Lifestreaming Lessons - a 90-Day Report
As many of you are aware, three months ago I did something that some considered virtual heresy. After five years and 5300 posts I shuttered my blog, Micro Persuasion, in favor of this lifestream. I set out to find a middle ground between a blog and a tweet. I longed for a new approach where I could post shorter items, more often and in more visual and creative ways. I wanted to establish a place where we could probe technology - like Da Vinci once did on his own - but do so together and daily. Posterous has done a great job on the tech side, but I want to elevate my game.
So far, I am extremely pleased with my approach, but I am never one to be satisfied. The basic formula is working well. I use this site as a launching pad to initiate many of my social streams and then I go and engage in conversations around these out in the hubs where it syndicated. Still, I am also posting content often directly into Facebook and Twitter without starting it here. I may play with the formula so that everything at least begins here.
So what's missing? Well, the content is still too text heavy. Posterous lets you do so many things with audio, video, photos and text. I keep a list of formats I want to try. However, I still resort back to text too often and, what's more, I haven't been able to post daily as I had hoped. I am close, but I can do better.
Last night on the Long Island Railroad I drew up this mindmap in Mindnode on my iPhone. I appreciate alliteration. How would you feel about a structure like this where I theme the content based on the day of the week? Monday we tackle models and/or mindmaps, Tuesday we talk trends, etc. I want to post more often and more creatively than just writing.
Comments 25 Comments
I got a lot of value from your blog posts, Steve, but I'm not inclined to chase a proliferation of services to keep up with you. If it doesn't make it to your RSS feed (or Twitter) I probably won't see it. I love the idea of exploring new means of expression, but please don't do a Scoble and dilute your brand by abandoning your long-time subscribers - I know that's not entirely fair to Robert, but that's the feeling I get as a long-time subscriber to his blog. (Apologies if I'm speaking out of ignorance - I used to feel confident your RSS feed would catch all you had to say; I'm not sure that's the case anymore.)
I just recently started visiting your blog. Now that I know its shuttered...will am checking out Posterous. I find the mindmap cute. Its kind of...... inviting; It has a childish whim to it and hence approachable; it takes you into the teeny world of organizing and hence, like a breath of fresh air; and its coming from you, so it's credible.
I hope I am making some sense here.
Cheers!
Just let it flow a bit more unstructured and random. That is the source of creativity.
Chasing conversation to the spokes takes me away from the platform where I'm spending time. Each day, I spend a few minutes diving into RSS feeds, a few minutes perusing Facebook, a few minutes scanning Twitter, etc.
Sure, I'll follow links out to good content, but like a farmer, I prefer to finish tilling one field before I jump to another.
I think the map concept you've shared above -- it's a good way to ensure your content reflects the format balance/mix you're looking for. My gut says it'll be tough to stick to a "Day X = Format X" schedule, though. Don't let me discourage you from trying, though...if you can bring a little order to the world, I'll gladly follow your lead.
It is almost relevant to any weekly task organization. If we all thought of our weekly life holistically, I am sure we could develop such a lifestream as this.
Good luck.
Tell us more about stuff we can't access, i.e. what you, SR, see and hear. Insightful/vision(ary) posts are most rewarding.
TC, RWW,TechMeme...they give us the news (not-so-insightful). Give us something only you can provide. Stick to that framework and it should flow naturally.
"He is charged with helping clients identify emerging technologies and trends that can be applied in marketing communications programs."
Tell us more about the last part of that...
Nice work thus far on posterous...
(p.s. just call it "stream/streaming", Lifestreaming sounds like a Tony Robbins seminar...)
Like a jazz riff on a familiar melody, the job is to expound on it, making of the melody an unique expression in the moment.
The structure, helpful - without it, you may be too diffuse, but, the structure's there to be stretched to a breaking point. That's where the good stuff happens.
I'm following your development, it is useful, to me. I'm in early stages of moving in a less syndicated direction, however, attempting to maintaining more unique conversation with specific communities on each platform.
I'm thinking of it as an author on a book tour, giving presentations to different audiences, responding to interview questions from various journalists. Rather than repeating the same points that are "in the book", I'm thinking it is best if the author uniquely expresses the truth of each moment, responding to each questioner, each audience specifically, allowing each journalist, each audience to see the author as a larger creative force than the book. A better chance of meaningfully connecting to individuals, this way, I think.
We could trust search to connect our various conversations and media messages. A little bit of Steve Gillmor's startling "links are dead" concept from a couple of years are influencing my current thoughts. I think those who make some effort to find the content will be more responsive, therefore more valuable, contacts.
With all the feeds, photo-streams, video channels, family & friends updates, we are way beyond the ability to keep up with the totality of anyone's output, and shouldn't try. It is the limits of our perception that shapes our intelligence.
If your stated objective is to find new and different ways to offer infomation and discovery, then your readers will vote with their feet-or Delete key.
I suspect that the value of information is in it's distriution and further creative use.
Go for it!