Blog whispering
Many writers and especially bloggers constantly face the battle to come up with new ideas for their writing. Desire on her blog The Conservatory of One writes that we need to be “blog whisperers.”
Successful bloggers are blog whisperers. They possess the ability to coax new and improved content from their blog…
This is an intriguing idea. Most successful bloggers will tell you that content in a blog is king. To be successful one must have good content, writing that will bring readers back to the site in their droves, eager to read the next posting. Most, however, fail to deliver on the important aspect of “how” to do this.
Over coming weeks Desire plans to reveal “7 Secrets to Writing Great Posts“. The first one is titled “Plan Your Posts”. Sounds simple enough. I know that this is one area I fall down on – I tend to take a scatter-gun approach, writing whatever comes into my head or I read what others are writing about. I did start off with a plan; I need to get back to it.
Read the whole article here.
Reference Materials Online
No Comments »23rd June, 2006; Category: General
Research is essential for many writers. Where to start looking is often a major headache. Searching online can turn the headache into a migraine. There is just too much material.
High quality writing is the result of good research, following the rules of spelling, grammar and punctuation as well as writing in a readable easy to follow style.
When working to accomplish this balance, the best writers know they must utilize their friends on the reference shelf, English usage and style reference books, composition guides and reliable writers’ manuals. If you cannot yet afford an extensive writing library, do not despair.
Desire on her site A Conservatory of One has a link to a vast library of online help.
Writing Success
Many writers yearn for success. Most writers want their carefully crafted words to be published. More than that, they also desire a large readership, people who enjoy their stories or are inspired by their words. Many writers look at the publishing world through rose-coloured glasses. They do not realise how difficult it is to get published, let alone be successful as an author. There are very few writers who make it to the big time, to number one on the best seller list. Most writers will never see their words in print. As for making money, even a modest amount, this is way beyond them.
It was against this background that I was encouraged when reading an emailed newsletter recently. The newsletter was the Writers’ Market, a production of the print magazine Writers Digest. The following quote struck a chord with me, just one amongst many thousands seeking publication.
…beginning and not-so-famous writers do get published. Bowker recently reported nearly 200,000 new titles were published in 2005. At best, only 20-30 titles were by “big name” personalities; hard-working writers wrote the rest. So keep your nose to the grindstone and keep at it, because writing success does happen—nearly 200,000 times a year!
Nearly a quarter of a million titles are published somewhere in the world each year. Only a very few are written by high profile names. The rest are written by writers like me, struggling to make a mark, small though it be, on the publishing world.
Just keep writing.
Photo Gallery
No Comments »20th June, 2006; Category: General
Banksia
This posting has very little to do with writing or blogging.
My son has set up a family photo gallery. On this gallery we will be posting photos on the following topics:
- travel and transport
- birds, animals, insects and reptiles
- plants, flowers and other natural wonders
- parks, gardens, places of interest
- landscapes, riverscapes and seascapes
To look at the photo gallery click here or use the Navigation link on the right.
Related sites:
Trevor’s Birding – my birding blog about Australian birds.
Trevor’s Travels – my travel blog about travel in Australia, Thailand and Nepal.
Dreams do come true – for some writers
No Comments »19th June, 2006; Category: General
Dreams still do come true – but only for a very select group of writers. A recent story comes from Brisbane Australia and relates how a first time novelist has a one million dollar contract for her book. Not only that, she has a healthy advance on her second novel. I share the sentiments expressed in the following column:
A 29-year-old debut novelist from… Brisbane, Kate Morton, has struck the big time, netting a sweet $1 million for her novel The Shifting Fog, as well as advances on her second novel.
Many writers will feel that same sensation as I on reading this news – while it means there may yet be hope for us plebs too, there is also that ugly streak that makes us go green with envy (or is that just me?).
No – every writer and probably quite a few bloggers, dream of hitting the big time like that. For most of us, we can just dream for a few seconds, and then down to work again. The reality is this: for every $1 million contract there are thousands of miniscule contracts of a few thousand dollars at best. And for every small contract there are tens of thousands of writers with no contracts – just rejection slips papering their walls. And then there are the millions of bloggers who write for nothing except the love of the craft. Blockheads all of us!
The rest of the article I quoted from can be read here.