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Sources of Inspiration

Sources of Inspiration

David Foster Wallace on Writing, Death, and Redemption by Maria Popova “You don’t have to think very hard to realize that our dread of both relationships and loneliness … has to do with angst about death, the recognition that I’m going to die, and die very much alone, and the rest of the world is going to go merrily on without me.” On May 21, 2005 David Foster Wallace took the podium at Kenyon College and delivered the now-legendary This Is Water, one of history’s greatest commencement addresses — his timeless meditation on the meaning of life and the grueling work required in order to stay awake to the world rather than enslaved by one’s own self-consuming intellect. It included this admonition: Think of the old cliché about “the mind being an excellent servant but a terrible master.” Three years later, on September 12, 2008, Wallace murdered his own terrible master — not by firearms, but by hanging himself. The reader walks away from real art heavier than she came to it. That was his whole thing. Donating = Loving Share on Tumblr

Only2Clicks - speed dial to favorite web site and make it your start page Free Photos - Top Sites to Find Free Photos to Use on Your Blog Finding free photos to use on your blog that don't have stringent copyright restrictions can be challenging. The following five websites offer free photos that bloggers can download to use on their blogs. Make sure you check the copyright restrictions on any photos you use on your blog. Some of the free photos on these sites could require you to provide attribution (which you should do anyway), notify the photographer of your use of their photo or more. Always follow the copyright and creative commons licensing rules related to any photo you use on your blog and obtain any necessary permissions. 1. Stock Xchange is a great resource for finding free photos to use on your blog. 2. Flickr is growing in popularity everyday. 3. morgueFile MorgueFile has a large selection of free photos that you can use on your blog. 4. Dreamstime provides a good selection of royalty free stock photos as well as images available for a fee (as low as $0.26). 5. 6.

Blogging Rules - Top 3 Blogging Rules There are unwritten rules of the blogosphere that apply to every blogger. The top 3 blogging rules are particularly important because bloggers who don't comply could find themselves at the center of negative publicity or worse, in legal trouble. Read the top 3 blogging rules below, then make sure you follow them at all times to protect yourself from problems. 1. It's highly likely that at some time you'll want to refer to another article or blog post that you read online within your own blog post. 2. While citing a few words or a phrase and attributing your source is acceptable under fair use laws, it's important to understand that fair use laws as they pertain to online content are still a gray area in courtrooms. Asking permission also applies to the use of photos and images on your blog. 3. Just because your blog is yours doesn't mean you can have free rein to write anything you want without repercussions.

Copyright - Bloggers Beware of Copyright and Fair Use Considerations Despite how it might seem from the outside looking in, there are unwritten rules of the blogosphere related to blogging ethics and etiquette. At the same time, there are legal requirements that bloggers must adhere to. Citing your sources is one of the most important rules of the blogosphere that has a legal component related to it as well. Copyrights Copyrights protect the original author, photographer, videographer, etc. from having their original work stolen or misused. Fair Use The gray area of copyright law comes in the form of fair use. The Importance of Linking One of the most important parts of the blogosphere is its existence as part of the social web wherein creating communities and engaging conversations is a top priority. The Role of Blog Etiquette If you cite and link to another blogger's work in one of your blog posts, be certain you add to the information provided by your source rather than simply copying it.

How to Attribute a Creative Commons Licensed Work Expert Reviewed Two Parts:Understanding Creative CommonsMaking the AttributionCommunity Q&A Millions of works around the world are protected by Creative Commons licenses (like all of the content and images on wikiHow). Since it's always your responsibility to credit the creator of any content that you source, its a good idea to be familiar with the ways to attribute works licensed under Creative Commons protections. Steps Part 1 Understanding Creative Commons <img alt="Image titled Attribute a Creative Commons Licensed Work Step 1" src=" width="728" height="546" class="whcdn" onload="WH.performance.clearMarks('image1_rendered'); WH.performance.mark('image1_rendered');">1Keep intact any copyright notices for the Creative Commons licensed work. Part 2 Making the Attribution Community Q&A Unanswered Questions Tips

Best practices for attribution You can use CC-licensed materials as long as you follow the license conditions. One condition of all CC licenses is attribution. Here are some good (and not so good) examples of attribution. Note: If you want to learn how to mark your own material with a CC license go here. Examples of attribution Here is a photo. This is an ideal attribution Because: Title? Author? Source? License? This is a pretty good attribution Title? Author? Source? License? This is an incorrect attribution Photo: Creative Commons Title? Author? Source? License? This is a good attribution for material you modified slightly Title, Author, Source, and License are all noted Modification? This is a good attribution for material from which you created a derivative work Original Title, Author, Source, and License are all noted Derivative? New author of the derivative work is also noted Note: If you're at a point where you are licensing derivative works, go to Marking your work with a CC license. Title? Author? Source? License? 1.

13 Authority Hacks That Give You Instant Expert Status Online He falls to one knee, gripping his chest. Like a brush fire, the news spreads through the crowd, causing confusion and fear. Then three words are spoken – and panic is replaced by calm. “I’m a doctor.” The crowd parts to give the obvious expert space to work, ready and willing to follow instructions from the one person in the room who seems to know what to do. This is the power of authority. And as a blogger, you need it now more than ever. You’re not trying to get attention in a room of 100; you’re clawing for attention in a room of 10,000,000. It’s a noisy world. It’s good to have authority. Yet how do you get it? Though it might seem like a mystery, it’s actually a science. Hacking Authority: The Shortcut to Position & Power Our hypothetical doctor’s power stems from countless years in study and practice. A brazen scammer will assert authority without the backing of proof. So authority is part earned, part claimed. But you don’t have to wait a lifetime before staking your claim. 1. 2. 3.

Ask the Experts: The #1 Quality To give you every opportunity to succeed as a six-figure expert, I’ve invited a few friends, peers, and mentors to pitch in on The Six-Figure Blog from time to time. Many are best-selling authors and worldwide speakers, others are thought leaders and change agents. They are all gifted experts. Through their unique perspective, you’ll discover new ways of thinking about your business–and new ways of acting. Below they answer the simple question: What is the most important quality for an emerging expert to possess? (Their answers are in blue; my commentary, in black.) Failure-Friendliness Often we’re so scared by the possibility of failure that we don’t try…a new hobby, a new friendship, a new business. Patience 100 people say they want to start a business. 90 won’t lift a finger. 9 will make an effort, perhaps for a few weeks, quitting when fame doesn’t crash through the door. Confidence When you think you can conquer the world, you’ll do incredible things. Audacity Luck Stubbornness Focus Guts

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