Category: Book Review

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Book Review

Book Review: The Social Media Mind by David Amerland

The Social Media Mind: How social media how social media is changing business, politics and science and helps create a new world order.The Social Media Mind: How social media how social media is changing business, politics and science and helps create a new world order. by David Amerland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It’s a good book highlighting the pitfalls businesses can fall into when they see social media as just another marketing channel. Social media allows immediate feedback and it doesn’t take fluff lightly. David Amerland gives examples such as RIM‘s inattention in handling a crises, Gap’s logo change backlash and a Ragu campaign that went viral for the wrong reasons. It also gives good examples such as Domino Pizza’s turnaround in spite of a bad viral video from two of its employees.

The book was published in 2012. So there is too much emphasis on Google+, and the Arab Spring was still seen as a success. Still, there is much here to learn four years after its publication date.

View all my reviews

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Book Review

The Go-Giver and the Job Search

Cover of "The Go-Giver: A Little Story Ab...
Cover via Amazon
I’ve been on vacation this week. One of the books I’ve been reading is The Go-Giver.

Web site: http://thegogiver.com/

I enjoyed this book because of the stage of life I am currently in.

Continue reading “The Go-Giver and the Job Search”
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Book Review

Blah, Blah, Blah: the Book

Kudos to Dan Roam’s new book, “Blah, Blah, Blah: What to do when words won’t work.” I read his earlier book, “The Back of the Napkin,” because I wanted to use my pictures while teaching kids. Roam’s new book takes the idea of incorporating pictures and words even further. I bought this book on Friday. it was so good, I devoured it in the last forty-eight hours!

I especially loved in the beginning where he tells how Dr. Seuss made such an impression on him as a child as well as others. Lately, I’ve heard doomsayers announce the death of picture books. This book shows that we need pictures to go with our words more than ever because we need both to really learn something. I highly recommend it for anyone who gives presentations, teaches, or just wants to get an idea across in the most effective way.

You can on the image above to order a copy.

You can also check out his web site at danroam.com.

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Book Review

2012 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market

I got this book over the weekend. I was excited when I saw it on a book shelf. It means the new year can start, even if it is two months early.

I noticed this year’s edition has more articles for the beginners in the front of the book. The markets are changing rapidly and this is addressed in the beginning pages. I was disappointed to see the articles cover the writing end of the market, but don’t address the needs of the illustrators. I would like to see more coverage on how to make it as an illustrator as well as a writer.

Fortunately, there is plenty of information for illustrators within the publisher’s entries.

You can click on the image to order a copy through Amazon.com. Happy submitting, everyone!

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Book Review creativity productivity

A Week of Pondering

This week, I have been on vacation. I have had the opportunity to catch up on some reading. One of the books I’ve loved this week is “Making Ideas Happen” by Scott Belsky.

Here are two of the points I’ve received from this book:

  1. To-do lists/action steps are critical to getting an idea off the ground. It helps keep the focus on an idea.
  2. Self-marketing and transparency are critical to making your idea known.

In the coming weeks, I’m going to consider how I need to make larger ideas happen. I love to create gag cartoons, but I need to go to the next level in order to give them life.

I love how this book has made me reconsider how to get creative ideas to the next level. I’d recommend this book to any creative professional.

Scott Belsky is the founder and CEO of the Behance Network. The site for this book is www.makingthingshappen.com.