Business Plan

       In the first of two lectures we learned how to create our own business. This was my first business lecture and I realized just how ignorant I am when it comes to the subject. I never knew how easy owning your own business is, but can certainly appreciate all the benefits. First you need a plan, one you renew every year. Next, get  a lawyer and file an LLC (Limited Liability Corporation.) An LLC is like a membership card and offers security. Once you're certified, get a professional website and business cards. Finally, know how to use taxes to your advantage. Also, get in the mindset of charging no less than sixty dollars an hour!

Cover Letters

   A cover letter can be a useful or damaging tool depending on how you present yourself. It's important to appear confident and capable, no matter how inexperienced you may be. Our class lecture was full of helpful information I will use when searching for a "grown-up" job. I have no work experience outside of the restaurant industry and find myself feeling unsure when I think about sending out resumes and going to job interviews. Now that I know how to write I proper cover letter I will be able to sell a message they will like and present myself as a desirable candidate before they meet me.

  Some tips:   Be concise
                    Have a good "hook"
                    STAND OUT!
                    Sound up for the task
                    Do some research/ Know your audience
                    Use concrete language
                    A.I.D.A!!!

Fear

We all know fear is a powerful thing. It can be a tool used for something good or bad and it can be a catalyst for change, positive or negative. Although it seems manipulative I know a gameplan for using fear... you just remember to use it carefully so it doesn't backfire.

The 4-Part Appeal for using fear is simple:
1. Introduce Threat        (Strong "Hey you!")
2. Demonstrate Risk      (Audience makes decision)
3. Offer Solution            (Must be simple and workable!!!)
4. Show Audience they can perform the solution.

Now, to strengthen your appeal:
1. Make Threat Serious   (Likely to happen)
2. Make References        (People love facts and statistics)
3. Paint Vivid Word Pictures!
4. Personalize                 (This will affect YOU!)
5. Don't forget to be Negative!

McDonalds

Oh McDonalds. A fast-food chain so popular it's more than a company. It's a concept, and even a sociology term. How did McDonald's become such a powerful force in our country? In the world? There's more to it than being cheap and efficient. There's even more to it that it's so standardized we can go to any McDonalds in the world and feel right at home. I hate McDonalds (I'm more of a Wendy's girl) and I still found myself there in Spain. Why? Because it was familiar and I was sick of eating unfamiliar, room-temperature sandwiches! (No offense to Spain, it was a wonderful country! I'd go back and eat those sandwiches anytime.)

The point is, McDonalds sells more than a product, they sell ideas that don't relate to their product. This is evident in all their commercials. And I love the diversity angle they've got going on... did you know by eating a Big Mac you're celebrating diversity? If you didn't just watch the commercials with the adorable little girls-- one from every race imaginable, all playing dress-up together in an attic. Seriously, I love multiculteralism but come on! Do people not see right through what they're doing?

Oh well, they're still better than Wal-Mart.

Trunk Monkey

This particular blog has less to do with Trunk Monkey (although he is pretty entertaining) and more to do with the evolution of car ads. It's interesting to think about how we have gone about selling cars over the years. We started with family and then moved towards sex. Then the kids came into play. Now it's about selling to YOU. What was once a practical asset has become a statement or symbol of who you are. After seventy years we went back to selling stories, something the audience (you) can identify with. This relates to our next assignment. We are making own car commercial  based on attributes like mood coating. (An attribute where your car changes depending on what mood you're in.) The important thing to remember is that we're not really selling the attribute, we're selling the benefit!

Car Ads

      Who knew that by buying a car you were upholding American leadership, taking a new lover, and living the American dream? According to advertisemets during the 1950s-70s, all these things are true. I must admit I got a kick out of today's lesson, where we watched a bunch of old commercials to see the evolution of car advertisements. Car commercials are already pretty ridiculous (hoodrat hamsters anyone? I know, I like them too..) but this took it to a whole new level. Nothing like some good ole' fashioned sexism and even racism to sell the American dream, aka cars....

Evolution of Advertising

     I'm going to start by doing a blog for Monday, a day I was absent. I already felt that shameful feeling of walking into class after missing a day which was reinforced by a "welcome back" by our professor. Luckily he said it with a smile instead of a scowl but either way I was reduced to blushing and mumbling. At least today I got the gist of what I missed.
     The evolution of advertising is basically divided by the 1950s. Before then advertising was primarily directed at "mom and dad," who had the money, made the choices, and had a tendency toward brand loyalty. Slowly, as kids gained more power and became spoiled, something shifted and ads started targeting them as an experimental group who decided how mom and dad spent their money. This is turn led to the trend today with a very specific target audience for whatever product you may be selling. This is just a quick summary and doesn't cover everything. Like I said, it's the gist...

A.I.D.A

We have learned yet another acronym to help us become better writers. This one is a 4-step formula to help us sell our message.

A.I.D.A
Attention   "Hey you!"
Interest     "You want?"
Desire        "I've got."
Action        "Buy it now!"

The same method is commonly used by hookers and drug dealers on the street but is just as effective in the advertising industry.

Tide Detergent

Can you really sell a product without lying? I heard a story on the radio about how Tide detergent is apparently disappearing off shelves at insane rates, not because people are buying it, but because they are stealing it. There are different theories as to why this might be, including prices, the recession, and the bright color of the bottle. The only thing that seems strange is the lack of sources involving these stories. This led the guy on the radio to conclude that Tide is probably lying as a way to get mass amounts of free advertising to boost sales. He admitted to being  cynical but he may have a point and I think it's an interesting concept!

F.A.B.

The number one thing to remember when your selling your story is that it's not the product your selling, it's the benefit of the product!

F.A.B = Features + Attributes + Benefits  (General to Specific)

An example:  Cars

Features:  Motor, Mobile, Fuel
Attributes:  Cup Holders, CD Player, 4-Wheel Drive
Benefits: Transportation, Independence, Prestige, Convenience.... all which equal POWER!!!!

Do's and Dont's of Language

Do:                                                               Don't:
Create Emotion                                                Use Cliches
Use Dual-Coding                                              Use Soft Language
Keep it Simple                                                 Use Double Speak        
Keep it Focused                                              Distract your Audience
Give "McNuggets" of Information                       Betray your Audience!
Be Concise!

UCA...Food

I work in a restaurant so I am constantly viewing food and observing people's choices...
Here are some of my observations: (sorry if I offend anyone)

• Fat people love Diet Coke
• Girls love Ranch dressing... and Hummus
• Americans love big portions
• Everyone seems to be developing a glutten allergy (and this annoys me for whatever reason.)
• People will eat anything that's offered at a sale price
• People expect a $10 steak to be as good as a $25 steak. (See above.)
• People have extreme loyalties to Coke and Pepsi. This also annoys me. Even though I prefer Coke...
• People fear chutney

Ladder of Abstraction

The ladder of abstraction takes a macro concept and breaks it down to a micro concept.

For example:  Wine
                      Red Wine
                      Pinot Noir
                      La Merika

Another example: Abs
                           Ryan Reynolds
                           Enough said!

Abstract vs. Concrete

Today we discussed the wonder of words and how to use them effectively. Words are what you're using to sell your story and so they need to be concise and focused so you don't distract your audience. Abstract words are concepts, which are often vague. Concrete words are illustrations which help your audience connect to your story  by painting a vivid picture. Find words that tap into the five senses...

Here's an easy example of concrete words: The Fourth of July
* Fireworks
* The smell of gunpowder
* The boom and crackle of fireworks in the distance
* The American flag
* Patriotism-- that's actually abstract.... Proud to be an American?
* Drunkenly singing the National Anthem
* Sparklers
* Grilling hotdogs and hamburgers
* Parade music (you know what I'm talking about...the John Philip Sousa type stuff)

Radio...Ugh

First of all, I have to admit I'm lost on this next assignment. I have no idea what to write about and I know nothing about radio except that it's my least favorite medium. The only thing I like about the radio is being able to flip channels aimlessly when I'm bored in my car, even though whatever is on usually sucks. For me, listening to the radio is like watching late-night cable television.

Today in class we learned that Orson Welles understood it very well but that doesn't help me. If anyone actually reads this feel free to offer some advice!

Constructive Criticism

In class we got feedback on our stories and formed groups for further critiques. I left feeling happy I did a few things right and worried I might have done a couple things wrong. We talked about conveying real emotions through dialogue instead of narration. We also talked about the setting and how much time should pass in the story. If you have a word limit it makes sense to shorten the story into one powerful scene instead of dragging it out over days or weeks. Finally, we were told not to take the "easy way out" by avoiding true conflict and stating the resolution. I'm really curious to read everyone's stories at this point!

Ever feel like Fink?

Today we were introduced to a character named Barton Fink. Fink is a tortured writer who affirms the idea that the biggest antagonist is your life is yourself. He is a perfectionist, and can't seem to bring himself to write something he doesn't deem worthy.

I can't help but to feel like Fink, especially when it comes to creative writing exercises. When I begin I spend way too much time staring at a blank computer screen waiting for the words to come to me. Once they do I'm never happy with them and I delete and rephrase every sentence at least once. Then I proceed to overanalyze every detail of the story until I begin wondering if what I'm writing is complete shit. When I finish I start dreading critiques and wondering how my story compares to everyone else's. I guess the difference between Fink and me is that I'm not overconfident in my writing ability which only adds to the overall problem.

Ugh! Does anyone else feel this way or am I just anal and crazy? Feel free to comment but only if you agree. (Just kidding)  And don't answer the question, its rhetorical!

Do's and Dont's of Dialogue

Dialogue is a tool used to help sell your story. It helps develop characters and move the story along.
Here are some do's and dont's of dialogue:

DO:                                                                          DON'T:

Break the characters up                                             Make everyone sound alike

Echo emotion, use lingo                                             Monologue

Give complete info                                                     Recycle info         
Use grammar shortcuts                                              Use too much!

10-Types: My Favorites

Here are some of my  favorite movies categorized under the ten basic story types:

• Romance aka Bromance - I Love You Man
• Success/Failure - Jerry Maguire
• Cinderella - Pretty Woman
• Conversion - Despicable Me
• Sacrifice - Titanic (It counts!)
• Family - The Sound of Music
• Triangle - Crazy Stupid Love
• Return - The Wizard of Oz
• Crime and Punishment - Pan's Labyrinth (I'm SOO happy when that guy gets shot in the face!!!)
• Heroic - Braveheart

Three Little Pigs: Part 2

    Today in class we were given components to write another short story. This story will be the sequel to the Three Little Pigs and here's the information we have to work with:

• Protagonist: Wolf
• Antagonist:  Monkey
• Other Characters: Pigs
• Internal Conflict: Wolf is addicted to eating pork and he wants to stop
• External Conflict: Monkey does not want him to overcome his addiction
• Intrigue: Wolf thinks Monkey is his friend

3-Act Structure

       Professor Jenkin's 3-Act structure is a basic blueprint for story-writing. It resembles a baseball diamond with three bases. On your way to first you need a hook to grab your audience's attention. You create a  protagonist/antagonist to run the bases for you, like designated runners. At first base they reach the first act break and their path takes a ninety degree turn, with some foiled goal.
      On the way to second base your protagonist attempts to regain control but the situation goes from bad to worse. This leads them to third base where your protagonist struggles with conflicts (both internal and external.) He/she must resolve these quickly to get to home base and score. On your way home you have one last chance to sell your message but by the time your characters get home they will have needed to grow and change in some way.

Mark Wahlberg

     If that title doesn't draw you in I don't know what will... who doesn't like Mark Wahlberg?  I went to see Contraband last night knowing it wasn't going to be good but also knowing it was exactly what I was in the mood for... superficial entertainment with a predictable happy ending. I didn't want to feel stressed out over any fictional situation (I'll blame in on the bus scenario) and so I went with Wahlberg's latest.
    This got me thinking about the characters he plays. He is always the active protagonist who comes out on top. (With the exception of Fear, which we all know is a classic.) We still like him even though his roles are predictable and cliche... Why is that? Is it because he always plays the sexy, sacrificing, badass hero? Or do we just love Mark Wahlberg? Food for thought...

Class Blogs

Hello fellow classmates! I'm enjoying your blogs but am noticing a ton of spelling errors which prompted me to send an overall comment or critique:   SPELLCHECK IS YOUR FRIEND!!! It's also in the top right corner... The content is great though and I hope I don't sound bitchy!

The Anti-Hero

    We all know about protagonists and antagonists. There's the good guy and the bad guy, good versus evil... blah, blah, blah. The stories are so familiar they're becoming cliche. This is why we find ourselves relating to a different type of character-- the anti-hero. The anti-hero is a relatively new phenomenon in television. He (or she) is the protagonist with extremely "iffy" qualities. We find ourselves liking this character although they possess questionable traits we may not respect or admire.

   Some examples/ Personal favorites:  Donald Draper - Mad Men
                                                          Hank Moody - Californication
                                                          Dexter Morgan - Dexter
                                                          "The Gang" - It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

   We haven't gone over this in class but I still find it relevant to character development and interesting to write about.

Character Sketches

 
   Jon - Short for Jonathan but everyone knows him as Jon because he's, well... Jon. He's the guy who can talk to anyone about anything because he knows something about everything. He's smart without being smug and always willing to help his friends. He's the guy you call for advice or the answer to a trivia question.

  Lydia - A beautiful, down-to-earth girl who managed to escape the no-name town she grew up in. Although she is proud of the life she has made she misses her dad, who died a year ago. Her papa, the one person who knew her best and who she loved more than anyone. She still pictures their old house, him reading in bed in those striped pajamas. The house she now rents to another family, strangers...

 Rachel - Always up for an adventure and eager for change Rachel just moved to Florida. She graduated from college four years ago but hadn't been able to find a "real job" with her degree. She likes to live in the moment, so this doesn't concern her too much. For the time being she is happy being a bartender and is enjoying the change in scenery.

Storytelling Tips

     Stories are often used to explain "why things are the way they are." This is why fairytales usually have some moralistic aspect to them and are repeated over generations. The best way to tell a story is to make it engaging, memorable, and believable. Be concise and make it interesting! You not only want to capture your audience's attention, you want to keep it. Remember, the more bizarre a story is the more interesting it is. You always want to stand out!

You See A....

      The other day I was walking the half-mile from campus to my car when I saw something unusual. A man parked next to me was on his knees in the parking lot with his head near the ground. I assumed he had dropped his keys or was having car trouble and was about to offer help when I noticed his engine was running.
      Obviously his car was fine so I didn't understand what he was doing. As I approached  I noticed he was kneeling on a small mat. I was still confused for a second until I realized he wasn't searching for something, he was praying. All of a sudden it made sense and I wasn't confused so much as fascinated. I know Muslims pray five times a day but I have never seen it in action, much less in a parking lot in the middle of winter.
      With the mystery solved I got into my car and noted the time. It was a little after five and the sun was setting. I then remembered people of the Islamic faith pray when the day is coming to a close, which further  explained the situation. This is not something you see every day and I found it interesting so I thought I would write about it.

My First Absence

      Unfortunately I missed class on Friday so I don't know what we discussed. I do know we were going to learn the one thing you never see in McDonalds commercials. We were also going to discuss audience characteristics and how to view your audience as a demographic. This is obviously important because you can't put your audience first if you don't know who your audience is.

Infiltrating WIIFM Barrier

      Boobs! Cheeseburgers! Have I succeeded in grabbing your attention? If you feel compelled to keep reading then I have successfully infiltrated your WIIFM barrier by appealing to your basic human desires-- food and sex.
      In order to effectively communicate with an audience overloaded with messages each day writers must be original and concise. The best way to do this is to keep your messages sharp and limited and always put the audience first!

First day of class

    Today was our first day of class and so far my only complaint is the early meeting time. I never take courses before noon. At least our professor seems lively so I shouldn't have trouble staying awake. Participation might be an issue... I don't like to talk in the morning.
    We learned about how power is achieved through stories and the importance of breaking through the WIIFM barrier to influence people. We also learned about each other's career interests and favorite foods. Getting to know classmates through their snack preferences was interesting and unusual and I think the class will be as well.