I've discovered blogging, which I've been strangely ignorant of for a very long time. And it seems such a simple way to get your writing read all around the world. What do the hatrackers think of blogging? Cheap advertisement: www.bloxster.net/Barlow (where you can read my newly-formed weekly column and any other words that come out of my head.) I think it's great to read writers from all over the world for free.
Posted by Minister (Member # 2213) on :
I've also just started a blog, but then I'm often a couple of years behind the cultural technological curve. Ironic for a writer of scifi.
I just looked at yours and thought I should mention that anything that you post on a publicly accessible web site risks losing first time online publishing rights -- many places will consider it to have been published online already (hence one reason for the 13 line rule here and the password protection at Liberty Hall).
My new blog is Minister's Study, since we're doing the shameless self-promotion thing. Have fun blogging!
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
It's not ironic for a cost-conscious SF writer. I know one pro who says he still chases technology, but now only from three years behind because it's a lot cheaper.
Posted by Minister (Member # 2213) on :
I thought about excusing my being behind the curve because of money. Another big factor is time; I just don't have the time to keep up. Blogging had more to do with time than with money. I was pleasantly surprised, though, how quick and easy it was to set up.
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
I have to say that I'm not convinced of the value of blogs for writers. I've scanned a few blogs, even before they started being called blogs. I've never really stayed current with a blog, even when my sister had her homepage set to her blog so I saw it at least as frequently as she updated it.
I may think that people who argue that blogs should be outlawed (to "protect" freedom of the press or something like that) are obviously smoking something and probably need to be confined in padded cells on the chemicals of their choice for the rest of their natural lives. But that doesn't mean I see any particular value in them.
Posted by MCameron (Member # 2391) on :
The biggest advantage I can see to blogging is a way to help us write more regularly. I just set one up (I've been meaning to do so for a while) and just doing ten minutes of semi-creative writing that isn't a story has really energized me to work on some of my WIPs. Plus, my in-laws are always wanting to hear from us more, so I'm going to point them to the site.
btw, Minister, your site looks nice. Paul says that you look just the way he imagined.
--Mel
Posted by Minister (Member # 2213) on :
Thanks, Mel. Yours looks sharp too, and I love the introduction to the cast of characters (and I mean that in every sense of the word). Say, that's the same service that Deanna uses, isn't it? I really don't know anything about the comparative benefits of one service over another; I'm using msn because of the messenger, more than anything.
Say, I hope that Paul is assuming that I'm the one on the left in the pic. Hopefully my writing doesn't look like it was produced by the one on the right.
Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :
So: how do you do this? Some site that makes it easy? I have web pages, but I wouldn't want to go to that much trouble regularly.
Posted by MCameron (Member # 2391) on :
[EDIT: This first comment is for Minister...]
lol, hardly! That would be one impressive toddler .
I actually tried to set one up at msn, because I already have an email account there, but they seem to be having technical problems because I kept getting errors. So I just picked one randomly off of google. I don't know if Dea uses it or not.
As a side note about the potential usefulness of blogs for writers: I plan to use mine to hone my creative non-fiction skills. Probably with extra emphasis on the "creative" side. So, look out mike, you're getting some competition! *G*
--Mel
[This message has been edited by MCameron (edited August 04, 2005).]
Posted by MCameron (Member # 2391) on :
Will, there are a lot of sites that make it very easy. There's msn, although they were having issues earlier. I went with http://www.blogger.com because it was the first that google came up with. I'm liking it so far. Posting your blog is about as easy as posting to a forum. You can choose your template so that your site looks a certain way. It's all very easy. I'm sure there are many others that are good, but I don't know anything about them.
--Mel
Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :
quote:So, look out mike, you're getting some competition!
Well, don;t post anything there that you might be able to sell, silly!
Listen, of the 4 in the series that have been published so far, #1 was my first ever try at creative non-fiction, and #s 2-4 followed. So, don't throw your words away.
Posted by MCameron (Member # 2391) on :
Oh, I don't think I'll be throwing them away. I look at it as a chance to practice, while at the same time communicating with family that lives far away. I certainly would not be posting any fiction, or non-fiction that I wanted to sell.
Hey, maybe I'll build up a reader base that will launch my novels into best-sellers when I get them published! [/wishful thinking]
Well, it could happen. I do see this as something of a marketing exercise. If I can manage to write entertaining posts on a daily basis, I might develop loyal readers. And since they would already like my writing, they might buy my books. At that point, I think it would be worth it to have "given away" some writing in order to cultivate an audience.
But even if that doesn't happen, at least I'm practicing writing. That will pay off eventually.
--Mel
Posted by Minister (Member # 2213) on :
I'm with you on the motivations, Mel.
I had no trouble with msn. My only gripe is that I'm having trouble customizing it sufficiently that it doesn't look like a cookie cutter job. I've seen several others that are really sharp there, but I don't understand yet how they are getting the effects and features they are using; looks like some of them are writing in their own code, or borrowing it from elsewhere. That's a bit much for me, for now.
Will, if you have msn messenger, there should be a little button that says "my space." If you click on that, it should take you where you need to go to set one up. The whole thing is predicated upon having a hotmail account. And it really was easy. If you like the default settings, you can use it practically instantly, just like posting to a board like this one. I took a little time shifting things around and experimenting, and will probably continue to do that.
[This message has been edited by Minister (edited August 04, 2005).]
Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :
OK, I now have a blog! http://youwillknow.blogspot.com/ . Somebody go over and post a comment so it will look like I'm interesting!
Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :
I tried to leave a post telling you how interesting you are but it's insisting that I register or something.
Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :
Thanks for the tip, Beth -- that should be fixed now. (I had a look at Mel's; hers was set up right.)
Posted by Minister (Member # 2213) on :
I came. I saw. I laughed my head off. Looks good, Will. I love that picture with the penguins.
Posted by TL 601 (Member # 2730) on :
Well, I have a blog also but unless you know me /know about me /know who I am, you won't like it.
Even those of you who have gotten used to me will probably not like it.
TL and Glasgow, are you aware that putting your fiction up on your blog counts as publishing it, and will drastically reduce your ability to sell it to other publishers in the future? If you use up the first publication rights, you can still sell it as a rewrite, but that can be more difficult and less profitable.
If you don't plan on trying to sell it, great, carry on. I just don't want to see you use up your most salable rights unknowingly.
Posted by TL 601 (Member # 2730) on :
Yes, I'm aware .... And that wasn't fiction, and I don't plan to publish it anyway. But thanks, beth.
Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :
Cool. Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :
I was out for about a week from my blog, but I started back up today. Anybody who wants to know what I look like this week (yes, that's a hook) should drop by youwillknow.blogspot.com . Not recommended for small children.
Posted by Varishta (Member # 2789) on :
I've been blogging regularly since last year, but mostly as a way to let friends and family know what I've been up to with photographs, quotes and snippets of poetry.
As for putting up stories -- I personally can't stand reading more than a few pages online (hurts my eyes) so it's hard for me to imagine anyone else wanting to.
Then again, I might be missing out....
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
Okay, I'm in the game too. If you want to read my extremely opinionated blog, feel free. My primitive web site is linked from there and has a dorky-looking picture.
Blogging is another one of those many things I'm of two minds on. It attracts me for the opportunity to offer up opinions---in the last month you've probably noticed I'm pretty opinionated.
But I'm also not overly fond of the feeling I get from time to time in things, that I'm shouting into an empty cave and nobody listens. I'm also interested in feedback, in hearing the opinions of others about what I'm doing and saying. (I got a bad case of that in my regular writing career a few years ago, and took a four-year wander through Internet Fan Fiction.)
Of course, the biggest barrier in my writing a blog is that I don't read them myself. I've sampled a few, but none are part of my regular online comings and goings. (One of my main purposes online is reading comic strips not available in my local paper.)
Does anybody really pay attention to blogging and bloggers? There are so many of them, and with such a wide variety of opinion and information.
Posted by cvgurau (Member # 1345) on :
I've blogged, before. Pretty regularly, actually, but then the insecurities set it. "What will they think of me? Will they like it? Will they care?" And on, and on, and on.
Now, if I have a thought, I keep it to myself, or I put it in a story. It's for the best, I'm sure.
Posted by TheoPhileo (Member # 1914) on :
I've been blogging for a few years now, with an extended haitus in the middle there. It's a great way to just write your opinion about anything and everything.
Of course, you then begin to wonder, "how many people are actually reading all this garbage?"
While I can write, I have next to no design skills whatsoever. Therefore, my blog is very ugly. I only started it last week though, so I'm hoping to improve on things soon. http://www.xulplanet.com/aaronblog/
TheoPhileo, I noticed that your blog uses wordpress just like mine, but is about 10,000 times better looking. I love the book pictures on the sidebar. Are you using plugins to get all those features in, or have I just not figured out how to do it yet?
Posted by TheoPhileo (Member # 1914) on :
I'm linking straight to amazon.com for the pictures--and I'm sure they don't mind, because I'm advertising their merchandise at the same time... In fact, I know there is a plugin to do this easily in posts. I just do it manually, by hunting down the images myself.
Let's see... If you log in to the back end, click on the Links tab, then Link Categories. You can edit any of your categories (for me it's the "reading" category), and check the Image box next to "show:" Just make sure when you add a link to this category that you give the url of the appropriate image. Finding small images on amazon takes a little digging, but you should be able to figure it out if you look at the ending I gave my links /ASIN/[inventory #]/sixapart-20/ (not sure how you are supposed to navigate your way to this page; I just stole it from another blog I saw)
Posted by MCameron (Member # 2391) on :
quote:Finding small images on amazon takes a little digging, but you should be able to figure it out if you look at the ending I gave my links /ASIN/[inventory #]/sixapart-20/ (not sure how you are supposed to navigate your way to this page; I just stole it from another blog I saw)
Theo, what you're doing is using someone else's Amazon Affiliates link. That's what the sixapart-20 means. I'm sure they won't care as you are helping them earn money, but wouldn't you rather be earning the money for yourself?
If you become an Amazon Affiliate they give you the pictures of the book to display on the website, and create all of the code for you. It's much easier than trying to do it manually with someone else's account.
--Mel
Posted by TheoPhileo (Member # 1914) on :
LOL... I had no idea.
Posted by TheoPhileo (Member # 1914) on :
There you go, AaronAndy... change "sixapart-20" to "manuscripterr-20" Thanks Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :
Well, now that I do it, I love blogging. Journaling is supposed to be good for the psyche, and now I'm doing it so that people read it, which turns out to be fun. Also, I've never had a horde of adoring fans before!
It's not practice for writing fiction, I think, but it may be practice for having a web site for promoting said fiction.
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
It is also good practice for essay writing, which can be a staple for many writers.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 2240) on :
If you own your own domain, you can also use blogging software like Blog at http://www.farook.org/ to set it up on your own domain. You get a lot more control over what your blog looks like.
It's what I use, but now I have to add the disclaimer - I'm biased. I married the guy who wrote Blog and owns the site after downloading his software and having problems (I wasn't well versed in html and ftp'ing back then.)
I never really wanted to be a blogger. I decided to start a livejournal because we have several computers in our home and I'm never quite sure which one I will be on. Of course, I realize now that it would be equally effective to just send myself emails to a webmail inbox. Given that 80% of my journal submissions are classified private. Also, I recall well the days of my webmail inboxes being almost full, and I assumed that with more storage capacity we would just start getting spam with larger attachments.
Posted by Ahavah (Member # 2599) on :
After seeing "Blog, blog, blog" literally EVERYWHERE I was reading in one week, I decided to look into it. So I now have a fledgling blog, and you are all invited to check it out if the spirit so moves you.
I'm still new to this whole blogging concept, so be forewarned.
Franc li-- I have also signed up at livejournal. This was only a week or so ago, so I really need more friends! Feel free to add me to your list if you like. Someone had Ahavah (and isn't even using it!), so I am Ahavah_Ehyeh. Livejournal is pretty cool, but I haven't figured out how to make it very pretty or add link boxes.
John Scalzi is evidence of the benefits to having a blog. He's sold two books to publishers directly because of it, and, according to his recent posts, his has a higher circulation than the top pro magazines. There's no doubt in my mind that his blog has driven up his sales, and also spread his "brand" as a writer.
Your mileage, however, may vary; do not assume that Scalzi's experience is standard.
Posted by Rahl22 (Member # 1411) on :
Certainly nothing like that was implied, Beth. I'm simply expelling rumors of Blogs being entirely ineffective. Here's one example of it being quite effective. It also took him 7 years of rather dedicated blogging to build such an audience.
It's a bit like publishing, isn't it? Many attempt, few succeed.
quote:Livejournal is pretty cool, but I haven't figured out how to make it very pretty or add link boxes.
You make it pretty by paying them money, and then they give you access to the pretty templates. Use standard HTML code to make links.
Posted by Minister (Member # 2213) on :
Mike, glad to see you getting in on the action. I swung by your blog and tried to comment, but it looks like it'll only let me if I have a membership with them.
Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :
Minister, I'll see if I can change that. It is there to prevent spammers chiming in with their wonderful little helpful ads about anatomy, or lack thereof.
---
Ok, fixed.
[This message has been edited by mikemunsil (edited September 18, 2005).]
Posted by cvgurau (Member # 1345) on :
Oddly enough, I started up on my blog again, after a two-month break.
I say "oddly" because I didn't think I'd be back, and now that I am, I added two more blogs. XD
quote:I looked at the selection of shotguns at walmart (though I wasn't really going to buy a shotgun or anything). What I got instead was a toy pump action airsoft rifle and some sticky targets (that way I can, you know, practice moving from room to room and shooting things in my very own home!). And some egg nog. Even more than a 24-year old buying a toy gun after looking carefully at the selection of shotguns, throwing in a quart of egg nog spells C-L-A-S-S-Y. But I say, you can't be white trash if you ain't white. Besides, who can resist but making serious considerations for their personal security when they see this:
[image]newsprint ad for training in the secrets of ninjutsu[/image]
I mean, you're telling me you're not thinking of getting yourself a gun right now? NINJAS! There are freakin' NINJAS! Heck yeah I'm going to protect myself! Trained, silent assassins, learning jutsus and having wacky adventures and stuff. It's only a matter of time before they invade my home, throwing shurikens and kunais and nekos and stuff.
Rabidfox's v. secret diary makes me wish I could blog like that. But I can't. And the worst part is...he's not even trying to be a writer.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 2240) on :
I have a writing blog up at http://www.lmashton.com as well, so you can check that out. If you want to. Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :
I blog as well, but it's mostly my poetry. I was told that I wrote better poetry than novels but I am fighting to get the story thing right. http://susannaj4.blogspot.com/ I don't think anyone has ever visited my site.
Posted by Minister (Member # 2213) on :
Beth's is disturbingly funny. Or maybe just disturbing. But not just funny. Posted by 'Graff (Member # 2648) on :
Beth's has moments of humor, but I've found it to be almost completely and utterly convincing.
I mean... Lost?
Of course I believe in the blog, the characterization is just great. Beth, you've supplied me my morning reading.
I'm just upset that you won't be able to turn it into a publishable novel now that the first rights have been eaten up. I'd have read it.
Evil Robot Monkeys and all.
----------- Wellington
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
I think my brother's blog has to garner points for being completely non-fiction, but Beth's EZRM blog is fun too. I particularly liked the link to the article about Stalin's attempts to create an army of human-chimp hybrids.
Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :
I LOVE the Stalinist chimp warriors. That's my favorite news story from all of last year.
MSN Spaces had all kinds of cool options, but that's only helpful if they actually work.
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
My brother's blog is still interesting nd non-fictional, but you have to remember that due to the secretive nature of what he actually does, certain parts are now written in an amusing code language.
Posted by Smaug (Member # 2807) on :
I have a blog, but haven't written too much since I've had it--I just have so much else to do. If you're interested, here's the link: smaugsmusings.blogspot.com Posted by CoriSCapnSkip (Member # 3228) on :
People have suggested I start a blog. So far, I've resisted.
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
I started an online journal (the word blog is so ugly) because I travelled so much that it was the easiest way for my family to keep up with me. If I don't update daily my dad will email to ask if I'm dead--this even happens when I'm visiting them.
When I made my first pro-sale I splurged and got my own domain name. I had one for the puppetry aspect of my life, but nothing for the writer.
[This message has been edited by MaryRobinette (edited March 05, 2006).]
Posted by giggles (Member # 3279) on :
There are tons of great blogs here. Nice work guys!
Chrissie
Posted by oliverhouse (Member # 3432) on :
I've briefly mentioned before that I wanted to start a blog specifically devoted to cutting -- using fewer words to say the same thing -- and not to any other aspect of style, plot, or anything else. I've started it, and it's here:
My intent is also to use it for more than just fiction, since concise writing is so important for other purposes as well. (I'm a marketer, for instance, and it's a key skill in my business.)
I have only two entries right now, both 1000-word excerpts from short stories.
One is a story of my own, in which I achieved about a 7% reduction. (I had already cut it pretty significantly before I submitted it to GlimmerTrain, and it's always harder to cut your own stuff!)
The other is from an F&F submission, disguised and used with permission of the author. I achieved about a 40% cut from that excerpt.
If you'd like me to take a whack at your text, please email me at cutting.blog at gmail dot com. I'd also enjoy getting criticism, recommendations, etc.
Have fun blogging!
