Keeping the Customer Satisfied 13/08/2005 To mangle a sentiment from a great American: "You can please some of the people all of the time; and you can please all of the people some of the time; but you can't please all of the people all of the time." This has become very apparent to me over the last few days. My thoughts have been consumed with The Writers Blog Alliance and this has led me on to write several posts about writing and blogging, yet I have been aware that my established readership are used to more wide-ranging subjects from me. How to keep everyone happy? It's a hard life, being a blogger.In the end, I have to write what I'm thinking about; everything in this blog is produced on the day I post it, even the fiction. There are times when I wish that I had access to work I produced long ago but what remains of it is on a hard drive back in England. So I have no option but to blog what my brain happens to be fooling with on any particular day.For two weeks my mind has dealt with nothing but writing and blogging. I have tried very hard to think of other things, perhaps a story or a memory, but nothing comes. It's all about blogging and writing.And perhaps that is how it should be. The Writers Blog Alliance is a huge and exciting endeavor that has the potential to make the blogosphere a more useful tool for the writer; of course I'm going to put all of my energies into ensuring its success, especially in these early days. It's my baby (oh, good grief, I think I'm writing a mommy blog). In time it will be able to toddle about the place and do more for itself but, right now, it needs me to be thinking about it. So that's what I must do (sorry, Keef!).ProBlogger doesn't help, of course. Lately I've been reading it a lot and, since it's essentially about blogging, I get fired up again. For instance, today Darren posted an article entitled ProBlogger Disclaimer, which, as pointed out by Steve Pavlina, turns out to be more of an "exclaimer" than a disclaimer. It prompted this comment from me:"The internet is the last place in the world where there is such a thing as a free lunch. To blog is to be prepared to be copied, ripped off, flamed, ignored, and idolized. The blogger does it anyway, giving his/her time away in huge chunks to a world that often doesn’t appreciate, understand or care. Some, a very few, are developing ways to earn a living by blogging; the vast majority blog because they love it and want to do it, without thought of monetary return. And good content is given away every day."It makes no sense at all but still we do it. It’s called blogging; love it or leave it."That was written in a moment of passion resulting from Darren's thoughts on the pros and cons of blogging. But I'm sure you'll understand how the discovery of ProBlogger has been another factor in turning me away for a brief period from the primary intent of this blog (I will return, honest, Keef).I have to face the fact that blogging itself has become a matter of interest to me, however. For many, the solution to my problem would be to start another blog that deals with that subject alone, leaving Gone Away to pursue its rather different intent. I do not want to take that route, mainly because I doubt that I would be able to supply a blog about blogging with regular posts over a long time period. Instead, I look forward to the categorization that Mad is working on; once that is introduced, I can write whatever I happen to be thinking about and consign it to the relevant category.It has struck me that I could, as an interim measure, take a leaf out of John Evans' blog, Syntagma, and tack new thoughts on to the bottom of the latest post - not an update, as Syntagma does it, but a whole new article. This would give me the capacity to post twice in a day without burying the first post beneath the later one.Who knows? I might even add something on after posting this...
--ooOoo--More About Blogging!Quills Abroad has posted an excellent article on the roots of blogging.
Clive
Mark Cross That balance between pleasing the reader and yourself can be a real tightrope to walk sometimes. I remember one of creative writing teachers giving me the best advice a writer could get. “Write what you know. Write what’s in you now.” If blogging and writing is what’s in you now that is what you need to write about. It will be fresh, natural, passionate and easy. To force yourself in a different direction will leave you with stilted, emotionless writing. It won’t be authentic. It won’t have any life in it. Blog the moment! Good, bad or indifferent. Date Added: 13/08/2005
Gone Away I think that's good advice, Mark. Forcing something always ends in tears. Date Added: 13/08/2005
Yzabel Funny coincidence... I had been wondering the same thing about my own blog. When I had started it, I hadn't a very clear idea of it--I thought it'd be a place to write about less personal, more "serious" topics, such as news items, and more generally, whatever was on my mind.. More and more often, though, I keep finding myself writing about, well, writing, "writers' stuff", bits of stories, sometimes blogging matters as well. It's not as eclectic as I had wanted it to be. Then also, maybe it's simply the blog finding its own pace, which can be a good thing in itself. I'd be of Mark's advice here. If you feel yourself drawn to writing about WBA and blogging, it's probably best that you do it, period; I'm pretty sure that writing about topics that interest you less currently could be "felt" by your readers, and would be more of a problem on your blog, rather than posting about topics that weren't so usual for you a few months ago. Who knows, perhaps your usual readers would even like getting new information through your "new interests" as well. Date Added: 13/08/2005
Quills Just go wit' da' flow maaaan! Ahem. ANYWAY. You're just addicted to metablogging, go on, you know it! blogging is worth writing about, just as any publishing and communications technology is. It has social and artistical impacts, and to totally ignore these is more than a little naive, and a sign of backward thinking ;) Where would we be if the printing press had not been pushed forward? :D Date Added: 13/08/2005
Gone Away All good points, Yzabel. I have always done the occasional post on blogging; it's this sudden concentration on it that is unusual. And I know myself too well - a few more posts and I'll move on to something else. It's finding a strategy to cope with my sudden enthusiasms that's been the problem. I think the categories will solve it, however. Date Added: 13/08/2005
Gone Away Absolutely right, Quills! I find it impossible to be involved with any developing medium and not become fascinated with it. Chat had my attention for a long time (it's another world entirely) and now blogging has me hooked. The article you posted about its roots I find very interesting and leads on to thoughts of how it might develop. Perhaps if we understand the medium, we can have a share in shaping it... Date Added: 13/08/2005
Mark Cross Be thankful you have a general interest blog Clive. It allows you the freedom to write about anything you wish without violating the thrust or theme of the blog. Yzabel, I agree with you that maybe it's simply the blog finding its own pace. My blog is nothing like it was when it began. It evolved or possibly devolved (depending on your perspective) into its present incarnation over time. It had to grow into itself and I as its writer had to grow into myself. Date Added: 13/08/2005
Gone Away All true, Mark. I guess I should relax a little and go with the flow, as Quills said. :) Date Added: 13/08/2005
keeefer Thank you Gone, its good to know my voice is heard and not just a piece of flotsam on the sea of comments and opinions that flow around here. Maybe i should start a Blogreaders consumer group. We could lobby for a standard font, censorship (obviously) and totally banning any form of text speak (or txtspk if your under 25). The Text speak would carry heavy penalties, im thinking thumb amputation for a first offence. Once those guidelines are in place we could create an umbrella group called ....oh i dont know....keeefers bank account....for example, where all/any revenue from blogs is deposited and then redistributed at the end of the month, minus a slight administration fee to the holding company. Brand identity will be important so all blogs should carry my image and at least one post a week on how voting for me as supreme ruler of the universe will benefit mankind. Remember unless we band together my quest for global domination will be a lot harder. Dont do it for yourselves, think of me! Date Added: 14/08/2005
Gone Away Keef, as ever, your comments speak wisdom and truth to us. Your vision for a new nexus, a hub, to this chaotic blogosphere is what we hunger for and need. There is but one thing lacking: you must build it. Build it and they will come! (in the words of a bogus Jimmy Morrison from the movies). The world lies powerless, transfixed at your feet. Speak, oh Great One! Date Added: 14/08/2005
keeefer I was right with you, up until the 'you must build it' bit. Id much rather someone else built it and i just took over once its up and running. I think its only right that the Universes first supreme ruler should not be seen to be mingling with the common man or woman. Apart from that im right with you Date Added: 14/08/2005
Gone Away We believe in you, Keef. We know that you are destined to be the ultimate ruler of the universe. But you must build it, Man, just build it. LOL Date Added: 14/08/2005
Stuart Clive Bog from the heart and damn the naysayers. You can always leave the dry and more mundane stuff to weird people like me whose passions follow more unusual paths. On a more serious note - I too gave Darren an earful (off blog) about not letting the fatherless so-and-so's grind him down. The effort he puts into that blog is far too valuable to let lesser mortals get their way. Date Added: 14/08/2005
Gone Away Good advice, Stuart; I shall take it. Actually, when I'd finished my comment to Darren, I thought it sounded as though I was telling him to quit whining (which I hadn't intended). I thought about that for a while and then decided to let it stand - he's an Aussie after all and can take it therefore... ;) Date Added: 14/08/2005
Stuart Well he might be an Aussie but he lives in Melbourne - and strange people who like cold weather live in Melbourne :) Date Added: 14/08/2005
Gone Away Well, I can always claim that I didn't know that. :D Date Added: 14/08/2005
keeefer Ok i tried, but i ran out of double sided sticky tape and couldnt find an empty washing up liquid bottle. I think im going to aim lower to begin with. ok all molluscs who dont want to elect me supreme ruler of the mollusc population raise your right hand.........can someone count them up please Date Added: 14/08/2005
Gone Away The molluscs say you're too shellfish, Keef. What now? Date Added: 14/08/2005
John (SYNTAGMA) You're right, Stuart, they don't call it Bleak City for nothing. When I was over in Oz I was told that Melbourne has a climate which takes in summer, autumn, winter and spring ... all in a single day. Sounds a bit like Devon to me.Clive, every writer grows and develops and moves into new arenas. Without an open, inquiring mind, driven by curiosity, a writer would very quickly get into a rut and lose readers. Blogging is one of the most addictive subjects around because it's right on the cutting edge of what's happening to the media / personal media interface that's changing our landscape. Follow your nose, I say. Since following my current interests over on Syntagma, my search readership has increased by leaps and bounds and I've stopped using BE completely. Self-sufficiency, I think it's called. Date Added: 14/08/2005
Gone Away Agreed that new interests come along, John, and that we need to follow them up. But the established interests remain and I don't think we should dump them. They will return to haunt us if we do that. ;) I guess it's all about balance, as usual, working things out so that everything gets done in time. Interesting you should say that about BE. I am working towards dumping the traffic exchanges but am not quite there yet. It'll happen (and will I ever be relieved!). Date Added: 14/08/2005
Jackie Write what you want to write, it just seems better that way. Date Added: 14/08/2005
Gone Away In the end, Jackie, that's all I can do... :) Date Added: 14/08/2005
Actressdancer With such a well written comments section (thanks to a readership of people who at least know a little English), your post could be about the average wing velocity of an unladen swallow and we'd still read on and on... Point is, write whatever you want, Clive. Your readers will often do the entertaining for you. Date Added: 15/08/2005
Gone Away You are so right, Actress. So often my commenters shame me with the depth of their knowledge and understanding compared to mine. But how else am I to learn? Date Added: 15/08/2005
Jodie Clive, I can't believe everyone let that pun slide...I just know the entire blogosphere must be groaning (and thanks for the grin!) Date Added: 15/08/2005
Gone Away I do love an awful pun, Jodie. ;) Date Added: 15/08/2005
ME Strauss Clive, Thanks for a well-thought, well-written blog. Your writing voice makes you a person worth listening to from the first sentence. I just discovered your blog, but I'll be back. The quality of your audience shows the quality of your work. Date Added: 15/08/2005
Gone Away Thank you, ME, on behalf of my esteemed readers as well as myself. And you will find a similar compliment upon your own blog when you return! ;) Date Added: 15/08/2005
Ken I'm not sure, as a general rule, that I agree with you when you say that maybe being preoccupied with process is as it should be in the case of blogging. Obviously, you've a lot on your plate at the moment, which is fair enough, but, generally speaking, don't you think that there's a danger in what you say of allowing the medium to become the message? Surely, content is the most important thing, much more so than constantly being preoccupied with technical refinements of form and structure? I can hear you muttering under your breath about techno-luddites! Date Added: 15/08/2005
Gone Away I would agree with you, Ken, that the process should not be my main concern in blogging. For some, it is, and I admit that I find it very interesting to read their blogs. But concern for my drifting off the point of my blog is what prompted this post - I had to find refuge in the belief that this obsession with the process would prove a temporary matter. And, indeed, if you read my next post, you will find that I was right to believe that! ;) Date Added: 15/08/2005
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