This week's prompt involved checking out two sites: StumbleUpon and Pinterest. The purpose behind this was to show you how useful both sites can be for not only inspiration but in bringing you in new readers and a higher viewership. I am not going to pretend to know everything about either site, but I will share what I do know, and how they have benefited as a writer.

Let's start with StumbleUpon, shall we?

When you make an account with StumbleUpon, you set up your preferences. You add the Stumble button to your toolbar and it flips around the internet according to your preferences. It will take you to pages of photography, blog posts that would interest you, etc.

Now, as a writer, honing your descriptions and making them come alive to your reader is an important part that everyone wants to perfect. I know for me, I see that image in my head--the dark tower standing starkly against an emblazened horizon--and if I close my eyes and focus, I can usually describe what I see in writing.

When you stumble on photography and images, they can get your imagination going. They can provide you with a more intimate look at that dark corner your character is hiding in. What's in that room to make it harder to find her? You see the couch and the chair, you get a glimpse of the bookshelf behind her. Isn't there more to a room then just the furniture within it? What if the carpet had a swirly pattern that hid the bloodstains? That's a little harder to describe, isn't it?

This where pinterest comes in. When you are stumbling and you see that study in all its glory, and your mind goes AH HA!! That';s exactly where Miss Scarlet killed Mr. Body!! you can pin it to preserve it. You can pull it up so easily and use it to really bring in the atmosphere to the reader. Now, you can describe the carpet, the book on the coffee table, even the intricate pattern on the base of the lamp used to murder Mr. Body. You can pinpoint the places in the room where the blood splattered or didn't. You have a visual to help you describe your scene with more detail. Saving it on pinterest allows you to revisit the scene, and share it with others.

Now back to StumbleUpon again. I have a Stumble button at the bottom of every post on my writing site. Every time I post, I click this button to get it out there. Every day, I have at least 5 views from StumbleUpon alone. It increases my blog traffic, bringing my name and my writing to new readers.

So, with just 2 easy new resources, you are becoming a better writer and reaching a new audience. How awesome is that?!?