Matthew Wayne Selznick's Blog, page 4

July 1, 2015

Two New Songs

Earlier this year, I wrote my first new songs in five years.


In May, I recorded “porch editions” of my Bookcase Sessions video series and shared the results exclusively with

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Published on July 01, 2015 22:10

May 19, 2015

April 16, 2015

Happy Birthday, Patrick

Last summer a man I liked, a man I respected, a man whose talent I admired very much… a colleague and collaborator.. a man I considered a friend, even if we weren’t as close as some… he died as a result of a very fast, very vicious cancer.


Today’s his birthday. And I’m seeing his memory honored with so much love today, just as he was honored by love when he left.


I know this day must be hard for the woman who was at his side when he passed. But she was there, and they had that, and if you gotta go… well. What a gift for them both.


Love is so rare. Life is so short, and maybe there’s more. Maybe there’s not. No one can truly say one way or another.


The only thing I know for sure, the only thing I know that isn’t gut feeling or hope or faith… is that the love right here and right now might just be the last love you get.


Honor it with your whole heart, keep it safe, and nurture it so it stays strong and binding.


P.G. Holyfield​, I don’t like that you’re not in the world. I mourn the stories you had yet to tell.


You were a lucky, lucky man.


Please click through and comment on Happy Birthday, Patrick!




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Published on April 16, 2015 21:55

February 28, 2015

The DIY Endeavors Podcast Number 082 — Interview Of Jon Cross

Jon Cross of the After Movie Diner PodcastIn this mega-episode of The DIY Endeavors Podcast, my interview guest is podcaster, musician, and comedy writer Jon Cross.


This is a huge conversation… and it’s worth every minute of your time.


Over the course of answering my “five questions” across ninety minutes or so, Jon reveals himself to be a passionate advocate of the DIY ethic and touches on subjects like…



…where to focus your creative efforts if you don’t have a budget
…the valuable inspiration found in community and collaboration
…the differences between the United Kingdom and the United States when it comes to supporting independent creative entrepreneurs
…ways to bring indie creations to mainstream audiences
…the core of comedy

… and so, so much more!


This is a must-listen!


Links

Stuff and things mentioned in this episode:



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Published on February 28, 2015 19:29

February 18, 2015

The DIY Endeavors Podcast Number 081 — Stand For Something

[image error]In this episode of The DIY Endeavors Podcast: Online shopping cart news! Creative progress! Character-revealing actions…


…and the question of ethics, especially pertaining to the need for DIY, independent creators to publicly share their ethics and principles.


Links

Stuff and things mentioned in this episode:



Even though I’ve switched over to
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Published on February 18, 2015 09:00

February 16, 2015

Every Independent Creator Needs A Statement of Ethics

[image error] It’s not uncommon to find a statement of ethics on the website of a corporation or other organization. They’re created for legal reasons as often as to declare the intentions or motivations of the body in question. In some cases, an ethics statement or policy might replace or supplant a mission statement.


Independent creators—authors, musicians, crafters; makers of all kinds—need a public statement of ethics just as much as big companies or charitable organizations.


Why Independent Creators Need A Statement of Ethics

I’ll speak for myself, here, but I’d probably be safe to speak for all indie creators when I say, “I am my brand.”


When someone pays what they want for one of my books, short stories, non-fiction titles, music, or other creative endeavor, they’re often making that choice because they’ve encountered me before they pressed “add to cart.”


When someone pays more than what I’ve suggested for my stuff, or pledges their monthly support as a patron, they’re casting a vote of confidence and appreciation in me as an artist, and they’re investing in my future works.


That’s more than commerce. It’s an act of trust and community.


Speaking pragmatically, those customers are much more likely to contribute to an independent creator’s success over the long term. They are, not to be too cold about it, worth more than strangers.


As an independent creator, you want to build real relationships with your potential and current fans. You must build that community.


A healthy community, like any healthy relationship, thrives under conditions of trust and transparency, when everyone involved understands the intentions and actions of everyone else.


Since you’re the one asking for others to join with you, it’s up to you, independent creator, to demonstrate you are transparent and trustworthy first.


That’s why you should have a statement of ethics on your website.


What Should Independent Creators Include In A Statement of Ethics?

Simply put:



What do you stand for?
What promises can you make regarding your behavior, especially as it pertains to your interaction with customers and clients?

I recommend not trying to cover every possible situation. Rather, state the high-level values that dictate how you live your life. You should be able to extrapolate from those.


If you don’t know the high-level values that dictate how you live your life… you have some thinking to do, I reckon.


You Statement of Ethics Is A Living Document

Don’t be hung up on trying to make your statement of ethics a perfect, fully-realized expression of your morals and values right out of the gate. It’s more important to make the statement, and make it public.


You can go back to refine and restate from time to time. In fact, it’s likely that the very act of writing down your statement of ethics will help you better understand it, and yourself.


I’ll Show You Mine…

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Published on February 16, 2015 19:01

February 9, 2015

The DIY Endeavors Podcast Number 080 — Get Help

I’ve said it for many years: doing it yourself means never having to go it alone!


But… it’s not always easy for a DIY, independent creative entrepreneur to know when it’s time to get help. Or how to find it. Or how to afford it.


After a quick overview of my own recent progress, that’s the topic of this episode of The DIY Endeavors Podcast.


Links

Stuff and things mentioned in this episode:



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Published on February 09, 2015 06:00

February 7, 2015

A Snapshot Of My Email Newsletter Community

Survey Your Email Newsletter Community To Understand Your Best Friends and Fans

I’ve maintained a community of

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Published on February 07, 2015 18:35

January 29, 2015

The DIY Endeavors Podcast Number 079 — Saunacar!

In this episode: finding an unexpected happy place to recharge your creative batteries.


Plus, a round-up of mishaps and distractions from the month, and a listener voicemail!


Links

Read the rocky, bittersweet story of how I had to get a new computer.
I’ve been a Dreamhost customer for eleven years.
My tablet is a Nook HD Color… but I’ve rooted it and installed CyanogenMod. Combined with my bluetooth keyboard, it makes for a handy all-purpose device!
Zumba With Carmen Whitmer!
Scott Roche was being coy in his voicemail, but I believe the two authors he refers to are J.C. Hutchins and Paul E. Cooley.
Click here to support The DIY Endeavors Podcast and become a patron of my creative endeavors for as little as $1.00 per month! It’s what Amelia Bowen did!
Write a review on iTunes (opens iTunes).

Comment On This Episode!

Tell me your thoughts! Let’s talk!



Leave a Comment.
Voicemail Line: +1 757-349-6288 (+1 757-DIY-MATT).
Send an Email.

Technicals

This episode was once again recorded and produced in the lush and lavish studios of MWS Media in Long Beach, California. As is my wont, I used my beloved thirty year old Shure SM58 plugged into a Zoom R16 digital multitrack recorder.


Raw audio was edited in Audacity with finishing touches applied in Hindenburg Journalist.


This episode took about three and a half hours to record, produce, write the show notes, and distribute for a cost of $262.50, a figure that represents what I would have earned doing freelance work for clients for the same amount of time, and provides an approximate and somewhat arbitrary measure of the value of this show… or, perhaps, its cost to me! If you’d like to offset that cost for as little as one dollar every month (more if you can afford it!) consider becoming a patron of the show, with my grateful thanks!




Can’t see the player? Download this episode directly!


This post, The DIY Endeavors Podcast Number 079 — Saunacar! appeared first on the website of author and creator Matthew Wayne Selznick. If you liked it, please click through and comment, and don't forget to join the mailing list community -- I'll send you a 22,000 word sampler of my fiction and non-fiction! Thanks!




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Published on January 29, 2015 15:55

January 23, 2015

An Unexpected Need For A New Home Office Workstation

Back in April of 2011, I was making just over fifty thousand dollars a year as an interactive marketing producer helping entertainment companies promote their movies and television shows online.


Like most of my co-workers at that particular digital agency, I was underpaid, but still, it was just about the highest salary I’d ever earned, so I didn’t feel like I was being too extravagant when I replaced / upgraded my personal computer to a “desktop replacement” laptop that had lots of power and was still designed to work whenever and wherever.


My choice was an ASUS G73SW-XT1. This beast had a 17″ screen with a 1920 by 1080 display, an Intel Core i7 Quad Core processor, eight gigs of RAM… it was designed to handle playing high-end video games, and that made it more than suitable for my needs: writing, large-file image editing, and audio and video production. It set me back $1,500.00.


I put that monster through its paces. Last year I had to replace the power cord (it developed a short on the end that plugs into the computer, something that’s inevitable), but the machine served me very well on the road and in my home office, where I set it up with a 24-inch ASUS VE247 monitor.


Signs and Portents

Then, after a time, the cable connecting the display to the motherboard, or the graphics card, or whatever, started to short, resulting in a bright white screen of nothing. I learned that I could fix that by taking hold of the left and right upper edges of the screen and flexing it back and forth a little bit.


Problem bypassed, if not fixed.


Then, the machine started to overheat and shut itself off. I figured out this was due to one of the two fans intermittently and unpredictably not spinning. I compensated by rigging a makeshift heat stand and making some trial-and-error adjustments with the power settings. I also gave up on processor-intensive activities like video games.


Problem bypassed, if not solved.


There was wear-and-tear, too: a couple of keyboard keys went missing over the years; a few more were worn away and unreadable. I’m a touch typist, mostly, so, no big deal.


Now and then the touchpad would freak out, but I mostly used an external mouse, so, eh, no big deal.


I worked on that computer for the better part of four years, on average seven days a week, eight to ten hours per day.


Last week, the power socket on the side of the laptop started to act peculiar. Sometimes it wouldn’t take juice from the power cord.


I’d be engrossed in work, not expecting the machine to run out of power because, y’know, it was plugged in… and then I’d watch helplessly as it just… shut itself off, exhausted.


I finally figured out the power socket, which attaches directly to the motherboard, apparently, was loose. I could keep a connection with some creative tension on the power cord itself, but this was not a long term solution. I started to worry that this would be the year I’d have to invest in a new computer.


Since I haven’t made anything near what I made in 2011… since 2011… I dreaded the expense.


Two days ago, no amount of jimmying would coax the power socket to cooperate. The workhorse laid down and did not get up again.


The old ASUS, shortly after its surrender.

The old ASUS, shortly after its surrender. Yes, my desk is a mess. I work for living.


Eventually Becomes Today, Now

My primary work computer was dead. It’s a stroke of luck that my main gig right now is for a multinational multimedia entertainment company that insists on providing contractors with its own laptops. I could still work as required and expected… for that client.


But I didn’t have the graphics software I needed to finish a job for one of my other clients. Or handy access to the various documents and notes I need for yet another client.


I couldn’t wait. I needed a new computer, my own computer, right away.


How in the hell was I going to do that on my 2015 busted-or-bounty freelancer’s income?


I decided pretty quickly to make a compromise that wouldn’t have a deleterious effect on my productivity: I didn’t actually need a kick-ass, “desktop replacement” laptop.


See, I thought back, and over the last four years I’ve never actually done any of that heavy duty computing—large-scale graphics editing, audio production, or video production / rendering—anywhere other than in my home office.


I didn’t need a laptop at all.


If and when I feel the need to write and do other creative stuff in some coffeehouse, I can use my rooted Nook Color HD tablet with a Bluetooth keyboard.


Heck, if all I need to do is write, I can use my spiffy little AlphaSmart 3000!


I realized what I needed was a kick-ass desktop computer.


And a way to pay for it.


Research, Resources, Relatives

I set out to find a machine that was at least as powerful as my recently deceased ASUS, but cost less than the price I paid in 2011.


I was originally looking at a traditional tower, figuring I’d use the 24″ monitor I mentioned. I’d miss having two monitors, but I couldn’t justify another couple hundred bucks on a monitor.


Then I started noticing all-in-ones: display in the front, computer in the back. I knew about them—I worked on an iMac for a year and a half at Mahalo—but I hadn’t realized what a trend they’d become with PCs, too.


I set my sights on the Lenovo B750 Ideacenter: a massive 29″ 2560 x 1080 screen, an Intel Core i5 4460 processor, six gig of RAM (expandable to twelve), and a terabyte hard drive.


Reviews—both from current owners and from critics—were solid. The most common thing they counted in the negatives column was the lack of a touchscreen, but to me and my way of working, that’s a positive!


The price, with next-day shipping, taxes, and all that rot? $1,342.50.


Criteria met: a better machine that costs less than the one it replaces.


Only problem: I don’t have access to $1,342.50.


It’s frustrating. It makes me feel like I’m back in my struggling, skin-of-my-teeth twenties, praying my car won’t break down, with no money to fix it or buy another, dependent upon the generosity of others.


It’s no fun to be in your late forties and be faced with the fact that you’re basically right back where you were then, at least in that aspect of your life.


Fortunately, I have a close relative who can afford to load a credit card for a few months… and I have a car payment that’s going away in April. The car payment money, which would have gone toward paying down other debts, will instead be dedicated to clearing my latest financial obligation in good time.


Thanks to my very close relative, my new computer arrived last night.


Thanks to my use of services like Dropbox, SpiderOak, and Backblaze, the long process of re-acquiring my files and software is in process.


I lost a couple of working days, but it could have been a much more professionally crippling ordeal. I’m grateful.


My new office workstation looks like this:


The new Lenovo in place, with a second monitor to the left.

The new Lenovo in place, with a second monitor to the left.


Eventually I’ll muster up a better booster stand than fifteen volumes of Masterplots: Digests of World Literature. For now, though… it does the job, and that’s the important thing.


A Month of Speedbumps

I started January with a quick but nasty cold that had me very slow and exhausted for a few days, and then less slow and less tired for a few more days. I’ve felt normal for a week or so.


Then, the increasingly escalating computer issues got in my way in terms of productivity and with stress.


It’s easy to feel like the booster shot of momentum arbitrarily attached to the beginning of a new year has been chipped at and eroded away.


It’s certainly easy to feel like I’m another 1.3 thousand dollars in debt, because, hey, I am.


But there’s nothing I could have done about getting sick, and, given my financial state, little I could do to be able to continue working other than what I did.


So it goes.


Maybe that’ll be it for the speedbumps for a while. Maybe February will be a nice, wind-in-my-hair straightaway at seventy five miles an hour. The fresh new machine, at the very least, won’t be a hindrance in that regard.


How About You?

How’s your January?


If things haven’t gone as expected the first few weeks of the year, what steps are you taking—including necessary, but painful ones—to move through it and move on?


Let’s share… in the comments!


This post, An Unexpected Need For A New Home Office Workstation appeared first on the website of author and creator Matthew Wayne Selznick. If you liked it, please click through and comment, and don't forget to join the mailing list community -- I'll send you a 22,000 word sampler of my fiction and non-fiction! Thanks!




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Published on January 23, 2015 00:05