Want to Write? Introduction

On By R. PettyIn BooksLeave a comment

We are a creative class. We want to express ourselves, whether it’s drawing, speaking, writing, or painting or photography. For those of us who enjoy writing, finding inspiration and motivation isn’t always easy.

For that reason, I chose If you Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence, and Spirit by Brenda Ueland to review. I’m not sure what to expect, but I know it will be less technical than the last one and focus more on what’s inside of us, the writers.

I knew I was in trouble when I read that Ueland believes such things as rules, teachers, and grammar are discouraging to the imagination. And maybe that’s true, but this may be the most challenging book I will read. I am a sucker for the rules, and I find comfort in the years of classes and proofreading that taught me those rules.

In order to get started, there are a few things we must keep in mind from the first chapter.

1. Ueland believes that anyone can write.

2. We are all original, and science proves that no two people are the same, so we are automatically original and unique.

3. We must be honest and write from our hearts and intelligence.

4. Also, try to surround yourself with people who support and encourage you. Spend time with those who want to hear your stories and push you to tell more.

5. Practice. Practice makes anyone better at anything, so let’s practice writing together. This book seems to focus on creative writing, which I have not done in years, and I am excited to open my mind to it again.

It may be difficult to shut off my rule-driven brain, but I look forward to writing again, and I hope you all will join me on the journey. Three cheers for the creative spirit and independent mind and bringing them back!

Veterans Day Event: The Korean War and The Vietnam War

On By James CastroIn ProjectsLeave a comment

Sunday was Veterans Day in the United States (originally “Armistice Day” for those who don’t know their World War I history!) and for the first time I got to participate actively in the creation of an event to celebrate the holiday.  At my previous job I was the chair of an exhibits committee, which created visual exhibits in the lobby of the building consisting of materials from our collections.  For the last exhibit I was to ever be involved in, I chose to honor two specific individuals, David Brock a veteran of the Korean War, and Christopher Ammons a veteran of the Vietnam War and tell the story of their war, through their eyes on our exhibits panels.

I had previously worked with the Mr. Ammons, and another staff member worked with Mr. Brock, so we divided up the work and installed the exhibit.

The physical exhibit was finished on November 7 and we held an official opening event on November 9; inviting both Mr. Brock and Mr. Ammons to the event, as well as the secretary of state and the commissioner of Veterans’ Affairs.

This event turned out better than I’d hoped.  Mr. Brock and Mr. Ammons were both blown away, not only to have been featured in an exhibit, but also for the reception they received from the crowd on hand.

A colleague told me he felt that Mr. Brock, who hadn’t spoken about his Korean War experience much, if at all, since his return from service, “left his war at the exhibit,” finally being able to unburden himself of the memories.  I was later told that Mr. Ammons said the experience was the, “best day of my life,” as he was being driven back to his home.

For those of us who attended the opening with them it was important to remember that everyone who served in those wars served for their own reasons, and what they experienced only they could really know.   I was ecstatic to have had a hand in being able to shed some light on the stories of these two individuals and honoring their service was long overdue.

Though it was the last thing I did before leaving that job, it was the best thing I ever did in that position and I was thankful for the opportunity.

A brief slideshow of the exhibit is featured below, along with links to the material selected for a digital archives page of the Vietnam War Veteran.  Detailed pictures, along with photos of the event and a video of the event will be coming soon!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

A news article featuring Mr. Brock appeared on the front page of his local newspaper!  Link located here.

Link to more of Mr. Ammons’ Photographs located here.

Story of the Month: A Surprise Dinner Guest

On By R. PettyIn Story of the Month2 Comments

Well, the holiday season is upon us. I can’t believe Thanksgiving is next week, and I’ve already started shopping. Time flies when you’re having fun!

This month I want to share a story about a very special guest we had a few years ago. He was the highlight of our holiday and caused a lot of chaos and fun.

 A Surprise Dinner Guest

It was Christmas Eve, and we had lots of family coming to the house for food and festivities. Our guests were about to arrive, so we opened the door only to find a large multicolored duck on our front porch.

A greena dn white duck on our porch on Christmas Eve.

We live in a highly residential neighborhood between several main roads. Our houses are about 15 feet apart, and there are rows and rows of houses in the neighborhood. Needless to say, ducks are not a common site, and the only wildlife you see around my house are domestic pets or squirrels. I could not believe a duck would choose to chill at our house of all the ones in the neighborhood.

At first I worried that he was sick or had a broken wing. We fed him, and he was a little nervous, but he never ran. He was still on our porch when the guests arrived; and then we had a problem. We had several kids who wanted to play with him, and one wanted to chase the duck around the yard. I yelled some sense into him, and everyone left the duck in peace.

The duck fluffed up next to the house and slept. Hours later he was still there, sleeping the night away. Late that night, I fed him once more and checked on him. He was still asleep in his warm spot, and I fell asleep wondering how we would take care of a duck. We had a dog and a small bird, and I did not have the heart to call animal control.

Christmas morning arrived, and our feathery friend was gone. I like to think he continued his journey at dawn, moving onto another house or he found his new home.

So, in the spirit of the Thanksgiving season, I am thankful for pets – past, present, and future. No matter the size or how long we have them, their unconditional love makes the darkest days seem a little brighter.

Feel free to share your weird and/or special pet stories below in the comments section!

Writing for Web: 7 Headline Tips

On By R. PettyIn Writing for Web and TipsLeave a comment

Ah, the headline. A task that haunts all writers, especially when they are trying to write the perfect one.

Print headlines can be creative and fun because there’s often a deck to give a reader more information. For example: The Light Fantastic (print headline), The Lotus Elan turns 50 this year (deck).

But what about Web headlines?

Web headlines are all about search engines finding you and the reader not being bored or confused. Here are a few tips on how to write good Web headlines:

Keep it simple. The headline is the first thing your readers will see, so you don’t want it to be too long or boring. Think What I Did on My Summer Vacation simple.

Don’t confuse your reader. If your headline is Writing for Web: Getting Started, then make sure you are talking about how to start a blog or site. Don’t stray off subject and talk about grammar, adding photos, or great sites to read. Save those for other posts.

Use keywords. In its simplest definition, a keyword is a word or concept of great significance. Use words that will be searched and mean something. If you want the stats on a keyword, check out Google Ad Words Tool, which will tell you how many times a word is searched and how the competition is.

Think about it. Ask yourself: What would you search for? How can I find my work on search engines? What’s the subject of the post? And describe your post in one sentence. Once you have a list, you are ready to write the headline.

When you can use numbers. People love lists. They are short and oftentimes fun to read. Top 5 Best T.V. Shows in 2012 suggests a list, a popular topic, and important keywords.

Know your audience/client. Keep these people in mind as you write. You may have to tailor your writing to their style, and know if your headline is good, people will keep reading.

Remember you can have fun. Your Web headline may feel a little boring, but you can get creative in your posts and assignments.

I hope these tips help, and feel free to share some of your own!

Sources:

Copy Blogger

Inbound Pro

Google AdWords

Lil Horsemen Original Art

On By James CastroIn Art, ProjectsLeave a comment

Lil Horsemen Logo

Thanks to everyone who read RevPub’s very first publication, Lil Horsemen #1: How Death and War Postponed the Apocalypse.  I thought I’d share some of the art that went into the creation of the book.  All the character art was pencil-drawn and the first issue consisted of more than 55 individual character drawings and dozens of computer-rendered pieces.  Seeing as how this is a relatively simple story, it makes me wonder how my more ambitious stories will go!
Here are a couple of my favorites.  In the next couple of weeks, while I’m in the planning stages of Issue #2 I’ll post some more of my favorite original pencils from this issue.  I absolutely love the way the final issue came out, but I still like to look at the original pencils and see how it all started.
Skirmish ready for a fight!

Skirmish with Sword
And Grimmy-Fu!

Grim Fu

Writing for Web by Lynda Felder: Final Review

On By R. PettyIn Writing for Web and Tips1 Comment

What began as an experiment and blog review became a useful tool and popular topic. My idea to review Writing for the Web: Creating Compelling Web Content Using Words, Pictures, and Sound by Lynda Felder was one of the best decisions I have made for my writing. The book enabled me to tighten my writing, understand my audience, and help other writers.

Top 5 Reasons This is a Great Book for Writers:

1. It’s easy to read. The book is well organized and broken into fast-paced chapters that focus on relevant topics.

2. It’s fun to read. The examples and word choices take a technical topic, adding sound for example, and make it interesting. The word snooty was one of my favorites because you don’t see it often, especially in technical writing books.

3. Your writing will improve. If you follow Felder’s advice and practice the provided exercises, you will see a difference.

4. You can apply the tips to all of your writing. I recommend this book to all writers and those interested in writing. Not only are there tips and instruction, there are dozens of writing ideas, which helps get you started and with writers’ block.

5. It’s small and affordable. The book is 180 pages and a perfect size, so it’s not too bulky or heavy. Comparable books in the market are usually more expensive and many do not cover all of the Web topics in this one.

My only complaints are that Felder tends to repeat topics in different chapters and not everything is covered. The basics are covered, but chapters on Search Engine Optimization, keywords, and headlines are missing.

Due to the positive feedback I received from these posts and how much I learned, I look forward to reviewing more books on writing. The next book is If You Want to Write: A Book About Art, Independence, and Spirit by Brenda Ueland. Future post plans include more Writing for Web tips, grammar cheats, and lots of creative, fun content!

If you bought the book, let us know what you think. And we hope everyone is enjoying Lil’ Horsemen!

Read past posts on Writing for Web.