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| ArmchairBEA |
I'm all about the visual aspect of anything in life. You look at food and get hungry before you actually sit down to eat. You see a cover of a book before you read it. That cover should entice you. Make you want to look to the back for a synopsis or even flip through the pages. Visual Expressions are an everyday thing.
Today, thanks to a great interview at ArmchairBEA's headquarters, I learned about webcomics. I didn't really know they were a thing. Sad, but true. I read comics, am a huge fan actually, like, Archie & the Gang, Garfield... OMG he is hilarious, and I love the strip in Saturday's paper, Pickles. That old guy is jokes. Pickles is probably my favorite comic on the planet. The dynamic between him and his wife makes me think that's what Vinny and I will be like in a few years. :-)
This past year I have gotten into graphic novels. I didn't really steer from them, but thought maybe they were too immature for an almost 40 year old. (Yeah, I'm that old.) Turns out, you can get adult graphic novels. I read a Neil Gaiman one that was not for kids. Decided from then on, I wouldn't be so one-sighted. Even the ones geared for kids happen to be alright. Just like any other genre, it's hit or miss.
Now, Social Media.
Blogging is social media. You put your thoughts out there and people read it. You get social. The more you write, the more people come, the more social you are.
Simple.
Yet, not so simple.
You have to be yourself, be creative, and not be offensive all at once. Seeing as how things on the world wide web can get lost in translation, it's not always an easy feat. Not everyone gets sarcasm. I have a hard time expressing it all in 140 characters or less.
Which brings me to Twitter.
Twitter is the biggest way to get word out. Provided you have a decent following already. Then you will see retweets and even some will favorite the tweets for later. You only have a small amount of characters you can use though. Still, with so many people on it, it is a fantastic way to advertise anything or just get word out.
Facebook is another way. Creating a fan page is easy and painless. Word of mouth brings lots of new people in, and you can post any amount of messages you want. Facebook for me is not as fun anymore. You probably know the term, 'trolls'. They are real. They will bother you, but try not to let them.
Instagram is the newest thing I'm hooked on. You can follow friends, family, celebs, stores... pretty much anything, even ArmchairBEA. :-) People post photos with captions or hashtags. It's a great way to get the visual expression you look for.
Pinterest is the last one for me. Pinterest is a place where you can keep an organized hold on things you love or want to try out. It's a great place to get recipes, DIY ideas, fashion, books and more. Best part is visuals come with it in the form of photos.
I do use more channels, but these are my top ones.
Social Media is the way of the future. If you're not part of it now, someday you probably won't have a choice. It is how everyone will be accessible. I'll leave you with my links. Stalk me all you want. No, seriously.. I'm lonely. :-)
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I never thought of everything as visual expressions, but you're right. It really is. Your eyes are what notices things.
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you at ABEA this year! I agree with you about social media, but still don't have enough time to really keep up with it and with reading! In the future, I hope I can have a pill so I don't need to sleep!
ReplyDeleteLovely spine poem. It seems like most of us hang on Twitter more than anywhere. I am not a huge social media junkie, but I do like the interaction that Twitter offers.
ReplyDeleteI really like your spine poem!
ReplyDeleteI love the Pickles comic strip! And while I haven't read many of the Neil Gaiman graphic novels, have loved the few I've finished. As for social media, I find myself on Facebook more than Twitter or Instagram. I need to spend more time on Twitter, but there's already so much going on that it isn't easy. Need to get this whole time management problem figured out!
ReplyDeleteLove the spine poem! Very clever!