Have I Lost the Blogger/Twitter Love?

I really had to force myself to write this post today. I'm finding that this feeling is becoming much more prevalent with all of my social networking, including Twitter and Facebook. Well, I never really got into Facebook that much but Twitter and doing my blog posts I enjoyed. Just … not so much anymore.

I could just be feeling social networking exhaustion. I could, after almost 3 years of blogging have nothing more to say. More likely, with how busy my life has been lately, I just don't have the time and energy to create a blog every week. I used to blog three times a week, then I went down to two and now I'm down to once a week. That worked for a while but even that once a week posting seems an effort now. So, if I'm not seeing someone as much as I used to, doesn't that tell me something?

I'm also not finding anything new or fabulous out in the internet world these days. Even Twitter seems to be filled with people I haven't had a chance to get to know and, in my attempts to be a good, polite Twitter follower, I've perhaps followed too many people just because they followed me first. A lot of them seem to be using Twitter as an ongoing advertisement for their books. Which is fine. I just don't want to read about it every time I'm on line. Similarly, I used to love Google and would always have a pile of searches on various topics (mostly writing related) that would keep me happily entertained for hours. But it feels like I'm seeing the same old subjects being talked about by a few different people and nothing new is being discussed. Have I really read it all or am I just burnt out and need to step away from the computer for awhile?

I'm hoping it is the latter. Because I don't want to stop after all this time. But stopping cold turkey just makes it all the harder to step back into it when you do decide to come back. For example, I have (had?) an online friend who was very active for a time on blogger and Twitter and then she just dropped out. For over a year I didn't hear from her and then there was a brief little email to a few of her online friends that said 'Hey, how's everything? Hope to hear from you" but, honestly, I didn't feel the connection anymore because of that separation. That's what I feel will happen to me if I step away completely. But I may have to do that. Keeping up with it all is just way too much sometimes.

Am I the only one feeling this fatigue? If you're feeling it, did it hit you all of a sudden or has it been building slowly and what have you decided to do about it?

The Necessity of Scaling Back

You may or may not have noticed (or cared :) that for the last couple of weeks I've only been posting on the blog once per week. No, it's not me being lazy or forgetful. I made a conscious decision that for the next little while I need to scale back on a few activities - one of which is how often I really need to post on this blog.

I'm not advocating a complete retreat from social networking - far from it. I will still be on Twitter and Facebook and on Verla Kay's message boards. I don't think I overuse my time on those sites (well, Verla's can be an addiction, I must admit). I think every writer needs to have connectivity to other writers in order to survive, maintain sanity and impart and receive support. I will also still visit the blogs of fellow writers and gain knowledge, laughs, tears on whatever topic catches my interest that day. Again, this is not about complete retreat - it is about determining what is essential. It is about how much time I spend on what activity and, for me, the blog posts took up more thought and time space than those other things.

It is not a coincidence that I've finished the rough first draft of a WIP that's been a long time gestating in the same period that I scaled back on doing posts for the blog. I found I was thinking way too much about what to post every few days than what I needed to be worrying about - what to write so I could finish this damn book! So why, now that I have the first draft, am I not going to blog twice weekly again? Because, for me, the most important part of writing - the re-writing - is when I have to have the most focus. This revision is probably going to be the hardest one I've ever done. The book will expand and contract in numerous ways. Ultimately, what I have to remember is the philosophy of scaling back: there is too much unnecessary clutter in our lives and when we let go of those things that are not absolutely essential we are free to make the necessary things so much more important and meaningful in our lives.

Think about it. If you had to give up a few things related to your writing life what would they be? The only essential thing, really, is the writing. It is the water we all need to drink from in order to survive and thrive. So, yeah, I'll be drinking a lot more of it these days. :)

A Guest Blog Post - from Daughter One

I know I said that I won't mention my family too much in this blog but a proud mama can't help but want to share with as many people as possible when one of their kids is doing something good.

Daughter One is taking part in the University of Western Ontario's Alternative Spring Break where students take their reading week and, instead of partying in Florida, they go help in shelters, build homes or whatever a particular area needs somewhere in the world. It's a hands-on learning experience designed not only to teach young people how to give back but to expand their world in ways you can only do by entering into experiences so foreign to your own. My daughter is currently spending the week in Winnipeg helping out at the Siloam Mission and Winnipeg Harvest. She blogged about the experience here

I know I'm a bit biased but I think Daughter One has a real flair for writing, dontcha think? :)

Sometimes parents can only sit back and be thankful their kids have turned out so well. Way to go, baby.

200th Blog Post! And What I've Learned About the Fine Art of Blogging

I can't believe it but I've hit a milestone with today's post - number 200. Wow. I started this blog two years ago in February. I wasn't sure what I was doing then (am still not) but with a book coming out the following year it seemed like everyone was saying "Get a web presence!" "Start a blog!" "Get on Twitter!" "You're not on Facebook??? What are you, a hermit?" Well, they didn't say that last one exactly (althought I'm pretty sure that's what they're still thinking :) but, hey, at least I'm doing 3 out of 4 things now. And while blogging seems to be on the wane in light of 140 character posts and quick Facebook wall posts I've decided I like it. I may not be the best blogger in the world and I may have entered into this world late and reluctantly, I can appreciate the positive about this art form.

So, what have I learned in my two short years doing two blog posts a week? Here are some thoughts about what I think works (and the things I know I should do but still need to work on to improve) FWIW.

Do
1. Keep Things Short and Simple
I'm still working on keeping posts to just 3 or four paragraphs (today's post is a bit longish)but it's essential. People are busy, they might visit several blogs a day and if they see a long post at most they'll skim, at worst they won't even bother to read it.

2. Have a Snappy Blog Title
Sometimes that title alone is what draws people in. It's like the back cover blurb of the book - the blog title is a short synopsis about what your post is about or an intriguing question that leads someone to read more.

3. Make Your Blog Template Reflect a Little of Your Personality
A blog is a little insight to who you are as a person so why not spend some time and think about how it looks? Put up some pictures, think about the colours and fonts. You know a house doesn't look like a home until you decorate it, right?

4. Share Your Blog Posts on Twitter and Other Social Networking Sites
What's the point of blogging if no one knows you've written anything?

5. Visit Other Blogs and Follow the Ones You're Interested In
There's a whole world outside your own home with tons of interesting characters. You'll be amazed at the number of people you'll meet and the kinds of interesting discussions you'll get a chance to be part of.

6. Comment on Blogs and respond to Comments on Your Own Blog
I'm starting to improve on this but I could get better. I don't comment on others blogs just for the sake of commenting. When I think I have something to say I'll say it. But it is like visiting your neighbours - if you don't say hi to them, they won't say hi to you.

7. Be Personable But Don't Get Too Personal
This is a hard one - I'm all for sharing info about your personal life that you are comfortable sharing - it's how people get to know you. But I'm also worried about too much info getting out there that should be kept to yourself. Some people's blogs are all about their family and names, dates, photos are shared. That's not for me. You won't see many pictures of my family here nor will you hear their names. I signed on to be a writer in the public domain but they didn't. Same goes for info about my day job. It has nothing to do with writing so I'm not going to comment about it.

8. Make Your Blog Be About Something (Focus!)
I'm still working on having a real focus here - yes, I blog about writing and the publishing journey but there are sooo many blogs out there that do it better than I that I'm realistic about what I can contribute to the dialogue. So this blog is about what I'm learning through the writing journey - with occasional side trips to the lands of TV, movies, life lessons and hockey mom craziness. Not really a focus but I'm trying to just get comfortable in the land of public discussion.

9. Be a Regular Poster
I don't care if it's once a week, twice a week or daily but if you're going to do it, commit. And a blog is a living document - it needs nourishment. So I recommend at least a once a week posting. Like a plant needs water, posting regularly will keep the blog thriving.

10. Make Lists
People like lists. They're easy to read and help you to organize your thoughts - as you can see by this ten item list I've just posted!

So, there you have it, my totally unscientific list of what I think works for blog posting. What other things have I missed? (ooh, I just remembered. #11: Ask Questions! It helps build dialogue! :)

A New Look

So have you noticed I changed my blog template? I'd had the old blue/grey background with the picture of a range of blue mountain vistas up for a while and this weekend I felt the need to change it up. I went through tons of template designs. Tried black backgrounds with bursting stars, abstract neon colours and shapes but finally I settled on this picture of a green, summer time field of grass and flowers. I immediately felt soothed by it. Even my daughter said, "Yeah, Mom. That one is more you."

Why do some things seem more "you" I wonder? I do love the color green but what about this particular background seemed to fit me better than a rainbow of colours and swirling shapes? Part of it is my love of spring, summer and sunshine and being sick of winter right now. But I think I'm drawn to images that invoke a peaceful, calming, centred view of the world. Partly because my life is more than usually chaotic but also because I strive for that peacefulness. I may not achieve it but I do strive! Why not just choose a white background then? Keep it plain and simple - how much more peaceful can you get than that? I guess I just need a little bit of colour in my life too. And right now, with a big winter storm coming on Wednesday I need to see some green somewhere in my life!

How about you? What made you choose the backgrounds you have on your blogs?

First Page Panda Today Featuring Illegally Blonde

A fabulous writer friend I got to know through Verla Kay's blue boards, Anna Staniszewski, has created a terrific new blog featuring the first pages of new and upcoming young adult and middle grade books and sharing some information about the authors and their books. It's called First Page Panda because, hey, who doesn't like panda's?? and ILLEGALLY BLONDE is being featured today! Check it out here if you have a minute and make sure you go back often to read the first pages of some exciting new writers. Anna herself will be coming out with her debut book MY UN-FAIRY TALE LIFE in 2011 from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky imprint. I'm very excited to read that one!

Hope your holidays have been a source of joy and minimal family conflict so far. Tomorrow we're heading off to our nation's capital, Ottawa, to cheer on The Boy's hockey team in the Bell Canada Cup tournament. Hoping for good weather, good hockey and fun times. The next time I'll be posting will be in 2011 the Year of the Rabbit. After the turbulent Year of the Tiger that 2010 was I'm definitely looking forward to a calm, peaceful (and lucky) Rabbit Year!

A Blog Post about Nothing

It has come to this: I have no ideas for a blog post today. Blank. Nada. Empty. Some days there is just no water in the well. So, the big question is: what do I do? Do I just not post? Do I do a tepid 'writerly' post about my crawling along WIP? Do I talk about the stresses and strains of raising 3 kids, working full-time, my mother's cancer treatment, my stalled renovations? Do I post about something I heard on the news today? Do I try and do a motivational post about never giving up when things seem their bleakest? I feel like I've written these posts before, like there's nothing new to say and no new way to say it.

I know this is normal. I've been writing this blog for over a year and a half, so why try to force a blog post when there's nothing to say?

Why? Why, I ask??

Because if I stop writing one day, it might lead to two. If I don't write two blog posts then a whole month could quickly go by and before you know it I've stopped writing the blog altogether and even though it may not be the most widely read or the most filled with wisdom (not by a long shot!)it is something I've committed to do and I'm a big believer in sticking with something even when it's not easy, even when it doesn't seem to be returning anything tangible some days. Because there are moments when a blog post does work and someone might see something in it that helps them or they can identify with whatever was written. I know there have been many blog posts I've read that have helped me. Blog posts that might have never been written if that blogger decided to stop writing just for a day, or two, or three...

Huh. What do you know? My blog post about nothing kinda turned into something. Another lesson about why writing when you don't feel like it is very important. :)

Link to an Awesome Blog Post

I don't often link to other blog posts because I'm a horrible blog visitor. I can go long stretches of time without visiting or discovering other blogs and, most of the time, I find that I'm usually quite late to the game and everyone has already discovered, visited, commented or otherwise discussed the blog or blog post in question so there's really nothing more I can add to the issue/discussion.

But today I finally visited the blog of Sarah Davies the principal agent at Greenhouse Literary and her October 5th blog post was filled with such wonderful, practical and hopeful advice to writers I just had to share it with you (and I'll make a point to visit there more often). It's the kind of thoughtful post that will resonate with so many writers (or anyone who is endeavouring to accomplish an almost impossible pursuit)that it should be shared as widely as possible. It really did put things in perspective for me and is a reminder of what we set out to do with our writing and what we should be getting out of this perilous and fraught with angst endeavor.

Enjoy the post, thanks to Ms. Davies for writing it and Happy Canadian Thanksgiving to all my fellow Canucks out there!

A Kipling Moment

Summer Blog Post Re-runs

We're about to head off for our two week stint at the cottage so the blog is going to go dark for a while. So in the spirit of summer laziness and because I just don't have the wherewithal to come up with a scintillating post because my mind is filled with pre-vacation, pre-renovation and pre-moving-out-for-a-year plans, I'm leaving you all with a few of my favourite posts from the last year and a half that I've been blogging. These are the posts that, for whatever reason, generated the most hits or searches and for that reason alone, are maybe worth a re-visit or a visit if you haven't seen them before.


Sandra Bullock, Characters and Likeability (I know the reason this one got hits was because everybody's been interested in Sandra this year, however, I do think there is something to think about here in terms of writers developing their protagonists)


Wanting It Badly Enough (This one was based on the idea that you can make it in this crazy publishing business if you add a key ingredient to your success recipe: a bigg wollop of desire)


Virtual Writing - Writing When You Can't Write (Every writer has periods of time when they just can't be sitting in front of a computer or with a pen and paper. But you can still use this time well!)


Why Waiting is Sometimes a Good Thing (Every writer hates waiting. But it's part of the business. Here's why I - the biggest hater of waiting ever - have decided it's not all bad)


Boys, Books and Diary of a Wimpy Kid(I know this post gets hits because everyone is trying to figure out how to get young boys to read. I tried to figure this out using my own ten year old son and one of his favourite series as an example. It was also a really cool experience to get a comment from the author - Jeff Kinney - on the blog post. Too bad I only noticed the comment months later! Lesson learned. Now I have an alert go to my email every time someone comments on the blog. Total techfail.)

Failure Breeds Success - So Says Michael Jordon (Again, it doesn't hurt to have a famous name mentioned in a blog post. But I do think a lot of people are trying to learn something from their set backs and Mr. Jordon had some very good advice we can all learn from.

I Can Haz Writing Process? (This was a blog post done in conjunction with some amazing writers - Tawna Fenske, Cynthia Reese, Kiersten White, Linda Grimes and Sean Ferrell where we all talked about our different writing processess. For some reason, how writers write is an endlessly fascinating discussion for other writers. It is very cool to see how different and similar we all are. But the thing all of us agreed on was you have to choose a process that works for YOU.)

There you have it. Some blog post re-runs to get you through until we return to our regularly scheduled blog line-up. See you in a few weeks and enjoy your summer!

And the winner is ...

Well, it was looking to be like a tough battle. Twitter was heating up with Cynthia Reese, Elizabeth Ryann, Linda Grimes, and Patty Blount all arm wrestling to get the copy. A last minute contender, Andre Zollers (mtgoldeneagle on Twitter), with an interesting strategy to use the Golden Retriever card to get an edge in on the arm wrestling crowd, popped in to keep things guessing. But, in the end, it was the quiet, stay-in-the-background strategy of Tory Minus who ended up winning the day. That's right, The Boy pulled Tory's name out of the hat! Congratulations, Tory!! I'll be contacting you today by Direct Message to get your address and deets to send you your free copy of ILLEGALLY BLONDE.

I must say, all the participants have made my first contest extremely fun. I wish I could send each and every one of you a copy. Alas, I am only a lowly writer, not a miracle worker. But check out the miracle workers that are your neighbourhood librarians and see if they can conjure up a copy.

Now with the excitement of the contest over I'm not sure what to do with myself. I do have a couple of interviews coming up with fellow torkidlit writers Claudia Osmond and Debbie Ohi (Inkygirl on Twitter) so I'll keep you posted on those. In the meantime, here's a fun interview I did with the main character, Alya, of Jill Murray's Rythm and Blues. I'm hoping to interview Alya's creator Jill in an upcoming blog post soon (although she's heading off to Ethiopia soon! How cool is that??. Jill's another amazing member of torkidlit as well as the brains behind Y-eh! a blog tour of Canadian authors.

Thanks again for playing everyone! You all make Blogland and the Twitterverse a better place.

A Contest! Just because...

Well, not just because. I've been meaning to have a contest for a while because, well, that's what you do to celebrate the release of a book. Or if you have a blog anniversary or if you hit 300 followers on Twitter (like I just did!) or if you just want to give away a free copy of a book you actually you know, like, wrote for absolutely no reason at all.

So, in honour of all those things and just because I think it'll be fun and just because I've never had a contest before and just because I'd like to share ILLEGALLY BLONDE with someone who might want to read it and just because it's been a hoot having a blog and being on Twitter and meeting so many fabulous people here's my first contest: If anyone would like a copy of ILLEGALLY BLONDE just leave a comment on the blog here before next Tuesday morning (that's June 15th)one of my kids will pick the name out of a hat and we'll ship a copy off to you pronto.

Thanks for playing and thanks for visiting!

Chapter One - Illegally Blonde

The struggle. The agony. The relief.

No, I'm not talking about how hard it was to write Chapter One. It was a pleasure, actually. What I'm referring to is the royal pain it was trying to get a PDF version linked to the blog. But here it is. Chapter One. I hope it works. I hope you like it!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/32416029/IllegallyBlonde-ch1-1

I Can Haz Writing Process?

Surprisingly, I haz. And so does every writer. There are a bazillion different stories out there and a bazillion different ways writers create them. A group of writers (yours truly included) thought it might be interesting to see just how different (and similar) we all are.

For what it’s worth, here’s my process. I hope it gives you some glimpse into what works for me. Make sure you check out

Sean Ferrell

Tawna Fenske

Cynthia Reese

Linda Grimes

Kiersten White


to see their methods to the madness.

The Beginning – Percolating the Idea

A new idea passes through my brain like a drug - I can't get enough of it at first. I lie in bed at night, unable to fall asleep because I'm thinking about the opening, the characters, the ending, the bits and pieces that will make it into the story. Percolating is absolutely essential for me to be able to write a good story. At this stage, I might outline the book in a back cover blurb sort of thing – one page max – before I begin writing the first draft.

Writing the First Draft – In Longhand (yes, you read that right. In LONGHAND)

I do not currently have a life that allows me to sit at a computer for great stretches of time. So I write the first draft in long-hand because I can write anywhere - on the subway for a half-hour, in a waiting room, at hockey and figure skating practices. I'm more forgiving of my writing when the first draft is in long-hand because it prevents me from going into editing mode. I can scratch out or scrawl something that I know I can fix later. I don't feel the need to self-edit like I do when I'm typing into the computer.

The Murky Middle or Where I Usually Stop to Figure out Where I’m Going
I go through this with EVERY book I write. I write the first half then stop. Maybe for a couple of weeks. Sometimes a couple of months. I’m not a huge outliner and maybe that’s why I stop. I don't need to know every single thing that happens in a plot before I write it like Cynthia. But neither am I a complete pantser like Tawna. I guess I’m a hybrid. I know my beginning, I know my ending. But that middle? Oi.

Sometimes it helps at this point to go back and type the first half into the computer to see if it's working. And if it is, sometimes that unsticks me. Once I get through that murky middle the ending flows pretty quickly. I usually get a first draft done in about 4 months.

Revisions (2nd and 3rd drafts)
Once the 2nd draft is in the computer, I print it out and read it. I consider what any revisions might do to the story. Are they consistent with the established themes? Will the revisions alter motivations (yes, Cynthia, I’m all about the motivation!) If I'm deleting scenes, or descriptions or other information am I leaving plot holes? If I'm adding scenes, descriptions or other information am I killing the pace? This stage takes about a month.

Once the third draft is done is when I celebrate. It’s a Real Book! Now I can take a break and send it to the CP’s (I like sending the whole thing and not chapters). Then I put it aside so that when I come back to it I do so as a reader – not a writer.

Final Intense Draft
After I get the CP’s feedback I’m ready to tear into it again. It’s the final opportunity to make the story ready to send to my agent. This stage is an in-depth, cohesive examination of all characters, motivations, plots and sub-plots to make sure the whole story works.

The Agent Okay
She will inevitably have another few suggestions that will require more revision but by this point I know my story so well I can handle changes.

There you have it. Ink to paper. Keyboard to screen. Whatever gets those words down. In writing it's not how you manage the journey it's the destination that's important. Ending up with the words all writers love ... The End.

Don’t forget to visit these amazing writers to see how they do it too!

Sean Ferrell
(literary fiction)
Tawna Fenske
(romantic comedy)
Cynthia Reese
(southern romance/inspirational romance)
Linda Grimes
(light paranormal mystery)
and
Kiersten White
(young adult)

Another First - Doing a Guest Blog Post

Well, it's released! I had a lovely Twitter book birthday party and it was a beautiful sunny day to boot. It feels very much like the start of a new chapter for me (sorry for the cringe-inducing writing metaphor!). And to start it off I was even asked to guest blog on Drunk Writer Talk. The lovely Maureen McGowan (one of the Drunk Writer's)invited me to talk about ILLEGALLY BLONDE on their blog and I was honoured. It's a great place to hear about the struggle and triumph that writing can be and to commiserate with fellow writers who understand the highs and lows. So go check it out and thank you everyone, again, for your warm wishes and happy congratulations. Like I said yesterday, I'm a very lucky girl.

Blogiversary - Reflections on a Year of Being 'Out There'

My first blog post was a year ago - February 6, 2009 to be exact. I had absolutely no clue as to what I was doing. Lots of writers I admired had been writing blogs for years. Had been writing wonderful, supportive, informative, reflective, funny, motivational posts that I loved to read, learn from and apply their advice to my own writing and publishing journey. So what was the point in starting my own blog, I thought? Really, what did I have to say, who was I saying it to and what could I possibly add? What I learned after a year of doing a blog is this: Those questions don't matter. The only question that matters is: Do you want to make connections with others and learn more about yourself - as a writer and a person - along the way?

I had no conscious thought about the direction of this blog when I started it. I first titled it Unpublished. Unfazed. Undaunted. But then, after I got my contract, I retitled it to "About to be published! About time. About the journey." I thought that's what I'd mostly write about - the rejections, the ups and downs, the waiting, the stops and starts on the writing path. And I did - and do - write about those things. But the name of the blog is "Out of the Wordwork" and I named it that because that's what I needed to start doing. I needed to get out of the word work. I'd spent years working on the words but had stayed very insular in terms of my reaching out to others in the writing community. Yes, I'd joined fabulous writers spaces like Verla Kay's Blueboards and had been a member of the Toronto Romance Writers for years. I'd taken various writer's courses and attended conferences. But I never felt comfortable sharing my thoughts on writing with more than one or two people at a time. I was definitely a fly on the writing wall of life. But as I started putting thought into what I should write for blog posts, I started to realize things about myself that I never consciously faced before. I thought I was a pessimist - but because of writing I realize I'm more of an optimist (you have to be in this business!). I never realized how persistent I was - until I started writing about how important persistance was to a writer. I never thought to see anybody stopping by to read my blog and was astounded and amazed by the people I've met through this medium. I never thought I'd ever follow blogging by also joining Twitter but I think having dipped my foot into one 'out there' pool, it was a lot easier to dip my toe into an even bigger pool. And I learned the two of them are very complimentary/supportive of each other. At least the people involved in them are.

And, by far, that has been my biggest revelation: how much writers support each other through blogs and Twitter simply by making comments like "Yay! Good for you!" or "I've been through that…" or "Hey, thanks, I learned something…" or "So happy for you…" I would never have known any of that support was out there if I hadn't put myself 'out there'.

So, if you are hesitating about starting a blog or joining Twitter or any other scary social media out there right now all I have to say is "If I can do it, you can too." Go on. Put yourself out there. You'll be amazed about what you discover about yourself and other people along the way.

Diary of a Wimpy Blogger

Okay, I must admit that I'm still learning about how to be a good blogger. I know I don't really have a focus to the blog - beyond occasional posts about my journey to become a published author, or various blog entries about what little I've learned about writing or my mantra of living your life with passion, perseverance, patience and positivity (have to work harder to make more blog entries on that last topic!). Here and there I'll have blog entries on movies, tv, kids and the various ephemera of life. Once in a while I will blog on a book that has impacted me or my kids significantly enough to warrant what I hope will be a thoughtful, or at the very least heartfelt, blog post. I try to respond to the blog comments as I'm always surprised and grateful when someone bothers to stop by and read what I've written. But sometimes I miss those comments and the opportunity to respond. I was reminded of how much a comment from a blog reader can make your day when I was checking into some old posts last night.

Every once in a while I'll check and see how people end up here at Out of the Wordwork. Like fellow Blueboarder Mary Witzl's post recently about how many of her blog readers came to her via a post on eating slugs (!) I know that how a person stumbles on to a blog can be quite a random thing. For example, a lot of my visitors seem to stop by when searching out info on Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Not surprising since it is a hugely popular series and its author, Jeff Kinney, is a star amongst mothers who have young sons who don't want to read. Except for Mr. Kinney's books. Hence my October 15, 2009 blog post on Boys, Books and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

Basically the Wimpy Kid post tried to figure out why these books were so popular with boys - especially my boy. I don't know if I quite figured it out (who can figure out a phenomenon?) but I had my theory. Anyway, I wrote it, checked back a couple of days later and didn't notice any commentary then promptly forgot about it until I read it over again last night - and noticed there was a comment on it. Huh. I clicked on it and this is what it said:

I loved your blog post, Nelsa! Thank you so much for your insight. I think I learned something here :)
October 20, 2009 1:46 PM

Nice, huh?

Even nicer when I found it was from - wait for it … JEFF KINNEY, the author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kids books!

Colour me shocked. Seriously, I almost fell off my chair. I DID fall off my chair when I realized he had made the comment in October and I hadn't noticed it until 3 MONTHS later!! My son (a tried and true Kinney fan as well) just shook his head in disgust at my oversight and said, "Geez, Mom. How could you miss that??" momfail

Now, Mr. Kinney did make the comment 5 days after I wrote the post and I had already moved on to another post by then, but really people, The Boy is right. How could I have missed this??? I mean, not that Mr. Kinney and I would have ever gotten into a blog comment back and forth or anything. The man kind of has a few other things on the go, right? But I'm a serious fan girl of his books and for him to take the time - Jeff Kinney!!! - to comment on my little blog entry when there are probably a gazillion other mentions of how awesome his books are and what an impact they make on boys and reading that missing his comment was truly a hit-your-head-against-a-wall kind of moment.

So, my take away lesson from this? Pretty obvious but sometimes I do need to be hit over the head:
Check on your comment section for at least a week after you've made the post, people. It's nice if a favourite author of yours stops by but appreciate that every comment posted is precious and you lose out on the possibilities of connecting with other people who have taken the time to read - and write about - what you've posted. Thank people for stopping by. I know I've probably missed some awesome comments from great people and for that I do apologize. I'm still learning how to navigate this blogger and twitter world thing and, like everything else, I strive to improve.

And just for the record?

Thank you so much, Mr. Kinney, for your comment. Please know that I didn't mean to ignore it but, like your creation Greg, I sometimes am a little clueless about stuff. Rest assured, my son got a huge kick out of my head-banging but, most especially, your comment. Once again, you have entertained him immeasureably. I will always, always be grateful for you and your books and the reading pleasure they gave my son. Thank you!

2009 - A Year of Writerly Firsts

I don't usually spend a lot of time looking into the past - I'm definitely a go forward girl myself. But this past year has been so personally eventful for me and so filled with firsts that as 2010 looms ahead I do feel the need to look back. I feel very much like I'm approaching a cliff after running at full speed for many, many miles. So before I take the big leap into 2010 (more like fall into the great unknown) I want to pay homage to the year that was and see the past year (and decade) that was the big lead up to what I hope will be even more interesting writerly first experiences.

Of course, the biggest and most monumental 'First' was getting an offer on ILLEGALLY BLONDE. That happened in February. Kind of hard to beat that! But even though the next 'firsts' I'm going to list aren't as climactic as that one they are still very personally important to me on a number of levels.

2nd 'First' - I started this blog. Seriously, that was a biggie for me. I'd never really put myself out there 'publicly' and making a commitment to write about my writing journey was very scary. It's helped me connect with writers I would never have had the chance to meet and made me really think about my writing process and what I've learned - and still have to learn - about writing novels, the book publishing industry and being 'out there' for people to read. For a fairly private person like me this was a very big first.

3rd 'First' - having my name appear in Publisher's Marketplace. I dreamed about this as I learned the craft over the last seven years. Seeing my name and the name of my novel appear in the publishing industry's main source of information made my heart race and my palms sweaty. The dream made real.

4th 'First' - Working through edits with my first real editor! Hi Anita!! I had no idea what to expect and was so relieved to have Anita to guide me and support me through this very big first.

5th 'First' - Meeting so many amazing writers in Toronto who I've learned from and admire so much.

The Torkidlit authors group: Helene Boudreau, Cheryl Rainfield, Debbie Ohi, Claudia Osmond, Deborah Kerbel, Adrienne Kress, Marina Cohen, Mahtab Narsimhan, Megan Crewe, Maureen McGowan, Bev Katz Rosenbaum are all amazing writers and wonderful people.

Anthony De Sa: a Toronto born and bred Portuguese-Canadian author who wrote Barnacle Love about the Portuguese immigrant experience with such compassion, honesty and beauty. I was thrilled to meet him and even more thrilled to discover how lovely, supportive and encouraging he is in person.

6th 'First' - Joining Twitter. I would never have done this if not for Debbie Ohi and her positive encouragement. It's turned out to be a wealth of information and a place where writers have created a wonderful community.

I'm sure there are a whole slew of other firsts that I can put down but those are the biggies for me. As 2010 - the Year of the Tiger and I'm a Tiger! - approaches I know there will be other firsts to experience. All will be equally scary and exciting, I'm sure. The first decade of the new millenium was a big one for me once I discovered my passion for writing. I really hope the next ten years will be filled with as many wonderful firsts as I've had the priviledge to experience over the last few years.

I wish for all of you only one thing as the new year and the new decade approaches: Discover what you love to do. Then proceed to nurture it with the intensity of a first love. Only good things - and remarkable firsts - can follow.

Happy New Year!

Positivity

One of the things I like about Twitter is getting to know new people and links to their blogs. One of the people I follow on Twitter shared a blog post from this site

www.positivityblog.com

(sorry I can't seem to make the link work yet. I'll keep trying)

A blog on how to be positive! I so needed to find this resource. I struggle on a daily basis to try and curb my natural tendency towards cynicism. Looking on the bright side is one of the harder things to achieve in my life but when I do succeed it makes a total difference in my life and my family's life.

So that's why I'm highly recommending this blog and sending positive vibes to all who strive for seeing the up side in life! Besides, any blogger who has a post on What Bruce Springsteen Can Teach You About Life has definite cred with me.

Blogging on Borrowed Time

I just lost the post I was writing about blogging on borrowed time. Figures. Our computers at home are going haywire and I'm never sure when I'm going to lose the chance to twitter or blog or even visit my favourite writer's boards - Verla Kay's.
So all this has caused me massive anxiety as I think, "Oh, no! I haven't blogged in five days!" or "Ack! I haven't tweeted in over 24 hours!"

Seriously, Nelsa, who cares?

I'm thinking I should blog. Should tweet. Well, who says I should? All this talk about networking, getting your name out there, becoming part of a writer's community, yes it's all important but, honestly, when did I start to worry more about these things than the writing?

I'm starting a new book on November 1st (no, not Nanowrimo but coinciding with many who are doing that challenge). My challenge isn't a book in a month. I'm giving myself 3 months to complete a first draft. So if I don't blog as much over the next 3 months is it a crime? No. And while I do recognize that all of these things are important I also acknowledge that these blogs and tweets and interactions on writer's boards are not the most important thing. The writing's the thing. I need to write and write well. Whatever happens beyond that is out of my control to a certain extent. I'm not the best blogger, never will be. I'm never going to be a full convert to twitter. But trying to become the best writer I can personally be? Now that is something I can commit to.