Newsletter archives (communicatrix | focuses)
Welcome to complete guide for uncovering your unique fabulosity—a.k.a. the archives of my e-newsletter, communicatrix | focuses. Each issue contains:
- An article about Getting There Faster (with actionable tips!)
- Some must-see/read/hear media recos
- A silly pen-and-ink sketch by yours truly
If you like what you see, please consider subscribing. Archives will always be here (and free!), but subscribers get the goods first. And if you know of anyone else who might benefit, please share it with them. We’ll both appreciate it!
xxx
c
2008
First, let it be sucky (06/08)
An explanation of why it takes so damned long to get good at something, and some tips and tricks to get you through the long, long gap between taste and ability.
PLUS… a fantastic, 100%-free resource to connect you with journalists, authors and other word-spreaders telling stories, a terrific free e-book on solopreneur marketing and promotion and a great author’s finest work of writing.
» Read the June 2008 issue
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How to spread the word of you (05/08)
Part 2 of my series on personal branding covers the basic building blocks of branding–more elemental than you might think! Stuff like…your haircut! The typefaces you use! And other stuff that won’t cost a penny extra, but can help focus and telegraph the youness of you.
PLUS… another reason the British are wiping the floor with us, television-wise, a super-short rave about the Twitter all the kids are talking about (and how you should maybe think about using it) and some shameless pimpage for a kick-ass book I wrote the introduction for.
» Read the May 2008 issue
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Demystifying (and de-nasty-fying) personal branding (04/08)
Part 1 of my down-and-dirty how-to on personal branding, mainly dealing with the “why” behind it. Includes questions to ask yourself, to get you thinking about what it is about you that you want to share with the world.
PLUS… my very favorite online resource for videos that are inspiring and educational (and often, hilarious) all at once, my swoon-fest plug for an outstanding singer-songwriter much beloved by the geeks (who is, himself, a model of personal branding) and my rave about the living, printed proof of one of the most outstanding volunteer programs I’ve ever seen for the benefit of young women.
» Read the April 2008 issue
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Meeting people made easier (03/08)
Some guidance on making networking more gainful, less painful, using the sad lessons of my experience plus some good tricks from acting and other tawdry pursuits
PLUS… a self-help book (and audio program) that’s a classic for good reason, some suggestions on why using them in tandem might be a good idea, and my plug for a social networking aggregator that streamlines the process of getting information from a bazillion different places.
» Read the March 2008 issue
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Homework for your enjoyment (02/08)
Tips for making speeches more memorable (for your audience) and more memorizable (for you), culled from years in the copywriting/acting trenches.
PLUS… a haunting, Oscar-nominated film well worth a view, a site chock-a-block with thought-provoking, inspiring short films, and my favorite tool for turning URL behemoths into short, user-friendly links.
» Read the February 2008 issue
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Get the help you need to be truly fabulous (01/08)
Ways to find the group of advisors, idea generators, editors and other friends in need you’ll want, both online and off, to create your own best support network.
PLUS… a consistently inspiring twice-weekly newsletter, a book with more creative jumpstarting projects than you can shake a stick at and a shameless plug for the greatest online music delivery system I’ve found yet.
» Read the January 2008 issue
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2007
Prep now for a better 2008 (12/07)
My favorite resources for creating meaningful goals, fun projects and other cool structures that make change pleasant (as opposed to the pain in the butt it usually is).
PLUS… Brand The Communicatrix for fun (yours) and profit (Habitat for Humanity’s), a book that will make you think differently about the seemingly mundane objects in your life, and an exquisite film about a man who communicated better using 1/1000th of himself than most of us do using our whole bodies.
» Read the December 2007 issue
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7 ways to improve communications skills messing around on the Internet (11/07)
Farting around on the internet no longer has to be an utter waste of time!! Check out this rundown of the best social networking sites, plus some innovative ways of using them.
PLUS… improve your vocabulary while helping eradicate hunger, the best (and funnest!) newsweekly in eons AND a podcast for smart people masquerading as a podcast about S-E-X.
» Read the November 2007 issue
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Stick to simple to make it stick (10/07)
A simple, straightforward series of steps for developing a successful piece of communication.
PLUS… a great social networking site for big readers, a book about talking to kids that works amazingly well for grownups, and a BBC miniseries that held two continents AND the communicatrix in thrall.
» Read the October 2007 issue
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MacGyvering your way out of creative blocks (09/07)
When inspiration eludes you, sometimes the most effective thing is to do-it-yourself with whatever’s handy (hint: not always duct tape). Here are a few cheap (or free) ways to stir it up.
PLUS… two creative visionaries who work in very different media, and a blast of hilarious TV from the vault, courtesy of YouTube.
» Read the September 2007 issue
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Better writing through exhaustion (08/07)
The more what you say/write/create comes from “the truth of you,” the better the chance it will land properly with someone else. This month offers simple, effective exercises for connecting with your authentic voice.
PLUS… a meme to get you involved, a book about battling your demons and a film about finding inspiration in a really unlikely place.
» Read the August 2007 issue
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Geeky ways to become a better communicator (07/07)
A few lifehacks stolen from the nerds that can help you increase the quality and quantity of your output.
PLUS… some really smart (and inspiring) resources on decluttering and a brilliant documentary on a filthy poet.
» Read the July 2007 issue
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How to talk to anyone in the universe (06/07)
A good script to help focus your thoughts on the person (or people) you’re communicating with. Applicable in writing, speaking, designing, what have you.
PLUS… a new site where you can tell your stories (and read other people’s), a heartwarming biography by one of America’s finest, funniest writers about his muse, and a little-seen gem from the Criterion Collection.
» Read the June 2007 issue
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Say it better in two easy steps (May 2007)
A few dandy ways I’ve learned to keep the ideas flowing, for when the Muse decides to take an unannounced holiday.
PLUS… a delightfully fun site for exploring your creativity, a hilarious biography and a rock-’em, sock’-em blaxploitation gem.
