Everything is a Remix: System Failure

“System Failure”, the final installment of the Everything is a Remix video series, is now available.

Our system of law doesn’t acknowledge the derivative nature of creativity. Instead, ideas are regarded as property, as unique and original lots with distinct boundaries. But ideas aren’t so tidy. They’re layered, they’re interwoven, they’re tangled. And when the system conflicts with the reality… the system starts to fail.

Created by Kirby Ferguson, the four-part series is a fantastic overview of the history of remix and what that means for creativity and innovation now. If you missed any of the first three parts, catch up here.

Internet blacklist legislation

If you haven’t heard about SOPA and PIPA, chances are you are living under a rock…with no wi-fi. For 24 hours on January 18, sites around the world are going black to protest this legislation, which threatens innovation, freedom of expression, and online security.

Protect your digital rights by educating yourself on SOPA and PIPA and speaking out against these proposed bills. Here are a handful of links to get you started:

Do your part to make sure this day never comes.

World Usability Day 2011

Whether designing a website, a document, or an application, professional writers have to think about who will use the final product and how they will use it. Is the website easy to navigate? Is an instruction manual readable? Is the interface intuitive? Usability is a key part of the design process, and it is honored each year during World Usability Day.

World Usability Day (WUD) was started in 2005 to ensure that services and products important to life are easy to access and simple to use. This year’s event takes place on November 10 and the theme is Education: Designing for Social Change. Events will focus on how Design Education will help develop products and services that will impact social change.

Programs will examine all products and services used for teaching how usable design impacts the world, whether it’s close at hand (organizations), surrounding us (particular cultures/communities) or from a global view. . . how does something designed in China, Scotland, India or the United States, for example, have impact on other nations around the world? WUD will explore and celebrate Design Education – designing with an intentional outcome of sparking change in how people behave, communicate, and do things in the world; and examining the concept of cultures and how culture impacts usability.

Last year, more than 40,000 people in 44 countries participated in World Usability Day. Here are some ways you can get involved this year:

How do you make things easier through usability and user-centered design?

30 days of writing — NaNoWriMo 2011

Have you ever thought about writing a novel but been scared away by the time and effort involved? Now’s the time to put aside your doubts and silence your inner editor because National Novel Writing Month kicks off on Tuesday.

National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short, is a novel-writing program where the goal is to write 50,000 words (about a 175-page novel) from November 1 to November 30. With the time limitation, writers are forced to simply write. No procrastinating, no editing, just writing.

If writing a novel doesn’t appeal to you, there are still benefits to using the event to fuel your own writing projects. Use the month of energy and excitement about writing to find the motivation to finish (or start) your dissertation, write that short story you have in mind, or polish those pieces you want to submit. Challenge yourself to blog every single day or create your own 30-day writing event. Use the month to try a style of writing that you may not have a chance to do in your professional job.

You can join NaNoWriMo at any time during November, and while it’s nice to ‘win’ by writing 50,000 words, it’s more about participating in a frenzied celebration of writing. Get ready for 30 days and nights of literary abandon!

Why do you write?

Tomorrow, October 20, is National Day on Writing. Now in its third year, the National Day on Writing was established by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) to draw attention to the variety of writing we do every day and to help make writers from all walks of life aware of their craft.

This year’s theme is ‘Why I Write’. When someone asks you, “Why professional writing?” or “Why do you want to be a writer?”, how do you answer? When you explain what you love about writing, or why you are a writer, what do you say?

By reflecting on why you write and sharing it with others, you show the importance of writing. Tweet your answer with the hashtags #whyiwrite or #dayonwriting. Update your Facebook status with your answer. Use your blog, Tumblr, YouTube. Tell the world why you write and join in the celebration.

Remembering Steve Jobs

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

— Steve Jobs, 2005

Steve Jobs’ vision and creative thinking changed the world and the way we think about technology and communication. Share your thoughts, memories, and condolences at rememberingsteve@apple.com.

Typos, typos, everywhere

Last week, the BBC reported on the millions lost in online sales due to spelling errors. But it’s not just online content that is suffering. There is also a growing number of typos in book publishing:

[L]ately the vigilance of even the great houses has flagged, and typos are everywhere. […] How did it happen?

Editors I spoke to confirmed my guesses. Before digital technology unsettled both the economics and the routines of book publishing, they explained, most publishers employed battalions of full-time copy editors and proofreaders to filter out an author’s mistakes. Now, they are gone.

— Virginia Heffernan, The New York Times

Perhaps it’s not about waiting for content to hit rock bottom before editing makes a comeback. Maybe it just needs to hit the bottom line hard enough for companies to recognize the value of editors.

140+ Tweet Feed: June 6-12

beyondwords on Twitter

Job Opportunities & Resources

Recommended Viewing

Tools & Resources

  • Web Writing Style Guide: This style guide was created as a crowdsourcing project by college writing teachers. Originally written for students in undergraduate writing classes, it is also a suitable resource for other writers interested in learning more about writing for the web.
  • Comprehensive Website Planning Guide: Smashing Magazine has put together an overview of the website development process, from the initial needs assessment through the launch, maintenance, and follow-up.


What is 140+ Tweet Feed? It’s where we share our top tweets every week — news, tips, resources, and articles about professional writing, editing, and design — in more than 140 characters. Let us know about other great links on Twitter or in the comments.

In the Workplace: Spring 2011 Edition Round-Up

We recently showcased the talent of professional writers, editors, and designers in the Spring 2011 edition of our In the Workplace series. Today we’ll take a look back at their answers to the question:

Do you have any tips to share with other professional writers, editors, and designers?

“Never, ever, ever take a job for the money. Just when I think I’ve learned this lesson, I fall back in the hole and end up hating myself, the publication, the world. Only pick the jobs and assignments that are going to make you proud.” — Alissa Walker, Freelance writer

“I’m sure you’ve heard this one before — write regularly. Or if you design, design regularly. It’s the only way to keep your skills sharp and your audience engaged. Also, expose yourself to a lot of newness. New news, new people, new places, new ideas. It spurs creativity and gives you interesting content and perspective. Newness can also mean variety. I’ve noticed that some of the best writers and designers I’ve met have built up experience in many sizes, formats, and mediums.” — Tim Gasper, Keepstream co-founder / The Appconomy contributor

“Be a student of your industry. Read/look at as much work from others in your industry as you can to see how the pros are doing it. Start some kind of “inspiration spot” where you save photos or links or samples of things that inspire you so you can reference them later. But probably the most important thing is to just get out there and create something. Write a blog, take photos, redesign ads or publications you like, just practice your craft and set it free for others to see. You’ll learn the most when you have to stand behind content you’re creating.” — Becky Johns, Account Executive, Agency Communications at Cramer-Krasselt / Freelance Photographer

“Be true to yourself, your skills, and your internal motivations. Be confident in yourself in order to take steps to be doing exactly what you want to be doing. If it were easy, everyone would be doing fine art or publishing a magazine. Having faith in yourself, finding the benefit in what you’re doing, and staying optimistic are the most important things.” — Chad Kouri, Maker and Doer

Thank you to all our featured professionals who gave us a glimpse into the work they do, from how they create and communicate in their job to how they define professional writing. For more inspiration, be sure to check out all our interviews with young professionals.