Ava Fails's Blog, page 9
June 9, 2012
5 Android Apps That Don’t Require Internet Access or Money
Scroll down for the list.
Okay, wi-fi tablet owners (and some phone people as well)…surely you’ve run into this problem. You have a…
doctor’s appointment
long trip
boring night at work
few minutes to kill
few hours to kill
[insert random time to fill here]
So you bring your tablet along. Look at the first page of apps. How many of them require wi-fi access? *Grabbing my Kindle Fire* Of the 25 apps on my first page, THREE don’t need wi-fi to run. Let’s talk about those 3 for a second:
Gemini App Manager — NO entertainment value — This app is simply to manage the RAM on my device or to kill apps that want to constantly run in the background eating my valuable resources and battery life.
Kindle Launcher — This one simply launches the Kindle Fire Carousel and gives me access to my books.
gReader Pro — This is for my Google Reader subscriptions. It only HALF works without wi-fi. I can read certain blog feed texts, but anything image heavy is no fun at all as the images don’t show up without wi-fi.
What about page 2? Page 2 looks a little better for me as this is where I have many of my game apps. The point is that 97% of the apps on my tablet require Internet to work. All the places I like to use my Kindle away from home to kill time have NO Internet. So, I’ve made a list of apps that kill a lot of time, but don’t require a wi-fi connection to play, and hey, who wants to spend their hard-earned money to advance in an otherwise unwinnable game, so I’ve tacked that stipulation to the list as well. However, a few of the games might have a cost up front. Without further ado…
5 Android Apps That Don’t Require Internet Access or Money
Kaleidoscope Drawing Pad — Just downloaded this one last night and I was mesmerized. If you need to keep your kids (or yourself) occupied for a few minutes…well, here you go! Additional cool factor: you can play back a video of your creation and save it to file!
Developer: Bejoy Mobile
Funding: FREE; Ad-supported
Current Rating on Google Play: 4.5 stars
ProWebWriter gives it: 5 stars
Lair Defense: Dungeon/Lair Defense: Shrine — This game is a twist on a Tower Defense game. Instead of Towers, you have dragons. It’s pretty addictive and there are TONS of upgrades both for your dragons and general gameplay. While you have the option to spend actual money for coins to spend inside the game, this is not necessary. There are plenty of opportunities in-game to acquire coins.
DroidHen isn’t so in-your-face with touting in-game purchases. It’s a separate page in the app that you have to access by tapping an icon. Otherwise, you never see the purchase options.
Publisher: DroidHen
Funding: FREE; Ad-supported; in-game purchases
Current Rating on Google Play: 4.6 stars
ProWebWriter gives it: 5 stars
Defender/Defender II – Your castle is under attack! Hundreds of mutant monsters are coming. Equip your crossbow and defend your City Wall! This one can get kind of repetitive, but there are a lot of upgrades to buy. Actual money is not required, but you can use it to advance in the game. There are plenty of opportunities to upgrade without cash though.
Publisher: DroidHen
Funding: FREE; Ad-supported; in-game purchases
Current Rating on Google Play: 4.6 stars
ProWebWriter gives it: 4 stars
Majesty — A fun little city builder. Build up your Army and defend your kingdom against goblins, elves, dwares, trolls, and the undead! A new add-on includes dragons and who doesn’t love dragons? A great game if you like strategy RPG’s.
Publisher: HeroCraft Ltd.
Funding: $1.99 to purchase
Current Rating on Google Play: 4.4 stars
ProWebWriter gives it: 5 stars
Temple Run — Run for your life! You’ve got a gold idol and the horrid monkeys want it! You can buy coins with actual money, but it’s not necessary to advance in the game. Coins are EVERYWHERE. You’ll find yourself running along temple walls, rocky cliffs, sliding under burning logs and tree roots. Buy powerups and keep it interesting.
Publisher: Imangi Studios
Funding: FREE; in-game purchases
Current Rating on Google Play: 4.6 stars
ProWebWriter gives it: 3 stars
*Bonus*
Piano Perfect — A snazzy little piano app with realistic sound and the ability to record a melody. Great for composers on the go. Piano Perfect displays the full keyboard at just over an octave at a time. The notes are clearly displayed and you can even display two rows at a time. A very nifty app for piano enthusiasts or if you just want to play around. It’s even got a few songs pre-loaded so you can learn to play.
Publisher: REVONTULET STUDIO
Funding: FREE; Ad-supported
Current Rating on Google Play: 4.3 stars
ProWebWriter gives it: 4.5 stars
Sketchbook Mobile Express – This is the closest thing you can get to Photoshop for Android. Sketchbook is a professional grade drawing and painting app and it’s just the best one out there on the current market. Working with such small tools is a little tedious, but if you like to draw and create art, this app will do it.
Publisher: Autodesk, Inc.
Funding: FREE; Pro Version with more tools and saving options is $4.99
Current Rating on Google Play: 4.5 stars
ProWebWriter gives it: 4.5 stars
A Few More Tips
I’ve found a few game publishers that I really like. For example, DroidHen, and I’ve included some of their games in this post. You can search Google Play for games by publishers you enjoy because of Google’s lovely algorithms. Simply type something like “[insert fav publisher] games” into the Search box at https://play.google.com/store
If you invest a little money in a game or app, usually you won’t be asked to spend money in the game. A lot of these games can also be played without Internet access. For example, one of my favorite publishers is Gameloft. Many of their paid games don’t require Internet, but they do require a rather hefty amount of space on your device. The smallest I’ve downloaded was probably around 150MB, and the largest was a whopping 500+MB. The other cool thing about Gameloft is that they have adapted a few computer games to Android. They’ve done a number of Tom Clancy games such as Rainbow Six and Splinter Cell. Electronic Arts is another one that is bringing some computer favorites to Android.
Here’s a short list of my favorite publishers so far:
Gameloft
Electronic Arts
DroidHen
PopCap
Avoid games that include OpenFeint. It’s touted as a worldwide stat system for sharing game scores, but it runs constantly on your device and the permissions it requires are ridiculous. I’ve heard rumors about it data mining…none of them good.
I hope this helps the bored hoards out there sitting at the dentist or waiting outside the principle’s office. Enjoy!
June 8, 2012
ProWebWriter on Android
In 2008, I remember watching a guy online “unbox” his new Google phone. I think it was called the G1? He had paid some exorbitant amount for the thing. I knew it was somehow cool, but well out of my price range hence the reason I was watching videos of people with them rather than unboxing my own. It wasn’t long before Android everything exploded. My wish list was established…and will remain established I suppose.
In November of last year (2011), I FINALLY got my hands on an Android device albeit a cheap one and rather crappy. I found a tablet on sale and I NEEDED access to those apps! I knew I’d be a complete appwhore, and I am. In February, I replaced that crappy tablet with a Kindle Fire. After a month or so, I descended into a realm of geekiness so deep that I didn’t care if I ever crawled out.
I rooted my Kindle. For those who don’t know, rooting is basically unlocking the device so that you have access to all of the file systems and you are able to override manufacturer-installed blocks to certain things. My Kindle Fire came with a sort of Amazon lockdown on it. By rooting it, I was able to install the Google Market for Android…now Google Play…and gain access to millions more apps than available in the Amazon App Store alone. This is the first ring of heaven.
I “hear” that the iPhone is equally cool and that the quality of both the device and apps exceeds anything Android. Most appletards Apple enthusiasts seem to think that Android is just a poor attempt at cloning the Apple mobile operating system…one that is wholly inferior. I have no doubt that Apple’s programming is top-notch. My problems with Apple are:
too expensive
too frequent device updates
too expensive
proprietary
too expensive
too fragile
too expensive
I wouldn’t buy an iPhone, iPad or iPod if the thing would fly me back and forth to work. Even if I did buy one, they’d come out with the next best thing a week later.
So about that wish list. I LOVE my Kindle Fire. I enjoy the portability and the apps are fantastic. What could possibly be on my wish list? Why, a smartphone of course! Nope, still don’t have one.
June 7, 2012
ADD Books
It’s high time I write a new post about ADD. It’s been a while…
What I Don’t Get
I don’t understand the need of society to label EVERYONE and cram them in some sort of group. I certainly don’t see the world that way most of the time. I guess humans are group/pack animals, so it’s only natural, but what if your square self won’t fit in any of their round holes? You take a strong-willed child with an affinity for learning differently…for thinking outside the box, and they slap a label on them and try to fit them in a box.
As a child, I fought the box…and I certainly fought the mindless busy work in school…much to my detriment. 4th grade was rough, in fact, it was outright hell. I’ve written about this in-depth, so I won’t go too deep into it. Let’s just say that I’m 36 now and I remember that year vividly. I have never really fit into “the box” and I’m kinda proud of that.
Growing Up With ADD
Again, I’ve written a bit about my story already. You can begin the journey by clicking the link in the previous paragraph. What I want to talk about here is the way I was raised following my diagnosis with ADD at the age of 10. I don’t remember if my parents read books on the subject or not. I know that my mom basically thought that “learning disabled” meant “retarded” in 1985 (we weren’t so PC back then). In the beginning when my doctor first suggested that I might have some type of learning disability, my mom was naturally defensive, God bless her.
I’m pretty sure she must have read something that explained ADD to her a little better. (I need to ask her!) Once the diagnosis came and medication was implemented, my life changed for the better. It was much easier to comply with…the box. Two years later, I went off the medication. My mom opted to keep me off of medication. I am thankful for this. I learned how to deal with ADD on my own…just me and the “disorder”. I learned valuable techniques on my own to help me deal with otherwise boring situations including, but not limited to, school and church.
The most important aspect of growing up with ADD for me was the fact that it never came up as an excuse for anything. “Oh, she does that because she has ADD.” I was expected to behave and do well in school in spite of ADD. This was invaluable because it allowed me to further hone my skills of dealing with ADD and myself. I never had a crutch in my life marked “ADD”. My parents’ expectations allowed me to build my own expectations for myself. I learned there was a solution for every challenge. I didn’t always meet them with success, but who does?
Books on ADD
I’ve never read one entire book on ADD. I bought one a little over a year ago for my Kindle. Particularly, this one:
The authors are both diagnosed with ADD. It has a solid 4.5 stars on Amazon. It’s well-written and well-researched…what I read of it anyway. I didn’t make it all the way through the book. Typical!
The book was a little slow, but that wasn’t the whole reason I stopped reading. I found myself using the Clipping feature of Kindle to save quotes that were basically excuses for “the way I am”. I find that with most books on a particular subject, it’s always someone else that I feel should be reading it. It’s like reading a book on addiction when you’re not the addict. You begin to think of all the people in your life you wish were reading the words.
I don’t find these types of books helpful. I “helped myself” long ago and reading this drivel is really two steps back. I don’t think you can learn much of anything about ADD (or Autism, or Dyslexia, or any “disorder”) by reading a book. All you really need is a diagnosis and a run down of common symptoms. Then learn. Learn to deal on your own…without medication. Using medication to comply is kinda wrong. The side effects are for life. No book will tell you that, and that’s cause for concern…think about it. What about what the books DON’T tell you?
So, Your Child is Newly Diagnosed…
The first thing many people do is run out and buy a book. It seems like the smart thing to do…arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible. I’m not going to say, “Don’t read books on ADD.” You might even find me touting them from time to time on this website through the Amazon Associate program. In my experience, books are just a list of excuses to use when you mess up. They let you fill your closet with crutches of various labels to help you deal with life. My challenge to you, is don’t. Learn about the “disorder”. Grab a list of common symptoms off the ‘net, and get to work. Pay attention. No one knows your child better than you…not the author of a book, not the doctor, not the medication manufacturer. So, I hope you didn’t come for the books…because I won’t be selling any from this post. 
June 6, 2012
I Could Be Monitoring Your Alarm System
That title sounds kinda creepy, huh? Like I’ve tapped into some sort of computer system and I’m watchinggggg you. I assure you I’m not. In real life…I monitor commercial and residential security systems. I guess my Facebook says it best:
If you rob people, I will call the police on you. If you have a medical emergency, I will call EMS. If your home or business is on fire, I will call the Fire Department. If your alarm system is on crack, I will call you and write a service ticket. I am Ava, Public Servant.
Yes! I’m goofy.
Curious?
Monitoring alarms is one of those jobs where you rarely get the whole story. I’m a step down from a 911 Dispatcher, but work closely with them. You can’t let your curiosity drive you crazy. You might have received 2 glass breaks, 3 motions, and a door from your local convenience store. With that kind of activity, it’s almost a guarantee that someone has broken in, but you’ll never quite hear the complete story. You just hope it’s open the next day when you stop for gas or to fuel your vices.
Once in a while, a grateful customer will call or write in thanking you which always feels nice. For example, the owner of a Pawn Shop in the next state over had some pros attempt to break in to his shop. They hung tarps on the fence to block the view of what they were doing from passersby. They brought in a device to jam cell phone signals…some alarm systems communicate via cell signals. They had a scanner so they could hear what the police were doing.
The installer had set up the alarm system with fake phone lines. When the thieves cut this line, thinking they had cut the phone line to the alarm system and thereby stopped any dispatch, the alarm communicated this signal through it’s perfectly working and well hidden lines and I was on the phone with the Police in seconds. The thieves fled when the call came over the scanner…they left behind a few hundred dollars worth of their equipment. A lose, lose for them.
Do You Need the EMS?
My least favorite alarms by far are Medical Alarms. These are usually elderly people and their family has set them up with an alarm to help them remain independent a little while longer. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy the elderly; however, not so much through the medium of an alarm system. You can probably imagine the most popular issue here…they can never hear you! God Bless them. Bless them with a new hearing aid…Please! Fortunately, many of them just want you to contact a family member for them as they’ve fallen on the floor and need help up. I am always worried though when it’s a Medical Alarm. For some reason, these feel more “life/death” to me than other alarms.
The Thankful Ones
I love the people! Well, *most* of them. A LOT of people set off their alarms by mistake. They simply forget it’s armed and open a door. Enter me (or one of my wonderful colleagues).
“Hello, this is Ava with _______________. I’m receiving a burglar alarm, is everything okay?”
One of the following responses usually applies and often with an air of embarrassment or whimsy.
It was me. False Alarm. I was:
letting the dog out
letting the cat out
getting the newspaper
my son/daughter opened the door
If you get the wife, it was the husband’s fault and vice versa, but many times it’s followed by:
“Thank you for calling and checking on us.”
I find that I pull a little morale boost from each of those to deal with…the others.
The Not-So-Thankful Ones
I work nights, so I get a lot of:
3:15am — May I speak with _________?
“Do you know what time it is!?!”
I always want to say, “Yes, I’m well aware that it’s 3:15am. I’ve been counting every minute, every second since I got here.”
Wife answers the phone…”Who is this!?!”
Then I give my spiel…”Oh, okay…sorry.”
People who can’t seem to answer the phone the first time you call are never thankful when the Police arrive. People who have requested that the Police Dispatch be canceled are certainly not thankful when the Police go by anyway. I understand. It’s the middle of the night and having to deal with such is a nuisance; however, it is all in the name of security and the alternative had there been an emergency can be a scary thought.
It’s a Pretty Interesting Job
I’ve been doing this for 2 years. I was hit by the economy in 2008 and lost a lot…namely my job as a Technical Writer in Las Vegas, so I headed HOME in the Spring of 2009. A job was a long time coming, but I’m okay with this one. 
I would have thought that alarm systems would be the first thing to go when money started getting tight for businesses and people, but that’s not the case. Having an alarm system means some pretty serious tax cuts for people, I guess. Plus, when there’s a bit of civil unrest due to lack of jobs, people want to feel protected from break-ins and home invasions. The Security Industry is one that hasn’t been forced to participate in the waning economy and I’ve been fortunate to land a job in this realm.
It gets interesting sometimes…like the citizens in Kentucky who chased down a thief attempting to break in their local Smoke Shop. Apparently, they are passionate about their tobacco. Then there was the homeless guy who had wandered into a church during Sunday services and fallen asleep. He woke up some time that night and set off the alarm. I dispatched the Police and they cleared the scene as secure. I guess Mr. Homeless was trying to turn off the alarm because then I received a Medical Alarm from the Keypad. I dispatched EMS. They cleared the scene as well. After I received additional signals, I dispatched the Police a second time. My key holder called me back and told me that indeed there was someone inside the church. I could just imagine someone in the building who needed help and had managed to crawl to the Keypad and hit the Medical. It takes perseverance sometimes. Instinct matters.
Shout Outs
I must commend my local Winston-Salem Dispatch team. I love y’all. You’re the absolute best. High Point, you’re a close second. Salisbury…Mr. 912 I think it is…your pleasant voice and enthusiasm is refreshing. I could go on…I could call names and badge numbers, but I think I’ll save it for an email. A HUGE thanks to Dispatchers everywhere. Keep doing what you do.
June 1, 2012
Cigar Box Guitar: The Build
Perhaps the title of this post should be: Cigar Box Guitar: The Epic Saga. Whew…it’s built, but I’m tellin’ ya…it was 10 hours of trial by fire…or power tool rather. In my first post on this subject, I talked about building an acoustic/electric guitar. It is acoustic for now as I didn’t have all of the electronics I needed in the other (donor) guitar.
Making a Spot for the Neck
I wanted all of the guitar’s components to attach to the lid of the box so that I could still open and close the box. I mean, isn’t that part of the cool factor…that you can open the box? I thought so. The first step was to measure and cut a section out of the lid to allow for the neck. I used a pull saw and then removed the “flap” with a cutting bit on the drill press.
The cut out section for the neck.
**SIDENOTE**
Large power tools stress me out. I’m okay with my Dremel, and the belt sander was tolerable, but saws and drills feel like a gamble with my life, or my hands and eyes at the very least…both parts of my body that I’m very fond of having. Not to mention, the tutorials I’d watched prior to tackling this project didn’t use power tools except for a Dremel and a drill to start screw holes. It seemed to make sense, you know? A power tool can do a lot of damage in the milliseconds before you touch the off button. I’d be happy with one of those drills you crank by hand and the next 10-20 years of my life. Mitre saw? I’d rather spend my day on ONE block going back and forth with sweat dripping from my brow than mess around with these scary machines. I’m not a fan of shrapnel. Just sayin’.
Moving On…
So, we got the cut-out for the neck sanded out, and I have to admit it was a pretty nice fit.
This image is a bit blurry, but you can see the neck fits pretty nicely in the cut-out.
A view of things to come.
We used a speed square to make sure everything was nice and straight. There will be a photo of this later on, but you basically place it on the edge of the box and make sure the neck is straight. Since there’s a taper on the neck, you have to eyeball the distance a little bit.
Reinforcing the Box
Because of the tension caused by the strings of a guitar, it’s necessary to reinforce the neck and the area where it mounts to the instrument. So, this was the next step. My wonderful assistant in this project was my brother, Bruce. His shop, his tools, and his expertise was needed. Plus, he had free wood! He had some assorted hardwood scraps that my dad (a talented woodworker) had given him, so we selected a couple Walnut pieces. Walnut is a hardwood…it’s sort of like steel. 
We He cut the blocks to size and since the box had a nice art piece in the lid, we shaped them to preserve as much of the view as possible. Enter the belt sander. It’s a great time-saving machine, but it makes me a bit nervous as I’d prefer NOT to see what my knuckles look like on the inside.
Walnut blocks shaped and set in place.
All went well and at the end of Day 1, we glued in the blocks and clamped them up with some type of Amish contraptions. C-clamps, I know, but these things were crazy. However, I can see how they would apply more even pressure to the pieces.
Reinforcement blocks glued in and clamped for the night.
You can see in this photo, there’s a piece now cut out of the other side of the box opposite the neck cut-out. Once we were able to place the neck and measure the distance where the bridge would be mounted, it was apparent that we would have to add a tailpiece to the guitar to make room for the bridge. It was about half off the back of the box. We decided to make it T-shaped with a “tongue that would fit inside the end of the box, and the a cross section that would run along the length outside of the box. This piece would be screwed into place and further reinforce the neck structure. More on this below.
The Clamps Come Off
Bruce actually removed the clamps that evening after I left, so when the lights came on the next day, I was greeted by a nice looking start to this project.
Clamps removed.
We got to work right away on the tailpiece we’d planned the day before…another piece of Walnut.
The T-shaped tailpiece cut and fitted.
What you don’t see in these photos is A LOT of trial and error sanding, shaping, cutting, and general craziness to make everything fit together as nicely as possible. Also, you can see in the above image a piece of Cherry we selected to brace everything together. This piece will be screwed into the two reinforcement blocks on either side, and the neck (bolt on) will mount to it in the center. There will be a second piece on the opposite side that will be mounted in the same configuration. This one, will hold in the tailpiece.
At this point, a light blinked on…what about the soundholes? You can’t have an acoustic guitar with no soundhole. Yeah. At this point, I was thinking…”I should have just ordered a simple kit and been done with it.” But Noooooooooooo…I had to have a 6-string model, and it had to be acoustic/electric. Then when I got this box, I had to be able to see the art…now we have NO soundholes! Are you feeling the “epic saga” part yet?
The Soundhole Tragedy
I’ll make that the title of my next book. Ha! Acoustic = Soundholes are a MUST
So, Bruce pulls out these spiffy bits for his Drill Press…sort of like a hole saw, but not exactly. They seemed to be a better option because unlike a hole saw, these bits whittle away the disk of wood you would normally have to pry out of the hole saw bit when you’re done cutting the hole.
After consulting the all-knowing Internet for a suitable speed, Bruce calibrated the Drill Press and we were cutting a hole. Things were going well.
A nice clean start prior to the carnage.
It appeared it was going to be a nice, clean hole and then…the bit caught hold of an old t-shirt draped over the platform. It wound around the bit a few time. The box shifted up the shaft and began to spin. “Turn it off, turn it off!!!” Bruce was yelling.
In the meantime, I’d selected the slow hypnotic cutting of the hole as a nice time to daydream about going to the guitar shop to get a screw missing from one of the saddles on the bridge. I was standing in the guitar shop with the bridge in my hand about to ask the guy for a screw when I was shaken from my dream. Of course I forgot where the off switch was, so Bruce finally handled the situation himself. Good thing it wasn’t his hand…otherwise, I guess he would have a 1.5 inch hole through it. I just knew the project was over at the point. At the very least, the hinges of the box would be tweaked and have to be replaced.
We unraveled the damage. It marred an otherwise perfect hole a little…that’s what they make grommets or colored tape for. It turns out that wasn’t the extent of the damage. The force had ripped the block loose from the previous day’s glue and torn the paper art inside. Well, just great! It appeared the box was still intact. The art is expendable.
The torn art where the block pulled loose while attempting to drill soundholes.
It turns out, there was a hairline crack in the box as well…
A hairline crack.
The Show Must Go On
After assessing the damage, we decided to work around it. We’re not quitters! New lessons learned, Bruce coaxed me into drilling the second soundhole. I was ready to be done with drilling after this fiasco. That was enough of a gamble with my 13-dollar box and 8 solid hours of work. It does look nice with both holes though…don’t you think?
An inside view showing both soundholes and the first Cherry block in place. The neck is going on!
Assembly
In the image above, you can see the first Cherry piece in place and the start of bolting on the neck. All of that hardwood quickly stripped the cheap screws that were on the neck and they had to be replaced. We also did final measurements on the neck with the speed square.
Final adjustments to the neck using a speed square.
In the meantime, we cut the soundholes through the other Cherry block.
Cutting soundholes through the Cherry block with the Drill Press.
I can’t believe I didn’t snap a photo of the final assembly. I’ll have to add this at a later date. We also re-glued the Walnut block that broke loose during the soundhole carnage. I brought home the mostly completed project clamped together. Here’s a shot:
Almost done, but not quite.
Left to be done: get the screw for the bridge, shape the tailpiece, spray finish, install the bridge, string it up, tune, and play!
Oh, I almost forgot. I sanded off the original headstock logo and added my own with my Dremel. It says “Fred’s” of course. “Fred” is a moniker assigned to me by Bruce when I was 6 or 7 after I voiced my protest to being called “Sissy”. It’s okay…I still call him “Bubby” to this day. That’s just how it is.
New headstock logo created with a Dremel.
Final Notes
For a first build, I should have had a better plan.
If you want to build a Cigar Box Guitar, start with a kit.
Use as few power tools as possible!
I went a little overkill on the reinforcing…mainly because I had too many stipulations. It would be nice to see the art. Psssh.
Reinforce your neck with ONE piece of wood. Two max.
Don’t use this post as plans for your own guitar.
The box doesn’t open and close as easy as I thought it would…needs a bit of tweaking still.
I wouldn’t bash this guitar on stage…it’s like slingin’ a sledge hammer. Yes! The first Cigar Box Guitar that doubles as a weapon! I’ll keep it by the door.
Keep it simple!
This was my attempt at simple.
Oh, I know the tailpiece is ugly. I plan to shape it with my Dremel.
The whole shebang will receive a clear coat of finish as well.
Yes, yes…
I’ll post the final result and a video demo of my non-guitar playing self.
A HUGE Thank You…
to my brother, Bruce, for the use of his tools, wood, and most of all his time! It was *mostly* fun.
May 25, 2012
Monetizing Your Website
Check out the other posts in this series about Becoming an Online Content Writer:
So You Wanna Write for the Web
Building Your Online Writing Portfolio
Finding Paid Writing Gigs Online
Making Your First Money as a Content Writer
Why You Need a Website and Where to Get One Really Cheap
Get Paid!
Now that you have a website, and you’ve begun filling it with great content, why not make some money while you’re sleeping? First things first.
Traffic — You need to have some traffic to your site before your begin to monetize. It’s debatable as to how much. Once your begin to see a nice flow that is steadily increasing from month to month, I would say go for it!
Content — This really only pertains to sites that are or include a blog. If you only have a few articles, don’t bother. Concentrate on updating your site regularly first…then monetize.
NOTE: If you’re a writer, and you don’t have a blog, why not? Where are you going to put your articles, or link to your content you’ve written for other sites? Maybe you don’t feel like you really have anything to say or blogging just isn’t your thing? That’s respectable, however; it’s up to your how your use your blog. You write what you want. Having a blog can benefit your website because:
It creates more pages for search engines to index
Search engines LOVE new content
It allows you to diversify your site
Get to the Money Part!
Adsense
The single most popular method to monetize websites is Google Adsense. If you’ve been around the Internet any time at all, you’ve seen Google Ads EVERYWHERE. It’s quite a simple process to create an account and begin putting these ads on your site. You get paid various amounts each time someone clicks an ad on your site. If you already have a Google account for your Android phone or email, you can get started in minutes.
Remember, you don’t want your ads to be so intrusive that they take away from your writing. However, you want them front and center enough that they grab a bit of attention. There are other ad networks like Adsense that you may like better. I have only used Adsense on my sites and have been pleased with the result. You won’t get rich quick…or really get rich at all, but you will make money while you sleep, work, eat, and shop.
Affiliate Programs
There are literally HUNDREDS of affiliate programs to promote on the web. An affiliate program is when you endorse products or services on your website and get paid a commission if someone buys using your links. One of the most popular and user-friendly affiliate programs is Amazon Associates. Again, if you already have an Amazon account, it quite simple to get started.
Private Advertising
If your site is a hit, you can consider selling advertising spots on your website yourself. It’s as simple as putting together a page on your site with the available spots and setting a price per month. This allows you to help someone who maybe has less traffic than you share your visitors by placing a ad on your site. This is a great way to advertise, but it requires that your website stats be stellar. You need better than average traffic and content.
You’re Too Vague
That’s because you need to hone your research skills. Get on Google, read some of the other information on this site, research, research, research! No more Mrs. Nice Writer. The methods I’ve listed here are simple and don’t really require yet another tutorial online. You can do this, and figuring it out on your own will give you a sense of pride and accomplishment that I can’t. I’m always available to answer questions via the Contact Page.
May 23, 2012
Cigar Box Guitar Aspirations
So I’ve known about these for a while and they caught my interest. I don’t know why because I can’t play a lick of guitar, but they’re just…COOL. With my other aspirations in their waning stage, I HAVE to have something creative going. Hey, why not build one of these?
Click through for image credit.
Nice, huh? There are hundreds of variations. You can go as simple as getting all the parts from Lowes to building a professional instrument. I’m somewhere in the middle.
I wanted a real neck for my guitar because I would actually like to learn to play a little. Necks run between $30 all the way up to well, way more than that for official licensed necks from the likes of Gibson or Taylor. I found an all maple Strat replica made in China for around $50. Then, I remembered…and this is a secret, so don’t tell anyone…I remembered http://shopgoodwillonline.com
In seconds, I was shopping and in just a few minutes, I’d put in a bid on a guitar. I won! It’s a kid’s electric guitar made by Lyon (Washburn). It’s a guitar and amp all in one. PERFECT! So, I secured ALL the parts I would need for my build sans the cigar box for about $25 shipping included. I might even build a cigar box amp while I’m at it. Yeah, they have those too! Check out http://cbgitty.com
Here’s the guitar.
Little Lyon Kid's Electric Guitar
It’s a little rough around the edges. Apparently, it used to be white and someone painted it with this hideousness. It doesn’t appear that there’s paint on the components, and all I will be using are the neck, bridge, pickup, output jack, strap buttons, and electronics.
So what about the box? I already had some boxes lying around, but I found one I couldn’t resist on eBay. It set me back $13.50 including shipping. Here ya go:
Brick House Cigar Box
That’s going to make a spiffy guitar. I’m going for an acoustic/electric set up and I wanted a deep box. I hope it will sound nice. I’ve been watching mad YouTube tutorials and videos getting ideas of how I want to go about building my guitar. Because I’ve bought a complete guitar, the hard things like frets and installing tuning machines are done! I want to attach everything to lid of the box, so I can still open it up even with the strings on. What’s the point of a cigar box guitar if you can’t show it ALL off?
That’s where I’m at. I’m anticipating very little gluing, some moderate cutting, and an awesome instrument with maybe a couple days invested. I plan to take LOADS of pictures and ProWebWriter will probably end up with all the details. I’ll keep you posted. I’m pretty excited. Everything’s on it’s way in the mail! Next week this time, I should be ready to start!
Here’s a sample for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8sEfNMcyVE
Google has so much more!
Edible Post
Come ride with me?
I might eat this post in the future. Whatever. For just over two years, I’ve been putting my blood, sweat, and tears into this website. It’s changed gears a couple times and gone from being my personal sort of resume site, to a half-baked community for writers. The problem? I HAVE NO READERS. Sure, I get traffic…make a few bucks in Adsense, but ultimately, there’s no community here. Why? Blood, sweat, and tears isn’t enough.
Why I Write
I write because I love it. I write because I can’t NOT write. That’s the short answer. Why do I write on ProWebWriter? Well, as I said, it began as a way to procure online writing work…to make money…and…that’s where I got lost. As soon as these: $$$ enter the picture, my voice gets lost in the process…the process of writing on topics that are boring. Writing about WordPress or putting together a how to piece can be fun, but I’m preaching to the choir. As I writer, I want to be read. Simply. These topics bring seekers of information, and I’m able to help them, but they grab the info and split…never to return.
A Student of the Internet
I’ve been bangin’ around Internet Marketing forums for about 6 years now. I’ve learned A LOT. I’ve learned the same info over and over:
Content is King
Find a niche
Build a list
Create a product
Sell, sell, sell
Mix in some SEO, throw up some ads, and collect a check.
I’m done. I’m done listening to the gurus. It’s like the music business. The gurus are the mainstreams artists and I’m Ani Difranco. That’s the edible part. Everything I know and have read tells me I’m setting myself up for failure. Well, if I haven’t been wildly successful, will the fail be much of a step down?
I’m Gonna Do It My Way
I’ve got my list…with all 3 people on it. I’ve got products. I haven’t struck it rich yet. So, I’m just going to write. I’m going to write about what I want to write about. I’m going to share my life, my Internet travels, my photos, my art. I’m not choosing a niche. I’ve always been really bad at that anyway. Blame it on the ADD. I’m done chasing the $$$.
That’s What I’ve Been Missing
Passion. If I put the passion in, then it won’t return fruitless. Perhaps I’ll get the ultimate reward. Readers. The fire…that’s what I’ve been missing.
What’s Coming?
More candid posts! Links to all sorts of everything. What about my Becoming a Content Writer series? I’ll finish it. I’m building a cigar box guitar…I’ll be writing about that and whatever else tickles my fancy. Nichemongers, eat your heart out! I’m doin’ it MY way.
*No cupcakes were harmed in the writing of this edible post*
May 16, 2012
Why You Need a Website and Where to Get One Really Cheap
Check out the other posts in this series about Becoming an Online Content Writer:
So You Wanna Write for the Web
Building Your Online Writing Portfolio
Finding Paid Writing Gigs Online
Making Your First Money as a Content Writer
Why?
I know you’re a writer, but have you ever thought about having your own website? What has kept your from exploring the idea? Does it seem too complicated…too expensive? Well, it’s not. I’m a huge advocate for getting people websites! I found a super cost effective way to get, develop, and maintain my own sites. I’ve been trying to share this with the world ever since. There are TONS of places to build a FREE website online. If you’ve read this blog at any length, then you know that ProWebWriter LOVES free. BUT! In this situation, my advice: Don’t go free.
So, now that free is out, let’s explore the next best thing: CHEAP! Cheap is okay here. First off, let’s not mistake cheap for poor quality or bottom of the barrel software. I’m talkin’ top of the line here. We’ll come back to this in a minute, but first, we need to cover WHY YOU NEED YOUR OWN WEBSITE:
It’s all about you! Chances are, if you’re following this series, that you’re trying to make a buck or two with your writing. Showcase it on your OWN site.
Monetize it. Once you have established your site and you’re seeing some traffic to your articles or other writings, you can start making a little extra cash with an ad network like Google Adsense.
Network like a pro! Having your own real estate on the web gives you a platform to network from. You can comment on other blogs, list your site on Facebook, Tweet your articles, and a whole host of other social networking tasks.
Get to the Cheap, Cost Effective Part!
It starts with WordPress. WordPress is a FREE open source blogging platform. Don’t let the blogging part turn you off. You don’t have to be a blogger or even include a blog as a part of your site if you don’t want to. ProWebWriter has not one, but THREE packages to get you started with your own WordPress website. Why WordPress? We’ll get to that…just bear with me for a moment. For as little as a one-time payment of $20, you can have your own website. That’s cheap, my friends. We don’t offer a package that costs more than $60. Click that link above to find out what’s included.
Why WordPress?
I don’t endorse WordPress just because it’s free. I endorse it because I LOVE IT. Let’s take a look:
Search Engines love WordPress. WordPress sites index in the search engines almost immediately. Why is this important? Well, it helps people find your website when they search for stuff at Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.
WordPress is incredibly easy to maintain. It has a comprehensive Dashboard where you can write, edit, and maintain ALL of your online content with a few simple clicks.
Customize, customize, customize. WordPress can do anything! You can customize everything about your site. If WordPress out of the box won’t do it, there’s a plug in that will.
What Do You Think?
Not convinced? I’ll go a step further. I’m offering two free website set-ups…that’s a $40 value…FREE. The secret word is: CHEAPWP That’s all you need to take advantage of this offer. Grab the secret word and head over to the Contact Page. Send me a message including that code and we’re in business. Oh, and you shouldn’t already own a website. This is for newbies only.
What You Can Expect
Two lucky people will get:
1 Domain name of their choice — One year paid — costs vary per year after, but as of this writing are running about $11 for dot com domains
1 month of free hosting — $2.95 per month after
WordPress installed
Free WordPress video training
Free WordPress consulting with yours truly
*Extras available upon request for a nominal fee*
What I Need From You
Nothing. A testimonial would ROCK, but is not a requirement for this offer.
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
Next up? Monetizing your new website.
May 10, 2012
Making Your First Money Online as a Content Writer
Check out the other posts in this series about Becoming an Online Content Writer:
So You Wanna Write for the Web
Building Your Online Writing Portfolio
Finding Paid Writing Gigs Online
Accepting Payments
You’ve got a solid portfolio and you’ve been cruising various sites looking for your first paying gig. The first thing you need is a method to receive payments. The most popular online payment processor is PayPal by far. It’s safe, fast and secure. PayPal also gives you the ability to accept payments by credit/debit card. Setting up your PayPal account may take a few days because you do have to confirm your account using your bank account. You can still accept payments without this step, but you’ll want a way to transfer the money your make into your bank account so you can access the funds. PayPal also offers a Mastercard debit card that is free and will allow you to have instant access to your funds wherever Mastercard is accepted. You can beat it!
NOTE: There are other options besides PayPal, but I’ll leave those up to your research skills. Also, keep in mind that there are fees involved anytime you use an online payment service. PayPal takes a small percentage of your money to pay these fees.
When you make a payment or receive money with PayPal, you don’t communicate any personal banking information. You only use your email address.
How To Get Paid
We’ve discussed where to look for writing jobs. Now, you can accept payments. The only thing left to do is land that gig and get paid! Most gigs that you run into are going to pay you upon completion of the work. There’s nothing wrong with requesting up to half of the payment up front to begin the work and the other half upon completion. Becoming a content writer is about 75% writing and 25% marketing. You need to get that portfolio in front of as many potential clients as possible. It’s going to be slow at first. It really depends on YOU how quickly you advance in the business. Working smart and working hard will end in results.
Get To Work
Okay, let’s recap! So far you have:
Made a decision to become a content writer
Built an online portfolio of your writing
Learned where to look for writing gigs
Gained the ability to accept payments
Next up: I’ll tell you why you need a website and show you the cheapest way to get one! Yes, your very own corner of the web. There’s much more to come. Subscribe so you don’t miss it!
