Browsing Tag

Writing

Uninspired work is the worst kind

Today I am to announce who won the “Everyone Loves Austin” t-shirt giveaway.

I will do that later.

Right now I don’t feel like writing at all. Not even that sentence.

In fact, these past 8 days have proven difficult in writing emails let alone blog posts. Sometimes I don’t even finish sentences while talking. I trail off, confused as to what I’m saying. I switch out words for other words. Left becomes right, north becomes south.

My brain is so cluttered with stuff, I can’t even tell if I’m writing this sentence correctly or not.

When I read these words aloud in my brain, a hundred other voices compete to make themselves known.

All these conversations battling for hierarchy in my head end up sounding like Peanut’s adult talk.

When I try to be creative, I feel my thoughts running immediately up against a brick wall. I start a sentence only to find it struck down by immovable and nonexistent brain matter. I can see the wall, but I can’t see the words. They are a dust (more…)

August 20, 2012 by hipstercrite

Austin, Writing

Blogging Bootcamp 101: Interested in Learning More About Blogging?

I’ve had Hipstercrite for over three years now.

I’ve watched it go from 10 visits PER WEEK to 10 visits every five minutes. Though my traffic is not in the big leagues just yet, it still boggles my mind that as many people read it as they do.

My blog was initially read by one friend and my parents (secretly). After I moved to Austin, the wonderful artists/thinkers/writers/social media stars took me with open arms and got my name out there. I won the Austin Blogger Awards’ “Blogger of the Year” title and have been offered a lot of freelance local (and non-local) writing work. Because of this, my blog grew. Since Austin is so closely connected to LA and NYC and I don’t solely write about Austin, half of my demographic is non-Austinites. During SXSW it completely blew me away when I introduced myself to strangers from out of town and they heard of my blog. I never imagined in a million years my writing would be read by people other than my parents.

I’m not saying this to toot my (more…)

March 20, 2012 by hipstercrite

Writing

How Social Media and Blogging Can Help You Get a Job

As I’ve mentioned before, back in September, I went the freelance writer/social media marketing route.

It’s been such a rewarding and educational experience. To do what I want to do, finally, for the first time in my adult life has been so incredible. Going freelance has given me the confidence in knowing that I’m capable and have something to offer.

However, this time has not come without its down moments. There have been many somber times of me standing by the mailbox waiting for a check or lying awake at 3AM thinking about what kind of taxes I’m going to owe.

Luckily, the work keeps coming in- with the ebb and flow that freelance work does. Sometimes I’ll hear nothing for a few weeks, then a bunch of offers coming streaming it at once. Sometimes the offer is big, sometimes it’s little.

When thinking about the work I’ve received over this time, it dawned on me that most of my work I received through the powers of social media. Facebook, Twitter and my blog. I’m still learning (more…)

January 18, 2012 by hipstercrite

20-Something, Hipstercrite Life

This is Life at 28

I always knew that 28 was going to be a pivotal age for me.

When I still worked in Hollywood, 25 would be the age that the ball really started rolling career-wise, and 28 would be the age that I, for the lack of a lesser cheesy phrase, “made the big time”. I wasn’t sure what “making the big time” exactly entailed, but I knew it involved financial freedom and a certain amount of career notoriety that would prevent me from drinking at home alone and writing emo music lyrics on my mirror in marker.

Of course I never accounted for the fact that I would soon view my career path as repugnant as a public restroom on Venice Beach.

Well, both 25 and 28 were important ages, but not in the ways that I imagined they would be. At 25 I left the film business and moved to Austin and at 28 I left working 9-5 and went freelance. I also fell in love with an amazing person. I also started growing this cool Rogue-esque white patch in the front of my hair.

I’m halfway through my 28th year and (more…)

January 9, 2012 by hipstercrite

Hipstercrite Life, Writing

Writing Makes You Weird

Ever since I’ve started writing semi-regularly, I feel like I’ve gotten super weird.

Like I’ve lost all ability to socialize with other human beings and I just find myself standing crosseyed and painless in the world- as David Byrne would say. I look like I’m staring at a giant naked man disco dancing on top of yo’ head while you’re talking to me. Half the time I’m floating off into space with my lamé rocket suit because I’m thinking about what to write that day. I’m always thinking about what to write. The other half of the time I look like someone slapped me upside the head because I’m trying to find the words to say. Talking in your head a lot and regurgitating those words onto a keyboard, then constantly reediting those words and when you don’t like those words going to an online thesaurus to change them, makes for awkward fun time when you finally open your mouth in public.

“Grmerph!”

While someone is talking to me I begin a sentence only to find myself stopping because (more…)

October 5, 2011 by hipstercrite

Writing

When Are You Most Creative?

source

Some days you have it and some days you don’t.

It’s a total mystery as to the why either one happens.

As a friend pointed out when we had a discussion about this over the weekend, Steve Martin once said something along the lines of, “Forcing creativity is like trying to force a shit. You just can’t do it. You have to let it flow naturally.” Now, I tried Googling this quote for verification, but I can’t seem to find it anywhere which leads me to think that my friend is full of shit. However, I did find two OTHER delightful quotes from Steven Martin on creativity:

“Writer’s block is a fancy term made up by whiners so they can have an excuse to drink alcohol.”

and

“Despite a lack of natural ability, I did have the one element necessary to all early creativity: naivete, that fabulous quality that keeps you from knowing just how unsuited you are for what you are about to do.”

(I beg to differ Martin’s claim of “a lack of natural ability”- he seems (more…)

August 22, 2011 by hipstercrite

20-Something

I Like Lists! Except When They Suck Ass.

I peruse the Internet like a mo-fo and because of this I’m only able to enjoy rudimentary things like lists.
I especially like self-help/how-to lists- the sort that give you tips on how to become a better blogger or lover or lover to your blogger (we need a lot of attention).
If there is anything that I’ve learned from self-help/how-to lists it’s that the people who write them are not really qualified to tell you how to improve your life. Most of the time their advice is simple and ideas rehashed from other articles written by people who are also not qualified to tell you how to improve your life.
I spend most of my time trying to unlearn everything I’ve read from lists I enjoy reading on the Internet daily.

I constantly fall victim to thinking that these lists will hold some magic key words that will suddenly make me fearless, entrepreneurial, balanced and wealthy. I mean, don’t we all? Don’t lie. You know you love the lists. YOU LOOOOOVE THE LISTS!!! I figure I drift through life, (more…)

July 26, 2011 by hipstercrite

Writing

What Makes You a Writer?

When you try to maintain a daily blog, it is easy to lose sight of your other writing goals. Blogging takes a up a lot of time, and if you work a more than full-time job during the day, coming home and writing one blog post is hard, let alone trying to write anything else. Or even tending to normal grooming habits. My eyebrows have retreated back to their 1995 state. When I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I am startled by the large caterpillars crawling over my face, only to remember I forgot to pluck. Five months ago.

There are times where I begin writing the semi-makings of a book or screenplay only to have them abandoned wayside like a Gosselin child. They start piling up in the graveyard of forgotten stories, occasionally seeing a sliver of light when free time and creative spark coincide- which rarely happens these days. Free time means relaxing. Writing can often be anything but. Where some people feel it is therapeutic, I feel that writing is a constant struggle, trying (more…)

July 20, 2011 by hipstercrite

Austin

Culture Map Austin

Culture Map Austin launched today!

What is Culture Map you ask?

Well, it’s going to be THE source for news, entertainment, culture, food, sports, style and events in Austin, Texas.

After the success of Culture Map Houston, the gang decided to take the site on the road to the capital city. What better fit than real-time news and opinion in the #8 most socially networked city in America?

I’m very excited about today’s launch because I am also a contributor! I hope you will take the time to puruse the site today. I think you will like what you see. In the meantime, here is a snippet of my first post. You can click on the link below to read more…

______________________

“I have a N.Y. driver’s license, L.A. mailing address and Austin physical address.

Please don’t hold the N.Y. and L.A. parts against me. I roll my eyes just as much as you do when somebody in Austin tells me they moved here from either place.

And if you’re a cop, please don’t arrest me. I don’t want (more…)

July 18, 2011 by hipstercrite

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