April Platform Challenge #12

Day '12' - Call to Action

Call to action is directing your readers to another place after reading your post. You can do it to another blog, post, or a social media you are a part of. I thought originally it was getting your readers involved by having them do reply posts, or commenting. So you could comment here, and then create a post on your page and link it to your twitter, facebook, and linkedin!

Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin! Subscribe to emails, and let me know what you think!

April Platform Challenge #11

Day '11' - Helpful Posts

So for day 11 you get to share a post that is helpful to your platform. Sharing it on twitter, Facebook, and a few other social sites is good. You get to learn new stuff, maybe make new connections, and maybe even help someone else! Here is the site I'm sharing.

April Platform Challenge #10

Day '10' - Checking Yourself Out

Looking yourself up online gives you a great idea of what people can find out about you, and how you look to the public. Here is my findings on the following sites:

Google

• There are 23,900 results
• My live journal shows up as the first thing, but if I take out Joann, Goodreads is the first.
• With out the Joann there are 82,400 results
• Both times only the first few are about myself
• If I google Gothipire (my username for about everything!) there are 1,590 results, and all of the ones I clicked randomly had to deal with myself.

Bing

• There are 42,500 results for full name, and my facebook shows up
• 6,270 results without the middle name
• The first one is my twitter account
• Next is myspace (so old)
• 6,750 results for Gothipire
• Only my personal twitter shows up on the first page

Yahoo!

• Full name only my facebook shows up
• Minus middle name just my myspace
• Gothipire my mibba, twitter, wattpad, and writing.com accounts show up

DuckDuckGo

• My aunt Kim shows up for full name (its done that for all the other sites as well)
• My Linkedin shows up first thing without my middle name
• Gothipire gets a few of my sites twitter being second

Ask

• Full name - nothing
• -Middle name - nothing
• Gothipire - my youtube video links show up

DogPile

• Full name - my aunt
• -Middle - my aunt
• Gothipire - youtube, and finally my blog!

Yippy

• Full name - 0 results 
• -Middle - 0 results
• Gothipire - 1 that is not me...
• This one makes me really sad

YouTube

• Full name - 0 results 
• -Middle - 0 results
• Gothipire - My account, favorites, and videos!

I've learned that only google has a lot on me.

April Challenge Platform #9

Day '9' - Tweet tweet!

Now that the ones that have a twitter account who are doing this challenge have people to follow. The next thing is to reply to a tweet! It is really easy just click reply. It gets your name out there, and creates a bond with the person you are talking too as well. Retweeting does the same, but then shares what you thought was interesting on your page as well. It is all good for everyone! Enjoy the easy day of replying to at least 3 tweets today.

April Platform Challenge #8

Day '8' - New Social Network (for me at least)

This next day is about Linkedin, a media site I haven't heard of until recently. So I'm going to add it to my list of Site seeing! I'm not really sure about the site. So while I write this, I'll create my site!

It'll ask you your basic info: Name (first/last), Area, Password, & Email. Then the company you work for, or if you are a student and go to school. With the knowledge of your contacts in your email, it'll ask if you want to add your friends. Later it will ask if you'd like to share that you joined on Facebook/Twitter. You'll add your industry, current job, other jobs, current school degree & others, profile picture upload, skills you have, and many other details. It is almost like creating a job application. It is great for publishers, and agents to find you. You add so much information about yourself. It made me think a lot as I filled it out. You can find me here! Add me and add your link to the description below!

April Platform Challenge #7

Day '7' - Sharing is very caring

The next part of the section is the sharing options on your blog. My blog has buttons to share on Facebook and Twitter. There are widgets you can add to your blog to have people share it. The site from which I'm doing this challenge is getting a list of people's accounts. So if you'd like to share your Facebook, Twitter, or Blog in the comments, I'll make a massive list of all of them (an organized massive list). Please comment and share!!!!

April Platform Challenge #6

Day '6' - Commenting

Another way to get your blog out there, is to read other blogs like yours, or ones that catch your interest. You can make friends that later can do guests posts for each other. Also you can gain followers, and learn things to improve your blogging or what you are blogging about! Click day above and see challenge #6!!!! Comment on other blogs, start conversations, make friends! For this challenge I read this article.

April Platform Challenge #5

Day '5' - Blogging!

Blogging! Who what of thought? Of course blogging is part of the platform! So if you got a blog to join on in this challenge, then today just post a blog. Or you can look at some of the articles on the site (click the day at the top). Blogging is great for communicating, sharing your ideas and opinions, and sharing pieces of your work! Have fun with it, and connect to the readers!

April Platform Challenge #4

Day '4' - The little blue bird

Logically the next step would be getting a twitter account. I wasn't sure about getting a twitter at first a while ago. Now, I love being able to update anytime without hearing someone complain that I am updating too much! I used it as if it were my phone's text messaging. There's a lot of great uses for it. I have had one personal account for a while. I use it for friends and such. Just recently I've made one just for my writing platform. I hope you have fun tweeting away! Such short posts!

April Platform Challenge #3

Day '3' - Facebook (creating one & maintaining it)

This day doesn't really have any questionnaire to fill out. So I'm going to add the Facebook link for whoever doesn't have one. Remember to maintain the profile (I did a page instead). Update it often to keep people interested. I have a bad habit of not doing that at all. Have fun on Facebook! If you have on already hit the day link^ he (the blogger) has two links you can look at. Sorry for the short post!

April Platform Challenge #2

Day '2' - Creating your goals

Short Term Goals

• Complete the June's 750 words a day challenge!
• Keep A's & B's in college
• Get a business degree
• Get closer to publishing my novel collection
• Get the job at hot topic
• Defeat writer's block!
• Keeping going to the gym
• Include my religion more in my life

Long Term Goals

• Become a well known author
• Build my own house
• Get married to my sweetheart
• Raise kids
• Make a difference
• Publish several books/book series
• Get the courage to write music
• Learn musical instruments
• Get a degree in Creative Writing/Mythology
• Start my own publishing company
• Travel the world
• Paint my car
• Have my own clothes design
• Own several businesses including two night clubs one of which is open to high schoolers
• Own a 1970 Lincoln that's cherry red (the same car my grandpa has)
• Create my own scholarship

April Platform Challenge #1

Day '1' - Figuring out who you are

Source: Telah Loureiro (edited together by myself)

Name
Raven Joann Maaka-Loureiro

Position(s)
Blogger, tweeter, published writer, (Past): Babysitter, XO - JROTC Staff, Cashier, Ticket Taker, Actress, Swim Team Manager, and Curtsy Clerk. 

Skills
Creative writing (fiction/poetry), friendly, problem solving, fast learner, creative, mediating, staying clam and upbeat.

Social Media Platforms
Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, Google+, Youtube

URLs
http://gothipire.blogspot.com/
https://twitter.com/GothipireAuthor
https://www.facebook.com/RavenJoannMaakaGothipire?ref=tn_tnmn
https://www.youtube.com/BlackStar130169 (has links to many more sites)

Accomplishments
JROTC Leadership medal, Scottish Rite Medal, Superior Cadet Medal, Principal Award, Honor Roll, This I Believe published, 1st Place Rifle/Drill Team (on a few occasions), 4th over all Marksmanship Rifle, 2nd Pistol JV Team, 1st Place Rifle JV Team, Orienteering 2nd in school, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th in Winter Guard, Middle & High school literary magazine publications, Photogenic Award, State Finalist for National American Miss, Swim Team Manager, 1 Degree Level 2 Black Belt, 1st 2nd & 3rd in Dance, Danced in the mall (big deal back then).

Interests
Writing, reading, music, guitar, manga, video games, drums, bass, piano, singing, acting, modeling, architecture, interior design, fashion, goth, video game designs, script writing, fiction, poetry, helping others, being famous, blogging, family, friends, Hot topic, school, mythology, Lord of the Rings, Alice In Wonderland, tattoos, art, drawing, fitness, wicca/paganism, ocean/beaches, travailing, multilingual, marriage, dancing, Nightmare Before Christmas, cards, board games, husky, pomsky, kitties, bats, coffins, Halloween, new years, Victorian, vinyl records, corsets, black widows, different hair color, make up design, scaring, gardening, cooking, vampire/zombies/fairies/werewolves/etc,

In one sentence, who am I?
I am a young goth trying to get a job at hot topic, have a writing career, staying strong for my mother, and being the best girlfriend I can be.

April Platform Challenge

I have been doing a lot of research on writing, and what it takes to get noticed and be published. Here are a few things I've found out.

Writing Platforms

• You really need one for non-fiction writing (not really sure anything more on that).
• For fiction writing it is nice to start before you try to get published. Why?
• Building a fan base ahead of time.
• Shows you have people as potential book buyers.
• You are willing to do the work to promote yourself.
• Editors/Agents/Publishers can find you easier.
• Socialize and show your self.
• If you start ahead you can get better at it, before you have so many people to see you mess up.
• Blogs/Websites - communicate, give updates, pieces of your works, let people get to really know you.
• Social media - Twitter/Facebook etc.  Talk with the fans more, be social and interact  with them, show that you aren't a robot.
• Speaking/Classes - Teach classes on your niche of writing, help others learn what you know, speak in front of people about your experiences, get yourself known.
• Writing Groups - Join groups, talk with other writers, make friends, expand the people you know, share work, and improve on your own writing

You can read up a lot more about it, there is a lot of info. It seems a little overwhelming. There are books out there that can also help. On my search to finding out what the platform is, how to create one, and what am I suppose to do; I did find a blog about the April Platform Challenge. It was originally made to do over 30 days, but I might do more in a day. Here is a link to a list of the 30 tasks. It is suppose to help you build your platform or improve it. You should check it out if you are a writer yourself!

~Writing is my oxygen, I can't breathe without it~

Writing Sites

For this blog I decided to share all of the writing sites I have found. When looking for a publisher, or getting a beginner's fan base, these sites can help. Plus it is great to get other people's opinions!

Sites!!!
A very well known and popular site is Fanfiction.net: 

• For fan fiction writing: Own version of any story, movie, or game.
• Mostly a place where people put to characters together that don't usually end up together.
• Easy set up with traffic, messaging, reviews, and able to read other's work.
• Not a place for original work.

Then you have fictionpress.com:

• Made by the same people who do fan fiction, but for original works.
• Has the same features as fanfiction, just without the use of copyrighted characters.
• Down side to both, not many views.

Next is Figment.com:

• You can heart, comment, or give a review.
• You can hook up to your web page, twitter, and Facebook.
• People can also say they got shivers, a blush, wow, cry, and laugh from your writing.
• Can be shared on tumbler, Facebook, twitter, or email from readers to share your work.
• You can start over on a story, or (if it is long enough) you can start from the chapter you left off of.
• People follow you if they want to be notified of updates.
• Shows how many chapters, words, and approximate time of your story/poem would be to read.
• There's contests, forums, shop, the daily fig, spotlight, library, and groups.
• The my writing section has all of your stories that you can destroy, edit, or view, and the last few people who commented, hearted, reviewed, ext. on your story.
• My desk contains: People you are followings updates, and figment news.
• My groups shows all the groups you are a part of.
• With groups you can add a discussion, or be part of one already made, and look at other member's works.
• Let of people wont read your work, unless you swap, and read/review or comment theirs first.

Wattpad.com is up:

• Contains a profile page that has: Fans, fan of, your recent votes and recent comment, status, the about you section, your works, message board, and reading list.
• You can connect to your web page, Facebook, and twitter.
• There is also an inbox, my works for editing what you have posted, my library/ reading lists that you can save works you want to read or show what you have read, invite friends.
• There is a create button to go straight to making a new piece.
• The community drop down connects you to insider, clubs, contests, and the Atty's (an award).
• On your work page it contains: # of reads, comments, and votes; a pin it button; rating; small about you section; a button to add to library  and the table of contents of your work.
• You can decorate your profile page, and it's main color is bright orange.

Mibba.com:

• Easy to navigate
• Well organized (separates short stories, poems, photos, and can create characters).
• There's a lot of stuff to do, you can write an article, blog, forum, add friends.
• Kind of like a social network for writers.
• When reading a story the first page is your long summer, and table of contents which is really nice.
• This is one of my favorites to use.

Finally Writing.com:

• There's a side bar that shows you things you can do, points, email, number of projects, and your page link.
• Free members can only have up to 10 projects, for more space you'd have to be a paid member.
• There are monthly contests, and lots of prices.
• Points (if you have thousands of them) can be used to by from the shop instead of cash.
• Boring set up.
• People have left reviews sooner than other sites after you have posted (they are really helpful).

For quick response, use writing.com. For a Facebook/social like feel, use Mibba. For colorful/self done profile page and a way to remember what you want to read, use wattpad. For groups, fine set up, better details on what people think, use figment. For using characters from games, books, movies, and more that aren't yours, use fanfiction.net. And if you like fanfiction, but you have original work you want to share, use fictionpress.com.

To get a better feel for each one of the sites you'll have to look and mess with it yourself. Joining all of them is free. Need a friend, or want someone to read your work, just let me know and I'll add/friend/follow you. Hope this helps!

~Write on, fellow writers!!!~