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Blogging

Hipstercrite Life

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
Writing

Does Blogging Make You Depressed?

 

I like following popular blogs. Not so much in that I find the material interesting (by the time I’ve found the blogs, the authors have already begun posting less than engaging material because they’ve reached a success that doesn’t demand time or quality), but because I’m intrigued with their lives as popular bloggers.

Recently, a blogger friend clued me in to some blogger drama going on with the blog Single Dad Laughing. In short, a lot of readers and bloggers have increasingly become annoyed at author Dan Pearce’s  seemingly narcissistic blog rants. A recent SDL post spawned this angry response from Daddy blogger, Beta Dad. Though I don’t believe in blogger bashing, I found Beta Dad’s blog post kind of hysterical.

Blogger dramaz!

I don’t always follow Single Dad Laughing, but when I do, I’ve spotted keywords such as “depression“, “hiatus” (Dan had to take temporary mental health hiatus from blogging) and other words that insinuate emotional unrest.

This got me (more…)

July 26, 2012 by
Writing

When Sharing is Too Much: Tips on Healthy Self-Promotion

Recently, The Austin Post was kind of enough to write a feature on me. It was very sweet of them considering I’m about as interesting as a ADD-tainted squirrel these days.

In the comments someone bemoaned that I “brag too much about my connections” and “whine about turning 30”. I would be lying if I didn’t admit these sort of comments bother the living shit out of me, but I typically get over them in about five minutes (of drinking). Though I don’t think the commenter is correct in that I brag about my connections (having Jeff Goldblum rub his boner up against you doesn’t mean you know him!), it did make me contemplate the nature of over sharing in blogging and social media.

Though I’ve been blogging for over three years now, I’m still learning the rules as to what is too much when it comes to self-promotion. I tended to lean on not broadcasting my accomplishments for my social network to see, but then I realized that most people do. In fact, most people who get ahead do a healthy (more…)

June 15, 2012 by
Austin

Goddamn, East Austin!

OK, gang.

The new blog is up and running.

The final verdict was “Goddamn, East Austin”.

I’m still test-driving the title. Most people and my raunchy self seem to like it, but the lady in me is saying, “What the fuck, Lauren? Do you seriously have to swear all the mother-fucking time?”

My first post is a review of the FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC! Salty Sow on Manor Road. Whooooweeee this place is good!

You can follow Goddamn East Austin’s Facebook page here.

And Twitter here.

In the meantime, enjoy this photo of Salty Sow’s Bananas Foster Beignets with nutmeg ice cream.

 

May 23, 2012 by
Austin

Help Me Pick Out A Title For My New Blog!

Hipstercrite isn’t going anywhere. I will be chained to this mo-fo for the rest of my f’ing life.

I decided to start a new blog though. One that I felt didn’t fit the confines of Hipstercrite.

It is a neighborhood blog about East Austin. Sort of in the same vein as Fucked in Park Slope. Except amongst the humor, there will be the occasional crime alert because I believe that stuff is important (i.e. I’m a paranoid crazy).

The blog will have new store/restaurant openings, events, stories, interviews, crime alerts, photos, news roundups and ramblings.

I have the blog all ready to go but I’m not sold on the title. This is where I want you to help me!

Currently the blog is titled “East of Austin”. It’s simple, to the point and references literature (I soundz smart!). However, I’m not sure if it’s too simple? I’d like something a little more unique, but without having a title that a “teenage girl would come up with”, says a friend (i.e. No “Dreaming in East Austin”).

This (more…)

May 21, 2012 by
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
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
Writing

Are Bloggers Journalists?

Mashable featured an article today about Oregon blogger Crystal Cox who negatively blogged about The Obsidian Finance Group who in turn sued her for defamation. The blogger, who represented herself in court, lost the case. According to Oregon media laws she is not considered a journalist and therefor not protected. A large deciding factor in this case was that she refused to name an inside source who gave her information, therefore not able to prove her blog was truth. Her punishment for defamation? 2.5 million dollars.

Mashable utilized the story to frame the question- are bloggers journalists?

This is an age old debate that comes up time and time again. It’s a question I rarely think about because I do not consider myself a journalist, but as I delve deeper into the world of freelance writing, I feel this might become more pertinent to me.

My blog has never been a news source. It’s a personal opinion site. Are facts intermingled in there? Yes. Do I try very hard to do my (more…)

December 8, 2011 by
20-Something, Hipstercrite Life, Writing

When Good is Never Enough: A Dilemma for the Twenty-Something Blogger

I switched my blog over to WordPress a little over a month ago and I love it. Well, actually my wonderful web designer did because I couldn’t figure out how to do it. I mean, I could have maybe figured it out but I resorted back to that illogical fear that I’ll somehow make my blog implode by pushing the wrong button.

I love the options, the freedom I feel in writing multiple posts and the ability to respond to individual comments that the new blog brings. I still need to add some design work, but all-in-all, I’m very happy with the change.

One thing that stinks is that my traffic took a plummet. I’m still trying to figure out why and trying to correct the problem- if that’s possible. It kind of stressed me out. More than I care to admit. A lot of aspects of my writing have stressed me out lately and I hate to say it, but they’re for fairly superficial reasons.

Writing online is both extremely rewarding and mind-f’ing. One post you get a bunch of feedback or shares or likes (more…)

November 10, 2011 by
Writing

YOU DON’T OWN ME BLOG!

Wrapping up my work trip home this week. I’ve had a great time but looking forward to getting back to not writing overly sentimental posts about where my childhood went.

In the meantime, check out my post over at CultureMap about how to become a successful blogger without taking off your clothing.

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I love reading internet self-help lists. Lists that tell you how to balance your life, lists that tell you how to follow your dreams, lists that tell you how to be better at your job/art/money management/McRib tolerance, lists that tell you the best way to prevent yourself from becoming Howard Hughes and developing atrophy due to sitting inside and reading internet lists all day long. Lists are easy, short and to the point. They work easily with my newly developed squirrel-like attention span caused by social media.

Occasionally I like writing lists. I really don’t know what I’m talking about most of the time, but once you’ve been doing something long enough your brain liquefies (more…)

November 4, 2011 by