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Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Another Bloody Blog?

I've been trying to keep my computer time down for the last few days as I had a sore back. I sit all day at work so I took Friday off and made it a long weekend, and did lots of baking as I can do that standing up.

It seems to be a lot better now, and my boss swapped chairs around so I have a much more comfortable chair to sit in.

I have volunteered to help at the upcoming Writers Festival. This involves standing at the door taking tickets for a session or two, and has the bonus of free admission to that session. I'm always on the lookout for freebies these days, given that our income is not what it was a couple of years back. It's amazing how many ways there are to get little treats. I'll probably buy a few tickets once I know what sessions I have been allocated, especially for the poetry sessions.

One session I am not planning to attend is the session on literary blogging
- called "Not Another Bloody Blog". It's amazing how snobby writers can be about blogging. You don't for instance hear Olympic runners complaining that there are too many joggers out there. But I have heard writers express the idea that many blogs are worthless.

Well, certainly some deserve a wide audience, and others don't. But then, many are not written for a wide audience. They are written for friends and family , or just for the pleasure of writing. And probably for many more reasons besides. For instance, after our big trip last year, I recorded it day by day on my blog, with photos, mainly to fix it in my mind while it was fresh. In telling your life you get to experience it all over again - once by doing, and once by retelling. Of course, I peek at my site counter to, just to see if anyone else is reading it. And I have made some connections that I treasure through blogging, but I no longer worry about attracting dozens and dozens of readers.

It doesn't matter whether the whole world thinks my blog is "worthless", it is not worthless to me, any more than going for a walk would be - it improves my mental fitness just as walking improves my physical fitness.

Actually, many (not all) writers' blogs seem to be as boring as most of the others. "I have finished my first draft" or "my publisher has sent the cover mockups" is no more inherently interesting than "my first grandchild has arrived" or "I had scrambled eggs with chili peppers for breakfast".

8 comments:

Kay Cooke said...

Hear! Hear! I agree with what you say about bloggers / blogging one hundred percent.
Enjoy the Festival!

Zeborah said...

Orwell's diaries are being released in blog form at http://orwelldiaries.wordpress.com

(You already knew about Pepys', right? http://www.pepysdiary.com )

Anonymous said...

Amen to your last paragraph! Why are so many "serious" writer's blogs so boring? (Well, probably in part becasue th4ey're hoarding the good stuff for publication elsewhere.)

Anonymous said...

Such insightful comments about blogging and writing. ISTM that a lot of writers tend to take themselves a bit too seriously, especially those with the skill, perseverence and good fortune to be published. Not throwing any stones there (I'm sure I'd bow to the temptation myself, if given the opportunity!)

But I love what you said about blogging as a creative outlet and means of keeping mentally sharp; it's been a godsend to me.

Anonymous said...

I want you to go to that session and take notes then report back to me. I have my reasons. Will you suffer through it for me?

Catherine said...

Dana, I was planning to go, until I saw that "The Brain that Changes Itself" is on at the same time, which leaves me in rather a dilemma.

Jenn: said...

I agree with you whole heartedly! I was blog snobby at one point, thinking "who cares what these strangers have to say?"

That was before I actually found out what they were saying!! And I bet that is the problem with those who still feel blogging is worthless.

They just see what they want to see.

Keep blogging, because we love it ;0)

m said...

Two writers blogs I like are www.laurierking.com and www.jenniferweiner.com