I went to my local Mail Box Etc. store on Friday when I realized my book liquidation project was missing a very important element.......shipping boxes........Since I visit that store weekly anyway, no one asked any questions and they only marginally raised their eyebrows when I carted off 20 priority mail boxes.
(Mail tip of the day, those boxes are free, any size, and you can take as many as you can carry: MUCH better then buying boxes and then paying for shipping on top of that cost)
When I returned on Saturday, with two shopping bags full of boxes to send, Lisa, one of the workers who knows me by name, started laughing quite loudly as I started dropping box after box on her counter. I had to explain my liquidation motives and when we were done, I couldn't tell if she thought I was crazy or just well, strange :o)
I am impressed with our mail system, emails came in yesterday saying they got their package already! So much for the snail mail nickname I always attach to the United Postal Service......now.....if they would just serve up some decent stamps I'd be thrilled~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My friend Chris, over at (Chris)Inane thoughts and insane ramblings proposed a question to me and several other people, and I thought I would answer it here in my time twisting journal.
In his words..........
Twenty years ago, if someone wanted to write, they wrote. Whether on stone tablet, paper & pen, typewriter, or word processor, they wrote. If a person had talent and desire (or sometimes just desire), he/she could attempt to have his writings published to reach an audience. Otherwise, those writings remained personal and mostly unseen (except for little brothers digging through Sis’ diary).
With the advent of blogging, any fool can hop on the information highway and distribute their writing to an immediate audience. If Melville had access to blogging, would he have written Moby Dick or would he have done a meme about “What Type of Whale Are You?” If Cather was distracted by blogging, perhaps instead of writing O! Pioneers, she would have written 101 things that she has done.
I am not saying that blogging is bad. I believe it serves a great purpose. I just think that some great potential authors might never write that classic novel that is within them, because they are content to write in small doses on a blog."
My answer to your initial question. Yes, and No.
There was a time when I devoted a lot of time to both my blog and other peoples blogs. I can't do that anymore............
The Bad: It takes a lot of time. If your not careful it can take hours each day to keep up with a true commitment to online journals. Writing your own entries. Visiting other people's journals, leaving comments, responding to emails etc.....There was a time I was overloaded, over committed and literately strung out trying to keep up. It left barely enough room and time to focus on my own writing. During this stage of my online journal experience, writing a book was nearly impossible. This is where the potential Author gets into trouble.
The Ugly: With over 100 journals on alerts, my email box was never ending cycle piling up. I was averaging 30 plus comments per entry, and in that technorati link thingy, my journal was linked on over 130 other peoples blogs that I tried to keep up with........ I had to stop, step back, and give myself a personal opt out card.
I had to make a choice. Write for myself and do the best I could at randomly visiting other peoples blogs, or put aside my 'writing work' to commit fully to keeping up in the blog world. I would like to think that wasn't a selfish choice, but a logical, self preservation choice. If a would be Author fell into this type of self imposed obligation, visions of a book, publication and "The End" fall quickly to the wayside.
I know it doesn't seem very neighborly to not visit everyone's blogs, even weekly, especially the gracious people who take the time to visit my blog and give me the gift of feedback. It doesn't sit well with me and my desire to reciprocate and show appreciation nags at the back of my mind to this day, but I couldn't/can't find another solution. The sad effect of my choice, I seemed to have lost many an online friend over it...
I think the main thing I wish, or hope for, is that not a single person takes it personally that I don't visit journals regularly. It certainly isn't a personal thing, because I do enjoy reading other peoples words, worlds, activities and journals. I do the best that I personally can, and right now, my focus needs to be on my 'work' writing.
I would like to think Melville would have made the same choice~~
19 comments:
I am no great novelist. But writing my blog has given me the confidence to get on with writing my novel, and my second one and I even have ideas for a third one too. Time is what prevents me from getting a move on, between family, kids and studying, will I ever get one of those books written?
Kate.
http://journals.aol.co.uk/bobandkate/AnAnalysisofLife/
We all have to constantly re-evaluate how we spend our time. I wouldn't want anyone to ignore things in their "real" life for the sake of keeping up with me or padding my ego with comments. Do what is best for you, with wisdom from above, and everything else will fall in place. - Barbara
Hi Rebecca, I agree with you that there should be very little sense of obligation when it comes to visit other people's journals. The only reason that keeps me constantly coming back to your journal is because I love your writing. Your words offer inspiration and help me to learn and grow. The reason to read your blog should not be expecting you to reciprocate the "favor" (which really isn't) in the same way. Thanks a lot for sharing your beautiful mind with your readers.
-Mo
And I believe he would have made the same choice.
This is where I currently reside; between wanting to catch up and visit, and wanting to have time to write, seriously write.
Insightful and nice to know there are others with guilt ridden angst over what we wish we could do and what is actually physically possible.
Tammy
http://lifeliveitormissout.blogspot.com
I know where you are coming from. I find I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to keep up with other people's blogs, sometimes to the exclusion of my own. My blog reading list keeps growing. There are so many good reads out there. I find I have to be ruthless in pruning it, and yet, I also find that there are several blogs I visit daily, and skim, or simply click in and click back out again without actually reading, yet I can't bring myself to delete them from my list due to some misguided sense of responsibilty to the writers who visit me regularly (no, I'm not talking about you) (no, I'm not talking about you, either). I sense it is all about to come to an end for me. In the very near future I expect my time to become devoted to a new pursuit that will make blogging a very occasional thing, and reading lots of blogs almost non-existent. We'll see how it all falls out.
-Paul
http://journals.aol.ca/plittle/AuroraWalkingVacation/
the reason i keep coming back to your journal is you have talent! plain and simple. a while back i wrote you do what you have to do to get your novel wrote. Just remember me when you are famous ok?
Deb
I've had the same delimma as you... I can't possibly read all of the journals I would like to and still have time to either post in my own, or have a life <LOL> My first major solution was a Bloglines account! The second was a ruthless paring down of what journals would go -into- that bloglines account <g> The good thing is that with the folder structure I can put some journals in a folder that I check daily, while others can go into the once a week folder. It sure helps with both organization and the ability to keep up... only down side is an AOL journal that is private. Some of the private journals just don't like the bloglines <shrug>
Oh, you are in the 'check that out as soon as a new entry comes in' folder by the way! ;p
http://journals.aol.com/astaryth/AdventuresofanEclecticMind/
http://adventuresofaneclecticmind.blogspot.com/
Hello Rebecca,
I can't wait until I receive my package in the mail. I wanted to respond to your entry today. I can't say that I am a writer like yourself, Melville or Cather but I try. I happen to enjoy reading your blog. Your writing always gives me things to think about and learn. Writing for me is an outlet I also keep it random without purpose or expectation. I too love the feedback, the encouragement and the friendship of people such as yourself. It does take time to write a journal or a blog. On my journal page I have a list of people's journals that I like reading and as you know you are one of them. I just happen to enjoy writing its a hobby of mine. I think that your journal would have given Melville and Cather would have greatly influenced their writing and you would have in my opinion kept writers such as Melville and Cather writing. You definitely got me thinking and I'm learning a lot from you so thanks. You have opened my mind a lot more than it was. Do keep writing Rebecca !!!!!!!!
Your words and yourself are greatly appreciated. Take care.
Hi .. enjoyed ur blog and sorry to see that you feel so under pressure in maintaining it .... at the same time , if it were poor you would get a lesser response ?
just a thought ... good luck from over the pond !!
Shaun
http:// journalsaol.co.uk/shauntanner/Tenthirteengoesforth
I think we've all been at that point where our blogging interests exceed the number of hours in the day. Nonetheless, it's an enjoyable hobby :-)
Perhaps an equally provacative question that could have been posed....What would Rebbeca have written had she been living during Melvilles time? .......Had Melville been alive today , his version of Moby Dick would be about a whale being caught in the Tuna nets, being pursued by some Nuclear powered Ocean Trawler, only to be rescued by some irradiated penquins!
The lure of Online Journaling is knowing that someone is listening to our thoughts, and to the murmers of our soul!
Marc :)
I understand what your saying.. I believe you should write for yourself, and even if people visit or don't visit, that shouldnt change your writing. At least, thats how I feel. I love getting comments, but that doesn't mean that if i didn't, i'd stop writing. I write for myself, and sometimes i just don't feel like writing or commenting, or i simply don't have the time.
take care!
<3jackie
I agree completely with you on every single point here.
Rebecca,
Like you, I find it impossible to visit everyone's journal. I have tried to keep up on my alerts but it is almost impossible. There are so many talented people out there. Personally, I was a closet writer. I have been writing for over 40 years and have never shared it with any one. Every now and then, I visit one of my spiral notebooks and re-write something I composed in my journal.
Journaling is a great outlet for both the good and the not-so good writers.
Smiles,
David
A wise response from a wise woman:) I think every blogger goes through the periods of the good, bad and the ugly. It's not a linear path either, it's more like the path of a pendulum back and forth. You've done the right thing by making sure that you have "You Time".
I don't complain about your infrequent posts, because they are special when you do post. I've always enjoyed your thoughts and words.
Have a great week!
Chris
http://inanethoughtsandinsaneramblings.blogspot.com
Thirty plus comments per blog. Wonderful. I would consider myself an AUTHOR if I got that many. I get three of four, and cherish them. It is enough to keep me blogging. I am just glad SOMEBODY is reading what I write.
I am the same way. I figure if I can stop by once every three months, that is keeping balance in my life but before I say, I have great control, I am onto my next addiction which is Youtube,lol. So, I think I jump to some form of escape that feels safe. I might be onto another journey soon missy. I want to go live in my car out in the woods for a month. This might be happening within the next month. I am going to do film some of this experience too and open a private blog for just a few to watch. I have been wanting to do this for awhile but I need to get away and I thought I would share that with a few, you included, if your interested. Anyway, I think any form of expression is healthy. I also think Blogging is healhty and I am not sure if its purpose is to stimulate the next Moby Dick. I agree, with people like you, who are so gifted with telling a story, encouragement can help but talent only needs the inner drive. Blogging is a simple concept. But, its blessed me. If anyone I feel close to, in this Jland place died, I would cry like buckets. There are strong ties here and that is more profound than the next good book. ~Raven
I would like to comment on this from the perspective of one who has spent 75 years writing. I personally believe that many and many a writer labors away and does not get published. Therefore nobody reads the damn stuff. It lays in the closet or storage space year after year, and that to me is the tragedy, for how many people do you meet that you can drag home to read? How many editors of literary agents want to read anything, even one novel. Damned few and you might have to pay an agent well to get them to do that, at least in my experience. So few people read my novels and plays even after diligant work on my part trying to find readers that I am delighted to be able to persuade a few journalists out there to come home to read me, too. After writing 10 novels and around 20 plays,. filling volumes of journals, and volumes of personal letters, protest letter files, etc. I have finally found a few readers to add to my paltry list.
Young writers need to write that novel or story when they are in the mood and try to get it out there. Hit the brick walls of the publishers and literary agents. I am 75. I couldn't try any longer. I had to settle on less fame and just settle for one reader, two, here and there. My subject matter is tough, so that drives people away. They get a whiff of that and they are forever gone, some people. Your comments are pertinent for writers I am willing to accept whatever you feel you need to do in your goal of becoming a writer. Gerry
Thanks for the free boxes tip! You made some really valid points, and I have to agree; journaling can take up so much time. I have had to really crop down the amount of alerts I get, and I visit a lot of journals only once or twice a week. I have to allow myself only so much time or specific times to read journals. Serious writing takes a lot of discipline, because, face it, it it isn't journaling, it could be something else. Just about anything can distract you from getting serious about your writing if you let it.
Lori
http://journals.aol.com/helmswondermom/DustyPages
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