Do you have what it takes to follow your bliss?
Michelle Anderson
Who is Michelle Anderson?
I’m a writer and multimedia producer living in Portland, Oregon who is working to redefine what is considered “successful” in publishing.
I’m fascinated by how people use media and the social web for business and pleasure. I was recently awarded a Regional Arts & Culture Council Professional Development Grant to further my obsession with producing and promoting stories using the wonderful tools and gadgets now available to anyone with an Internet connection. I am very thankful to the RACC for helping me to continue my studies into media ecology.
I've lived most of my offline life in Oregon — mostly in the Portland Metro area — with a few childhood years in Idaho, Washington, and Alaska. I love the Northwest fiercely! I'm raising my teenage son in the St. Johns neighborhood in North Portland because I love the area's history and its small town feel.
I have always loved how media is used to inform, entertain, and persuade. The power of a melody can make or break a story's spirit and that makes me giddy. I am fascinated with the interconnectedness of media ecology, the way a culture uses and adapts to (and in some cases abuses) media in the course of love, life and business.
My art form is sculpting with different types of media. I love figuring out how to use words, video, images and sounds create spaces in stories that readers can immerse themselves in. Although most of my writing is produced for the web, I always consider the possibility of offline consumption when creating. A story must translate, regardless of the delivery method.
I'm [on Twitter] and have a personal blog at [I Heart Media]. I also write for [Beer and Blog - Portland], [OurPDX] and on the [Webtrends] corporate blog. When not producing media to help tell stories, I write words and build communities for a living.
[I also bake one a hell of a pie].
The Miracle in July is one of the most ambitious, frightening, and testing experiences of my life. I hope it inspires your consideration of my question: Do you have what it takes to follow your bliss?