The Social Freelancer: Media, Music, TV & Film

I had a horrible dream last night.
Riding in the very back seat of a passenger van on a two lane blacktop highway at night, I looked up to see that I was the only one in the van. No driver, no other passengers and the van was starting to veer off of the road. I struggled to unstrap myself from the seat so that I could somehow climb over all the seats, get behind the wheel and save myself from certain disaster. I woke up sweating. When I told my wife about the dream she pointed out how symbolic it was for my life at this time. Strange, I couldn’t even see the symbolism until she pointed it out to me.
The rest of the story >>> Read more…

Active writing for this blog and sharing content with the world has been an enriching experience for me, if not monetarily successful (there’s still hope!). The interactions with kind people from all walks of life online has given me a different perspective on the world at large. I have found that nothing beats Twitter for expanding your reach and introducing you to like-minded people from all over the globe.

Don’t get me wrong, I dig Facebook, and interact there a lot. It’s fun and it deepens the interactions you already have with people. But Twitter is a different animal, one where multiple messages, and linking to multiple posts many times a day is easy.
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I’ve got the ham and black eyed peas on the burner as I sit here reflecting on the strangeness that was 2011. I don’t know about you but I am happy to have kicked last year to the curb! It was a difficult one on many fronts…
A BIG positive note for me was the development of this blog, The Social Freelancer ™. I have enjoyed posting regularly (a first for me!) and the interaction of people all over the world via social media (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube).

One thing I have learned on my blogging journey is this:
Nobody is “great” right out of the gate.

Blogging, like photography, songwriting and other art forms (yes I do consider blogs to be “art”) is something that is learned and built through ACTION over time. No one snaps a few pictures or writes a couple of songs or articles and is then “great” at photography, songwriting or blogging. As with my music, I find that after reflection on past material, a lot of it doesn’t “stand up” to the test of time. I believe I am getting better as I go along. What do you think?

Below are links to five posts that were “successful” in my mind. I believe they met their intended goals in a concise, “reader friendly” writing style. These are not necessarily the posts that got the most traffic (although a few of them did quite well). These are posts that I am proud of, looking back at the past year.

Which of these posts do you like best? Worst? Why? Please comment below, thanks for visiting The Social Freelancer ™

Here they Are! Top 5 of 2011 from The Social Freelancer ™: Read more…

Love it or hate it (I am sure there will be lots of hand wringing commentary on both sides) Facebook IS changing, rolling out the new user interface, Timeline. Next week you’ll be changed over. NOPE, no choice on your end. What do you think of all this? Please comment at the bottom of this post. I read every single one, and value your feedback.

Want to have a look before you get switched over? HERE > Introducing Facebook Timeline

Here’s official Facebook video which gives a quick overview of the new Timeline interface: Read more…

Not convinced social media matters? Watch ANY news program on television, from CNN to Fox to MSNBC – EVERY SINGLE ONE now will bombard you with invitations to connect on Facebook AND Twitter. Trust me, I have worked in television for more than twenty years. If social media wasn’t having a positive impact on their relationship with viewers, thereby driving up the value of advertising, THEY WOULDN’T BE DOING IT.

There’s more>> Read more…

Who gives a Twit to share a Tweet? What does it all mean? Well, it takes a bit of instruction (or self teaching as I did) to understand it but the numbers don’t lie, Twitter is a powerful news, information and marketing platform. Everyone who is ignoring it, think again, wrap your head around it, it’s here to stay.

Check out this Infographic…

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Getting just a little knowledge one time and then thinking you’ve got it all figured out doesn’t “cut it” in these economically difficult times where EVERYONE is struggling to be heard above the noise in social media.
READ ON FOR TOP 5 SITES>>> Read more…

I’m no expert, just a freelancer trying to make my way in this world. I watch what others are doing (or not doing), implement ideas that make sense to me, and share it here. I use social media as an outlet of expression and a way to assist growth in my business.

Being “social” can certainly enhance your business, but it won’t MAKE a business.

Where to Begin? Read more…

A child of five would understand this. Send someone to fetch a child of five.
- Groucho Marx

Two questions I get often:

1. Where do you get your quotes?
The short answer is: a lot of places… multiple sources that are easy to use. After a good deal of research and trial and error, here are the five best sites for quotes on the Internet (in my not so humble opinion!):

READ ON FOR LINKS TO BEST SITES FOR QUOTES ON NET>> Read more…

So much nervousness about what to post on social media! I see many people worried about what others may think if they post “the wrong thing.” Most of us have some insecurities when it comes to socializing, whether it be at an informal party, a networking event or in social media (Facebook, Twitter, Google+ etc…). I think most of it stems from these five self-doubting thoughts:
READ ON – 5 Reasons We’re Afraid of Networking Plus 5 Helpful Posts >>> Read more…

What a crazy week, and it’s only Wednesday! Now I am compelled to have a bit of a rant. Our regular slammed busy week is further complicated by this exchange:

Lauren: “Damn, they changed Facebook again. What is the deal with this News Feed? I don’t get it. Why do they keep changing it all the time?”
Trace: “Who the hell knows? I’ll try to figure it out later but right now I have to answer these ten mind-numbing emails, go to the post office and return some gear. Who’s got time for this stuff?”

What They Don’t Get – WE DON’T LIKE CHANGE! Especially when it seems completely unnecessary… Read more…

In recent weeks there has been a lot of speculation about Google’s new social networking interface, Google+. Yes, I am a social media junkie, so of course I have a profile on Google+ and you can easily find me there. Truth is, I am only there because I have gmail and Youtube (Owned by Google) accounts and they naturally made it easy for their current users to migrate into Google+.

My Take on Google+? Read more…