Comments on: Bloggers to Authors http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/bloggers-to-authors Taffeta-Free Alternatives for Independent Brides Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:51:34 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Ariel http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/bloggers-to-authors/comment-page-1#comment-25 Ariel Thu, 19 Oct 2006 01:04:39 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/15/bloggers-to-authors#comment-25 <a href="http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/its_not_about_romance_but_it_is_about_blogging_and_publishing/" rel="nofollow">The ladies from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books weigh in.</a> The ladies from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books weigh in.

]]> By: amy.leblanc http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/bloggers-to-authors/comment-page-1#comment-24 amy.leblanc Wed, 18 Oct 2006 18:10:28 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/15/bloggers-to-authors#comment-24 i used to think i was a writer who blogged, but now i think i'm just a blog writer. it's been sort of hard to accept. i used to think i was a writer who blogged, but now i think i'm just a blog writer. it's been sort of hard to accept.

]]> By: Rob R-H http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/bloggers-to-authors/comment-page-1#comment-23 Rob R-H Wed, 18 Oct 2006 12:28:37 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/15/bloggers-to-authors#comment-23 I think you are 100% correct. My agent is fantastic and a much bigger name than I ever expected to sign with, but she is also very Old Skool, not a big internet junkie at all. She had never read my blog, and signed me based on my proposal alone. One of the first things she did was to (wisely) veto my original idea to use excerpts from the blog, instead opting for an entirely original and traditional narrative. Obviously the journal and blog play into that, serving as almost a first draft in maybe half a dozen short instances, but mostly I use the blog merely to refresh my memory. Ironically, St. Marrtin's Press is using the blog as part of its promotional materials; my blurb in Publishers Weekly is titled "Blog to Book". In the actual article, however, they get it right. I think the blogger brings a built-in reader base to start with, but the book has to bring something unique to the market. Think about the numbers of readers that even the most popular bloggers enjoy, and ask yourself if those numbers would be considered succcessful if they were the only ones who bought a book. Publication means a much bigger pond, and blog popularity isn't enough to guarantee survival. I think you are 100% correct. My agent is fantastic and a much bigger name than I ever expected to sign with, but she is also very Old Skool, not a big internet junkie at all. She had never read my blog, and signed me based on my proposal alone. One of the first things she did was to (wisely) veto my original idea to use excerpts from the blog, instead opting for an entirely original and traditional narrative. Obviously the journal and blog play into that, serving as almost a first draft in maybe half a dozen short instances, but mostly I use the blog merely to refresh my memory.

Ironically, St. Marrtin's Press is using the blog as part of its promotional materials; my blurb in Publishers Weekly is titled "Blog to Book". In the actual article, however, they get it right.

I think the blogger brings a built-in reader base to start with, but the book has to bring something unique to the market. Think about the numbers of readers that even the most popular bloggers enjoy, and ask yourself if those numbers would be considered succcessful if they were the only ones who bought a book. Publication means a much bigger pond, and blog popularity isn't enough to guarantee survival.

]]> By: Ariel http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/bloggers-to-authors/comment-page-1#comment-22 Ariel Tue, 17 Oct 2006 23:20:38 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/15/bloggers-to-authors#comment-22 Strangely, I'm not sure that I want to write a book that's just all about myself any more … I'm just not sure a book is the best format for my story. That said, I do hope to write more books, but I don't think writing a memoir is my goal. Strangely, I'm not sure that I want to write a book that's just all about myself any more … I'm just not sure a book is the best format for my story. That said, I do hope to write more books, but I don't think writing a memoir is my goal.

]]> By: Vera http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/bloggers-to-authors/comment-page-1#comment-21 Vera Tue, 17 Oct 2006 19:38:53 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/15/bloggers-to-authors#comment-21 Oh Ariel. I was about to send you my book pitch. Now I'm a little bit discouraged. But not too much. :) Don't believe everything "they" say though. You *will* get to write a book about yourself. And people are going to be all over it. Just because somebody rejected that idea once, doesn't mean it's not going to happen in the future. Oh Ariel. I was about to send you my book pitch. Now I'm a little bit discouraged. But not too much. :)

Don't believe everything "they" say though. You *will* get to write a book about yourself. And people are going to be all over it. Just because somebody rejected that idea once, doesn't mean it's not going to happen in the future.

]]> By: michelle http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/bloggers-to-authors/comment-page-1#comment-20 michelle Tue, 17 Oct 2006 17:11:48 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/15/bloggers-to-authors#comment-20 here's an interesting wrinkle, at least for me. i come from the world of print and web journalism, creative nonfiction, and humor essay. and now i'm blogging a bit to support my upcoming book (an alt career guide). and i'm finding myself not wanting to give away too much because (a) i don't want to repeat the book (blow my wad before the book even arrives), and (b) i don't want to give away any riffs/ideas that might go in my next book or a future published essay. so i'm very much censoring myself. anyone else feel this way? or is this just the divide between blogging and writing to assignment/traditional publication? here's an interesting wrinkle, at least for me. i come from the world of print and web journalism, creative nonfiction, and humor essay. and now i'm blogging a bit to support my upcoming book (an alt career guide). and i'm finding myself not wanting to give away too much because (a) i don't want to repeat the book (blow my wad before the book even arrives), and (b) i don't want to give away any riffs/ideas that might go in my next book or a future published essay. so i'm very much censoring myself. anyone else feel this way? or is this just the divide between blogging and writing to assignment/traditional publication?

]]> By: Sarah Brown http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/bloggers-to-authors/comment-page-1#comment-19 Sarah Brown Tue, 17 Oct 2006 16:31:39 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/15/bloggers-to-authors#comment-19 I'd definitely agree that even if you write about your life on your blog, there's about 90% of what goes on that never makes it to the internet, so it's not like a talented writer like Heather would be at any loss for material. I'd definitely agree that even if you write about your life on your blog, there's about 90% of what goes on that never makes it to the internet, so it's not like a talented writer like Heather would be at any loss for material.

]]> By: By Jane http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/bloggers-to-authors/comment-page-1#comment-18 By Jane Tue, 17 Oct 2006 04:35:29 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/15/bloggers-to-authors#comment-18 A writer is a writer is a writer. But is she? If fiction is a totally different animal from non-fiction, then is blogging equally different? I have some experience with all three, and I think the answer is no, my first sentence is correct. The difference, it seems to me, is first of all in the amount of--what shall we call it?--writing talent of the person involved. Blogging, being the ultimate in democratic media, allows anyone with access to a computer to be a Blogger. That doesn't mean they have a way with words or an interesting perspective or, really, anything more than a desire to play the game. You may have a different definition, but for me talent is mandatory before you get to call yourself a writer. Then that talent has to be honed, worked at, propped up and ironed out. The best of bloggers write well-crafted essays; they don't just vomit on the page. The issue of publishers being over blogging as the next big thing is moot, in my opinion. Publishers, being the canny capitalists that they are, always want the easy-to-find, the cheap-to-acquire, the sure-to-be big. What blogging does is give them a greater selection of talented writers to chose from. What blogging does is give us a place to practice our craft. A writer is a writer is a writer. But is she? If fiction is a totally different animal from non-fiction, then is blogging equally different? I have some experience with all three, and I think the answer is no, my first sentence is correct. The difference, it seems to me, is first of all in the amount of–what shall we call it?–writing talent of the person involved. Blogging, being the ultimate in democratic media, allows anyone with access to a computer to be a Blogger. That doesn't mean they have a way with words or an interesting perspective or, really, anything more than a desire to play the game. You may have a different definition, but for me talent is mandatory before you get to call yourself a writer.

Then that talent has to be honed, worked at, propped up and ironed out. The best of bloggers write well-crafted essays; they don't just vomit on the page.

The issue of publishers being over blogging as the next big thing is moot, in my opinion. Publishers, being the canny capitalists that they are, always want the easy-to-find, the cheap-to-acquire, the sure-to-be big. What blogging does is give them a greater selection of talented writers to chose from. What blogging does is give us a place to practice our craft.

]]> By: jenB http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/bloggers-to-authors/comment-page-1#comment-17 jenB Mon, 16 Oct 2006 06:50:32 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/15/bloggers-to-authors#comment-17 i love you :-) for writing this post. don't delete me. and i personally think heather is a writer who blogs. i am a blog writer, if that. what do you call someone who relies heavily on bulleted lists? i love you :-) for writing this post. don't delete me.

and i personally think heather is a writer who blogs. i am a blog writer, if that. what do you call someone who relies heavily on bulleted lists?

]]> By: Ariel http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/bloggers-to-authors/comment-page-1#comment-16 Ariel Mon, 16 Oct 2006 04:33:09 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/2006/10/15/bloggers-to-authors#comment-16 eek, I stand behind the prediction that Heather's books could be quite successful for her publisher, assuming the advances are modest. I think there's a lot of sequential narrative that doesn't make it onto her blog, and her books would have the potential to almost be like Dooce, Behind The Website. That said, you bring up an interesting point — there is a distinction between writers who blog and blog writers. Also a quick note here: I'm totally not interested in this becoming the "let's talk about Heather" thread. My comment-delete trigger finger is feeling itchy, so don't nobody test me. eek, I stand behind the prediction that Heather's books could be quite successful for her publisher, assuming the advances are modest. I think there's a lot of sequential narrative that doesn't make it onto her blog, and her books would have the potential to almost be like Dooce, Behind The Website.

That said, you bring up an interesting point — there is a distinction between writers who blog and blog writers.

Also a quick note here: I'm totally not interested in this becoming the "let's talk about Heather" thread. My comment-delete trigger finger is feeling itchy, so don't nobody test me.

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