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wdwqrfawes · 3 years

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My dragons have grown

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thesportssoundoff · 5 years

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“A tremendous title fight, a buncha old dudes and moral dilemmas” UFC 237 preview

Joey

May 8th, 2019

In many ways, UFC 237 is a unique card and yet it is, in many ways, a throwback card. This is the sort of show the UFC tries to pull off when it knows what the main event is and it knows that it needs some serious protection. In the old PPV era, this would be the kind of card where your mileage would vary depending upon how hooked up to a nostalgia drip you are. Nowadays with them getting a guaranteed payout before a PPV even sees the air, this kind of card feels retro. It's got a competent title fight with a bevy of names you'd recognize who fall on the spoiled side of their MMA expiration dates. It's like a Mighty Mouse card (albeit with a far more compelling main event) in a market that still has pings and feels for a show like this. Brazilians want to see their heroes and so the company is trotting out the likes of Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo, Lil Nog, Thiago Alves and a whole host of familiar names and faces potentially for the last time. It's Brazil vs the world (for the most part) with just enough good vibes and fair matchmaking to give the fans potentially one big feel good moment. I just also know that this card is for a very niche audience which you might not be in there.

Fights: 13

Debuts: Viviane Araujo, Carlos QuirLoz, Luana Carolina

Fight Changes/Injury Cancellations: 4 (Wu Yanan OUT, Priscila Cachoeira IN vs Luana Carolina/Jessica Rose Clark OUT, Melissa Gatto IN vs Talita Bernado/Said Nurmagomedov OUT, Carlos Quiroz IN vs Raoni Barcelos/Melissa Gattoo OUT, Viviane Araujo IN vs Talita Bernardo)

Headliners (fighters who have either main evented or co-main evented shows in the UFC): 11 (Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo, Rose Namajunas, Jessica Andrade, Thiago Alves, Francisco Trinaldo, BJ Penn, Clay Guida, Big Nog, Bethe Correia,Priscila Cachoeira )

Fighters On Losing Streaks in the UFC: 2 (BJ Penn, Priscila Cachoeira)

Fighters On Winning Streaks in the UFC: 7 (Jessica Andrade, Rose Namajunas, Alexander Volkanovski, Jose Aldo, Carlos Diego Ferreira, Irene Aldana, Raoni Barcelos)

Main Card Record Since Jan 1st 2017 (in the UFC): 25-11

Rose Namajunas- 3-0 Jessica Andrade- 4-1 Anderson Silva- 1-1 Jared Cannonier- 2-3 Jose Aldo- 2-2 Alexander Volkanovski- 5-0 Thiago Alves- 2-2 Laureano Staropoli- 1-0 Francisco Trinaldo- 2-2 Diego Ferreira- 3-0

Fights By Weight Class (yearly number here):

Lightweight- 3 (30) Women’s Bantamweight- 2 (5) Welterweight- 2 (29) Women’s Strawweight- 1 (12) Women’s Flyweight- 1 (14) Light Heavyweight- 1 (17) Featherweight- 1( 21) Middleweight- 1 (15) Bantamweight- 1 (24)

Heavyweight- (15) Flyweight- (7)

2019’s Records We Keepin’ Track Of:

Debuting Fighters (11-30): Carlos Quiroz, Melissa Gatto, Luana Carolina

Short Notice Fighters (13-15): Melissa Gatto, Carlos Quiroz, Priscila Cachoeira

Second Fight (30-7): Ryan Spann, Laureano Staropoli, Thiago Moises

Cage Corrosion (Fighters who have not fought within a year of the date of the fight) (10-18): Bethe Correia, Rose Namajunas

Undefeated Fighters (16-22): Melissa Gatto

Fighters with at least four fights in the UFC with 0 wins over competition still in the organization (6-6): BJ Penn

Weight Class Jumpers (Fighters competing outside of the weight class of their last fight even if they’re returning BACK to their “normal weight class”) (14-9): Kurt Holobaugh

Twelve Precarious Ponderings

1- If this show was on traditional PPV, how many buys would it get? Is 125K satisfactory given the conditions?

2- Rose Namajunas vs Jessica Andrade IS in all honesty a compelling title fight. It pits pretty much the division's top finisher (Rose Namajunas) against the division's top pressure fighter (Andrade) with the champion opting to face the champion on HER home turf, creating for a pretty compelling narrative to be told. They have more similarities offensively than people give them credit for; both Rose Namajunas and Andrade do their best work coming forward, pressuring albeit in different ways. They're cardio machines, cutting a pace early and dictating both the range and the tempo of the fight. For Rose, she's long enough and creative enough that its a pick your poison type affair. You can fight her at range, get picked apart from a distance with kicks and her really good straight shots OR you can blitz her, clinch with her and hope you're strong enough to win inside consistently. Andrade offers you no choice but to fight her fight for however long it goes. She cuts a relentless pace, has Mr. X level pursuit and while I think her power shouting vs Karolina was more of a perfect shot, she hits hard enough to break just about anybody. Even against Joanna, she still did her thing (pressure, come forward, blitz like a mad woman) which Joanna having the ability to win behind a tremendous jab and superior footwork. Rose CAN follow Joanna's gameplan of kicks + jab + circling for twenty five minutes, flustering Andrade from a distance but I'm not sure if she can do that while dealing with the pressure of Jessica Andrade for 25 minutes. Even against the likes of Tecia Torres and Joanna, Rose had those lapses in concentration where it felt like she stopped fighting her fight and needed to be reminded by her corner to mentally check back in. You have to be there every single second of an Andrade fight because she is a momentum creature.

3- Given how hard Andrade pressures and how long Rose is, I wonder if takedowns are going to be apart of the gameplan for Namajunas. Andrade's build and her wrestling normally prevent attempts but Rose is the better grappler by far who can probably score a finish in a variety of spots on the ground. Being underneath Andrade's ground and pound is a miserable endeavor BUT she's also reckless enough that limbs and necks get left out there for experienced enough submission artists. Could/Would Rose pull guard?

4- If Max Holloway is going to fight in Anaheim as he's suggested (Late August for those curious), you have to assume that Volkanovski vs Aldo is a pseudo #1 contender fight. So what happens if Aldo wins? Is that where the UFC blows the dust off of Frankie Edgar?

5- Does anyone truly believe Anderson retires after this fight with Jared Cannonier?

6- Looking at this card on paper with its host of "legends" bound to generate some buzz in Brazil, it's a bummer they couldn't of found a way to get Johnny Walker on the card. Would've been a great rub for him with guys like Aldo and Silva on the show.

7- At some point Francisco Trinaldo is going to buck the conventional wisdom and fight like his age, right?

8- I don't know if it's the fact that they're both elder statesmen who fight younger than they are but look older than their birth certificates claim or the fact that both basically cut their teeth carving up mid tier dudes in their respective divisions but Francisco Trinaldo and Cowboy Oliveira sure seem to have a lot in common. Both are really aggressive somewhat limited guys whose limitations show up when they attempt to make the long march to the top of their division. Both Oliveira and Trinaldo rely on brute force strength with so-so fight IQ but a surprising wealth of ways to be violent if they so choose them. Trinaldo faces Carlos Diego Ferreira who burst onto the scene with the UFC and then just kinda stalled out in no small part due to injuries and one of those supplement suspensions. Carlos is coming into his own based off back to back wins vs top competition and while I don't know if he'll ever be a consistent top 10-15 lightweight, there's light at the end of the tunnel for him. This fight should be insanely violent in spurts.

9- Worth noting that if she beats Bethe Correia, Irene Aldana will be on a three fight winning streak which should put her on the short list for women to potentially challenge Amanda Nunes. Especially since beating Bethe seems to be one of those secret passageways to a title shot.

10- I've never seen a more desperate attempt to milk out a win for a guy than Lil Nog vs Ryan Spann. Even in his faded borderline decrepit form, Lil Nog should have very little issue taking a W here.

11- Thiago Alves vs Laureano Staropoli has some sneaky FOTN potential. Laureano is an all action pressure forward fighter who like most guys out of non-Brazil South America has no idea what he's not supposed to do. As such, anything is on the table and AS such he fights like a guy who has a penchant disregard for his well being. Thiago Alves is no longer the kind of guy who can casually eat up the Staropoli types of the world and his last few fights have basically been him trying to be a sharpshooting counter striker who throws power shots at will. It should be a fun fight at the very least.

12- And I guess we gotta end negatively with BJ Penn. There's no reason for this fight to be happening from a pure actual fighting standpoint. I read someone elsewhere mention how "frail" BJ Penn looks as a fighter and I truly lack an actual better description for it besides that. He looks weathered. He looks old. He looks like a guy who knows how to only do one thing and he can physically no longer do it at any rate of success. Whatever you think of the legacy of BJ Penn or however you feel about his right to compete, it shouldn't be happening anymore and at the very least not at this level. This doesn't even account for the fact that he has so much turmoil in his life and while allegations can sometimes be just that, we've got a whole forrest fire worth of smoke telling us something is wrong. We all just recently read Babalu discuss the problems he's facing currently in his life after a long career of fighting. It should make us all stop and reconsider whether there needs to be such arbitrary lines of when enough is enough and how we can find the bridge for these guys when the time has come. BJ Penn isn't fighting because the UFC thinks he can do it; he's fighting because if not here then somewhere else and because there's always going to be a market for seeing your "heroes" compete. There are BJ Penn fans who watched the third Edgar fight thinking he could pull it off, there are BJ Penn fans who watched thinking he'd turn back the clock vs Dennis Siver. The UFC gave him the SAFEST possible match up in a guy they didn't think would hurt him and it still ended in disaster.

And yet on the same card, we have Anderson Silva who is 44 years old coming ooff of multiple surgeries, a career that includes some truly violent spectacle fights in his earlier days who has been rocked or KO'd in four of his last six fights. He was apart of one of the more violent gym cultures in the history of MMA. His family apparently asks him to retire after every fight, now running on what feels like four years worth of it. So if Penn's gotta go then shouldn't Anderson go? Even if my eyes tell me that he's got more in the tank, we're still comparing two guys who are clearly either firmly out of gas or running on E. Is it the fact that Anderson Silva by all accounts is a well adjusted guy who isn't in trouble? I mean wouldn't that make you more likely to want him to hang it up so he can preserve the way he is? I don't have all of the answers and so much of this is just emotion. All I know is I hope that this card is very much the last of its kind; a farewell to a lot of guys who made a special time in MMA with also a promise to do better by them in the future.

#MMA #UFC #UFC 237 #Rose namajunas #Jessica Andrade #BJ Penn #Anderson Silva

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simplemlmsponsoring · 5 years

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New Post has been published on http://simplemlmsponsoring.com/attraction-marketing-formula/social-media-marketing/what-777367063-facebook-posts-tell-us-about-successful-content-in-2019-new-research/

What 777,367,063 Facebook Posts Tell Us About Successful Content in 2019 (New Research)

Facebook marketing in 2019 isn’t dead. On the contrary, it’s far from it.

Now removed from the dim outlook that businesses faced at the beginning of 2018, Facebook has and will remain an essential tool for brands’ marketing strategies moving forward.

In our upcoming State of Social Media 2019 Report (releasing January 16th) we found that 93.7 percent of businesses use and are currently active on Facebook — the most among any other social media network.

And although we continue to see a dramatic rise in the usage and effectiveness of Stories content, traditional posts in the Facebook News Feed offer a powerful outlet for brands looking to generate engagement and traffic.

Which is why we asked our friends at BuzzSumo to help us put together a massive data set looking at the top Facebook posts over the past year. In total, we dwindled down more than 777 million posts to 500 of the most popular, according to total engagements. The top 500 Facebook posts represent more than one billion engagements across Facebook.

Today we’re excited to share everything we learned about the most successful posts to help guide your Facebook marketing strategy in 2019.

Table of Contents

Key takeaways from 777 million Facebook posts

Video performs better than all other types of Facebook posts The most common reactions to top Facebook video posts are LOVE and HAHA Inspirational, funny, and practical content generates the most engagement

Four examples of the year’s most successful Facebook posts

The Norfolk Police Department (Humanizing your brand) Brainy Crafts (Hacking your way into people’s hearts) Strive Masiyiwa (Rise of the active CEO on social media) Funniest Family Moments (Curating the best content from around the web)

Incorporating these learnings into your Facebook strategy

Consider your own behavior and posting habits on social media Create content for Facebook that is both human and story-forward Play the long game by focusing on building an engaged community

Let’s dive in!

Key takeaways from 777 million Facebook posts

BuzzSumo has access to some of the world’s most robust Facebook data, which powers lots of incredible research studies like this one where we analyzed content from 20,000 influential Facebook Business Pages.

They’re also the company behind one of my personal favorites, The 2019 Ultimate Guide to Facebook Engagement, an annual report that analyzes everything you need to know about the tactical side of Facebook marketing.

Needless to say, their product offers some eye-opening insights into the world of Facebook marketing.

Key takeaway #1: Video performs better than all other types of Facebook posts

When it comes to taking your Facebook strategy to the next level, there is no better way to do so than through the use of video content.

On average, video posts on Facebook get at least 59 percent more engagement than other post types.

In fact, when looking at what types of content made up the top 500 Facebook posts of 2018, more than 81 percent were videos!

Images only accounted for 18 percent of the top posts, while Links made up a mere 0.2 percent.

On the other hand (quite shockingly), link posts received 76 percent less engagement than videos on average. This includes links with images. In other words, not even images are helping link posts to perform better.

We’ll get into Facebook video themes and content later in this article, but for now, it’s clear that brands should be investing heavily in video content in 2019.

Key takeaway #2: The most common reactions to top Facebook video posts are LOVE and HAHA

You might be wondering why we chose to analyze the most common reactions to top Facebook posts.

Great question!

Reactions give us a unique look into human psychology and a better understanding of “why” people like certain types of content on Facebook. Plus, it helps point us in the direction of what to create for our own brand in the future.

The reactions LOVE and HAHA made up 81 percent of the total Facebook video reactions in 2018 (Likes not included in the data set):

Clearly, people are interacting with content that they find inspirational, funny, or a mix of both (more on that next). Brands that focus on creating content around these emotions are more likely to produce successful content for their Page moving forward.

Though it’s important to note here that, more often than not, content isn’t necessarily loveable or funny to everyone. In other words, something that is “loved” by one person might be “funny” or even “sad” to another.

Which is great news for brands and B2B businesses because it means that content doesn’t need to be overwhelmingly funny or inspirational.

Brands and marketers just need to know what their audience will find personally entertaining, which starts with an understanding of who they are.

Key takeaway #3: Inspirational, funny, or practical content generates the most engagement

In order to hone in on the exact types of content brands and marketers should be creating more of in 2019, we attempted to categorize the types of content from the data set. In conjunction with the most common reactions on Facebook and a subjective analysis of the top 500 Facebook posts, three common themes started to emerge.

The most successful content could be categorized as inspirational, funny, or practical.

For example, the number one most successful post on Facebook in 2018 was one from speaker and storyteller, Jay Shetty:

Shetty accounts for several of the top 500 posts because he creates content that inspires people. Inspirational content leads to a greater amount of reactions, comments, and shares, which in turn, leads to greater organic reach.

The best part is that any brand is capable of creating this type of content. All it takes is a renewed understanding of what people are looking for on social media (specifically, your audience as we mentioned above) and how you can deliver that to them on a consistent basis.

Which leads us to a breakdown of some of the year’s most successful Facebook posts and the psychological reasons behind why they worked.

Four examples of the year’s most successful Facebook posts

In an attempt to make this study as relevant as we could to a variety of brands and industries, we decided not to simply cover the top 10 Facebook posts from 2018. Instead, we hand-picked several posts from the top 500 that teach us something valuable about the art of Facebook marketing.

But if you’re curious, here are the official top 10 Facebook posts of 2018:

Note: We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below on why you believe these posts worked so well. Let’s help each other improve!

10. “An amazing moment in African enterprise history” – Strive Masiyiwa

9. “Hero Boy Saves Chicken” – Life Changing Videos

8. “When your dogs smells another dog on you” – Funny in Public

7. “Tianmen Mountain, China” – Inspire Uplift

6. “Common Dental Procedures” – Science Nature Page

5. “Wow” – Penoy Rap Radio

4. “Before You Take Someone For Granted Watch This” – Jay Shetty

3. “Scalloped Potato Roll” – BuzzFeed Tasty

2. “7 Super easy ways to keep your food fresher, longer!” – So Yummy

1. “Before You Feel Pressure Watch This” – Jay Shetty

Now, onto a more detailed breakdown of some of our favorites.

The Norfolk Police Department (Humanizing your brand)

You wouldn’t normally classify your local police department as having one of the best Facebook Pages and content of 2018, but the Norfolk Police aren’t your typical department.

Generating more than 3.2 million engagements and growing their audience to well-over 180,000 fans in the past year, the NPD is the perfect case study for how to approach Facebook marketing with limited budget and resources.

(Here’s the link to the lip sync challenge video, which has over 78 million views as of writing. The video can’t be embedded — likely due to copyrights of the music.)

Why it works:

The Norfolk PD offers a variety of inspiring and funny content that caters to their local community. And while they aren’t “selling fun” per se, they’re building a considerably large and loyal following with fun content.

Most importantly, the NPD makes their content relatable and human. In each one of their posts, you get a behind-the-scenes look at the officers and staff that make up their department. Then they take it to the next level with vulnerability.

It’s not easy to get in front of the camera. And it’s not easy to go out on a limb with experimental content, especially as a local police department. However, the NPD threw every traditional rule aside and decided to go for it.

In the end, they were rewarded for their efforts.

Brainy Crafts (Hacking your way into people’s hearts)

It wouldn’t be a top Facebooks posts of 2018 roundup without mentioning the wonderfully engaging world of “practical life and cooking hacks.”

Pages like BuzzFeed Tasty, 5-Minute Crafts, DIY Crafts TV, and lots more have taken full advantage of people’s unending desire to improve their lives in one form or another.

Here’s a great example from Brainy Crafts of how to hack your way to being more resourceful in the kitchen:

Episode 11: Kitchen Life Hacks

16 Life Hacks That Will Make You More Resourceful In The Kitchen

Posted by Brainy Crafts on Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Why it works:

As we discussed earlier, “practical” or “how to” content makes up a significant majority of the top Facebook posts of 2018.

Educating your audience on Facebook isn’t just about teaching them a new skill, it’s about what they will do with that knowledge. More often than not, they’ll share it with their friends and family.

When Fast Company asked Tasty global GM Ashley McCollum why this type of content is so popular, she responded:

“We didn’t set out to build a food network. We didn’t sit in a conference room and say, ‘Oh, let’s do some market research.’ What we did is build content around the concept that people would share it with people in their lives. It’s not just how to make the recipe, how to chop the onion. It gives you a reason to reach out to your friend. It allows you to connect with another person.”

One simple suggestion to make this actionable is to repurpose your most-shared blog posts into a standalone Facebook video post.

For example, one of the most popular Buffer Blog posts of 2018 was “The New Facebook Algorithm 2018: Everything Marketers Need to Know” – We turned the text into a one minute explainer video that was viewed and shared more than 16,000 times.

The best part is it only took us about one hour to create since we already had the blog content to work from!

Strive Masiyiwa (Rise of the active CEO on social media)

One Page that accounts for a whopping 33 of the top 500 Facebook posts of 2018 isn’t a brand at all. It’s the Executive Chairman & Founder of the global enterprise Econet Group, Strive Masiyiwa.

Masiyiwa has racked up more than 3.5 million fans to his Page, ranks 437 among all Public Figures in the world, and generated 108+ million engagements to his posts in 2018.

And the most interesting part is that he’s done all of this through images and captions (not videos). A lot of his high ranking posts are more like micro-blogs, averaging well-over 300 words per caption.

Why it works:

According to data from OkToPost, only 40 percent of CEOs are active on social media. Of those users, 70 percent use LinkedIn only. However, this number is expected to grow significantly in 2019 as people turn to authentic sources of information.

In an era of distrust in the news, CEOs and other top executives have a unique opportunity to be more social. This can help boost your brand’s reputation and build trust among your users.

Finally, Strive Masiyiwa proves that video isn’t the only type of content that works on social media. But it’s important to note that in examining his content, every single post is extremely detailed and informative.

Funniest Family Moments (Curating the best content from around the web)

The Funniest Family Moments Page managed to snag 22 posts in the top 500, generating a total of 51,546,121 total engagements in 2018.

Baby and animal videos certainly don’t hurt their case, but there’s something else at play here that all brands can use to improve their Facebook marketing strategy in 2019: curated content.

It’s incredibly simple to get started with curated content and the perfect way to supplement your in-house content strategy. Take, for example, Funniest Family Moments’ top post from 2018:

Dog and baby

Good nannies!

Posted by Funniest Family Moments on Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Why it works:

At its core, the post is nothing more than a compilation of videos from around the web. However, it has garnered more than 129 million views and five million engagements – and counting.

Content curation is all about finding and organizing existing content artifacts to create new insights and shared value for your audience.

If you can do that consistently, your audience will look to you as a continuous source of inspirational, funny, and practical content (there’s that theme again). Plus, curated content helps to establish your brand as a thought leader in your space. Instead of “talking about yourself” all of the time, you’re demonstrating that you’re willing to add value in different ways.

Incorporating these learnings into your Facebook strategy

Now that we’ve examined some of the top Facebook posts of 2018, you’re probably wondering:

How can I apply these tips to my own Facebook strategy?

Even if you’re not a top Page or generating millions of engagements per month, you can still find a ton of success on Facebook. In fact, it just might be the biggest opportunity for brands in the coming year!

We recommend following these three guidelines:

Consider your own behavior and posting habits on social media

Before reading this section, I encourage you to visit your own Facebook profile (plus a few family and friend’s profiles) and take mental notes on the type of content shared.

Did you notice any trends? What types of content did you/they share?

At a high level, our personal Facebook profiles are our individual “story.” They are an ever-evolving record of our lives and interests. Most of all, they’re a direct reflection of who we are – at least who we want people to think we are.

As brands and marketers, we need to consider how to create content for Facebook that uniquely mirrors our audience’s stories and personalities. This requires constant experimentation and improvement to our marketing strategies. What works one day might not work the next as people are continually changing based on both internal and external factors.

“When the marketers move in, the members move out. The secret, therefore, to social media success is to act, and think, and feel, and behave like a member FIRST. A member first, and a marketer second.” – Mari Smith

There are tons of ways to find out exactly who your audience is and then tailor content around those specific demographics.

Perhaps the quickest and cheapest way to get to know your audience is through Facebook’s free tool: Audience Insights.

Read more: blog.bufferapp.com

#content #facebook #more #most #ndash #posts #than #their #video #your #SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

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nrip · 5 years

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5 Examples of Videos that Enhance Customer Experience in the Healthcare Industry

Today, pretty much every industry uses (or should be using!) video marketing. The healthcare industry is no exception.

According to a report from HubSpot Research, 2019 is the year for video as a “holistic business approach”, meaning video content will be produced by all industries in a conversational, actionable, and measurable way.

Video on landing pages is capable of increasing conversion rates by over 80% (it’s eighty!), and the mere mention of the word “video” in your email subject line increases open rates by 19%.

When it comes to products, the numbers are even more notable: 4x as many customers would rather watch a video about a product than read about it.

For modern healthcare, video is a new way to simplify communication, convey complex information in a way that is more memorable and impactful, and essentially serves patients better.

According to Google Think, 1 in 8 patients have watched online video on various health sites.

They might have been looking for a clear and concise explanation of the disease.

Or searching for video reviews to choose the best dental office. Or simply googling an overview of the new clinic, to know what to expect.

The healthcare industry is vast, so it’s very hard to narrow the list of the best video types to just 5 examples.

But, here are the 5 videos that really bring healthcare marketing to a new level.

1. Explainer videos – Break Down Complex Information

An explainer video is a short 1 to 3-minute video that helps explain a complex subject in a short, compelling, and engaging way.

These types of videos require story-boarding, sound, and often a voiceover. The visual usually includes stock or custom video, 2D (vector-based) animation, and motion graphics (typography, animated logos, and other elements).

I get it, healthcare marketing is very tricky. You have a lot of technical jargon, compliance requirements, and privacy laws that limit your creativity and require you to speak to a viewer in a certain way.

It isn’t easy to find the right balance between all these limitations and the creative side of the video.

I really get it because I myself created healthcare explainer videos. I know it isn’t easy but the result is worth it!

Here’s the first example, courtesy of our own Sensei Marketing team. We created this explainer video for our client – LifeWIRE Anesthesiology.

“So, what does LifeWIRE do?” – you may ask. Their website says:

LifeWIRE is a patented communication platform designed for population management to empower healthcare providers to have on-going patient contact and insight through personalized, automated remote dialogue.

As the general public, we understand all these words separately but…not so much in one complex sentence. And that’s exactly why a short explainer video is a perfect solution for LifeWIRE.

For this video, we used the insanely effective content marketing strategy – storytelling.

There are many reasons why video makes content “stickier” in people’s minds. Studies show that our brains are “particularly attuned to stories”, and that stories of people overcoming problems are particularly irresistible to us!

So, in 3 minutes we tell the story of “Ted”, a very relatable persona who faces a common problem. Then we introduce the solution (you got it, it’s LifeWIRE), and finally, we show exactly how the technology works on Ted’s example.

Taking a complicated process like a doctor monitoring Ted’s health and prescribing medication through LifeWIRE’s tech, and breaking it down into a short video with colourful graphics and key takeaways, helps doctors, patients, and even investors of LifeWIRE work better together.

The video is bright, simple, and engaging. This marketing tactic does a much better job of explaining the service and enhancing customer experience than, say, another banal brochure.

2. Testimonials – Use Social Proof

A well-executed patient testimonial video hits all of the points that help people remember your healthcare brand. With this type of video, your main goal is to make a testimonial —and the subject of a testimony—trustworthy.

My piece of advice here is to encourage a relaxed atmosphere when you’re filming a testimonial video. Get to know your subject, show them that camera doesn’t bite, be prepared to take breaks if necessary to lower the pressure. You want your subject to speak naturally, so, please, don’t allow reading from a script.

What exactly to film?

Provide credibility for your clinic/office/product and ease the mind of your patients by sharing video testimonials from past patients.

Before-and-Afters, reviews from happy patients, will make your new patients feel more comfortable working with you.

Watch this great example by ClearChoice Dental Implant Center.

They managed to incorporate storytelling in the testimonial – and did it brilliantly!

First, they make us emotionally attached to Krista – the hero of the video, by showing her kids, and hard work she does.

And only then we hear the review from Krista, a couple of professional comments from her doctor, and her Before and After. I would trust a testimonial like this 100%!

3. Expert Videos – Educate & Build Trust

Do you still think there is no influencer marketing in the healthcare industry?

Well, we already proved it wrong in our blog post about 5 Examples of Influencer Marketing in Healthcare.

Now, have you ever thought that your doctors are really powerful influencers?

Start now!

Your doctors are your experts, the most credible source of information to both patients and the general public.

Building a personal brand for your doctor is a real influencer marketing tactic.

Expert reputation always starts with educating the audience.

Do you have a complex issue, medical procedure or treatment that needs an explanation?

It’s time to introduce your doctor to the audience through expert videos.

Here’s a good example featuring Dr. Sebastian Fernandez Bussy, a pulmonary physician at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.

In this video, he talks about a new option for patients with emphysema, an alternative to invasive surgery.

4. “What To Expect Video” – Put Patients At Ease

Another way to use the influence of your doctors is to feature them in a “What to expect” video.

It may be a virtual tour of the hospital or private practice, or a walk through the treatment details.

It’s no secret that even a simple visit to the doctor can cause anxiety for patients.

It’s comforting for your audience to know what to expect during their appointment or procedure.

A “What to expect” video is a great way to educate patients about the treatment and explain what will happen during their visit.

By setting a patient’s expectations before their visit, you are positioned to meet or even exceed those expectations, and that creates a positive patient experience.

Sandstone Chiropractic in Texas sets patient expectations with a video “What is Different about Sandstone Chiropractic?”

Note how they literally walk you through your future visit – you see the clinic, you know what’s going to happen when you come in, and of course, you get to meet the doctor.

5. Share Healthcare Tips On Social

Love it or hate it, video has absolutely dominated social. According to a recent HubSpot Research report, 4 of the top 6 channels on which global consumers watch video are social channels.

What can you do on social in the healthcare industry?

Share general health advice because you care about the well-being of your patients!

You can use video to share tips on how to improve general health, stay healthy in summer, do exercises at home…

Have a look at the YouTube channel of US-based Mayo Clinic, it’s a brilliant example of great video marketing on social.

Making Mayo’s Recipes is a weekly content rubric Mayo Clinic posts on a regular basis.

All the recipe videos are focused on healthy ingredients to help viewers make better choices with their diet.

Because these videos are posted regularly, the viewers are motivated to come back for the update.

And if the content is good enough, they won’t just come back – they’ll share your content with their network!

What I especially like about this example is that it’s not just about health, it incorporates aspects of lifestyle, daily life for the audience.

It stays relevant no matter what and can be easily re-used in the future. Creating such evergreen content is a best practice in video marketing!

Also, don’t forget that you can also curate content.

It’s a great solution for those who are not yet ready to commit to custom video production. You can create a library of resources, a playlist on YouTube.

And of course, remember to re-use your existing content, don’t let anything go to waste.

We’ve looked at a lot of evidence that videos are perfect for the healthcare industry. There’s no better way to build connections with your audience, communicate your message, increase your brand reach, and enhance the customer experience.

Creating a great healthcare video is not easy — it takes a greater investment of time and effort than many other digital marketing methods. But a well-made video will be one of your most valuable assents!

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listiqueblog · 6 years

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40 American Business Owners on What Independence Means to Them

Finally, our merchants share what Independence means to them.

1. John Wray, CEO, Hero Care Packages.

It’s fitting that it’s the Fourth of July.

Independence means different things to different generations.

Our forefathers worked to make better generations for each subsequent one, and so that we could be more free, more independent, and have a more perfect union.

For me, independence means being able to focus on what matters – family, friends, community – while not being tethered to one desk. BigCommerce lets me do that.

I think it’s important for every community to have more independence because without it we lose a piece of ourselves: we lose a bit of who we are.

2. Ashli Clubine, Director of Marketing, Nine Line Apparel.

Independence means the ability to live as a free citizen in one’s own country, to make informed decisions regarding our leadership and our legislation, and to stand up against injustice and corruption by staying true to the values that our forefathers set down when they drafted the Declaration and our nation’s Constitution.

It is often taken for granted by the American people, while many in this world have no concept of what the word even means.

It has been earned time and again by the brave men and women of our armed forces, who sacrifice daily, who have given their lives so that we can live free.

3. Erika Jo Hellbusch, Director of Administration, One Represents One.

Independence to me means having the ability to live up to my own potential without hindering the rights of others.

We all have dreams and goals and independence is vital in reaching those goals, but along with independence comes the responsibility of helping others obtain their goals by maintaining their own independence.

Independence can’t be achieved with an “every man for himself” attitude. We have to work together for independence to be possible!

4. Susan Madunich, Owner and Aromatherapst, Aromatic Blessings.

Independence is the freedom and ability to make your own choices, do your own thing. To be able to express yourself through word and action.

Independence makes me think of the men and women who are serving this country in order to give us these abilities – to do our own thing, make our own choices.

This year I will be specifically thinking of Leah Letson, a professional MMA fighter out of Invicta who we sponsor through one of our products, Matt’s Best Defense Body Wash.

She just left to serve our country with the Air National Guard. She is an incredible woman and we wish her Godspeed on her journey.

5. Stan Farrell, President, ComposiMold Re-usable Mold Making Materials.

Independence means having the choice and being able to create our own voice.

It’s about working hard to be able to make something you believe in.

I still have stressful days. I still have so much to do that I can’t ever get it all accomplished. But it’s my stress caused by my desire to be great and do great things, not by a boss telling me to finish my project by a random deadline.

The decision to work long hours and to make something as good as I can is based upon what kind of future we’re striving to create.

6. Katie Caudill, Founder and CEO, Sunday Coupon Inserts.

I always thought independence meant financial freedom. I was wrong.

The success of my business brought me that, but still left me feeling unfulfilled – like something was missing.

It was then that I decided to sell everything, buy an RV, and hit the road.

I am 6 months into my RV adventure with no return date planned.

I have been to 12 states, seen the most breathtaking landscapes, sunrises and sunsets, so beautiful it will bring tears to your eyes.

Every day is a new adventure.

That is independence – waking up every day to live your dream, fulfill your purpose and feed your soul.

7. Parker Slavin, President, StationeryXpress.

Independence to me means being my own boss and having the means to help others achieve success.

It is my goal to create a truly successful business and hire others that are willing to work as hard as I am so we can all succeed and reach independence together.

8. Stephanie Richard, Owner, Sparkles & Lace Boutique.

My husband is in the U.S. Air Force and I also served in the Air Force as well.

My business partner’s husband is a firefighter.

Our entire lives we’ve both been surrounded by family and friends who have fought for our freedom and independence.

Independence to me means the freedom to make your own choices to be able to lead the life of your dreams, whatever they may be.

9. Brittany Hogan, Owner and Artisan, Nefertem Naturals.

Independence means being my own boss and dictating my own schedule.

Even though our business is still in its infant stage, according to some metrics, I feel 100% successful because I’m doing my own thing.

I work every Saturday and take Mondays off, because, well let’s face it, Mondays have always sucked! And because I’m independently employed, I can do that!

10. Barbara Huffman, Owner & Eco-Friendly Artisan. Southern Magnolia Mineral Cosmetics.

I don’t set an alarm, I don’t punch a clock, I don’t have a boss.

I actually have a little leeway in deciding what “I” want to do, not someone telling me what to do. Independence also means being secure, being available to family or running away from them – and having stability.

I want to say less worry, but we all know if you took the blood pressure of any given small business owner, it IS high! And independence for me was meant to transform the negative events of my childhood into a source of strength, self-confidence, pride, commitment and accomplishment.

I am proud to show my daughter that I was resilient enough to create my own future with positivity, conviction and self-reliance.

In my book, that’s a pretty great place for my independence to thrive!

And I still smile and enjoy life regardless, even if I am eating a microwave breakfast sandwich for dinner!

Want more insights like this?

We’re on a mission to provide businesses like yours marketing and sales tips, tricks and industry leading knowledge to build the next house-hold name brand. Don’t miss a post. Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

11. Erin Mulkeran, Owner, With Luv Design.

Independence has always meant to me that I have the opportunity to create my own path and make my own decisions.

My father, who was a bronze star Vietnam vet, raised both my sister and I (along with our mother) to believe that we can do anything we want in life as long as we are willing to put in the work.

12. Jack Sullivan, Publisher and President, Blue Music.

The quote “There is no alone like the alone at the helm” has always been a mantra in my business life.

Independence carries the same weight: the ability to try new ideas, to think outside the box, to try and fail but keep coming back because we’re independent.

We are creating a company that is changing the model for magazines. We not only advertise the products we write about but we sell them too.

That’s independence in thinking.

13. Jim Taylor, President and Owner, Belted Cow.

Independence as it relates to our company and our business model is fostering an atmosphere where people at all levels feel like they have the freedom to make decisions and take actions to move the Belted Cow forward.

As a small company, it’s imperative that everyone has this attitude.

The challenge will be to maintain this independent spirit in our staff as we grow.

Self-determination to tackle issues and solve problems on their own will result in better products and more responsive customer service.

14. Philip Kauppinen, Owner, Grand New Flag.

It means everything to me: freedom from oppression, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, freedom to worship, freedom of speech.

It is being allowed to live my life as I see fit as long as it does not harm others.

It is the right to own my land. I could go on and on.

15.Jason Harrington, Owner, Lullaby Sound Design.

Independence is the freedom to commit your energy to those things which further your personal vision and direction.

This may be part of a shared vision, and may not always mean doing what you “enjoy.”

But independence allows you to do the work that grows your company in the direction that you desire.

16. Sara Pippett, Owner and CEO, Bad Habit Boutique.

Independence means, to me, being able to control my own destiny.

I am the one to decides to get up every morning and make a difference.

I am the one that has the decision to have a positive attitude each and every day.

I am the one who, if I have a bad day, I can change it at any point in that day or even the next day.

17. Owner, Chief Bakery Engineer, Gluten Free Things.

Independence to me reflects the ultimate American spirit, where leadership, solid work ethic, customer relationships and a growing profit base creates a sustainable resource.

It’s personally rewarding to me and my wife to experience the happy faces and tastebuds that Gluten Free Things serves a demand for, through years of hard work, sacrifice, core business values and the freedom to own and operate my own business.

18. Mindy Bownds, Vice President, Vulgar Baby.

Independence is the right we have in this country to speak our minds and chase the American dream! To follow our dreams and start our own small business.

It’s what gives Vulgar Baby the right to share with the world our wit and satire through the cunning use of baby clothes!

Even babies have the right to freedom of speech in this beautiful country!

19. Susan Holley, Marketing, Holleys Habitat Homes.

Having traveled many developing countries, independence means freedom of speech, participation in government through voting and being free to choose how and where we want to live.

20. Amy Breaker, Director of Operations, BirdieBall.

We value our independence immensely.

We have been blessed with a little gem of a business, and even more blessed with a family that is willing and able to grow the company. At the end of the day, our success depends solely on us.

Our independence from a big corporation, and success as a small business are the thing dreams are made of.

21. Owner and Designer, Zoey’s Personalized Gifts.

Independence means everything to me, from the basics of having freedom of speech to the ability to live in the United States and start my own business without having to worry about government restrictions or interference.

It’s also something I take for granted every day – that my business is free to operate how I want it to without outside control or support. I am truly living the American dream, and independence in our country has made that possible.

22. Co-Owner, Spartan Blades.

Freedom is the ability to follow your heart and strive to be the best in whatever you do.

Having been to 42 countries and worked in about 26 for extended periods, I know how lucky I am to be an American. Our country affords more freedom and independence than any other country on our planet.

23. Lauren Winfield, Wholesale Manager, The Bearded Bastard.

Independence is forging your own path. It’s leveraging your passion into something you can do every day that makes you happy. It means setting your own hours and where you work.

24. Kevin Danaher, Ecommerce and Marketing Manager, Stuff2Color.

For us, independence represents sharing our passion with others.

As a small and independent business, we have the ability to come to work each day and create products our customers will enjoy.

25. Krissy Sexton, Owner, The Hairbow Company.

Independence is the freedom of choice.

The choice of how you spend your time, investments, how you treat others.

It is the ability to take $500 and build it into a business that employs and helps support 12-15 local families and chooses to take its profit to support causes like Changing the Faces of Beauty, sponsor school fundraisers, and participate in community events.

It means choosing to interact with and intertwine ourselves with our customers by being a part of their lives and memories they will never forget.

26. Patrick Hope, V Sales & Marketing and Partial Owner, Fleet Safety.

To me, independence is another example of how blessed we are.

Independence reminds me to not take the small things for granted.

It also reminds me of those who have fought and served for our beloved country.

27. David Compton, IT Director, R1 Supply.

Independence is a very relative thing, and many people refer to that in financial terms.

But complete independence is never really possible, in business or personally.

We are always dependent in some way on others around us. In our business, we depend greatly on our vendors providing quality products and service and depend on each one of our customers who choose to meet their construction supply needs through R1 Supply.

We greatly appreciate them!

28. Owner and Smile Maker, Taffy Shop.

It’s funny that taffy is associated with parades and parades are associated with the Fourth of July.

It’s pretty awesome to be a part of the celebrations that honor those that give us our independence and allow us our freedoms (including our business freedom).

29. Lauryn Spence, Founder, Pride Chicken.

From the perspective of someone in the LGBTQ community, independence means being able to express yourself and be who you are at all times – no matter what!

30. Jerri Hemsworth, Co-Owner, RP Boutique.

It means being able to be as flexible as I need to be in order to live my personal life and professional life to its fullest.

Being able to run my own businesses has meant that my husband and I have been able to raise our daughter as full-time parents and not miss any of the important events in her life.

It also means that we can travel when we want.

31. Owner, One Faith Boutique.

Independence, to me, is the ability to worship God freely.

It’s the ability to raise my kids in an environment I see fit.

It’s having the opportunity to own my own business and run it however I want.

32. Kate Dillon, CEO, Crate Insider.

In two words, it means “I Can.”

Independence or freedom means the ability to choose and not be stuck.

Whether the choice is to quit a full-time job, go on a vacation, or start a business, true independence means that if I want to, I can.

33. Kyle Sharick, Owner, TracksNTeeth.

Independence means having the freedom and time to do what I’m passionate about and what I love and still have time for a successful and fulfilling life.

It means spending time with my loved ones and family while still maintaining a strong, growing business.

It means solely relying on my abilities and my beliefs that I can get the job done to help my employees and customers who rely on me.

It means having the autonomy to do what needs to get done without having to worry about stepping on toes on a daily basis.

It means being laser-focused on growing my business while still having the ability to look at all the angles, see where we can improve and adjust and still continuing on the path we’ve set.

Owning a business has been my path to independence and freedom.

34. Courtney Henslee, Owner and Formulator, Brazen Bee Beauty.

It is an amazing feeling to work for yourself, and it is one of the hardest things you can do.

As a highly sensitive person, one email or comment on Facebook can bring you down, even after a thousand positive comments.

You have to learn to get your emotional running shoes back on in the morning and reread the positive stories and happy client comments on your page and remember that that is who you really serve.

35. David Skeen, Owner, Matboard Plus.

With regards to business, and in the same spirit of the colonists wanting to be free from dominant and confining rules to find their own path, the internet and platforms like BigCommerce have allowed individuals to be free to run businesses away from the confines and rules typically defined only by “big business.”

This is true business independence.

Anyone anywhere has the freedom to make their own financial path.

36. Jennifer Lugo, Founder and Product Formulator, Verefina.

Independence, to me, means the having the freedom and flexibility to live my life to its fullest while loving the work I do.

It means creating something that supports my life’s goals.

Independence, I believe, is one of the human spirit’s most innate desires, right up there with joy and happiness.

37. Kelli Mallicote, Owner and Vice President, Bodyguard Bumpers.

For years, our company outsourced several processes in our manufacturing line, relying on other companies for paint, pipe bending, etc.

We continually struggled with turnaround time, quality and vendor pricing, and we knew our goal was to ultimately bring all processes in-house under one roof – “become independent from outsourcing.”

I’m happy to say over the years we’ve been able to move into a 40K square-foot facility right here in Paris, Texas, where we take raw steel and turn it into a final product worthy of going on a $150K show truck.

Over the years we’ve struggled through several phases to get here, but ultimately we are living the American dream and we’re proud owners of a 100% American-made product and manufacturing facility, which is the epitome of business independence.

38. David & Brandi Garcia, Owners, Fluff and Familia.

The official definition defines it as a state of being or the ability to be independent.

And I think that speaks volumes: being.

We are given the freedom to express ourselves, our values and our beliefs.

No matter how different we all are, we are just all “being.”

39. Sherry Gillis, Owner, Skyway Tools.

I like to have an autonomous website so that I can control my business.

My husband and I have had an independent tool store in Northern California since 1986.

We were both widow’s kids and we had to build our business from hard work and long hours.

Owning a business has enabled us to make a living and not have a boss to deal with and we are empowered to make it or break it in our business.

The harder we work, the luckier we get.

40. Nick Borrelli, Ecommerce and Marketing Director, NuWave Marine.

This has changed for me as I have grown.

It started as “I don’t have to work 9-5.”

Then I realized that my suppliers are basically my boss and I’m hustling so that they can make money.

True independence to me is owning the entire process from manufacturing to distribution to end-user sales.

Independence is having full control and owning everything that could possibly be a step in your way.

That’s our goal here.

Want more insights like this?

40 American Business Owners on What Independence Means to Them published first on https://goshopmalaysia.tumblr.com

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finneganbateman40-blog · 6 years

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Conker's Bad Fur Day ROM Assessment

It's not occasionally that a videogame matures against a lovely, cuddly 3D platformer toward a ultimate materials within just which the hero constantly becomes drunk and urinates upon enemies any time he's not currently being cussed out by way of them or rolling close to within feces. And in just the situation of Scarce's Conker's Bad Fur Day, it consists of been a period-eating transformation in truth. The unique 12 Stories Conker 64 was previewed at E3 consequently a great number of a long time in the past that we've shed observe, nonetheless the accomplished name includes tested hugely substitute and importance the be reluctant. Not basically is it Really probably the utmost hilarious name at any time constructed, still the preference of crude jokes, above-the-final violence and sexual product showcased is merely a single-upped via the activity's astonishingly deep, properly-paced stage style, tightly knitted regulate mechanics, appealing graphics and extraordinary solid high quality. It must be reported that Conker's Bad Fur Day is not for younger avid gamers. It pushes the barrier of the Expand (M) ranking in direction of be of course. Nonetheless for Conker's Bad Fur Day ROM of us outdated more than enough toward appreciate it -- the 17 and up whole lot -- it is one particular hell of a excellent journey and, fact be instructed, a single of the amazingly easiest videogames IGN64 consists of at any time performed upon any console. For thoroughly comprehensive create-ups upon Conker's Bad Fur Day, we advise by yourself go through the immediately after products that include something versus the plenty of option worlds the recreation attributes in the direction of how the multiplayer manner feels and how the stable top quality stacks up. Your self received't track down a improved BFD tool anyplace. Conker's Bad Fur Day is not pretty a 3D platformer -- at minimal not within the standard Exceptional experience -- nonetheless quite even more of an stage-platformer. This, mainly because all of the cumbersome product assortment discovered within just video games this sort of as Donkey Kong 64 and Banjo-Tooie includes long gone by way of the wayside. As a substitute, BFD uses a refreshingly resourceful mixture of conventional bounce, function and discover mechanics and what Unusual dubs "Context Fragile" buttons -- simply just pads upon the flooring with a big 'B' upon their faces. Whenever gamers stand atop such pads and push the B button, Conker benefits option, non permanent skills. For example, within just the starting off of the match, by way of urgent the B button upon the to start with pad he ordeals, Conker beverages some Alka-Seltzer toward wipe out his hangover, at which simple fact gamers can move forward ahead. Later on upon this kind of pads are made use of in direction of activate a slingshot and throwing knives; in direction of transform Conker into an anvil and eliminate downward; in direction of shoot computerized, double-passed guns; in direction of activate a The Matrix-influenced gradual-movement affect and transform throughout the air taking pictures enemies; and a great deal, substantially even further. The Context Fragile buttons assist hold the motion modifying, new, and usually appealing. They moreover arrive as a welcomed big difference toward the exact-outdated "me far too" platformer mechanics, all of which glance toward stem in opposition to the simple take care of plan constructed for Tremendous Mario 64. Over and above the perfect take care of mechanics and terribly paced issue design, BFD is grotesque, foul, and witty -- and it's basically developed for avid gamers 17 many years of age and more mature. It is, within just other text, not for Minimal Billy. The ideal element is, whilst, that for all of its crude jokes, feces references and sexual content articles, it's even now a deep, pleasing recreation with an fundamental intelligence that South Park couldn't even desire of. Oh -- and did I point out it's incomparably appealing and offers some of the least complicated songs at any time within just a Nintendo 64 sport? Conker himself stumbles while all forms of large worlds experiencing enemies and allies within just what is made up of in the direction of be the optimum brilliantly paced structure at any time utilized toward a 3D platformer of this model. Irrespective of what assistance the squirrel heads into, there is a sub-quest ready, and the moment the initial is done the other people seem to be in the direction of roll into line inside a variety of unspoken domino effects of style and design. 1 might participate in during the comprehensive match within a person 10-15 hour sitting down and by no means obtain bored or, for that subject, even blink. The Context Delicate buttons perform a element inside of resolving the innumerable 3D puzzles the activity provides, as do Conker's traditional bounce and investigate skills. Whether or not it be obtaining a path in the direction of just take cows towards eat prune juice, steering clear of enemy gunfire towards the evil Tediz, creating certainly that a youngster dinosaur follows your self in direction of his doom or selecting the acceptable course throughout an underwater tunnel procedure, avid gamers will consist of in direction of seek the services of their heads. Incorporating in direction of the leisure significance is a effectively-published, cleverly lewd script with themes instantly spoofing distinguished films and a forged of people as a result lovingly ridiculous and at days disgustingly previously mentioned-the-greatest that a person can't assist yet snicker at them. The most important tale at the rear of the activity revolves about spilt milk -- rather basically. And as Conker travels the in another way themed worlds, which include things like spoofs of these kinds of movies as The Matrix and Aliens, Preserving Particular Ryan, Eyes Broad Closed, The Terminator, Jaws, and excess, he arrives into make contact with with every little thing in opposition to horny bees toward foul-mouthed paint buckets, singing piles of feces, and excess. A cog consistently tells Conker towards "F**k off!"; a big block appears to be at yet another, much larger block upon his greatest and yells at Conker: "Oneself'd far better receive this bodyweight as* b*tch off my back again"; minimal, flame figures smoke out and buy drunk; foes are blown aside inside of bloody, ugly messes; and Individuals are only a handful of illustrations. Is it earlier mentioned the best? Indeed. Is it lowbrow? Sure. And nonetheless, it's way too fairly very well furnished and sensible also -- and it's amusing. Fairly, actually, humorous. What's further, all of the video spoofs and crude personality jokes are not merely thrown in just as a motive in the direction of obtain the video game -- they are an integral component of the match. Each and every spoof and comical quest is put together into the up coming seamlessly hence that it all helps make truly feel inside the finish. It performs hence properly, there is therefore a lot wide variety and the jokes strike with these types of a wonderful bang that we basically drive that it wouldn't conclusion. Uncommon includes bundled the electricity towards leap again and evaluate any reduce-scene in just the recreation after a participant includes realized an Space at first -- best for demonstrating good friends the funny facts. If there should really be a gripe, it's that BFD can be billed throughout within less than 15 several hours and inside of dramatically much less season if gamers fully grasp what they are accomplishing. Nonetheless, in contrast to some game titles that depart the participant impression gypped of a sturdy working experience soon after a uncomplicated completion, there is no these angst when overcoming Uncommon's 3D stage-platformer. In just real truth, we'd alternatively pay out 15 exceptionally pleasurable several hours with Conker than 50 with optimum other titles -- it's exactly that a great deal pleasurable. In addition to, anytime 1 grows exhausted of the solitary-participant practical experience, they can soar towards the impressively immediate and furious multiplayer 1. And conversing of which... The multiplayer modes Exceptional is made up of designed for BFD are some of its fairly perfect -- and back again number is the mystery. Whilst all of the phase can take level within just 3rd-personal see, it's significantly excess perfectly polished than it was within, say, Jet Pressure Gemini, which ironically was a 3rd-particular person motion-shooter towards boot. Choice modes contain Beach front, Raptor, Race, War, Heist and Tank -- each and every 1 rather one of a kind. All of the modes participate in silky soft within 1 and 2-participant modes, nonetheless the framerate starts off in the direction of stutter the moment that, as is always the situation for Nintendo 64 goods. Our exclusive most loved, Seaside, sees gamers as possibly the Tediz or the Frenchies. The Tediz are simply just Nazis, who should consider in the direction of shoot down the Frenchies ahead of they can escape towards Paris. They are armed with 3 alternative weapons as they shield the exit destinations of a large, 3D position crammed with terrain towards conceal powering and alternative routes for the Frenchies toward consider in direction of independence. Tediz comprise attain towards a rocket launcher, a huge computerized gun and a sniper rifle. What gun is employed is dependent upon the condition, and it all arrives down in the direction of a mix of procedure and easy cause palms. Every single method is both equally resourceful and, believe that it or not, we sometimes identify ourselves using at them by way of ourselves -- accurately toying about with the enemy bots the sport features. The multiplayer expertise is as a lot a marketing stage as the one-participant 1 towards be certainly, and Nintendo 64 property owners can simply do superior with Fantastic Dim and GoldenEye. If at any time there was a Exceptional activity in the direction of seem at as an instance of what the developer is totally qualified of visually, Conker's Bad Fur Day is it. At the chance of sounding cliche, the impression overall look of the name can ideal be pointed out with 1 phrase -- wow! Lush, in depth 3D worlds, adorable personality programs, Good texture operate and best lights repercussions collide toward develop the atmospheric environments the squirrel travels. Conker himself is able with an within-video game facial animation course of action that realistically portrays his substitute moods as he travels the lands. Anytime he's worried, he appears to be like it, and once he's pissed off gamers will seriously be equipped in direction of perspective his enamel demonstrating in just a frown. On top of that, all of the speech inside the recreation is lip-synched as a result of Conker and other people -- precisely a different component of a Really formidable picture presentation. Scarce hasn't overdone it, possibly. Whilst, for case in point, the coloured lights implications appeared towards illuminate each other inch of the environment within Donkey Kong 64, outcomes are utilised with a lot more subtlety within just BFD. Yes, gamers' eyes will widen the moment they perspective the temperament shadows the activity utilizes, the nicely mixed texture layout that not even Banjo-Tooie can contact, the multi-layered transparencies and the extended particle penalties method, yet none of its applied towards a stage where by it will become disheartening. And When the framerate isn't best by means of any indicates, it surely isn't as lousy as it was in just some parts of Tooie, and it hardly ever interferes with the gameplay knowledge. Gamers gained't consider simply how elegant and appealing BFD appears. It can make us ponder, if the Conker employees is ready in direction of do this upon Nintendo 64, what inside of the f**k will such gentlemen be qualified of accomplishing upon GameCube? We're drooling previously. Furnished inside total Dolby Encompass Solid, Conker's Bad Fur Day gives maybe the excellent new music expertise Nintendo 64 contains towards supply. The sport options several hours of total speech discussion concerning people -- all brilliantly acted out within just substitute accents and types. Dracula, for illustration, consists of an accessory directly out of the videos. And upon the other conclude, zombies growl and moan in just a creepy fashion that'll offer gamers goose bumps. The name far too capabilities Quite atmospheric solid repercussions, in opposition to droplets of drinking water towards echoes of gunfire within just open up parts. And how regarding eerily laughing youngster record noises as Conker travels a haunted graveyard? Further than all the things, while, is outstanding audio construction. Some of the melodies the recreation includes toward supply will comprise avid gamers grooving and other folks will contain them singing together. There are operatic feces tunes, The Matrix motivated techno audio, and jungle-which include beats in direction of shift together with a prehistoric environment. It's distinct -- crystal, inside of truth -- that Uncommon's new music choices are some of the most straightforward. It's effortlessly extraordinary that it's all coming off the cartridge layout. Conker's Bad Fur Day is a good sport all in the vicinity of -- a person of my favorites of all period. Scarce incorporates actually outdone alone towards provide Nintendo 64 property owners a devilishly humorous 3D platformer with an good gain; a identify with motion products inside of addition toward the classic operate and leap mechanics that include saturated the style for several years. The inclusion of Context Delicate buttons, which include all styles of contemporary skills towards Conker's arsenal, preserve the motion clean, and the omission of laborous products choice cases arrives as a extended overdue sigh of reduction.

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amazonauthorinsights-live · 7 years

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Writing Insights Part One: Becoming a Writer

By Hugh Howey

A successful writer is one who finishes what they start while striving to improve their craft.

I started writing my first novel when I was twelve years old. I was thirty-three when I completed my first rough draft. That’s twenty years of wanting to do something and not knowing how. Twenty years of failure and frustrations and giving up.

A big part of the problem is that I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I didn’t know which questions to ask, much less who might have the answers.

These days, people write to me as if I know what I’m doing. Or like I have a shortcut to success. I’m not sure either is true. One thing I’ve learned is that luck plays a massive role. But what I do have are some insights today that I wish I’d had twenty years ago, tips and pointers that might’ve saved me a lot of headache and heartache if I’d known them sooner. Maybe it’ll help some aspiring writer out there if I jot them all down now.

I’m going to share what insights I have in four parts. The first part is a list of all the things I wish I’d known about becoming a writer before I set out. The second part is tips and tricks for completing that first rough draft. In the third part, I discuss the important art of turning a rough draft into something worth reading. And finally, I share some tips on how to get your story out into the world.

These are my insights now that I’ve written over a dozen novels, sold a few million books, been published in over forty languages, and have seen all angles of this complex industry as a reader, bookseller, writer, editor, and publisher. My first novel was published traditionally through a small press; I’ve self-published many on my own; others are with some of the biggest publishers in the world. I give this advice knowing how much it would’ve been worth to me while understanding that it all might be worthless to you. I only have my own experiences and observations. I wish you all the best of luck.

Insight #1: Anyone can become a successful writer; the only person who can stop you is you.

I spent twenty years stopping myself from becoming a successful writer. The biggest obstacle I faced is thinking success meant selling a ton of books, which meant writing something that millions of readers would enjoy. As I began writing my first attempts at a novel, watching the sentences form on the screen, I knew the words weren’t good enough, and so I stopped in order to spare all those readers from what I was writing.

The problem is that I had the definition of “successful writer” all wrong. A successful writer is one who finishes what they start while striving to improve their craft. It’s as simple as that. And the only one who can stop you from doing this is you.

Imagine if NBA all-star Steph Curry attempted to learn to play basketball with a million people watching. Or if the first pickup game he ever played was his only chance to land an agent and get signed to an NBA team. This is the pressure writers put on themselves, and it makes no sense. Basketball players will put all the hustle and energy into a thousand practice games before they ever get a shot at turning pro. Most will spend a dozen years playing almost every day of their lives before they make it onto a high school or college team. Writers should have the same expectations. Perhaps you write a dozen novels before you write one that blows you away or becomes a bestseller. The point is to finish them all. Play all four quarters. Steph Curry played a thousand games to the end before he turned pro. Every game he finished was a success. He didn’t stop himself, and neither should you.

Insight #2: You can’t compare your rough draft to any of the books you’ve read.

If you’re just starting out as a writer, there’s a good chance that you’ve never read a rough draft in your life. So don’t compare what you’re working on to what you’ve read from your favorite authors. Their rough drafts were nowhere near as wonderful and polished as the final product that you loved as a reader and that made you want to become a writer. Just like you, they had to get the words down on the page first. And then they had to go back and rewrite much of what they wrote, several times. At this point, they probably gave it to their spouse or a friend to read, and that person saw lots of room for improvement. Which meant another revision. The same process took place again with their agent. And then their editor. Each time, the rough draft got better and better. So will yours.

The books that made you want to become a writer were rewritten and revised as much as a dozen times, with the input of several other people. You don’t get to see all of the mistakes and boring bits – all of that has been cut away. It’s just like when you take a thousand photos on an epic vacation and only share the thirty or forty very best ones. This is what it takes to be a successful writer: You have to learn how to write the good and the bad all the way until the finish. Trust the revision process. No one will have to see your rough draft but you. And you can’t revise a work to perfection until it already exists. So make it exist.

Insight #3: There is no special qualification required.

I used to think writers belonged to a special club that had all sorts of requirements for admittance. You had to graduate from a special school, or live in the right city, or own a turtleneck. Nothing could be further from the truth. The best writers have the most diverse backgrounds. They come in all ages, all genders, all races, all sexual persuasions. They all have unique things to say. Anyone can be a writer, if they put in the work. Like most things in life, it takes lots of practice. How much practice you get is entirely up to you.

I first started dreaming of being a writer after reading Ender’s Game. I was around twelve years old. This novel blew me away, because the heroes of the story were children my age. It made me think there were no limits to what I could do. At the end of the novel, there was a brief biography of the author, Orson Scott Card. I was shocked to read that he lived in my home state, North Carolina. I always thought writers lived far away in little shacks in the woods or tall glass towers. I always thought kids had to wait to be adults to do amazing things. This book got me thinking that both assumptions might be wrong.

Related to this insight is the idea that there are too many novels out there in the world. This is rubbish. There are always readers agonizing that they can’t find something great to read. Maybe your next book will fill that void for a reader. Or it’ll be the book that leads to the book that fills that void in many other readers. Either way, there should be joy in the act of creation. My mother started knitting for the pure joy, then grew her talents until she was giving away works, then having people pay for them, and then owning and running her own yarn shop. The lady at the farmers’ market you buy tomatoes from started gardening to see if she could. Steph Curry enjoyed shooting hoops with his dad and grew hooked on the sound a perfect swish makes. There is nothing wrong with starting something as a hobbyist and asking for compensation for your art. We can all turn pro whenever we like.

Let the readers decide if you’re worth supporting with their time and money, not the cycicism of other writers who don’t want you playing ball with them.

Insight #4: The best writers are the best readers.

There aren’t any shortcuts around this. Successful writers read. They read a lot. And the best writers read a wide variety of books. It’s impossible to stress the importance of this insight. When aspiring authors ask my advice on making it as a writer, this is my most common first response: Read.

Writing is a lot like singing. There’s a musicality to good writing, and I don’t mean florid writing like you might encounter in a literature course. I mean the simple flow and cadence of sentences, how they run together, how long paragraphs should be, how much dialog to sprinkle among the action (or action among the dialog). Every sentence in this blog post is an example. I listen for the rise and fall of stresses, the iambic pentameter, mixing short punchy sentences with long comma-filled breezy ones. It should come naturally. You don’t want to even be aware that you’re doing it. Eventually you won’t.

Of course, your style will be different than my style. This is called “voice,” and we’ll talk more about voice and constructing sentences in the next part of this series. For now, it’s important to know that you’ll have a very difficult time creating pleasant prose without absorbing years’ worth of it first. Books are like tuning forks. We hear the pleasant ring of words on key, and it helps us recognize when our own pitch is a little off. The avid reader will know when a sentence needs more tinkering.

It would be convenient if we could dismiss this advice and say, “I’m going to write my own way, rules and tuning forks be damned.” But it doesn’t work that way. There are millions of effective voices and styles, but all share a common framework. Just as there are an infinite number of songs in a single guitar, but that guitar needs to be properly tuned. The way we tune our writing instruments is to read, and to read as writers. Recognize sentences that make you smile, or think, or laugh, or cry. Pore over them. Ask yourself how this writer made you care about the protagonist, or feel revulsion for the antagonist, with so few words. Where is the conflict in the story? How are the characters different at the end of the novel? This is the craft that we’ll discuss in the next part of this series, and it’s what we should look for as readers.

It’s never too late to start. And it’s impossible to do too much of it. Above all, branch out. I wrote my first novel after months of reading and reviewing detective and crime fiction for a friend’s website. These were not my preferred genres, but I was reading and reviewing a book a day. I learned so much about intricate plotting, misdirection, tension, danger, and the crafting of horror. These elements now appear in my young adult novels, my science fiction, my romance. Every type of story has many elements of all other types of story. Study all the genres deeply. You may even uncover a new passion or write a completely different kind of novel.

It also helps to not be too deeply immersed in the types of stories you want to write. If you only read within your writing genre, one of two things will happen: You’ll write something derivative and unoriginal, or you’ll be so terrified of doing this that you’ll be closed off to exploring themes that your colleagues are also delving into. Both are terrible risks.

As a science fiction author, I’ve found it better to read non-fiction. Many of my story ideas come from newspaper articles and the latest works of science and philosophy. History books are a great inspiration, because they reveal the cultural patterns that forewarn the future. Satire is impossible without a deep understanding of history.

Romance novels benefit from books on psychology. A thriller featuring a tortured couple gets new layers by reading self-help books meant for those going through a divorce. Even fiction authors have to do research. Certainly read enough in your genre to understand what readers expect (even if your goal is to defy expectations). But don’t get trapped. The more adventurous you are with your reading, and the more avidly you read, the stronger your writing will become. There is no better writing advice than this. All writing advice, in fact, presupposes the truth of this: that we must be readers first and foremost.

Insight #5: This is a marathon, not a sprint.

Despite what appears to be exceptions to this rule, writing is not a get-rich-quick scheme. You don’t sit down, bang out a rough draft, and watch the money flow in. Your first novel will quite likely not be your best. When I was starting out, I gave myself ten years to see if I could make this work. Ten years! The plan was to write two novels a year, twenty novels in total, hoping that eventually one of them would be decent.

I get emails all the time from writers who have heard this advice from me and credit it for the success they eventually found. It helped them to not give up. It’s exactly what this philosophy did for me. It also allowed me to concentrate on the writing and not the promoting. Promotion is a waste of time until you have enough material out there for each one to feed on the other. It’s not like those books are going away or growing stale. Wait until you have five or six novels published before you start to spread the word. Pour every spare minute and every ounce of energy into the writing while you can.

This is one of those bits of advice you simply must trust and believe in. I was lucky to stumble upon the truth of this early on in my career. These last two insights truly distill what a writing career is all about, and the simplicity can blind us to the quality of the advice: Read and write. Just keep doing this and you will surprise yourself.

Insight #6: Whoever works the hardest will get ahead.

This insight is for those who measure their success as a writer by readership, sales, and the ability to make a full-time living from their craft. The biggest, most daunting, terrible, awful truth working against this type of success is this: There are only so many readers. It really is as simple as that. If there were twice as many books being consumed, there would be a lot more seats on the bus to successville. Ten times as much reading would be even better. You’d have ten times the chance of making it as a writer. There’s a lot we could do as a society to increase the number of readers, but that’s a blog post for a different time.

Because of the limited number of readers, and the ever-growing number of distractions and hobbies that aren’t reading, only a limited number of people can find an appreciable audience and make a living with their writing. But there’s good news as well: A larger share of the readers’ dollars are now going to writers, which means more writers today can make a living than at any time in the past. The other bit of good news is this: Not many writers are willing to do what it takes to make that living. Which opens the door for you.

I know a lot of people who make a living with their writing. Many of my close personal friends are among those who do. And this isn’t a self-selected sample, where I end up meeting other writers at writing conventions, so all my friends are successful writers. What I’ve seen happen over and over is people who want to know how to get this done, and then go out and do it. What they all have in common, bar none, is a work ethic that borders on obsession.

This is true of all careers with more dreamers than open slots. Going back to sports, imagine the number of times Lionel Messi kicked a soccer ball off a brick wall, passing back and forth to himself, while his friends played Nintendo or watched TV. Successful people find a joy in the thing they do that allows them to do more of it than their peers. I guarantee I’ve read more books than 99.9% of aspiring writers. For many years of my life, I had a goal of reading a book a day. I did this throughout college and most of high school. And when I started writing, I carried the same obsession into my craft. I joined a writing group, read writing theory and advice, and wrote two to three novels a year, plus many shorter works.

This meant getting up at four in the morning to write before work. I wrote over my lunch break. I wrote all weekend. I revised my rough drafts a dozen times. I hired, traded, and begged for editing advice. And I’m not even a good example of proper work ethic. I have friends who write, revise, edit, and publish a novel a month. Year after year. I have friends who have published over fifty novels in their first handful of years of writing. Both of my friends who publish a book a month make millions of dollars a year, and they are among the best writers I know when it comes to craft. I can’t put their books down. They pass like Messi.

When I hear writers brag about how little they publish, or how long it takes them to finish a novel, I hear Steph Curry brag about how little he shoots hoops, or how he only practices once a year. I turn on the TV to watch athletes who obsess over their craft. I admire writers who have the same level of obsession. This is what anyone who wants to make a career at writing should expect from themselves. Stop listening to anyone who brags about how little they write and how much they procrastinate. Surround yourself with the Messis and Currys of the writing world.

Please note here again that making a career at writing is very different from being a successful writer. They’re two different goals. Successful writers are out there completing works and making those works available to readers. These writers might dream of making a living one day, but unless they are outworking everyone they know, their chances are slim. A dream is not a plan. There’s nothing wrong with writing for the pure joy of creation. There’s nothing wrong with shooting hoops with friends, or playing in a community basketball league and wanting to win every game without ever being paid one dime. Know your goals, and know what it takes to achieve them.

Insight #7: Competition is complicated

It might be true that there are a limited number of readers, and that you have to outwork your peers to turn writing into a career, but that doesn’t mean we’re all in competition with each other. We’re only competing to a certain degree, and then we’re in cahoots. Believe it or not, this is a team game.

Steph Curry played for Davidson College, not far from where I grew up. I watched him play college ball. Steph was competing with every player on his team, and every player in his division, for a spot in the NBA. But once he made it to the NBA, he was now reliant on not just his teammates but on his opposition to advance his career. The better Lebron James played, the more spectators and the more money Steph Curry enjoyed. And vice versa. Every NBA superstar grows the pool of viewers, hence advertising dollars, and so all NBA pros benefit.

I see a lot of writers get this wrong, claiming it’s a zero-sum game and we’re all competing with each other. This is nonsense. None of us can write fast enough, or a wide enough variety of material, to please all readers. We rely on our fellow pros to keep interest in the hobby high. JK Rowling did so much for all writers when she increased the number of young avid readers. I rely on my colleagues to keep people reading while I’m working on the next book. Just as Steph and Lebron both work to keep ratings high, advertising dollars flowing, and salary caps increasing.

The biggest fear NBA players, team owners, and executives should have is that viewers might change the channel. The real competition at this level is the NFL, MMA, CNN, the great outdoors, and so on. The paradox is this: You compete up to a point, and then you rely on each other. This means it’s never too early to foster great relationships with fellow writers. Which leads me to the next insight…

Insight #8: Be helpful and engaged

If there’s a shortcut to writing success, it’s here. Be helpful to other writers, and you’ll find your generosity will pay dividends. It’s not the reason you should try to be helpful, but it doesn’t hurt to know that being a good person will be rewarding. I’ve seen it over and over in this industry.

One author I know was a brilliant illustrator. While still working on his first novel, he started helping indie authors with their cover art. He did much of this work for free, and then for much cheaper than he should, all because something most of us find difficult came very easily for him. His generosity and kindness made him incredibly popular. When Jason Gurley finished his novel Eleanor, there was a long line of people eager to give it a read, offer blurbs, and promote the hell out of it. Your novel still has to be good, of course. But you won’t believe how difficult it is to get even family and friends to read your work. Writing good material is a necessity, but it isn’t enough.

Another friend of mine got her start by being a beta reader for other writers and later an editor. You could learn how to format ebooks and offer this service. Or start a blog reviewing and promoting new releases (I’ve watched several bloggers move into writing; it was my path as well). You could join a few writing forums and contribute as much as you can to the helpful discourse among writers. Be yourself. Be kind. Form relationships. Share your journey. Soon you’ll meet and get to know those who want this as badly as you do. And if you’re lucky, you’ll find yourselves on opposing teams one day, realizing that you are now both colleague and competitor, but that you only go as far as you can lift each other up.

Insight #9: Know your readers

My first reader was my cousin Lisa. Other people had read my rough drafts and manuscripts before her, but Lisa was the first person who – under no obligation to read my work – sought it out, loved it, and started asking for more. She also – crucially – began telling all her friends how much she loved my debut novel and asked me if she could send copies to them. At the time, my book was just a Word document. I told her to feel free to send it to anyone. By the time I received a book deal and had the novel ready for pre-order, Lisa had dozens of friends and family excited about the release and securing their copies.

When Lisa talked about what she loved in the book, I listened. As readers began leaving Amazon reviews, I read them closely. I started a Facebook page primarily to connect with readers. I’ll never forget the day I friended my 1,000th reader and realized I was reaching well beyond friends-of-friends. Now I was connecting with strangers from all over the globe. Cultivating these relationships, and giving back every ounce of the love and passion that was streaming toward me and my works, was profoundly satisfying and paid enormous personal and professional dividends.

Connecting and getting to know your readers is critical. Set up platforms that allow this as early on as you can. The important thing is to make it easy for readers to find and connect with you. Don’t waste time trying to win over new readers by spamming social media; this does not work in a sustainable manner. Instead, spend your creative energies writing more works. And use your downtime to connect with the readers you already have. Other readers will come. It all starts with one, like my cousin Lisa.

Insight #10: Know your industry

My last insight is a peek ahead at the final part of this series, but it’s one of the things I wish more aspiring writers thought about before they began honing their craft. The writing industry is a business. Whatever your goals and aspirations, you should learn as much as you can about how books are made, distributed, sold, published, edited, translated, purchased, read, shared, and recycled. Working as a bookseller gave me an advantage that I didn’t appreciate until many years later. When I realized how little most writers knew about their industry, I was shocked at first and then later dismayed. Dismayed, because I saw how many writers were taken advantage of or disappointed simply by not knowing very much about the field they’d devoted their creative lives to.

Most students who go into medicine have at least some idea of the work that will be involved, the hours, the expected pay, the time it will take to get through their residency, the fact that they’ll be working graveyard shifts before they ever catch a whiff of their own practice. Before they take on several hundred thousand dollars in student loans, they look into what an anesthesiologist might expect to make in the state of Indiana upon graduation.

Very few aspiring authors know how much they’ll earn from every paperback sale. Or that most works of fiction are now purchased as ebooks. Or that most physical books are now purchased online. If the goal is to sell enough books to raise a family, the dream should be to have a great online presence for one’s books, and to concentrate on ebooks. However, if the goal is to place books into bookstores and submit for awards in particular genres, the plan should be very different. Understanding these choices and managing expectations will be the subject of the fourth part of this series. For now, my advice is to start learning as much as possible. Read Publishers Weekly, The Passive Voice, Kristine Rusch, JA Konrath. Spend time in bookstores. Follow authors who blog about their experiences. Know what you’re getting yourself into.

Those are the top ten things I wish I’d known before I got started. Next up, I discuss what I wish I’d known about finishing my first rough draft. Maybe it’ll help you, however far along your own writing path you happen to find yourself.

Bonus Insight:

Many of the challenges and frustrations you’ll encounter along the way are the exact same as those felt by every other writer. The exact same. Writing requires long stretches of uninterrupted concentration. This sort of time has always been difficult to carve out. We have children, pets, and spouses who require our attention. We have day jobs to work around. We have the stress of bills, mortgages, student loans, rent, empty gas tanks, empty stomachs. We berate ourselves for not writing more. We judge ourselves when our works don’t sell. We watch as other writers get ahead, as markets change, as retailers come and go.

Every generation of writer thinks that their challenges are unique, and that every other cohort of writer had it easier in the past or will have it easier in the future. That’s because the past highlights those who succeeded there, and their success seems to have come all at once, without the failures, frustrations, and challenges that all writers feel in the moment. The present for a struggling writer is certainly suffering, but this never stops being true. It’s always been true.

The only thing that truly changes over time is the stories and rationalizations that we tell ourselves when we feel these universal pangs of self-doubt, envy, and exhaustion. We tell ourselves it’s because Barnes and Noble is killing indie bookstores. Or that it’s Amazon destroying B&N. Or that it’s Amazon introducing a new program. Or the Nook not doing enough to compete. Or James Patterson and his stable of co-authors. And so on and so on and so on.

The excuses and the stories we make up vary. The challenges don’t.

The fact is that the writing landscape today is as vibrant and viable as it’s ever been in the history of mankind. Authors have more power and control over their careers than ever before. They have more access to readers, to each other, to foreign markets, to the tools of publication, and to the infinite manufacture of goods at almost zero cost. Ten years ago, it was almost impossible to reach readers. Ten years from now is a complete unknown. Seize the day, my friends.

* This is the first in a four-part series. See the rest at Hugh Howey's blog:

Writing Insights Part Two: The Rough Draft

Writing Insights Part Three: The Revision Process

Writing Insights Part Four: Publishing Your Book

A version of this article appeared at The Wayfinder.

Hugh Howey

Hugh Howey is the author of the award-winning Molly Fyde saga and the New York Times and USA Today bestselling WOOL series. The WOOL OMNIBUS won the Kindle Book Review 2012 Indie Book of the Year Award.

#write #writing #kdp #self-publishing #howeyinsights

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kareemjanzen24-blog · 7 years

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Different Epidermis Horse Racing Games That Perform Enjoy

Only Car Games

"Do you want to play baseball? Do you wish to play football or basketball? Come over to my place!" "Hey let's race our bikes, no let it be a car race. Mine is a Toyota which is yours?" IF you thought this was a conversation in a park or a between two youth wishing race on a racing ground, here is the twist... we were talking about an indoor basket ball game, an indoor football game and indoor car racing game etc. Today is the world of online games. Every game that could never be imagined as an indoor game is played within the four walls of your room. Internet and computer made every game an indoor computer game. Online games are not only easy to access but you can play them any time you wish to. If you really like the game, you can download and play later at the time of your choice. Talking of online games, one of the most popular and engrossing in this category is car games. Children love racing. Even when they are with their family, they love their car ahead of the passing by. They do not like other cars or vehicles racing ahead of theirs. Thus car games offer them the freedom to try their own stunt, fulfill their wish to not allow the other cars in the vicinity to cross them, and race through as if speed never has a limit! Car games are fully thrilling experience for those who love to be behind the steering. Especially loved by those who have not yet reached the age to get a license to drive, car games give them the license to be steering the wheels and accelerate and feel the power and the adrenalin rush. Car games have improvised time and again. These days the player gets to choose his car, and also the color of the car. Besides, he also gets to decide the place he wishes to drive. These games have beautiful locations choices to drive, and each with graphics for real. Also the modern car games have ventured into 3D effect. 2D was always interesting, and 3D made it more real. The player actually feels he is in the car, and sees the head light of the opposite car nearing, adjusts the steering to direct the path etc. Thus in a way, the child or the youth also learns to loose the road fear. With no rules like real, you can race ahead without bothering of dangers which are life threatening in real life. So hitting against a pole, or speeding over a narrow hill top, or speeding when someone is crossing the road hardly matters! Is it good? We all know every coin has two sides. The same can be applied for these car games too. These being so thrilling in experience, children actually get hooked on easily. One has to fix a time to play. Online games like car games are relaxing and truly engaging. Parents find these a relief since children sit in a place, concentrate, learn skills like mental planning deciding tactics; also it improves hand and eye movement co-ordination etc. There are a lot of plus points one has to credit. But the dark side of online games cannot be over looked too. A right balance is fine. But many people spend a lot of time playing online games. Since these online games are free, even parents hardly realize and find out. Thus not only do these children face the risk of obesity due to lack of activities, they also slowly deviate from studies.

Only Car Games

If someone happens to survive this page, I think that or you own a Sony PlayStation 3 gaming console which may serve as your ultimate gateway perform some racing games. So, in the event you really are that kind of person whom I assume you to be, you'll need must you may review with regards to a great steering wheel which will perfectly pair up jointly with your gaming have. It is very easy to begin racing. After choosing the opponent difficulty level, you will be lead to your racing file. You have to hit the gas pedal on the correct side in the screen commence racing. After starting the racing you need to shift the gears appropriately to attain maximum fast. You can win the race by reaching the finishing point prior to when the opponent and get money questions. Also you can get bonus points for shifting gears with perfect right time. By using the money points you can upgrade engine and turbo intercooler, add nitrous boost, improve tire grip high blood pressure weight. By upgrading obtain improve the strength of your car and also improve acceleration. On upgrading, the level of one's car may increase.

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Ever when the advent of these games from home it has started to become increasingly popular and addictive and people all around the globe have welcomed it with wide open arms. Scouting around for new associated with amusement may be fulfilled and new flash games are being created and old ones revised to match the requirements of people from all walks of life and of all a while. In start many car car racing games were developed like night rider in 1982 and grand prix in 1982 for Atari console and in 1981, donkey for IBM PC. While the gaming technology becomes advanced the game nature and the graphics improved a lot with the span associated with your. The few games developed by Sega for run towards the Sega master system, grand prix-F1racing game which has a game editor to develop new moves. In the early 90s many car game series came into the market for your car game lovers, a whole lot are still alive and going good. Even konami joined in the auto game industry with their play known as hyper move. How many of us would not wish to become hero and save planet? RPG's provide just the break. Turn the Playstation on and put in the disk does not carried off into a distant land where humankind's last an answer to survival rests with you and your family. Life can be ordinary and not to interesting but will lack the joy that most likely your heart race. Daily tasks are dull as well as the roles many people act out at work and both at home do not allow us to get out of the boundaries of every day routine. Problems can overwhelm and get the best of one particular. The super bike world championship additionally known to be a premier worldwide championship. Inside of championship, are generally three basic two rounds of competitions. The results of each race are combined to determine two annual world championships, one for manufactures one more one is riders. Europe is a 1 of mega senses bike world championship market center. There a person of the more utilise playing these En Guzel Oyunlar. These games support in improving your driving skills as most certainly. Regularly playing car games helps you to get an enhanced sense for this wheel alignment and where your car would embark upon turning the steering the small amount. This helps you in convalescing control for this steering, assisting you to smoothly take the car through traffic.

Only Car Games

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