Make sure that you stand out in a good way....
The Problem With a Grand Opening
A Grand Opening can be the start of something great or the beginning of slow fall. ...
The Man in the Arena
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly;...
Glints of Magic
“Glints of Magic in this endless rough” is an idea from an interview with director Richard Linklater during the filming of his twelve-year project of Boyhood....
Rebel Pirates for Good
There are good and bad places to say, “I don’t want to be a pirate.” Saying “I don’t want to be a pirate” on a 90’s sitcom is a good place. Saying it on a pirate ship is a bad place. Saying “I don’t want to be a pirate” on the Jolly Roger when...
The Wasted Word
Welcome to the Wasted Word. Your place for all of the words you could not keep at the end of the day. Here at the Wasted Word, our days start when you go to bed. All of those ideas that swirl in your head throughout the day have to go somewhere. Most people would...
Beyond the Plot Points in a Story
A plot gives you the action. The reaction is what moves a story. Plot points like “Once upon a time…” “Until one day…” and “The End” are useful markers. Beyond plot points, it’s important to know how your characters react at each of those moments. When a farmer loses his crop, we need to...
Good Marketing is Fishing with a Line, Not a Net
A lot of marketing advisors will tell you to cast a wide net and see which fish you catch. This is the “you like heavy metal, you’ll love Celine Dion” approach to marketing. Our email inboxes are full of this wide net approach. There’s almost no company I want to hear from more than...
The Big Launch Problem
A grand opening is attractive. Starting big brings prestige and credibility. With a grand opening, you’re announcing to the world that something bold and new is happening. Grand expectations accompany a grand opening – as does scrutiny. The flaws that might be forgiven for a work in progress will be ridiculed at a big...