Karavansara

East of Constantinople, West of Shanghai

Tag Archives: social media


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Learning stuff

I was talking with a friend, about one hour ago, about books. Yeah, I know, I know… I should go out more, but that’s what we book people talk about when we have a chat – books. We are both working on some new material (I’ll tell you one of these days) and we are both staying away from fiction right now, and reading non fiction.

And it turned out we’ve been learning new things recently, and we keep trying to learn more. And that’s seen as something unnatural by many – there’s this idea you go to school, learn what you need to learn… learn all you need to learn, and you’re set. Off to getting a job you go, a job you’ll do for the rest of your life, hating it every minute, until you retire or die, whatever comes first.

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Overthinking it

There’s an old Taoist saying that goes “Do not judge other people’s mistakes, but learn from them” (or maybe there isn’t, but I’m sure as hell there should be). Or maybe I am overthinking this whole business, but… OK, it goes like this.

It happens sometimes that I catch myself, when choosing, say, a book to read, or a movie to watch, or a comic book… it happens that I find myself weighing alternatives like this

  • book/movie/comic A looks like fun
  • but book/movie/comic B looks just as fun, and might provide matter for a post on Karavansara

And there’s nothing wrong with that, really – because often it is not a matter of chosing one and losing the other. I can read/watch B tonight and A over the weekend, or something. So, why not look for blog-fodder?

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Show, don’t tell

We were talking about writers and social media with some friends, yesterday, and how you are supposed to post regularly and get Likes on Facebook and shares and what not to increase your reach and develop your platform. I hate it. I mean, when I post something on my Facebook profile or my Twitter channel, or indeed here on my blog, it’s not, usually, thinking

Wow! The punters will love this! My Social Media Score will go up!

So yes, I suck at social media.
On the other hand, talking with my friends, I found out a lot of writers feel awkward about strutting their stuff online just for clicks. An we identified three types of social media writers we really can’t stand.
So, why not post a brief profile of these guys. Maybe I’ll get a lot of likes and shares…

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Off with their heads!

457Today looks like I’ll be talking about social media.
Second post on the subject…
Fact is, starting… uhm, let’s say one month ago, maybe a little more, I decided to implement a stricter control over my online interactions.
And in particular over the space I am going to allow third parties to take on my blogs, profiles and all that…

What gave me the idea was the gentleman that started harassing me because he wanted me to admit I am a failure, based on his (wrong!) interpretation of what I had written on this blog.
Like I’m not a cheerful, optimist sort of guy!

And then all the rest.
I realize my patience is growing shorter by the day.
Must be the old age encroaching.

So, off with their heads! Continue reading →


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My blogging strategies (or lack thereof)

daily-blogging-beatOK, let’s say that blogging about blogging is something I try and avoid as much as I can: blogging, as any other form of writing, works best when it’s done, not when it’s talked about.
On the other hand, when we find something that works (or seems to), sharing the knowledge is a good idea.
We do not live in a vacuum.

So, here’s what I found out.

If you read a lot of those articles and handbooks about the best way to keep on blogging no matter what, and have tons of readers, millions of comments, make money like, in cartloads… When you go through those how-to lists and infographics, they all seem to agree on three points Continue reading →


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Karavansara is now on Alltop!

Featured in Alltop

Believe it or not, Karavansara is now featured on Alltop, the virtual magazine rack.
The posts from this small backwaters blog will be featured alongside the big shots – and now you’ll be able to add our feed to your Alltop pages your MyAlltop.

It’s a big step in the drive to increase the popularity of Karavansara.
And yes, we’re somewhat surprised it worked.


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Back on G+

… and so this friend of mine comes and tells me, man, you’re not on Google+, your ebook sales will never grow.

what-the-plus-01To which I reply that actually, well, yes, I am on Google+ but, I sort of forget about checking my home page.

To be fully honest – last winter I read What the Plus!, by Guy Kawasaki, and as it usually happens with Guy Kawasaki’s books, I was blown away.
Yes, ok, so it’s maybe a little bit over-enthusiastic about this G+ thingie, but what the hell, it’s still an excellent user’s guide, fun to read, well designed and planned, really a smash.
Then I went to G+ and found out the interface no longer was as described in the book.
The book was written in 2012.
Looks like they changed the thing as soon as the book was out.
Ouch.
That was a big let down – you know how it feels when you’re all revved up and ready to go and all of a sudden it turns out the party is not that funny after all?
Yep… that sort of let down. Continue reading →