“EYYYY I’M OPEN TO SELF-IMPROVEMENT. REMEMBER WHEN I WENT TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE?” – BIG T, Who’s the Boss
So one thing I’ve learned about myself over the past year and a half of freelancing is that I do pretty well with constructive criticism. I’m quite aware I’m not the hottest shiznat in the shizzer. I mean, I’d like to think I do a lot of things right, but when somebody whose opinion I trust has a tip for me, I’m happy to try it out.
Recently I’ve come across a few of these articles or memes or whatever of people giving their flat out advice on how to be less crappy when pitching to media outlets and/or applying for jobs with same and/or writing online generally. A while ago there was that cramazing 3,000 word rejection letter from an editor at a clean tech mag start-up, for example. And then I’ve come across a few more just in my own course of clickings.
And so I read them with interest. And then I get a bit angry. Because… well… I don’t do MOST of the stupid shit they claim many writers/freelancers/job applicants do! I mean basic, basic standards I regard as bare minimums for my work are apparently being transgressed all the time by people who still manage to make a living from this gig. And yet, I’m still not more successful with various writey whatnots (evidence: I do not yet have my own magazine, Pickle-Pie Pizzas and Poirot Monthly). I have heeded the relevant advice and found it wanting.
So I’m going to start a little exploration here on the old Tumblette entitled EHHH! WHAT HAVE THEY GOT THAT I DON’T?! In which I examine some of the best blogs (according to Time’s Best Blogs of 2011 to start with) and simply answer, “HEY! WHADDA THEY GOT THAT I DON’T, ALREADY, EH-OH JUST CALL ME TONY FROM WHO’S THE BOSS?”
Hopefully such an examination, and integration of best bloggy practices when possible, will lead to this here Tumble being THE BEST BLOG IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. Or at least one that KNOWS HOW IT COULD BE THE BEST BLOG IN THE UNIVERSSSSSSE THAT I AM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING. Because I want this blog that I so enjoy, with its hamburger cake photos and Kate Hudson essays, to be enjoyable for people to read as it is for me to make, which is REALLY A LOT, WHOAH MAMA. I want this Tumblr to be the blog equivalent of this delicious baked good offering. (Or… pancakes? I can’t tell.)
Anyhow. That’s what’s up.
What did you do last night? I ate an entire can of tuna.
Brianna Goldberg 