HOMEWORK, TIPS, NOTES, ANNOUNCEMENTS, INTERVIEWS

Macomb Guild of Writers and the Macomb Community College Writing Group

13 September 2010

Networking for Writers: RedBubble

“EXHIBIT, BE INSPIRED & SELL”

Personally, I really enjoy this site. There is an emphasis on community, which is quite lovely. It isn’t just about sharing work. Writers and artists share thoughts, as well.

When you want to add your work, this is what you see:
Art & Photography
T-Shirts – Hoodies & Stickers
Calendars
Writing – creative writing, short stories, poems
Journal – notes, announcements, how-tos

The range of art is immense, and the talent is surprising at first. I have read some of the most wonderful poetry on this site.

The only thing I could criticize is the lack of criticism. The comments are all positive, and as a writer, what I search for is constructive criticism. (Remember, you should never, ever be completely negative when critiquing someone’s work. Always lead with a positive remark. More to come on “Critiquing Effectively…” I have much more to say on this topic.)

Nevertheless, this site had taught me a lot. Reading others' work is helpful/educational to me as a writer. It opens my eyes to so many different ideas, types of writing, etc...

Members on Redbubble (that I know of... let me know if your name should be here, so I can add you to this list!):

Honorary member:
Chris1249, a writer that Jen met on Review Fuse, another social netoworking site for writers. (Review of this site coming soon!) Chris is a perfect example of how wonderful online networking can be. His work is definitely worth the time.

Vice President Stella Wilfinger says:
"RedBubble has over 1,000 groups for everything imaginable. They are very easy to join, and usually welcome 2 submissions per 24 hours (each), and MOST hold weekly features and regular challenges. 

The challenges are much easier for artists, as RB does not have a system in place yet for writing challenges. When a group does hold a writing contest, you either have to attach your work to a photograph or painting, or the contest is held in the forums. It's rare. I think that's why Jen was saying it's hard for her to be in challenges, as she has more writing up than art; I have a lot more art up than writing. 

The more groups you join, submit to, and participate in, the better your chances of having your work noticed. I am in a ton of groups and plan to join many more. I love the opportunity to get my art out there, and I adore seeing the work and tastes of others. If one person belongs to 25 groups and another to 100, guess who'll have more luck getting wins or features? You MUST be active active active to collect regular accolades."



That's RB in a written nutshell. Hopefully, it's helpful. If there is any confusion, my e-mail is zavichl@aol.com, and questions are more than welcome!

1 comment:

  1. Luisa, this was amazing all three times I read it! Thank you so much for doing this. :)

    ReplyDelete