Tips for the Floundering Tweeter

August 15, 2015October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / Leave a comment

Although, I’ve had a Twitter account for awhile now, I admit I’m not proficient in the use of Twitter. For one, it can be addictive and it’s hard for me to say anything in a 140 characters. I’ve been working on my Twitter presence and thanks to Kevan Lee at Buffer for his article, Twitter Tips for Beginners, I have a number of tips to share with those of you who, like me, are still floundering beginners or, just floundering.

Twitter Tips

Unless you don’t want to get anything else done -Don’t read every tweet. According to Kevan, “If you’re following 100 people, you could see 2,200 tweets per day.” I don’t have that kind of time.
Use Lists: This is something I’ve used for some time now. I currently have nine lists, from writing to politics.
Talk to people. If they tweet, re-tweet, mention, or favor a tweet – recognize them. Say something, after all, Twitter is about connecting with people. In the South, we call not responding – rude!
Use a scheduler. I use Buffer and have for a long time.
Make sure your profile is up to date, professional and says something real about who you are.
Follow as many as you want and more if you can. You follow me, I’m gonna follow you. And, by the way, you can find me on Twitter @cofcmom.
And, Thanks Kevan for this: No. 1 Rule of Tweeting: If you want everyone to see your tweet, don’t start it with an @ symbol. I didn’t have a clue.
You’re not going to be shunned or cut off from Twitter world if you repost a Tweet more than once. Go for it. It’s okay. You might pick up a follower or two.
Don’t forget the # hashtag, but don’t overdo it either. According to Kevan, when you use more than two #’s, engagement drops by 17%. Who knew you could # someone to death. Kevan has a whole article on the science of #hashtags. You can check it out here.

Here’s to Tweeting. I’ll see you on the Twitter playground. I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story. And as always, you can follow me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Twitter @cofcmom, Tumblr, and Pinterest.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

December 23, 2014October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / Leave a comment

Christmas is a busy season of shopping, decorating, and baking. The thoughts and preparations for Santa and family monopolize our days. But once the last gift is opened, the leftovers put away, we’re on to the next thing, New Years resolutions.

As the year comes to a close, we reflect on last years accomplishments, or lack there of, and the promises we will make for the new year. We write them down, share them with family and friends, post them on Facebook and Twitter, hoping for accountability. We all want to be better people, better writers, parents, and citizens. My prayer for all of us is we shall succeed.

This past year has been tumultuous, particularly, in our country. Division is rampant. People feel disheartened and distrustful. For me, it represents a low point for our nation. But, I am confident the tide will turn and we as families and citizens will unite.

As we gather around the tree and banquet table this Christmas, let us remember the less fortunate, the troubled, those who are hurting and in despair. May one of our resolutions, for 2015, be more compassion for others. As we do not know what burdens they carry.

Let us remember the true reason for Christmas, a season of love and redemption, for all of us.

Thank you for stopping by the Cow Pasture and I wish for you and your family a very Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year.

Can We Talk?

September 28, 2014October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 7 Comments

DAILY PROMPT
Ready, Set, Done
Our free-write is back by popular demand: today, write about anything — but you must write for exactly ten minutes, no more, no less.

Can we talk? No, I mean really talk? Have a conversation, put our phones down, look each other in the face (eye contact might be too much) and talk?

Cause it seems to me we’ve forgotten how to communicate on the most basic level.

We have become a superficial society of acquaintances communicating in 140 characters and anonymous Likes on Facebook. Our kids are growing up unable to interpret simple nuances, expressions of subtle body language, or the tone of ones voice. One-on-one social interaction has become uncomfortable and outdated.

We’ve given our kids cell phones 24/7 on the pretense of keeping them safe, but if we were honest with ourselves, convenience was the real reason. Convenient to know their whereabouts at all times, and easier than arguing when they threw the inevitable “Everybody has a phone,” tantrum.

Inundated with technology cell phones, laptops, iPods, and eReaders are the minimum found in most homes today. And we upgrade on a regular basis, providing the newest and greatest to our children at younger ages each year. We have created a world of artificial communication and when our kids no longer talk or interact with us, we act surprised.

This is the text generation. They communicate from a distance. Debate behind the mask of social media, date online, and divorce on legal zoom.com. People no longer know how to carry on a conversation face-to-face or even over the phone. We pass each other, not bothering to look up from the technology in our hands, forgetting the importance of touch or respect. Because in our quest for convenience, we’ve forgotten those same values ourselves, and we don’t teach them to our children. It isn’t convenient.

Respect is not just a word in the dictionary. There is a person in front, beside or next to each of us. They have a story to tell. Let’s have a conversation for a change. Stop texting. Make a phone call, instead. Have a face-to-face and leave the phones turned off, in the car or facedown, but for once, see where a real story leads. See what genuine communication feels like for a change. You might be surprised.

What do you think?

How to Get Back in The Game

June 27, 2014April 13, 2018 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / Leave a comment

Greetings, from the Cow Pasture; It’s been awhile since last hearing from me. To be exact it’s been seven months.

During the time away, the task of writing seemed overwhelming. Many days I’d feared not only my creative muse had been lost, but also the desire to write.

So, I gave myself permission to stop, if only for a time. To stop struggling with time, blank pages, and a blank mind. I continued to read my favorite blogs and books. Reading has always brought me pleasure and gave me much needed food for thought, manna for my soul. My writing, I set aside.

The last two years had taken its toll. I needed time for my body and soul to heal.
At any given moment, you have the power to say…

I’m ready now, but how did I get back into the game of writing?

I realized this wasn’t how I wanted the story of my life to end. Trying to play catch up would be futile. I knew couldn’t. So, I made a to-do-list. “Start slow, take baby steps,” I told myself. It was a beginning

http://www.flickr.com/photos/85608594@N00/10448651626Perhaps, you will find it helpful.

Designate a time to write; daily, weekly, whatever works for you and keep it sacred.
Clean and declutter computer files. The mundane task of reorganizing files can help hands and mind reconnect to writing related tasks.
Evaluate current mailing lists. Eliminate sites rarely used or those offering redundant information. Stop wasting time going through a zillion emails.
Reevaluate social platforms (Blog, Author’s page, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, etc). Narrow the focus and find which social network will work best for you based on where you are and what you hope to accomplish.
Establish ONE goal. The thing you want most to accomplish in the next three, six months or over the next year, outline a schedule and do it. (Publish, revise current works in progress, try a different genre, etc.)
Pick ONE project at a time and see it to completion. The satisfaction of accomplishing your goal, will keep you moving forward.
Persevere and write even if it is one word a day.