First off, I’ll acknowledge that it is Valentine’s Day. I still don’t like this holiday and I’ve found the perfect site to express my feelings. I know someone else, (I think it might have been Maili or Vanessa) put a link in their blog to the above anti-Valentine site. Thanks whoever did this. I honestly could not stop laughing.
Now to the point of this entry. I am preparing a talk on ‘blogs’ for a local romance writing group. Along with giving the authors who attend links to the different online blog choices, I wanted to know what everyone gets out of their blogging.
For me, blogging started out a bit like a stilted online journal. (Some of you may still think so. LOL!) I enjoyed expressing a few of my feelings, but I admit I hold back A LOT. In person I tend to be far more ‘direct’ and a tad caustic. (No comments from the peanut gallery on the latter. 
I wanted my blog to be a way of reaching readers. And it is, but it’s also so much more. I guess I’m surprised at the unexpected ‘friendships’ that have developed out of blogging. Yes, I know they’re mainly on the level of acquaintances, but a few have moved toward actual friendship.
What do you guys get out of blogging? Do you mainly use it to advertise your books/writing? Is it for companionship? Let me know, I’m genuinely curious.
Archive for February, 2005
So much of a writer’s life is spent starting over. I hadn’t thought about it that way until recently, but it’s true. For every book you finish, there is another one to begin. For every contract you manage to sign, there is another one to seek. It’s a neverending cycle of starting over.
I know there are pinnacles along the way like great reviews, making booklists (if you’re lucky), landing better deals, but they’re all transitory. You’d have better luck trying to hold water in your hands during a drought.
The most fascinating thing about this discovery for me is that I’m one of those people that likes security in my life. I don’t ‘do’ change well. (I wish I did.) Which is why I suddenly find it hilarious that I’ve chosen a profession (Or has it chosen me?)
that will give me absolutely NO security whatsoever. Talk about karma. LOL!
There seems to be a lot of topics that are picking up dust and swirling in the air lately. I’ve been blog hopping and have seen everything from the tired old fight about how much sex is too much in a book to the defense against a blog entry about reviews.
It seems to me the whole point of blogs is for the writer to say whatever they want. I know when you put it out into the public domain that you open yourself up to all kinds of comments. (That’s the nicest word I can think of to describe some of the responses to content I’ve read on other people’s blogs.)
Given half a chance I tend to have an opinion about everything. (wg) I’m not saying it’s right, but it IS mine. I try to be judicious when it comes to expressing said opinion on other author’s sites.
I find it interesting that some people try to silence other bloggers when they don’t agree with their subject matter. I suppose that is nothing unusual given the nature of most human beings.
Still it makes me wonder what they do when people are speaking in their presence. Shove a sock in their mouth? Stick their fingers in their ears and yell la,la,la I don’t hear you? LOL! The Doors had it right, people are strange.
I’ve been reading a few contemporary single titles to figure out their rhythm and pacing. I also want to know what they put in the books that I’m leaving out. (ie description, detail, etc.)
I’m not as familiar with contemporaries as I am with paranormal and historical books. So I decided to read and research before I tackle the edits on my completed manuscript. I wrote my book so long ago that I know without a doubt there are a lot of problems with it. At this point, I’m terrified I am going to get in there and not be able to ‘fix’ them. Perhaps it’s just first book jitters. Logically, I know the novel doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does have to be as close as I can get.
What do you do to get past the indecision and fear?
Well for those of you who missed it, the Brava chat went very well last night. We had a good attendance. It was nice to see some ‘friendly’ faces in an otherwise harsh world. LOL!
I’ve decided to take the rest of the week off to research. I’m working on single titles or in this case rewriting one and finishing two others. I know how much time I kill surfing the web, so I’m going to have to cut down tremendously.
What do you all do when you have a ton of writing to finish? Do you unplug? How do you prioritize?
I’ve talked a few times about career planning. I think it’s always good to have a general idea where you’d like to go with your career, what you’d like to write, etc.
Then there are those things that you don’t even think about (at least I didn’t) when you’re newly published. The things I mean are the ones that are completely out of your control like how good a book will sell, your book cover, publisher book promotion or lack thereof, whether your agent or editor likes your submission, etc.
These are the things as a newly published author you should be thinking about and planning for, but you don’t. It’s hard to factor them into your ‘work’ plans. I’ve known people who sold their first book and didn’t sell their second…until six years or more later. Again, not something you can control.
I used to think these horror stories were the odd blip in the universe. Now that I’ve spoken to more authors it seems to be the norm rather than the exception.(shudder)
I think the next time I make my career goals I’m going to factor in the hiccups that can occur. At least that way if they do, I’ll be ready for them.
On a different note, there is a Brava chat tonight at 9 pm est. Look at the entry below for details and giveaway info.
To mark the release of Wicked Women On Top I’m doing a Brava Chat tomorrow. (Instructions on where to go are located halfway down the Brava Author News page.)I will be giving away a copy of Wicked Women On Top and an ARC of Bad Boys Over Easy, so for those of you who didn’t win in my last two contests this is your chance. The chat begins at 9pm est. Be there or be square. 
I’ve been asked to be the Spotlight Author for the March Out of this World Newsletter, which is produced by the Futuristic, Fantasy, and Paranormal special interest chapter of the RWA. I’m beyond flattered that they asked, but I’ve realized that I really don’t have answers to a few of their questions. For example, they wanted to know what my writing success means to me.
As I re-read the question several times I realized I don’t know what my writing success means to me because I haven’t taken the time to define what success in general means to me. I think it’s easy enough to say when I reach such and such list, THEN I’ll be success. But is that really true? Or does the line move when you approach that goal? If you don’t define success, then how will you know when you reach it?
I must admit that along with my career plan I’m going to need to figure out the answers to these simple questions. If I don’t, I’ll end up looking like a chubby gerbil on a wheel. One more turn and I’ll be there. Damn, same location. Let me go around again.
On one of the many lists I belong to there is a discussion taking place about a scientist, Kim Jong-Hwan who has developed a set of chromosomes that will allow a robot to feel lusty and perhaps the need to reproduce. He hopes that over the next few months he’ll be able to give them the ability to reason, feel, and desire. Talk about a jump in technology.
Now maybe it’s just me, but I keep having visions of the Terminator world running through my head. Probably if I’d seen IRobot more than once it would be the movie that came to mind. Both films still present the same scenarios, but in different ways. I’m not sure the world is ready for a feeling, reasoning, lusting (although great for fiction) machine that can out think man by like 1000 percent or more. And yes, I do know computers are stupid. (My dh reminds me of this all the time.) They can’t do anything without being programmed.
Unfortunately, if I understand Jonathan Watts’ article, that is not what Mr. Hwan is talking about. He is discussing the creation of a new kind of being. One, that if they have the capacities he suggests, will want to survive. (Jurassic Park anyone?) Let us hope their reasoning and decision making abilities are better than ours have been throughout history.
What do you think? Is there reason for concern or am I just being X-files level paranoid?
Yes, I know I’m early, but I can’t be the only one who thinks this holiday is a crock! I’m sure the greeting card companies and the chocolatiers are laughing all the way to the bank.
I remember when I was much younger (think high school) how eagerly I’d wait to see if I received anything for Valentine’s Day. All the girls would practically drool if someone received flowers and chocolate. You’d feel horrible if all you got was a card. (I’ve experienced both.) This was back when I thought it was an extremely special day, not the day where guys try to make up for not being romantic all year. LOL!
I guess that’s why I don’t really like Valentine’s Day. It shouldn’t be like atonement. You shouldn’t be able to make one gesture and expect that to cover the year or a lifetime.
Maybe as a romance writer I’m just sensitive. (wg) Romancing someone does not take just one day, it takes a lifetime. Thank goodness I married a man who understands that concept. Jordan, who’s off to count her blessing…
