as well the ability to link random people to other random people – sometimes those are the best viral videos, let’s face it! I’m sure you’ve seen countless YouTube video blogs that people obviously recorded with the camera on their computer, and as blurry and stangely close-up to the blogger’s face they are, some of them are full of a person’s deepest secrets and vulnerability, roll-on-the-floor hilarity, and even history-making moments.

Almost everyone I know has posted or at least been involved with in a YouTube video. But, despite how I’ve gushed about it here, I actually have not ever posted a video on YouTube. Maybe because, before I found myself getting so much enjoyment out of other people’s videos, I never thought people who didn’t know me would be interested in seeing my husband propose to me on a cruise ship or my then-2 pound kitten curl up with our 70-pound pit bull. (These are two of the handful of videos I have actually taken over the past few years.) But the more I think about it…I’ve watched other people’s “mundane” life moments on YouTube and been completely enthralled. So why not?!

I’ll admit it. I’m about to earn a Master of Technical and Professional Communication degree, but I’m not technologically saavy. I can write about and communicate technical information to others, but doing it is a different story. For instance, before a couple weeks ago, I knew what a podcast was (sort of), but much like I am still mystified by the inner workings of the Web, I didn’t know how it worked. I also didn’t really see the point of podcasts or understand why people couldn’t just turn on the radio or the TV for audio information. Isn’t the Web for exchanging visual information quickly and conveniently, and maybe downloading your favorite music? No, Karen, it’s not just for that. And for anyone else who is quick to cast doubt on podcasts…no fear, I’m here to enlighten you.

As a technical communicator, I can tell you that podcasts pass the user-friendly test. Meaning…they are easy to use AND useful! The best way I’ve heard them described, actually, is as a combination between the immediacy and relevance of an RSS news feed (see previous post for the scoop on RSS!) and the online audio that MP3s allow. You can subscribe to podcasts, meaning your favorite audio information comes to you rather than you having to search for it. And, much like the forum phenomenon I talked about last week, there is a podcast for everyone. Interested in gardening? Politics? Video games? It’s all there, accessible through just a few clicks. A health-oriented podcast like the one produced by NPR is more my style. As a burgeoning hypochondriac and self-proclaimed crazy runner, I want to be sure I get regularly stressed by the latest health concerns.  NPR, it’s no suprise, has podcasts to meet just about everyone’s interests (or obessions), including music podcasts. What was a surprise to me was how easy it was to subscribe…just click “subscribe” and choose how/where you’d like to access it, using programs like iTunes and Yahoo.com. What’s easier to access than iTunes and Yahoo?!  You only have to subscribe once, and you will automatically receive updates of your chosen podcasts.

But why do we need to listen to this information, instead of the “old-fashioned” way of simply reading it online? In my case, there are hundreds of websites I can visit to learn more about health. But I don’t, mainly because I am too busy with school and whatnot. Podcasts allow you to multi-task (I <3 multitasking)! I can simply listen to the latest health tips and trends while I’m researching online, cleaning, running, getting ready for class, etc., instead of having to take the time to read the information. Glorious!

There are other benefits of producing your own podcasts, too, particulary for businesses and individuals with a message to deliver. Different people  like to access their information in different ways, so you can reach a broader audience. It also helps match a voice to a product or service, which helps you build a more intimate relationship with customers.

Still need more convincing about the usefulness and efficiency of podcasts? Social Media Trader explains the ease of using them and elaborates on the benefits I mentioned.

Yep, that’s right…that old, cheeky Cheers theme song has been a recurring annoyance in my head since I started thinking about and researching forums for this blog. There’s a good reason for that – it seems that in a lot of the tight-knit forums focusing on highly specialized, exclusive sets of skills, like methodically playing World of Warcraft, most everyone already knows each other, since many of the same people tend to post (sometimes, in alarming amounts…how do you have time for anything else?). That’s one reason it can sometimes be intimidating to enter into a new forum; if you post something you’re not completely confident about, it’s almost like the other forum members can smell your fear, not to mention even a morsel of inaccuracy, and call you out on it. This is especially true in forums with topics as controversial (ha) as World of Warcraft and other video games (the latter forum, for instance, instantly reminds us amateur or non-gamers that it is a “Forum for MATURE Gamers.”)

Of course, there are forums out there that I might be more apt to call home, a place where I feel I can relax and enjoy a hot cup of coffee, as opposed to feeling on edge and out of place. WritersNet, for instance, is a website with a long list of links to forums where I could definitely kick up my feet. In WritersNet forums, writers, editors, and publishers of all kinds and at all stages are encouraged to share advice on “the craft and business of writing.” While some of these may be aimed at more “mature” writers, there seems to be at least two forums to coincide with almost every writer’s experience level.

Still, even if you’ve found your perfect forum fit, there are still some unspoken rules for posting that you should be aware of. Here are some forum etiquette suggestions:

-Do not post personal information about othe posters (this seemed like common, everday sense to me, not just online, virtual sense, but people seem to feel passionately about this rule).
-You can disagree, but be respectful of others; do not virtually shout at others  (i.e., use all caps and many exclamation points) or use profanity.
-Do not post the same thing over and over again. It uses up bandwidth and, most importantly, it’s annoying.
-Do not post in all caps. Ever. This is a personal pet peeve of mine, as it is rude, HARD ON THE EYES and usually adds unecessary emphasis to at least some parts of a phrase.
-You want to be as knowledgeable as possible before posting to a new forum, especially very exclusive ones relating to things like video games and politics.
-Last but not least, I have to throw in that in the more serious forums, credibility can be severly compromised by recurring and egregious grammar and spelling errors. Remember: “Let’s eat Grandma!” and “Let’s eat, Grandma!” Punctuation saves lives and your credibility in forums.

It’s true. There is a social media group, or more specifically, a Facebook page, that relates to every dream and can help you get closer to that dream, even if offering nothing more than a long list of supportive posts from people who share your passions. At least, this is the case for all of my dreams, or goals, as I prefer to call them.

Let’s review. When I first opened the door to the blog-o-sphere, I rambled on for lines and lines about the top items on my never-ending to-do list. Some of them loftier than others (open and operate a no-kill cat shelter), but all of them close to my heart. And apparently, many other people share my goals – both personal and career-oriented. And while it’s no surprise that other people want to become technical writers, run a  marathon, have a home filled with children’s laughter and happy memories, and play fairy godmother/father to homeless animals, online social media groups like those found on Facebook have made it so easy to find those people and their advice, support, helpful links, and camaraderie.

Let’s take my marathon goal for instance. I mentioned in my first post that, in an effort to reach that goal, I would soon be running a in the Mercedes Half-Marathon. (Task complete, by the way! Not only did I run in and complete it without walking a step, I finished with a respectable time of 2:18 mins and 9 sec.) Despite the positive final outcome of the 1/2, the thought of doing it all over again (a full marathon), seemed a little crazy as I made my way across the finish line. That’s why Facebook groups like Mercedes Marathon are so great; before and after the event, registered runners post a bevy of helpful hints for us marathon newbies. The  race information posted prior to the face by the organizers is very convenient as well, as opposed to having to search for phone numbers or wait for information to arrive in the mail. Most of all, it’s nice to see pictures and share experiences with other crazy runners like me and my mom:

Moving  on to another, career-oriented goal, there are countless online social networks in which I can  make connections within the technical communication industry. The Society of Technical Communicators (STC) includes chapters throughout the U.S., including one in my hometown (also an area I’m researching jobs in): the Birmingham STC. This Facebook page gives information about upcoming meetings, STC events and news, and even, at times, local jobs. Social media opportunities like this make it much easier for people like me to get their names out in the professional world and maybe even make career-making connections BEFORE D-Day (graduation). And, of course, I’m a member of LinkedIn, which is all about “linking” up with other professionals and employers who are looking for you. And how will they find you if you’re not looking for them, too? Online social networks have made the task of proactively searching jobs easier (and probably more effective) than beating the streets and calling employers countless times (though that certainly doesn’t hurt, either).

And after I find my perfect job, I’ll have the resources and wee hours of the night to peruse animal welfare organizations with an online presence, such as the Humane Society of the United States and the ASPCA, so that I can better understand what it’s going to take to save the world one cat at a time…and find the support I’ll need to do it.

Just when I thought the Internet couldn’t make life any easier, simplifying tasks such as researching, socializing, reading the news, job searching, and even journaling, I was officially introduced to RSS (really simple syndication…and, oh, how simple it is) last week. Sure, I’d heard about it and seen that dynamic little orange icon:

but I never bothered to learn what it was or how to use it. I already have a slew of web applications to simplify my life: Facebook, e-mail, online news, Google search engine…you know, the ancient, outdated stuff. =) But with an RSS reader, I can access almost all of that in ONE PLACE, since RSS will send the latest news and blog entries from your favorite sites right to a single reader, whichever one you choose to use. When you subscribe to a news site or blog, the freshest stuff comes to you instead of you having to go out and find it (which, if we’re being honest, really isn’t that difficult to begin with on the Internet). Like I said…making the simple even simpler.

My particular favorite, thus far, is Google Reader, but I may be biased. My life would be immeasurably more disorganized if it were not for Google and what it allows me to do: e-mail, search topics (usually with mighty good results), update my personal calendar, find images, share documents with Google Docs, etc. And now, with its reader, I rarely need to visit any other site! OK, that may be a stretch, but I do love Google Reader and how it’s like having your favorite news stories and blogs (like those of my funny friends Kelly and Shanna delivered in a nice, neat little package to your door every day.

RSS feeds on other web sites you frequent are also interesting and helpful; for instance Auburn Unversity’s website has feeds on its home page that allow students and faculty to view the latest news and events without having to poke around to find AU’s news page or calendar. If any of the headlines you see in the reader pique your interest, you just click on the hyperlink to read more about it. Easy peasy!

What’s been your experience with RSS?

As a writer, which is it that I’m doing here: blogging about writing, or writing about blogging? I want to write here about blogging, particularly blogging used to share information and trends related to technical writing and communication. So, really, I’m blogging about writing. OK, I’m confused now, and tired.

So maybe I’d better go to examples of technical writers who can more effectively lasso this circular relationship between blogging and technical communication/writing. One that seemed to be particuarly helpful, judging from just a few scrolls down the page and skimming through a couple entries, is Tom Johnson’s blog, titled “I’d Rather Be Writing.” (Again, note the irony - aren’t you writing, if you’re blogging? )However, the title is just one way this site  actually appeals to rather than confuses it’s clearly defined audience (e.g., what kind of people would rather be writing than writers?) In a list of about 10 similar blog sites, I chose this one first, and I would say I am representative of Johnson’s target audience. So it’s clear that, like any blog, technical communication blogs need to have intriguing titles.

The next thing I noticed about this site was it’s clean, professional, and very navigable design – another must for a technical communication site. Usability is the core of good, solid techical communication, and a major component of a user-centered document, or website, is it’s design. Great content is great, but it’s meaningless if you can’t find it and accurately interpret it based on surrounding contextual clues (graphics, headings, etc.). Without a professional design that adheres to technical communicators’ document design principles, your content is useless because your target audience probably won’t stick around to read it.  Johnson’s site definitely meets this criterion, with its large, delineating headers, easy-to-find navigation bar, and overall less-is-more design approach. On the other hand, A Foul Writer’s World is aptly named…based on it’s design, at least. However, this blog is more related to the “technical” side of technical communication, giving short insights and news tips about technology trends, so perhaps this blog is just meant to appeal to a different audience. I hope.

Not surprisingly, Johnson’s design was representative of his quality content: he includes everything from the latest trends in technical communication (including blogging and utilizing social media outlets in general) to notifications about upcoming technical communcation conferences and webinars. There’s even an extensive list of available tech comm jobs…and with my impending graduation, you can definitely believe that was of interest to me! To me, his blog was everything that a tech comm blog should be – well-organized, navigable, constantly updated (to keep up with the pace of both the technical communication and social media fields), and minimally designed. I am definitely interested to see what Johnson has to say next, and I can’t wait to find more blogs like this one!

Oh, and as I’ve been writing this blog, I’ve begun to see the whole “blogging about writing or writing about blogging” quandry as more of a reflection of the exciting, dynamic possibilites that social media has to offer the field of technical communication than a frustrating mixing of mediums. Just thought you’d like to know!

I heard someone say on TV this morning: “Let’s face it…most people, regular people, do not reach their dreams.” Hmmm….must be time to write my first blog, I thought.

So, here I am, writing about dreams. I should tell you – for the most part, I’m a realist. It’s not that I don’t  sometimes “dare to dream” or that I agree with that person on TV, I just know what my interests are, what I am capable of, and the general direction that my life is headed based on past experiences and current circumstances. Sure, miracles happen, but I’m not waiting around for them any more than I’m sitting here waiting for the phone to ring, with someone  at the other end of the line ready to offer me my perfect job, no questions asked, or a two-week trip to Tahiti. I’m going to be as proactive as I can with the resources I have and with the support of loving friends and family, and the “dreams” I am meant to grab hold of will materialize.

I think the simple word “dream” itself bothers me. It seems to imply a goal that is all but unattainable or an extraordinary circumstance that you have to be either extremely rich or insanely lucky to find yourself within. I am neither of these, and I’m just fine with that, thank you very much. Therefore, for the purpose of this blog, I will replace the word “dream” with “goal.” Or, I’ll just call it “my future.” Because I am in control of it, and it will be filled with the fruits of my hard work, my dedication to family, and my compassion toward others.

Three major goals come to mind, so I will discuss these because that’s probably what you expect, rather than my daily to-do list-type goals that include organizing my closet or only eating three Dove dark chocolates instead of 10. You might be surprised that one of these is not a “career” goal. But that does not mean that after I graduate with my master’s in Technical and Professional Communication in May that I’m going to put away my laptop (and, yes, I will use it for something other than Facebook) and slob around in my sweatpants all day. I am actually getting my master’s so I can have the stable, professional job of my choosing, not just so I can brag about having it (and after all, isn’t a master’s really becoming the new bachelor’s?) I digress, though. What I mean is that I have career ambitions, and I know the type of job I would be most happy doing, but, for me, there is not some clearly defined technical writing peak  of success that I envision and will measure all other career accomplishments by. Stated simply, I want to be a writer and an editor (for me it is impossible to be one without the other) in some capacity.  As such, I also hope to get the word out that it’s OK to end sentences with prepostions (really!) and end the angry attacks on these poor, fixed parts of speech. I suppose that is a goal, so I guess I have four goals instead of three to share with you.

Before I revolutionize the English language,  however, I want to have a family. Or expand my family, I should say. I already have a wonderful husband that loves me despite my weird quirks, like my inability to function normally if there’s a random sock on the floor and practically banning bright lights from our home. (I feel like I’m in a hospital, and besides that, who looks good in that  kind of lighting?) Luckily, however, he doesn’t think I’m too insane to have children with, and I know he will be a great father. We are both deliriously excited about becoming parents in the future.

I should preface this next goal by admitting that I am one of those crazy women you see running outdoors in 20 degree weather, smiling, because if we Alabama runners can get through July and August, we can deal with practically anything else the year throws at us. Despite a variety of injury setbacks and that fact that there’s still a small voice in my head that screams “What???!!!” when I tell people this, I do want to run a marathon. I hoping that voice will dissapate, or at least get softer,  in a couple of weeks, after I run my first 1/2 marathon. I’ve completed two ten-mile races, but something tells me that extra three miles is going to be killer. And then, when the 1/2 is over and I’ve almost collapsed, I will  have to imagine doing it all over again. Despite how hard I laugh at that thought that day, the truth is that I cannot imagine having put in all these miles during all these years of running and not completing a marathon one day.

Finally, if any of my goals belong in that lofty “dream” category, I suppose it’s this one. Along with being a crazy runner, I am a crazy cat lady. We have three fine felines of our own, plus a dog (my husband may only claim ownership of the latter), but it’s not enough. It’s never enough, as I’m reminded each time I visit the humane society or read about a horrific animal cruelty case. I want to begin a no-kill shelter/spay and neuter program specifically for cats, because otherwise I will never be able to put a dent into the proliferating cat population and satisfy my need to help these creatures that have brought so much joy to my life.  (See below photo, and try not to smile. Just try.) It’s not that I don’t love dogs or all other animals, but there are hundreds of thousands more stray cats than dogs, and there are (fortunately) so many canine rescue organizations already in existence.

For those of you who are still with me, thanks for hanging in there for my first blog. I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing about my “dreams” as much as I have enjoying rambling on about myself. And now, I’m going to resist the urge to post some cliche take-away message like “you can do it if you try” or “dreams really do come true…don’t listen to that man I saw on TV.” (It’s hard to resist!!! This is a blog about dreams!) But, in all seriousness, I hope you will check back to silently cheer me on or to offer virtual support if I seem to be falling on my face. Don’t laugh; it could be a literal face-plant. Marathon…remember?