That's right, I've got a new schedule now. Starting NEXT WEEK, I will only be blogging three times per week, on Monday / Wednesday / Friday.
"Of course," you mutter to yourselves. "Only days after she does a contest and a big push to get followers, she announces that she's going to be blogging less. Typical."
But! I really think this will be for the best. First of all, this means I can visit your blogs more! Because let's face it, I only have so much time in the day, and when I joined (read: got addicted to) Twitter I ended up spending too much time over there and not enough time leisurely browsing the blog updates in my Google reader like I used to do, and I definitely missed out on some great blog posts and discussions in the comments, and I want to get that back.
Also, I hope that this means that my own blog posts will be able to be a little bit more well-thought-out from now on, and therefore will be more entertaining and useful to you. (No promises, though.)
Finally... well, something had to give. I've got my latest Grub Street class that actually requires a lot of writing (and the reading / analyzing of 11 other people's work) every week, and I'm trying to spend more time focused on my family (Serious Girl in particular), and oh yeah, there's the WRITING OF FICTION that I'm supposed to be doing...
I'd already given up entering any blog contests or challenges that required any actual thought or planning, but it's not enough. I need more time to write, without writing cutting into the rest of my life.
"Life isn't a support system for art. It's the other way around."-Stephen King
So I hope you don't mind the change, I hope that we end up having better chats in the comments of all our blogs, and I hope that my new emphasis on writing means that I'll get some more short pieces published... because you all really want to read my fiction, not just my blather, right? Right?!?
QUESTION FOR YOU: WHAT TOPICS WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO COVER IN THE NEAR FUTURE? I like it when I get lots of comments. What topics inspire you to debate and respond? Tell me, and I'll try to make it happen.
That was my alltime favorite tweet of yours.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the Triweekly Club. I think this is a fabulous decision. And yes, I very much want to read your fiction :-)
ReplyDeleteCarrie, how about covering plotting in short fiction and microfiction? I've had a couple of reworked novel excerpts rejected in part because I didn't work a complete enough plot arc. How do you do that well in short forms? HELP!
ReplyDeleteAfter the A to Z Challenge has ended I also need to focus on my own non-blog writing and other activities. The challenge was great but very time-consuming. I plan to continue posting daily but perhaps with some less intensive posts.
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I'm not sure what to recommend for you to post about. Writing topics seem to be often repetitious, but I guess they are topics writers keep asking themselves and new writers keep coming to the blogs.
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Maybe sometimes you could talk about non-writer specific things that could be applied to writing?
Boston area things sometimes? Life experiences that can be connected to a writerly question? Music or movies commentaries? I know you are doing a "writer" blog, but maybe rather than focusing on technical specifics, use life experience generalities that draw us in and make us think about how they might apply to the craft of writing.
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One somewhat unfortunate fact, but I'm seeing it as a reality, is that unless you are an agent or someone who has gained some kind of huge reputation, the way to get more comments on your site is to go to more other sites and comment. It really takes a lot of time, but....
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On May 3rd you might want to look at some of the sites of those who participated in the A to Z Challenge as many of them will hopefully give their views on what it takes to gain more followers, and more importantly, get more readers and commenters. Some of those bloggers did an amazing job in this in April. One poetry blog amassed over 50 followers during the challenge in April and receives a large number of comments on everything she posts. Amazing!
Good luck with the new schedule!
Lee
A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post
Well, my muse would rather read your "blather", since it means more procrastination, and thus less work for her. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteI hope your new posting schedule affords you more time for your "real" writing! As for blog topics, it seems like you get a lot of comments when you simply talk about your own query/agent/submission issues.
ReplyDeleteI also like it when you give your own take on something people are discussing in the blogosphere. This is great because you are taking part in the overall conversation about a topic . . . like "sex in literature" as a recent example. (I am really bad at this with my own blogging.)
Oooh, I thought of something! This might be a lot of time and effort (not sure), but what if you accepted submissions from people who wanted an online critique? They would obviously have to be very short--like flash fiction or first paragraphs or something. That way you could simply post the submissions and ask for constructive feedback from your readers. One of the literary agents on your blogroll did something like this for awhile, and it was really interesting to see what worked and didn't work with some of the first paragraphs (of novels) that were submitted.
I'm sorry. That's not going to work for me. Did you run this by HR before posting this? I'm pretty sure your contract dictates a 5-days a week posting schedule through the end of this fiscal quarter. You may reapply for a modication to your contract at a future date or file a claim through the mediation division at the end of June. Until then, you're stuck humpin' it daily.
ReplyDeleteAs a member of the once-a-week-and-even-that-makes-me-sweat club, I applaud you soothing my insecurities with your slackening schedule.
ReplyDeleteOnce a week. C'mon, all the cool kids do it.
I think it's a great idea! Many follow the MWF schedule, and it's just a good flow.
ReplyDeleteI've found it allows room for visiting others more (as you said), and it doesn't overwhelm readers as much, either.
Good for you! Even cutting back, you'll be doing better than me. :)
ReplyDeleteI just wrote a post about how I'm trying to blog MORE (but for me that means writing more than once a month, ha ha).
I will continue to read and love your blog and your amazing advice and wisdom.
I would like to personally apologize to KLM and to atsiko's muse for ruining your plans. I'll try to write nice long blog posts that can satisfy the needs of your entire week.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the specific suggestions, Laura, Lee, and Rebecca! I'll see what I can do for you. :-)
And thanks everyone for your comments / support / enthusiasm! I'll see you around the internets...