Hope Writes

A Look At Plurk

 

Last month I signed up for a new social networking website, Plurk. I’ve been a big fan of Twitter, but when I read about Plurk, I thought I’d give it a try to see what the buzz was all about.

That first day or two, I didn’t really "get" Plurk. I was so accustomed to one never-ending, continuous stream of conversations in Twitter. Plurk’s threaded timeline seemed foreign to me. So I closed it out and forgot about it for a while.

Then one day I decided to log back into my Plurk account to check it out again. I’m not even sure what prompted me to do so, but I’m so glad I did. Here are my thoughts on Plurk, after a couple of weeks of using it now.

Limited character count means succinct conversations.

Like Twitter, each Plurk is limited to 140 characters. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. One thing I have been pleasantly surprised to learn is that despite the limited space, very few of my friends use abbreviated text. The times I have seen it used were when the full 140 characters were used.

Threaded conversations are better. Much better.

If I had to choose one feature I like best about Plurk it would have to be the threaded timeline. There’s no more searching and sifting through conversations to find replies. With Twitter, if you ask a question and those who answer do not reply @ or directly to you, those answers could be lost forever without you ever seeing them. Conversations in Plurk’s timeline keeps all replies in a single thread.

Choose your friends wisely.

One thing I decided when I became active in Plurk was that I would only network with like-minded people. I specifically looked for those who Plurked about or was actively involved in: writing, self-improvement, or weight loss.

My Twitter account took on a life of its own this year. After not logging into my Twitter account for several months, I returned to find that there were all sorts of people holding all kinds of conversations about things I didn’t know anything about or things I wasn’t interested in. Worst of all, when I did create a post, I only received one or two replies, if any at all.

In Plurk, I have a select number of friends. But I know that those I have befriended are interested in the same things as I am. I (hopefully) won’t get lost in the crowd. Best of all, I am building stronger relationships because of this.

Karma counts–or does it?

One of the huge things about Plurk is the Karma count. Hang around long enough, and you’re bound to see someone mention their Karma going up–or down. Based on a number of things, Karma supposedly reflects your amount of give and take in a day’s time.

While some plurkers are obsessed with their Karma, others couldn’t care less. The more Karma you get, the more benefits there are to your Plurk account. The higher your Karma, the more smileys you get and the more things you can do with your account.

I must admit I was pretty obsessed with my Karma when I started getting close to 50. But if you don’t Plurk too much (starting over 30 threads per day is too much), and you are actively involved in conversations with other Plurkers, your Karma will be fine.

Getting the most from Plurk

One thing is sure. You cannot go into Plurk with the same mindset as you might with Twitter. You might be able to get away with throwing out random thoughts and text in Twitter, but that won’t work in Plurk. Here are some tips to help you get the most from your Plurk experience:

• Connect with others you find interesting or have something in common with. Sign up for your account then browse around and make a few new friends. Don’t worry so much about adding a large number of friends. Focus on making friends with someone you would want to spend time with or talk to in real life.
• Take time to get to know others. Unlike Twitter, you won’t get away with throwing out random thoughts or spamming your timeline with a ton of links. You have to talk to your friends. You have to get to know them. This takes more than asking a few questions about their job or interests (although that is a good thing to do). Pay attention to your friends’ timelines and what they’re talking about.
• Don’t spam your friends with a ton of links. It’s okay to share some of your best blog posts or your favorite article every now and then. But don’t get crazy with it. I recently removed someone as my friend–not because I didn’t like them, but because they repeatedly sent the same to link time and again over the course of a few days. It’s annoying. Don’t do it. (Plus, each time you lose a friend it hurts your Karma.)
• Have fun. While there are some serious discussions and interesting debates in Plurk, there’s also a ton of fun to be had. Sometimes you just need some down time, and that’s when your Plurk friends are the most fun. Act silly. Sing a song. Share a funny video. Write 140-word silly stories. (Hint: Your Karma rises when you have fun, too.)

Want to read more opinions of Plurk? Check out these posts by some of my Plurk buddies:

• Plurk Fever
• Plurk
• 10 Things About Plurk

Popularity: 8% [?]

Finding Confidence in Your Writing Again

Confidence is a total freedom from doubt. It is a point where you forget about every negative input or thought and become consumed with your writing. Freedom from doubt and fear is the best thing that can happen to any writer.

Last week, several writers gave their input on their confidence and writing. While some writers claimed to be forever confident in what they write, others admitted to struggling with confidence issues. Since our conversation last week, I’ve been thinking about confidence, and how it affects (or doesn’t affect) writers. Here are some of my thoughts on this.

Confidence Tips For Writers

If you don’t have confidence, get it.

Some writers feel like they’ve never had confidence in their work. They struggle through every piece of writing, barely making it to the end. When they finally do reach the closing words, they feel naked and scared to release their writing for the world to read. I wonder why in the world you would want to continue writing, if this is how you feel. So for you writers who feel like you never had confidence to begin with, go out and get some! Need ideas?

• Keep a running list/log of encouragement, positive feedback, or kind words you receive from readers.
• Dream a little dream. Where would you like to see your writing? What great things would you like to accomplish through writing?
• Believe in yourself, and what you can do.

Stop procrastinating.

Procrastination lends itself to unproductive days, which leads to a lack of self-confidence. When you can’t make yourself sit at your desk long enough to finish one piece of writing, you begin to doubt yourself. You’ll start telling yourself things like…

• I can’t finish this.
• It’s too hard.
• I’m such a loser.
• Why do I call myself a writer?

Stop it already. When you find yourself procrastinating, force yourself to get back on track. Here are some tips to help you out:

• Use a timer when writing.
• Create a strict writing schedule for yourself.
• Set up a rewards system for yourself.

Don’t belittle or berate yourself or your work.

If you are the kind of writer who likes what you write until you read it, you are only hurting yourself. If it doesn’t seem as smart as you thought it was while you were writing it, you should put the piece down and walk away. Time has a way of opening your eyes to things you couldn’t see in the heat of the moment. Don’t belittle or berate your work. If you aren’t totally happy with it, that’s okay. But find one good thing you like about it, then set it aside and come back to it later.

Make friends with the editor side of you.

I’m sure you’ve read much about your inner critic. As a writer, you also have an inner editor (that could also be referred to as your inner critic). If you constantly worry about how much editing will have to be done before your writing can be complete and successful, then it’s no wonder why you aren’t confident in your writing. Don’t look at your writing through stern eyes. Simply write and enjoy the process, knowing you’ll come back to it later to edit and revise.

The best thing to do is to make nice with your inner editor. Get to know him. Find out what he likes and doesn’t like. Then kindly tell him to get lost for a few hours while you write. I’m betting your words will flow much smoother if you’ll take my advice.

Forget about perfection. It’s a lie and a myth.

This tip is for you writers who strive for perfection (myself included). Most likely, you write with the intention that you will do one draft only because it will be complete and perfect the first time out. Or, maybe you are the opposite, and you stress over every word you write, reminding yourself the entire time that it will have to be perfected in the end (see the previous tip above).

You cannot and must not allow the idea of perfect writing ruin you. There is no such thing as perfection. Period. And despite what you might have been told, practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes better.

Keep your eyes on the prize and your head out of the clouds.

Finally, some of you feel greatly bound by your own dreams and goals. You have great aspirations as a writer. You know what you want, and you are steadily working on getting there. But sometimes you are stifled by those dreams. You can only see what you want, and it’s difficult for you to focus on what is right in front of you. Here are some tips especially for you:

• Set mini goals that will propel you towards your main goal.
• Focus on the writing at hand, rather than everything else that must be done in the future.
• Put one foot in front of the other. Do what needs to be done today, and let tomorrow take care of itself.

Final Thought

In closing, I have a question I want you to ask yourself and spend some time considering: Do you trust yourself (as a writer)? Do you trust that you have everything you need right now to be the best writer you can be? Do you trust that you will learn and grow as time passes, and apply that knowledge to your writing?

Popularity: 7% [?]

Tags: confidence in writing, confident writers, writers, Writing

Catch Your Second Wind

Image: mzacha

Do you write and write until you can’t write anymore? As a writer, it is of utmost importance that you remember to refill your well. Continuous writing without a break usually leads to a big old nasty writing rut. And once you’re all written out, it can be very difficult to get unstuck.

It’s so easy to keep writing, telling yourself the entire time that you can’t afford to stop for a break. Maybe you’re running on a tight deadline and you’ve scheduled too many jobs into your calendar. Regardless of what excuse you’re trying to make to talk yourself out of a break, the fact is, you need one.

Why You Have To Stop

If all you can find are excuses as to why you can’t stop for a break, let me help you out. Here are some of the most important reasons why you must stop now before you burn out.

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Popularity: 19% [?]

Tags: write, writers, Writing

Confidence And Writing

Last week I asked my Plurk writing buddies if they’ve ever lost confidence in their writing, and if so, how did they regain their confidence. The replies I received varied quite a bit. Here are some of the responses I received…

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Popularity: 15% [?]

Write In Bursts

I’m pretty sure I’m not the only writer who faces and deals with procrastination. So I thought I’d share something I discovered yesterday that is helping me write quite a bit in a short amount of time.

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Popularity: 100% [?]

Write For You

 
Image: stock.xchng

All too often writers turn into freelancers looking for the next gig that will put food on the table. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but sometimes it sort of “just happens” to those who need the extra money and decide they may as well use their writing skills to get it.

That’s exactly where I found myself last year–looking down the barrel of the freelancing gun; wondering where in the world I was and where in the world I was going. I didn’t have a clue.

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Popularity: 50% [?]

Tags: freelance writer, Freelance Writing, Writing, writing gigs

Direction For Your Freelance Writing Career

If you are thinking about starting a freelance writing career, or if you are already a freelancer but need some serious motivation or encouragement, I’ve got a terrific resource for you.

ChrisBlogging.com is filled with endless advice for freelance writers. In his blog, Chris shares monthly income stats, goal setting tips for writers, and sage advice.

I highly suggest starting from the very beginning and working your way forward. It will take you some time to read through every post on this blog, but it’s well worth the time and effort.

Popularity: 56% [?]

Tags: blog, freelance, freelance writer, freelance writing career, write, Writing, writing career