It's Terribly Tasteful - A lens about lenses, a blog about blogs

Ranked #24,926 in Arts & Design, #609,114 overall

"Care more than others think wise. Risk more than others think safe. Dream more than others think practical. Expect more than others think possible." - Howard Schultz.

This is a lens about how to use the internet to exhibit and sell art via blogging and now lenses. It's a companion to my blog, www.terriblytasteful.com.--a lens about lenses, pointing to a blog about blogs.

I post my work at littleworksgallery.com and heartbeatatmyfeet.com, offering it for sale with all the ranking techniques I've learned so far: links, pings, trackbacks, and frequent provocative posts, to name a few. It's a new process and a risk, but isn't that innovation?

Terribly Tasteful is about the process. If results pour in, it's a how-to. If not, it's a how-not-to.

User friendly tools like blogging and Squidoo are a way to add our best voices, virtues and creativity to the evolving conversation of the internet. They are billboards for our products as well as our principles, and they level the playing field for the solo entrepreneur competing with giants. Or not.

"I've had some of my best conversations with strangers, she said, because they have no idea who they're dealing with." Brian Andreas

 

 

Little Works of Heart Gallery

Interpreted Photography

Digital photography and Photoshop allow greater interpretation of our images than ever. It's an evolution from painting with light, to painting with pixels. These are mine, and I pair them with words that inspire the process for a complete composition.
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Heartbeat At My Feet

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Going About It

A checklist of things I've tried that work in blog marketing for beginners

  • Get a typepad account. The entry level gives you three blogs. They have great tutorials and amazing technical support.
  • Get a technorati account. Do a profile. Add some tags.
  • Get a statcounter account. A nice group of brits and they offer an invisible counter that works quite well.
  • Bloglines. Here's where you check in at the blogosphere hotel and spa to whip yourself into shape anc clean your pores.
  • Feedblitz. After your announce your blog and the tech-deprived portion of your audience nods their heads and says "that's nice", they can get your posts in their email. If they don't have email, give up.
  • Start posting. Don't try to be perfect. You're not writing a book, you're building a structure in view of everyone. Mistakes are allowed. Course corrections are encouraged.
  • Squidoo. Exposure with good intentions, created by people who are qualified to lead. I'm in.

Where I go when I want to know...

Terribly Tasteful Bookstore
A bibliography of sources for Terribly Tasteful readers, with links to buy through Amazon, and 100% of proceeds going to charity.
Duane Keiser's site
This artist paints a painting every day, then posts and sells them online. He has a blog, a site and even a widget. Maybe even an ebay store. I want to know his secrets. I bought two of his peanut butter sandwich prints. They're as beautiful as a PB&J can be. Duane, are you listening?
Visual Thesaurus
"The Visual Thesaurus is a dictionary and thesaurus with an intuitive interface that encourages exploration and learning. Available in both a Desktop Edition and an Online Edition [I use the online edition], the Visual Thesaurus is a marvelous way to improve your vocabulary and your understanding of the English language." It's for visual people and it's mesmerizing! I keep it on my toolbar and use it every day.
Audible.com
Some books really lend themselves to reading out loud. Seth Godin's are a perfect example! And if you wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep, you can crack a book without turning on the light. Very reasonable membership. I'm linking to them even though they WON'T GIVE ME AN ASSOCIATES ACCOUNT. Grrrrrr.
Feedblitz
Feedblitz has a cool widget you can add to your blog and subscribers sign up to receive your posts via email. This is important because so many of my clients don't have the foggiest idea what a blog is, but they do get email.
Constant Contact
Keeping in touch and keeping track of your email distribution is easy anad quite professional with Constant Contact. Plus--it's another way to plug your lenses, blogs and websites.
Virtual Training Center
Online education in so many hardware and software categories, coupled with the ultimate "try before you buy" package AND a truly reasonable monthly rate if you choose to sign up.
O'Reilly Safari Bookshelf
Another online way to expand your brain.

Must love books.

Leaders are Readers

At terriblytastefulbooks.com I am building a bibliography and list of resources for those scary folks who want to use my model. Here, I'm highlighting the very latest.
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New Seths Blog

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New Gapingvoid

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by

susanlucasphotog

I am a photographic artist primarily known for my work with children, animals and sometimes self-conscious adults. Along the way I have accumulated a collectio... more »

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