The Word Cloud

8 Comments

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  by Caducean Whisks 6 months ago

  Ely, there are others more qualified to answer your questions specifically, but I have two or three observations from the sidelines (since I don't have a blog).
  1. Yes, you do have to have something to say - and I'd suggest setting wide parameters to give yourself leeway - perhaps tying in writing with your art work? Or with mothering? Or teaching? Or with other things that interest you? That way you have a wide net of potential followers.
  2. Once you start, you can't stop, or people stop checking back. Having written daily over the Woody saga, I'd suggest you have a few articles in hand for when you don't really feel like it or can't write for other personal reasons. I had a couple of general info posts on magpies ready for just in case; in the end I didn't need them, but they provided me with a comfort zone.
  3. The other way of attracting an agent of course, is to finish a jolly good book and send it out. Just saying :)
  Good luck, whatever you decide to do.
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  by Harry 6 months ago

  It should be completely free to set up your own blog. Then you can try it out, see how you take to it. You won't really know how it works until you try. As for regularity: it doesn't matter too much so long as you set your own rhythm then stick to it. So if people expect you to update daily, you should. If you get into a weekly rhythm, that's fine - but then stick to that.
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  by CJ 6 months ago

  Whisks - your Woody blogs got me through many late-night trials (both before and after Emily was born), so think you're pretty qualified to answer! And thank you. I kind of feel like a reluctant bungee jumper - I want to jump off and take the risk, but at the same time, I'm also content to look from the sidelines. Problem is, those who look from the sidelines without saying a word rarely get to play! Especially if I do decide to Kindle some of my shorter works (I cannot see any agent touching my horror / sci fi / deep sea exploration / supernatural novella with a bargepole - it's a bit of a niche audience!). I did think about blogging my experiences as I grow as a writer - when I joined here I thought I knew enough to get by, but now I know that to be utter rubbish. But then I hit that wall of 'who the hell am I to say anything to anyone about anything?', which kind of defeats the whole object of blogging! I also thought I might blog about my other hobbies that are closely tied to writing (such as roleplaying, which is all about character creation and story telling), but that really does pin me as an absolute nerd who may need to be avoided at all costs when it comes to querying time... :-/ I could also tie it in with my Cafe Press site (I think calling it a business is a little optimistic), so I really don't have anything to lose. But I worry. Oh, do I worry...
  
  Obviously, I hope that my novel is strong enough on its own, but if there is any chance of any kind of potential leg up in the painful process, then I'm going to give it at least a shot. (Then again, if someone told me dyeing my hair green and making farty noises with my mouth for a month would help, I'd probably do that, too...).
  
  Harry - I've got a Blogger spot (which is free) - I've just not done anything with it as of yet. Since I actually sell artwork on Cafe Press, having a blog would probably be a Good Idea, but I think it comes down to a confidence thing. Here, I feel confident enough to march around being bullish and obnoxious (Fnar!!), but in reality, I am terrible mouse. So maybe blogging would be good for me? I could probably do with a few knocks to toughen me up before I even think about querying... XD
  
  Thank you for your insights - I appreciate it! xx
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  by SecretSpi 6 months ago

  Ely - I've had a blog going for about four years related to my work in advertising and marketing. I blog about five times a month. I haven't got into making money or taking ads on it as I do it mainly for myself as a discipline to write and also as a reference for the (very) occasional clever thought that I have.
  
  I have resisted starting a writer blog for many of the reasons you give. If you do it, it has to be distinctive - there are so many writer blogs out there. In fact, I don't tend to read writer blogs unless it's someone I know or unless they're also offering something of value to me - for example, someone who doesn't just write about her experiences as a children's author, but has interviews with people in the industry and book reviews.
  
  With blogger, you can always experiment and not open it up to the general public until you feel confident.
  
  It's worth commenting regularly on a few blogs that interest you first before you plunge in. Good luck!
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  by Kate7 6 months ago

  I’m in the same boat as you doll. So this post has been really useful thank you for writing it lol. Caducean Whisks your points are great, especially the one about have something waiting in the wings if you can’t think of anything to put up.
  
  I’m not sure if this is going to be useful but I thought I would share how I’m planning to overcome the problems you have listed. Note the word planning being key lol.
  
  I’m hoping to start a blog at the beginning of next year. I’m planning to update weekly (hopefully).
  
  I’m going to make it about writing and photography. That way if one day I can’t think of anything to say I can put up a nice picture instead. Plus it stops me talking about myself and turning into an ego maniac (I could totally see that happening). When I talk I’m going to do my best to stay focused and while my opinions will be up there I will also try and put in opposing arguments, either from friends or articles I have read.
  
  As for something to offer I’m hoping to put short stories up on said blog on a monthly basis as I have a lot of drafts that need some work but I think they should be o.k. after a bit of TLC. I’m hoping that with pictures and some (hopefully) poignant discussion on the issues facing aspiring writers will be enough.
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  by CJ 6 months ago

  Thanks, Spi, Kate - it's good to know I am not alone in resisting! However, I have been having a little think about this, and I think I am going to concentrate on things I learn whilst writing, editing and finally, querying - make it a kind of 'I did this and it worked for me / I did this - AVOID! AVOID ! AVOID! if you want to save yourself a lot of trouble' kind of thing. I already have ideas for blogs on 'so you think you're unique... yeah, I thought that, too!', 'why the rules totally do apply to you, and at the same time, don't', 'The Adverb Diet - everything is fine in moderation (Or, how I learned to love them, but only in small doses)' and 'Your Inner Critic - Frenemy doesn't do it justice...' - things like that. I realised that whilst I may have absolutely no authority on anything in terms of what is right or wrong, and may know what amounts to jack shite about publishing, I *have* learned loads in the last couple of years (mainly by making massive amounts of mistakes), and since there is always going to be someone who is currently wearing the shoes I was wearing a year or so ago, I figured that if I can help them avoid some of the pitfalls (or indeed, help them find some of the more helpful things) whilst writing a first novel, then that can only be a Good Thing.
  
  I also think I might write a good handful of blogs first, so I always have something to dive into. In a way, it's kind of like writing schemes of work and lesson plans - come up with a basic programme of study, devise lessons (blog subjects) with a clear lesson objective (what I want to achieve) but with space to diversity if anything else pops up. I think once a week should do... but I'm not going to start posting just yet. I think I might make it a new year thing... gives me a couple of months to build up a back-log of topics. We'll see how it goes!
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  by Barry Walsh 6 months ago

  Elysia,
  Good luck with this. I have no original advice to add but can confirm what others have told me; namely that the blog is about you and what you have found, think, like/dislike etc. it's far less about overt marketing of you or your writing. My own blog is running into the ground because I find it hard to find things to say on a regular basis. I made the mistake, too, of trying to make each post a serious thought piece and found my store of profound thinking limited: deep down, I realised, I was rather shallow! I'm reviewing the format now and thinking of reverting to a more frequent, 'longer Twitter' format.
  
  I know you'll have no problem with both the 'light' and the 'serious' in your blog and I look forward to reading it.
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  by CJ 6 months ago

  Thanks for the encouragement, Barry! I am definitely more comfortable with a 'thoughts and lessons learned' type of blog rather than a 'Look at meeee! I'm great!' type of blog - far too British to be indulging in the latter, dontchyerknow, and the first appeals to the natural teacher (read: bossy-boot control freak) in me. I will also be interspersing lighter with more serious blogs - for example, I could easily write one called 'how to write with a 3 year old say on your foot and a 4 month old screaming at you' at this very moment (Welcome to My Life!), or indeed 'Those Marvellous (yet Mental) 3am Ideas'. I could also use it to build an art portfolio, lament about the state of modern gaming ('Why the current trend for MMORPGs is bad for the gaming misanthrope' would definitely be one) and, if necessary, plumb the depths of my ability to blither in about nonsense if I have to (I should have phD in that).