Monthly Archives: October 2013
10 Self Motivators for Writers
I’m thinking most of my readers of the “new” blog are writers to some capacity. That is to say, I’m betting you’re sitting on an incomplete draft of some novel, article, story, academic paper, etc. While it’s relatively easy to get (re)motivated by some conversation, epiphany, read, etc., I’m a firm believer in applying that…
DIY Animated Videos
I came across goanimate.com, a cool site that lets you make your own professional animated videos. There are a ton of backgrounds, characters, themes, etc., and you have much freedom to change how it all looks. It’s all drag-and-drop for storyboarding, and then you
Bar Jokes Involving Grammar and Punctuation
Here’s a bit of Friday grammar humor for ya, care of McSweeney’s. Enjoy!
Come to the Dark Patterns
Dark patterns are intentional content and design decisions in UX that tend to employ deceptive practices to trick you into taking some action. There’s actually quite a bit of psychology that goes into such design decisions. I recently came across this website and presentation that details what dark patterns are and how to use them. While…
GoDaddy Purchases Media Temple
DISCLAIMER: I will generally not comment on the happenings and decisions of my employer, here. More so, the thoughts and opinions on this blog are my own and do not represent or, necessarily coincide with, those of the company. However, I wanted to speak out on this one. Yesterday, GoDaddy purchased MediaTemple, the premium domain hosting and…
Don’t Confuse Engagement with User Experience
Substantially more Android phones are sold than are iPhones (about 5:1 in 2012). However, iPhone users do much more shopping, browsing, and app-downloading. So, what gives? This Harvard Business Review article, by Michael Schrage, discusses it. The key point is:
Getting writing credit: Better late than never
Dalton Trumble, another writer blacklisted by the (Charlie?) McCarthy hearings, is finally vindicated and honored with the credit for Roman Holiday.
Originality in Professional Writing
As writers, we all want to deliver that exceptional, unparalleled line of prose, that all-unique gem that perfectly fits the situation and purpose, rewards both you and the customer, and leaves you showered with public accolades and shining with personal satisfaction. But in the professional writing ring, does unproved originality really trump tried effectiveness? That…
Banana Book Tease
I am co-authoring a book with the illustrious Brian Dunn. The title is not actually “The Banana Book,” although you’ll find a banana metaphor does make it prominently into the text. I’ll not say a ton about it right now, but I want to mention it here, since I know there will be an increasing…
Everything you know about Steve Jobs and design is wrong, according to one man who should know
Hartmut Esslinger, founder of Frog Design (the company responsible for Apple’s sweet, simple designs), is retiring and has just published his memoir, Keep It Simple – The Early Design Years of Apple, which is partly an insider’s account of the origins of Apple’s iconic products and brand. Basically, he wants to set the record straight about the…