I thank God for people in my life who support me in my endeavors.  Sometimes it’s just a matter of listening to me rant and rave about a whole lot of things they don’t understand, but they encourage me anyway.

As I near financial independence with The Write Design Company, I get overly excited.  I don’t know what’s going to happen, I just know that I HAVE to do the things I need to do to be prepared for when opportunities present themselves.

I am going to write my blogging book through The Write Design Company’s blog.  This is great because I have to post weekly anyway so I may as well use the tools at my disposal to make it happen. And, I love blogging anyway so it should be cool.

I took my little sister to Apple Camp at the Apple Store last week and was very impressed with the three-day program.  I think we were both pleased with the gadgets we played with, but the iPod Touch and Macbook Pro will come home with me within the next three months.

Shorty: Your Chicago South Side Resource is about to make money.  Lots of it.  I worked with Dequiana Brooks, President of Inspired Graphics Media, to work out a plan today.  She is truly a blessing.

It’s time for me to complete a couple things so I can move forward.  Gotta go.  Just wanted to share.

So much has been going on.

I am going to start blogging live from events starting this month.  While I don’t know what will happen at the Internet Retailers Conference next week – and I’m not really concerned – I have to get started. This is the only way I can prove that my service works.  My service is interesting because it is a relatively new service in a potentially un-tapped market for now.  I am getting in on the ground level and I’m going to make it work.  By the time other people get into it, I’ll be major paid and already have a name.  Kinda like the pioneers in the social media.

And, the good thing about what I’m doing is I’m offering a different type of service for events.  Everything is already there except what I’m offering.  AND the service is integrating everything like to do: writing, blogging, photography, social media and videography.  I don’t like videography that much but I know how to do it.

I had a beautiful idea last week.  It was exciting and waaaay overwhelming.  First of all, I will need employees for live blogging sessions.  The only way to guarantee good employees is to train them myself.  My ideal employees: teenagers.  I want to give them everything I know, which is a lot.  Everything I mentioned above about the service I’m offering, that’s what they will learn.  They will never have a reason to be hungry in their lives unless they are just lazy.

Anyway, I’m going to connect with nonprofit organizations and schools to offer to teach writing classes (for a fee, of course).  That is the one skill that is lacking in society, and I think it’s diminishing with the text messaging.  So, I’m going to make it my personal mission to make sure that young people do not lose a handle on the English language.  Actually, I need them to be in tune with technology,too, because that is what keeping a lot of people behind.  I know everyone cannot be like me.  Heck, most people don’t even care about technology.  But, those skills can make a difference in ones standard of living.

One last thing, I’ll be hitting the streets this month to find out what’s really going on on the South Side. I’ll have my camcorder to capture stories.  I’m excited about I’m going to do.  The truth needs to be told, and the only way to tell it is to be among the people.

So, that’s all I have for now. I guess that’s enough, huh?

God really does answer prayer.  Mr. Lucas from the Bronzeville Visitor Information Center told me to contact Dequiana Brooks from Inspired Graphics Media to make a connection.  It was a blessing.

She is helping me with my live blogging service which is going to be a hit after I select a target market.  As for Shorty, I’m going to hit the streets and share information about Shorty as well as collect business information and stories for my TVsShow.  Actually, as I comb the different communities, I’m going to share my business brochure.  I just have to have unique marketing materials or the best pitch.  Either way, I’m on a mission.

Just wanted to share my progress and how God make things possible.

First,  I am excited that I was able to send the new and improved Shorty to people on my mailing list within a week of my goal.  My site is set up to make money.  I had to make sure it looked like money, so I included ads in the available spaces so my people wouldn’t take me as a joke.

Another exciting occurrence was creating my first GIF animations in Adobe.  It took me a couple hours to get it, but I got it.  And the fact that they worked AND look good gave me a high all day Thursday.

I figured out how to brand myself as a journalist, blogger and social media marketing specialist.  Here’s the deal.  As a journalist, I’m going to write stories to draw traffic to my blog.  Social media tools as well as traditional marketing and PR will be used to promote both.  I need I would figure it out someday.  That day has arrived.

I’m going to start researching my targeted industry for The Write Design Company.  I have enough information to get me started; I just have to come up with a plan.

Things are starting to move for As NOT Seen on TV. Logically, I could have more stories if I watched TV. I’m going to come up with a different strategy.  I’m going to have other people to share their dislike for mainstream media practices so I won’t have to do it alone.  Yes, there is a method to my madness; I just have to find the people who will jump on my bandwagon.  In a good way.

Ah, the beautiful feeling of progress.

I have completed fan pages for Shorty and As NOT Seen on TV on FaceBook.  Woo hoo!

I inquired about a class I was advised to take to start a TV show.  I pray to have that going by April depending on the class and topics covered.  I already have the title.

GoShorty TV is up and running.

I will be mailing letters to Aldermen in Chicago by the end of next week.

I am going to establish relationships with at least one organization in my target communities to ensure Shorty grows in recognition and readership.  Also, I am going to write articles in local newspapers to establish myself as an expert.  Oh, one last thing, I am going to hit the ground running at least twice a week to find  resources for my blog.

As for topics for As NOT Seen on TV, I am going to watch TV, refer to a couple books I have,  hang out on a few blogs and Twitter.

I have to do a bit more research on my target market for The Write Design Company.  Also, I am going to do my first live blog on tomorrow.  I’m looking forward to it.  I pray all goes well because this is going to be my meat and potatoes.

Did I mention that I finally copyrighted my unpublished  book?  I am ready to start writing and pull things together.  I know it’s going to be great! I’m looking forward to progressing on this project.

That is all for now.

I created a quick postcard for Shorty: Your Chicago South Side Resource.  The theme for the blog is almost done.  I’m just waiting for my Shorty image and that will be done.

I found a few stories to get me started on As NOT Seen on TV.  Interestingly, most of them about the lack of Black women on TV in some manner.  One story was about them being invisible period.  I’m sure if I went through all of the comments posted, I wouldn’t have to worry about content for a good month.  That’s enough to get me started.  Woo hoo!  God is good.

Now, I have to do some things with my rollerskating story.  I’ m looking forward to getting my book in gear.  Oh, I contacted a high ranking executive for assistance with resources at the advice of someone who supports what I’m doing.  We’ll see what happens.

Things are moving forward!

2. I shared my research idea with a fellow Toastmaster, and she advised to me look out for research grants.

3. Journalist and blogger, Maureen Jenkins, advised me to scale back on the topics I said I would share on my Shorty Resource blog.  I’ve narrowed my topics down to five.  However, I will most likely narrow my topics down even more.  I’m going to start with the topics I have and flow from there.

That was truly a blessing because I would have been going mad trying to be all things.

4. Working on personal branding.  I want to be done for writing, blogging, social media and multimedia.  I think I’m well on my way.  Now, I just have to pick my writing and blog topics.  I wonder: do they have to be the same topics?  It would definitely be easier.  Let me think about that.

Earlier this week, I predicted that at least two people will give me advice this week that will help me define my business even more.  The tip to seek research grants was the first.  It’s still early in the week, so I’m looking forward to the next tip.

Woo hoo!

So, let me start researching stuff so I can start making money.

Thanks Dante!

Paintbrush Pens

If you see any pens like these, please let me know.  I need these for The Write Design Company.

After that conversation, instruction started weighing heavy on my mind.  Maybe that is what I am supposed to be doing for The Write Design Company.  I can provide writing, blogging and social media marketing instruction.  There are so many ways to do this.  It could even be online.  But, I would start with in-person instruction first to work out the kinks.  That would be so cool.

This kind of goes with my earlier post, If Money Were No Issue.  I said that I would teach writing to youngsters.  Maybe that’s what I should start doing now, and generate enough money for my little writing school house.

Maybe this message right here is the answer to my question: what should I be doing?  A couple things come to mind.  One, I can instruct youngsters on writing; and two, I can teach  blogging and social media to business owners.

What do I need to do to get started? Which age group should I teach writing? I’m not worried about opportunities in Chicago.  The Chicago Public Schools have created great opportunities for me.  I just need the age group.  I suppose I can contact teachers to find out where the biggest need is.

But, the thing is, I’m not going to use traditional writing methods for my classes.  So, where can I start teaching such programs?  Let me pray on this and talk to people.

As for business owners and social media marketing, I just have to join a few Chambers of Commerce and business associations.  With the contacts I intend to make with Shorty and my other business ventures, that should not be too hard.

I just had a wonderful thought.  So, since instruction is going to be a primary source of income and should not monopolize my time terribly, that would leave me quite a bit of time to work both my blogs.  Isn’t that beautiful??  I would still promote my writing business, but instruction would be the core of what we do.  I can also teach writing classes at a couple city colleges to establish my name and business as instructional, and grow from there.

I guess I have my answer.  Now, it’s time to make some plans.