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Here’s the thing about blogs . . . sometimes it’s darn-near impossible to think of anything to write about!
Which makes me wonder how the folks who do it every day actually do it every day. Writing a blog once a week is plenty hard enough.
With that in mind, I looked back on our blogs over the last weeks and doing that, I realized we have quite eclectic minds. We’ve written about serious topics like plagiarism and published books that aren’t really published. We’ve talked about reviews and the writing life. We’ve even thrown in some nostalgia and stories about great snow storms of the past.
All in all, we’re pretty interesting folks. Even if when Tuesday rolls around and I realize that it’s time to write another blog entry, I never feel like I am.
So here’s what I’ve been thinking, and I’m presenting this to my fellow bloggers on this very public forum to get their input.
What if we do a week now and again with set topics in publishing. Think about the questions you’re asked as you speak at libraries and bookstores. Readers ask about plotting and how we come up with ideas and characters. Other writers ask about agents and publishing houses and editing. Everybody asks about covers.
So, what say you, fellow bloggers? Want to make next week agent week? We each tell a story/offer some advice/give encouragement with regards to agents.
Having a set topic sure will make my next Tuesday less stressful!
PS–This Saturday, I’m speaking at the Westlake Public Library at 10:45 in the morning. It’s a writers’ group meeting but my guess is they’d welcome guests. So if you’re in the area, stop in. Oh, and Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We will be spending the weekend in the company of bagpipers and the holiday itself with Zorro’s Irish relatives.
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Thanks to all who showed up for the launch party. Judy and family were there…Jay Waggoner from Deadly Pleasures and an assortment of other characters. I think they had a good time. I was too busy to tell.
Casey…it works for me. However, I was at a writers workshop in Deerfield Beach a couple of weeks ago, and a seasoned vet made a case for NOT blogging about writing. She said there were far too many blogs…thousands, regarding the writing life. It was her contention that readers wanted other stuff. That said…there are thousands of blogs about other stuff as well.
by don
on March 12th, 2008 at 6:21 am
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What a great idea…..bagpipers and Irish whiskey. You’re on Casey. Let’s blog about drinking some Irish with your agent and a bag piper. Yippee…hick——–up. But isns’t your agent having a baby? Can she drink?? Hick-up, hick-up. And where do we get this first….drink…of hick-up Irish….in Westlake? OK…hope we don’t need to drive to get there!
Z
by Zorro
on March 12th, 2008 at 6:23 am
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Okay, I’ll start it off next Monday with something about agents. I know so little it will be easy.
I did the Westlake group about four years ago. Very nice folks. Let me know if John Shuck is still with them –I’d like to catch up with him.
by C.R.
on March 12th, 2008 at 6:33 am
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Well, guys, I snagged a case of Bass and a case of Guinness and I’m praciticng pouring the perfect Black & Tan. I hate to drink alone.
What are agents anyway?
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I guess that’s my point . . . some of us have (good things and bad) things to say about agents, some of us admit we don’t, some of us (wise ones!) say, “what are ageents, anyway?” I think that’s the kind of stuff writers (especially those striving for publication) want to hear. And I’ll be honest, I thought if we did writing topics now and then, we might get hits from some of those writers who would then discover us and our books. Yes, I am shallow.
by Casey
on March 12th, 2008 at 8:50 am
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Wilfred….where do you live?
I’ll be over in a jiffy.
Z
by Zorro
on March 12th, 2008 at 8:54 am
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Zorro, you’ll have to come to St. Louis. Yes, I work for a BIG beer company there. I’d love to tip a few with you, for sure.
Casey, interesting points. With my first book about to be launched, I’m obviously interested in getting traffic. I’ve also been looking into the virtual book tour (blog tour). However, most of these blog tours focus on writer blogs. I could be missing something here, but I don’t necessarily want to limit my marketing to writers. Although I understand that this industry is about networking, and there are a lot of aspiring writers out there.
I can certainly blog about how NOT to attract an agent. I have an accordian file overflowing with form rejections. I am still agentless and my first book is being published by a small press. However, after the first book is on the shelves and I’m ready with book 2 I’ll try to leverage that publishing credit into snagging an agent.
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That’s just the kiind of things I think aspiring writers want to hear, Wilfred. You did it without an agent. It can be done. Good advice.
As far as beer brewing . . . our son works at Great Lakes Brewing here in Cleveland. It’s a bigger than small micro-brewery with a huge area following. He’s working the bottling line now with the hopes of becoming a brewer someday.
by Casey
on March 12th, 2008 at 9:46 am
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Speaking of beer — I used to be the managing editor of a beverage magazine and have toured that big brewery in St. Louis. It is truly amazing. I was especially knocked out by the warehouse and distribuition center. It’s a city in itself.
And I have toured the Great Lakes brewery of which Casey speaks.
I do not consume much beer in any given year, but I have come to regard it as a food rather than a drink. Seriously, I do. So it has to be judged on its layers of taste, just like a good dish. And the Great Lakes beer is indeed good food. Zorro, send some to Wilfred.
by C.R.
on March 12th, 2008 at 10:09 am
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I hate beer. Smells awful, tastes awful. Never have learned to like it. And don’t try to change my mind — it’s not going to happen.
But besides that, congrats to Don on a fun book launch (yes, we did have fun!). Great food, good books, and a neat atmosphere.
I hear what you’re saying, Don, about there being lots of writing blogs. But if we tell our own personal stories, that could give some info not on other web sites — after all, personal stories can be entertaining, as well as informative! : )
by Judy
on March 12th, 2008 at 10:32 am
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I’m with you, Judy. I don’t like beer, either. Too bitter. And every time my son brews a batch (he’s always got something cooking and aging in the basement), I have to force myself to take a sip. It’s not like I can say it’s good or bad. They all taste the same to me. He did do a chocolate beer not too long ago that was very heavy on the chocolate. Now that, I can say good things about!
by Casey
on March 12th, 2008 at 10:47 am
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I, for one, would never try to change your mind, Judy. Beer is an acquired taste, as are so many things. There is also a huge array of beer flavors out there to choose from.
Casey, home brewing is tough. Remember, beer, being fermented is a living thing. Yeast is a living organism and has a huge influencing factor in the taste. It’s plenty hard to control sanitation at a very sterile facility, such as a well run brewery. At home it’s extremely hard to control.
I tried home brewing a couple of times. It pretty much sucked.
CR, I agree. Beer is more complex than most think. People get confused about aging also. Beer is best fresh and after it’s put in a container, it’s fragile and time sensitive.
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How can you hate beer Judy?
I thought all Harley riders drank beer, smoked Winston’s or Camel’s or some wacky weed and brought fire and damnation to the immediate world around them.
I know, you’re one of the good bikers. Kind of like the good Witch and the wicked Witch from the yellow brick road story….and Casey and I went to see Wicked, which trashed the whole wicked Witch of the West thing…..now you’re going to crash my whole image of the biker’s world.
Oh boy!
Z
by Zorro
on March 12th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
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