Start using RSS!

I'm helping the Guthster with the Lit Fest on all things having to do with social media. What's that? All the new fangled stuff on the interwebs. Blogs, social networks like Facebook and MySpace, photo sharing sites like Flickr, video sharing sites like YouTube, microblogging sites like Twitter and Pownce... You know what I mean?

Since I'm the one helping with that stuff, I thought I would teach some skills as we lead up to the festival where you'll be fully prepped to ask me stuff in person.

The first on the list? RSS.

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication and you might already be using it. Got a personalized Google home page? Using MyYahoo? Personalized your MSN? Then you are using it but learning how to really use it will save you time. Time that you could be using to write the next project!

I'm going to let Common Craft explain RSS and then I'll be back.




Lee mentions a few feed readers: Google Reader, Bloglines, NewsGator and MyYahoo. I have used both Google Reader and Bloglines and have to say that I'm a Bloglines Girl. It is the first reader I ever used and I like being able to empty it to zero, you can't with Google Reader and sometimes I like to start from scratch.

So, your mission? Set up an account on a feed reader and add five of your favorite blogs and two favorite news sites. Let me know when you've done that.

P.S. I also endorse the Back In Skinny Jeans post about RSS.

Join us on Facebook, won't you?

Pilcrow fans and fanistas, we want to be everywhere you are, which is why Amy asked me to be on board. I'm here to be the Social Media Shaker. After you take time to subscribe to our RSS feed here and check out the main site, why don't you join us on Facebook?

I hear the temperature there is just right for the launch of a new Literary Festival in Chicago.