wondering out loud on day one of 2009

here's my game plan for 2009

my bangs are too short.

its too cold, windy and bright to go running or to jump into the water with the rest of the polar bears today.





i always set up my paper sketch diary on january 1 of each year and resolve to capture my life in text and image every day. i still think this is my greatest goal.





this year i am in rethink. private or public readers? now that i have a scanner, so many things are possible for me to create.





some things i wondered about this morning:





kindle


i am watching the mountains of mainstream publishing and bookselling erode, accelerating with each economic hiccup. barnes and noble is a great urban haven, a place for moms with children to lock strollers with, serial magazine browsers, pre date meetings - and a place to sell books. however, it is the book buying public that is changing the way books are being acquired. more books are being bought and sold on line. and the kindle will further transform our entire psychic relationship with literature. i shop on line because i like wearing my fuzzy slippers, getting additional discounts and free shipping. who needs to get in the car, drive, park, wander around a mall, drag stuff home...? for social reasons? puh-lease!





the reality is that web 2.0 is polarizing the social from the schlepping. you shop on line, you socialize in person.





ok, the math. i will;





1. grow a network of friends and fans on line for my books by blogging, encouraging conversation and interaction during the creative , marketing and selling process.





2. build platforms for my readers to integrate their own interests and goals with mine.





3. create material that dovetails seamlessly with e readers like the kindle.





4. provide personal interaction through special events as well as a personal tone on line.





5. create products - books, t shirts, accessories - to sell to a dedicated public.








i am excited about this. on any given day, i am spending at least 2 hours on line learning how to use social networking tools, following blogs, commenting, researching, responding to posts and yet, i consider myself a wide eyed beginner in this arena. all of this is in its infancy and i feel the urgency to solidify my skills weighing on me. i want to be a force to be contended with - now.





time management:





daily:


on line research (how to do stuff better, who is doing what, trends)


on line networking (maintaining my outposts, commenting, responding, reviewing, posting)


thinking about big picture stuff (kindle, on line business models, vc trends)





creating content (howl! hooked, products, books, images including sketches, photos)





weekly:


planning events (readings, gatherings, keynotes, speeches, presentations)


creating calendars (editorial, event, goal, production)

what are you wondering about ? let me know what you think and leave a comment.