Recently, I took part in a flash fiction writing challenge, the #WriteFightGIFClub’s #PhotoStoryPrompt, from writer and Twitter user Radina Valova. Challengers are encouraged to use the photo to inspire a flash fiction piece while adhering to some very basic criteria. Here was this particular prompt:
When I see a flash fiction/writing prompt challenge, I give myself five minutes to find my idea. If I don’t hit on an idea within five minutes, I move on. I think prompts like this one can be great for kick-starting the story-writing process, but I’ve already got a few works-in-progress I’m working on! For this prompt, an idea did come immediately to mind:
Longtime followers should recognize Maggie and Rob from my “Finding Mister Wright” series of slice-of-life stories. If you enjoyed the story, maybe you’ll click “Like” at the end of this post. When you “like” something on a blog like this one, everyone else who comes to this page sees that you did. If you’re on Twitter, if you click “like” on (or “heart”) a Tweet, all of your followers see that you liked it in their own timeline. That’s kind of obnoxious, but I’ll show you a way to stop those “likes” from potentially cluttering up your timeline.
Let’s say you follow a lot of people on Twitter, and those people love to click “like”. What happens is that your own timeline starts to fill up with all of those different “likes”. That can be overwhelming, but here are some steps to keep it under control. Keep in mind that these steps will unilaterally disable likes from a person, so be careful for whom you use them.
Step 1: Click on the down-arrow to the far-right of the Twitter user’s handle/name. You’ll open a drop-down box that looks like this:
Select “I don’t like this Tweet”, to go to the next step.
Step 2: Click on the option that best fits your desire: either Show fewer likes from a user, or Show fewer Tweets from the person they “liked” or retweeted. I’ve blanked out the usernames from this example so I don’t make anybody feel bad. 🙂
Step 3: Once you decide on your choice, you should get the following notification in your timeline:
Remember, this basically turns off ALL likes from that particular user. So, if you want to keep abreast of some of their likes, you’re stuck with all of them. At least until I figure out the next step to share with you!
Did you like my post on Liking in Twitter? How about my flash fiction story? If you’d “like” to participate in the #PhotoStoryPrompt short fiction exercise, head over to Twitter and check it out. There’s a new one every Thursday!
Ha, it’s probably my name you hid. I ‘like’ a lot of tweets since people ‘like’ mine, but I always feel bad it might clog up people’s timelines. There’s so much white noise on Twitter as it is. So this is great information. I’ll have to start trying this.
It wasn’t you! I follow a lot of filmmaking and politics blogs, and those were the main ones I’ve had to activate this setting for. You “like” things that really interest me, especially the health stuff. If I turned on this option for your Twitter, my feed would be deprived of those, and that would be a disservice to myself, and my health. 🙂
One has to be careful with this setting, because it does tend to turn off ALL likes from an account, not just “less” like the pop-up menu says. I haven’t figured out how to control that, yet, if I can. I’ll let you know if I do, though.
Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you. I ‘like’ a lot of cat pics too. I’m hopeless in that regard. 🙂
By the way, I don’t see any ‘Share’ buttons on your posts. Am I missing them somehow? It wouldn’t be the first time.
You’re not missing anything; they’re not coded in. Right now, it’s just straight URL linking.
Yay, more FMW!
I’m always up for looking in on these characters, the lives they have led, and their current shenanigans. So it was refreshing to see them back in action, and it feels just like home. The simple life and simple times made glorious and weighty through the perspective of a kid is just wonderful. And who doesn’t feel mighty when holding a Louisville Slugger?
I’ve veered away from Twitter of late, so I didn’t see any of this. Although I feel like I might have read this on your FB profile, because I remember reading this! I love writing challenges with photo prompts. You did a nice job!
Thanks, Kate! I haven’t had much time for prompts, lately, due to day job busy-ness, but this one just spoke to me.
You are probably better off, mentally, for staying away from Twitter. Folks like Carrie are great, of course, but for the most part, it’s a cesspool. 🙁
Ha ha, yes! I mentioned to Kate, I don’t have much time to indulge in a lot of prompts, these days, but this one spoke to me – it was very easy to see Mags and Rob as kids or teens playing a round of stickball with their dad at the old farmhouse. I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Chase! I do love these characters so, it’s great that they resonate with others, as well.
Thanks for stopping by!
Hello ,
I saw your tweet about animals and thought I will check your website. I like it!
I love pets. I have two beautiful thai cats called Tammy(female) and Yommo(male). Yommo is 1 year older than Tommy. He acts like a bigger brother for her. 🙂
I have even created an Instagram account for them ( https://www.instagram.com/tayo_home/ ) and probably soon they will have more followers than me (kinda funny).
I wanted to subscribe to your newsletter, but I couldn’t find it. Do you have it?
Keep up the good work on your blog.
Regards
Wiki
Hello ,
I saw your tweets and thought I will check your website. Have to say it looks very good!
I’m also interested in this topic and have recently started my journey as young entrepreneur.
I’m also looking for the ways on how to promote my website. I have tried AdSense and Facebok Ads, however it is getting very expensive.
Can you recommend something what works best for you?
I also want to improve SEO of my website. Would appreciate, if you can have a quick look at my website and give me an advice what I should improve: http://janzac.com/
(Recently I have added a new page about FutureNet and the way how users can make money on this social networking portal.)
I have subscribed to your newsletter. 🙂
Hope to hear from you soon.
P.S.
Maybe I will add link to your website on my website and you will add link to my website on your website? It will improve SEO of our websites, right? What do you think?
Regards
Jan Zac