Mind Sieve 7/11/11

Here are this week's offerings!

Jimmibjr wants us to test our Firefly mettle by watching the trailer for "My Little Serenity" (Fripping AWESOME!)


From FansOfMovies the link to the 3rd Cowboys vs Aliens trailer. Oh yeah!



Gene Lempp shared a link to a review by Tiffany White on TNT's Memphis. It's quirky and weird and I personally like it! Hubby even more so. Heh.

Kristen Lamb's WANA (We Are Not Alone) Wednesday - Understanding Influence: Making the Most of our Time on Social Media.I am totally not good at this. lol.

Google + - Kristen Lamb shares her thoughts on the new Social Media outlet.(Right now, if you already have a Google Account you can sign up to get email updates (they were allowing immediate sign up but got flooded! Heh heh). I can only think of it as yet another place to have a profile and add to my humongous list. lol.)

CasseraComm wrote a post about How to Increase Sales by Watching TV.  She makes some very good points! Useful for teasers on social media and trailers.

Justine Musk did a nice blog post on having a Brand and the Seven components of having one. Some definitely nice bits in here! 

Gene Lempp takes us to his latest playground to get our mental creative muscles moving - Forest of Sand. (Don't forget the sunblock!)

Chuck Wendig's tell all book Confessions Of A Freelance Penmonkey is out! You can find all the info, some reviews and more here. If offensive language doesn't bother you there are many gems to be found within his colored words. :)

What Separates Man From Monkey - post by Chuck Wendig. (NSFW)

Rachel Brooks tells us Why Writers Always Need to Be in "Writer Mode". Hear, hear! (Though I've botched this myself a time or two or five! (always it too much of a hurry! oi!)) You just never know who might be watching. :)

Jami Gold shared this great post from Roni Loren on Death by Critique: 6 Ways to Avoid It.

P N Elrod shared a link to a Poetry Scam - info supplied by The Poetry Sanctuary. Sadly they are targeting kids - so beware!

That's it for this week. Enjoy!

Mind Sieve 7/4/11

More links than you can shake a stick at! Heh

Also, Happy 4th of July!  Yay for Independence!!!

FanOfMovies shared a link from TotalFilms for an article with the first images of Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins for the film The Hobbit!

FanOfMovies also shared the third preview trailer for Cowboys vs Aliens. (Dying to see this movie!!)



From AJ Walker is this cool post on old ways to keep the spirits out of your home on Medieval Mondays.

Shared by Torbooks - Game of Thrones Muppets. Too cute! And so EVIL!

Jami Gold shared this fun quiz by Angela Scott to determine if You're A "Real" Writer. Very cute.

Kristen Lamb talks about Blogging in Themes. Weirdly enough my author tagline can also be my theme! Unveiling the Fantastic!  YES!

Jody Hedlund tries to break down How Much Time Writers Should Devote to Social Media. Sadly my ratios are totally out of whack. :(

EduClaytion shared a post on 3 Keys to Managing Your Life.Hah! Like that's ever gonna happen. Hee!

Jami Gold shared a post by GalleyCat on 5 Twitter Profile Mistakes Writers Should Avoid. Hah! I only missed #4. :P

Tony Eldrige shared a resource - Open Clip Art Library! Now I just need to make time to go troll what they have. lol.

Jason Boog gives us some goss on Google + and Authors. Could be very interesting!

Nathan Bransford shares 5 Openings to Avoid for your novel. (Hah! He didn't have "It was a dark and stormy night. :P)

Kathy Sullivan discusses POV at the Obscure YA Author's blog.

Kristen Lamb talks about Failure - the Forge of Excellence. 

Jami Gold shared a link to a post by Sue Ellen about 10 Things I've Learned About Writing by Walking My Dog.  Nice list. Lots of wisdom in there. :) (And cute doggie pics!)

Another blog post shared by Jami Gold from Jill Kemerer - Minor Adjustments for Major Impacts. Great post as these are great points!

Chuck Wendig shares 25 Things You Should Know About Revising and Rewriting. (NSFW!) Much wisdom amidst colorful language as usual. :P

Janice Hardy talks to us about Crafting Subplots. Definitely things to keep in mind. I always have a second document to track peeps, chapters, items. Must maintain control! Bwahahahaha

Kristen Lamb talks about Developing Your Unique Writing Voice (and Boundaries!). Some good stuff in here.

Strangling Mermaids - where Chuck Wendig explodes some more writing myths. (NSFW)

Okay, that should do it for another filter week. Have a great one!  And Happy 4th!

Mind Sieve 4/25/11

Another busy week and tons of links to share!


Fan Fun

Candace Havens shared a new trailer for the Movie Priest. Looks totally AWESOME! Can't wait!

NCIS_CBS shared some casting news. Kerr Smith is joining the hunt for the Port-to-Port Killer. (Kerr Smith rocks! This should be FUN!)

Twaitter shared a link to an article about First Light Wave Quantum Teleportation being achieved. This will open up the way for ultra fast data transmissions. Mind boggling and totally rad!

FansofMovies shared a link to Rise of the Planet of the Apes! A story about how it all began. Looks good!

Also from FansofMovies come a link to the second trailer for Cowboys vs Aliens. I am so very much looking forward to this one! Woohoo!

ATATforAmerica got talked about in an article by Alexandra Petri titled - AT-AT for America: President Obama and all patriots, it's Time. The movement is crazy and yet fun at the same time. :P


Manga/Anime

Some sad news linked by SoonerCon. Tokyopop, one of the major manga translation groups is closing its doors in May 2011. As a super manga junkie, this is going to hurt.


Social Media/Author Platforms

Kristen Lamb talks about busting the Myth! Yes, Writers Can Make Time For Social Media.
Preview:
"I have to spend hours on Twitter and Facebook to be effective.
Um…that would be a negative. Total myth. In fact, if we do? An angry clown will jump out of our computer and bite off our face. Kidding! Though that would be cool. No, the angry clown is a total lie. But, it is likely people will unfollow us because we never shut up."

For Twitter Tuesday, Kristen Lamb talks to us about How Hashtags Need to Be Used Responsibly.
Preview:
"If our goal is to build an author platform in the thousands to tens of thousands, then we will have to approach Twitter differently than a faceless corporation or even the regular person who does not possess a goal of becoming a brand. This blog will help you rule the Twitterverse without devolving into a spam bot."

The Book Marketing Floozy listed a ton of links at her site. Now I just have to find the time to go click on them all~! DOH! (Go right on ahead and don't wait on me, or you'll be waiting a while. :P)

Professor Clay Morgan shows us How To Create Opportunities. (Really neat story!)

Does Likability Matter? Kristen Lamb explores this as she recounts her recent experience in LA at Romantic Times.


Writing Advice

KristenLamb asks: Want to write a novel that will grab an agent's attention? Grab a reader's love? Let's Talk Structure.
Preview:
Want a way to stand out from all the other writers clamoring to get an agent’s attention? Want to be a best-selling author with stories that endure the tests of time? Learn all you can about the craft, particularly novel structure. Structure is one of those boring topics like finance or taxes. It isn’t nearly as glamorous as creating characters or reading about ways to unleash our creative energy.

Tawna Fenske waxes on Hope, Bad Advice, and Positions that Cramp Your Thighs. Good stuff to keep in mind. Remember why you're doing this stuff!

Pimp My Novel gives a lot of common sense advice and truths as well! Schedule, Schedule, Schedule.
Preview:
"If you've been reading this blog for awhile, mes auteurs, then you're familiar with my opinion that, even beyond talent and luck, a writer needs discipline in order to succeed. John Gardner once wrote: "Most of the people I've known who wanted to become writers, knowing what it meant, did become writers" (bold emphasis mine). So: what does it mean to be a writer?"

Chuck Wendig gives us Six Signs You're Not Ready To Be A Professional Writer.

Amy Shojai does a comparison between veterinary medicine and publishing. Pretty cool comparison really.



Aha! That should keep you busy for a bit. I will destroy brain matter yet! Bwahahahaha!