Thursday, July 07, 2011

Information Overload


We live in a society now where information literally is at our finger tips every second. If you have a question about ANYTHING you can have an answer within seconds. Or I guess I should say I can. I reach into my pocket, grab my Iphone, pull up Safari and type into google whatever I need to know and within seconds I have my answer. Or, for free I can call anyone in the U.S. (if I have minutes on my plan) and they will answer my question. You get the idea.

But with access to so much information we tend to not even look at much of it. For example, when I take time to share links with people, I don't know if they ever read them. Today there is a MOFAS (Minnesota Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) Newsletter ready for you to read it by clicking here. But are you going to click it?

I'm not THAT old and I can remember 15 years ago really getting excited about an online resource because there just weren't as many then. Now everyone seems to have a newsletter or a website or a blog and because there is so much information there just isn't time to read it all.

In fact, only 15 of you had time to help me choose the name for my next book and all it would take is a three seconds of time to move your eyes over to the column over there -----------------> and read the four choices and click one. I extended the deadline of the poll becuase I really would like some feedback. I'm not sold on any of them...... SO...... help me out, will ya. I can't exactly make a decision like that based on the opinions of 15 anonymous people, can I? So please make it at least 30 anonymous people because THAT would be scientific evidence, wouldn't it? (Don't you love sarcasm?)

If you help me out, you can give me one online way to help you out and I"ll do it.... Or, if you don't want to vote and you'd rather write a book review or order a book or become my friend on Facebook or Linked In or follow me on Twitter or ....

SEE???? information overload. We are going to get hyper-researched like my friend Kari Coffee if we aren't careful.. In fact, the picture above is entitled "Social Media Hyper-Users." I am not even close to being a hyper-user of social media and yet I gave you all the options above.

But in reality, it isn't the internet that is the issue. Bart accidentally ordered two copies of a book entitled, "Book Lust." Now THAT is funny.

So, what can I do for you online today?

8 comments:

Kathleen said...

I voted for the 3rd choice but none of them "grab" me.

I definitely like tips better than "secrets" - sounds too much like late night TV products!

But "raising" doesn't have a lot of pizzazz. How about "survival" or "thriving"?


Another twist:
She Said - He Said x 12: Thriving in an Adoptive Family

Or is there one tip that is or can be rephrased to be particularly catchy/funny that you can incorporate into the title? Make it come out something like an Erma Bombeck title? And follow it with something like what you've already posted. (hmmm, is it "legal" to do two subtitles? lol blah blah catchy stuff: she said-he said: 12 tips...)

(I'll be back later with my request. ;-) )

Claudia said...

Kathleen -- I like the She said He said x 12 -- I'm asking Matt what he thinks and I added it to my FB poll - since Blogger won't let me change this poll.

Thanks! And I'm not surprised you'll have a request :-)

Anonymous said...

I read your blog but do it through google reader which does not show me your poll... so I went to your actual website and picked one. I like the title that Kathleen mentioned - He Said She Said x12... but I like Secrets of a Thriving Adoptive Family. :-)

I also read many of the links you post.

Lee said...

I voted before but i like Kathleens suggestion better!

AnnMarie said...

Hmmm, I voted already but I rather like the He said...x12 idea, too. I wasn't too into any of them. I also joined you via linked in. I, too, read via Google Reader, so whenever you have a poll, tell us to come to the website--it took me a while of reading to realize that whenever people mentioned a poll, it wasn't that I couldn't see it in the post, it wasn't in the post!

AnnMarie said...

Oh, and you mentioned the FB poll--can you link to that?

DynamicDuo said...

2 + 12 = 14

lessons learned from an adoptive family

Gail Underwood Parker said...

Hi Claudia...
I too found myself looking for another alternative title. Kathleen's is an idea.

I think the problem for me is that the He Said-She Said point doesn't seem clear from any of the titles. First I thought it was maybe a husband and wife's different perspectives. Then thought maybe it is that with a large family there is always someone else's said in the debate.

I think you need something that gives a clearer idea of the distinctive aspect of your book from other adoption books.

Are you planning to self-publish? If not, your editor or house will have a voice in it. It you are, try giving a group of people 1 title each and asking them what they expect the book to be about based on the title. See which title generates a response that matches your goals.

PS I think finding a good title is one of the hardest parts of writing a book!

Gail
www.upbeatsanddownbeats.blogspot.com

PS. For the favor.. how about maybe doing a guest blog sometime on my blog????