Lake Lopez

A carpenter needs a tool box like a surgeon needs an O.R. Writers need tools, too. And my list of essential items is below:

Laptop - If you’re not mobile, you may as well be writing on a stone tablet.

Pen – Duh.  

High Speed Internet Access – This is a luxury the way a refrigerator, stove and running water are luxuries. If you want to make a living you must be online and you must be fast.

Smart Phone – Email, contacts, social media and the web all exist in your pocket. iPhone. Blackberry. Droid. Oh, yeah, you can talk on it, too.

Education – Books, a class, online courses, home study program on DVD, whatever the case. The changing business client demands that you add new skills to your resume every year. Make that monthly if you want to be a player.

Music – I’d perish without it. You would too. If you don’t believe me try living without it for two weeks and see how fast you seek out antidepressants.

Journal – This is your idea catcher, task list and notepad all in one. It’s old school, but effective. I prefer Moleskin, but cheaper versions are plentiful.

Starbucks VIA – For those late night writing sessions when you don’t need a full pot, just a quick burst.

FAITH - Belief that you can accomplish your goal is necessary to having any. Enough said.

Work Ethic – An old school work ethic, the invisible go-getter, must-get-done attitude is your faith in action. Without it, you will fail.

Your list may be different than mine. If you don’t have a list like this, think about it today. Consider the mind-sets and tools that trigger your creativity and, of those, which bring out the best in you. Write them down. Acquire them. Make them a part of your writer’s life.

Need a writer today? Want to launch your social media campaign make money online? Contact me for FREE consultation and put my work ethic and tool box to work for you.

In the early days, blogging was a way to keep a journal or diary online. It was self-indulgent and pretty worthless. As blogging platforms evolved into Content Management Systems, more people saw the beauty of an easy to use publishing platform that search engines loved. I’m one of them. I am a blog addict. All of my blogs relate to one of my passions and, in conjunction with other media, have added people to my network and exposed me to new ideas.

That said, we can answer whether or not blogging is social media with a resounding, definite Yes and No. This is because it depends more on how you use your blog. If you see your blog as a one sided conversation in which you do all the talking, you’re publishing. You are showing and telling, sharing and maybe shouting, but know this – you are not engaging. Stop thinking of your blog, or any of your social media efforts, this way.

Blogs can and should be a source of idea exchange, a conversation, a place where relationships begin and develope. If you look at your blog from this perspective you are utilizing social media. This is not to say that every blog must have a ton of commentors or activity. Some blogs cater to a quiet audience and that’s fine. The exchange comes in different forms and we’ll address those later.

Starting of thinking a blog to promote your business? Or dreaming of being the next six figure blogger? The next post in this series will tell you whether or not your blog will stand out from the crowd or die on the side of the information highway. I’ll giveyou a hint about the post: it all comes down to answering one question. In the meantime, contact me today for a Free Consultation and put social media to work for you and your business. Every day you don’t do it is  a day lost to someone who does.

Lake