A little over two weeks ago, I was hanging out in Washington, D.C., with pals, new friends, and a whole butt-ton of fans at the RWA's Literacy Booksigning. Since then, I've gained a new respect for the amount of hard work that authors and fans, as well as bloggers, put in for something that we all obviously love. So, for lack of better description, I've been at odds since my first RWA experience and have gained a rediscovered desire to find my own niche in it all. Wendy's post over at TGTBATU rocked. Her thoughts on what bloggers mean for booksales, whether or not a whole avalanche of squeeing from the blogging community can make or break the sales figures for a book, really hit home. It's made me re-evaluate why I decided to blog. Do I want to do this because I need the attention and want the traffic, hoping that one day I'll have a following like Dear Author or Smart Bitches (props to them for their mention in People magazine, btw!)? Nah, I don't think so. Or do I just have something to say and this venue works for me? Maybe.I'm a fan of romance fiction. That's about as plain and simple as I can get. While I may not clock in the amount of books that a lot of my favorite bloggers and friends read, I still can think of no genre that I'd love more. Many of these authors have been there for me during my highest, lowest, and best of times...all in the guise of a few hours with characters that will take me away. For that, I celebrate them. Julia Quinn got me through a long stay in the hospital when I was pretty damned sick. I was reading Nora Roberts and Catherine Mann books in the days when I met John. Shannon Butcher got me through some tough times earlier this year when Mom was sick and I was scared to death. So, not only do books entertain me, but they've sort of become my therapy.
So, again, today I celebrate romance fiction, in all its many forms. There's a little bit of something for everyone out there, and I challenge anyone who's never read a romance to give it a whirl. Who knows -- you might like it.
6 comments:
I think the "expectations" is what hangs up a lot of newbie bloggers. That they have to have some grand plan in order to "make it" in the blogging world.
Uh no.
I started blogging with no plan. I was literally throwing shit up against my Internet wall seeing what would stick. My blog today is very different from when I started it back in 2003. It's been an evolution, and I finally got the point where I said, screw it. It's my blog. It's my shiny corner of the Internet. I'm going to post whatever I want and if people don't like it, they don't have to read it.
My TGTBTU was actually a culmination of several things I had been ruminating about for months. It just took RWA for me to pull it all together into something coherent that wasn't full of curse words ;-)
I think that's where I've tripped up, Wendy -- trying to find a schtick for my blog. But I'm my own thing, and if I want to post my rantings on the traffic one day and my ravings about this fantastic book I read last week, then I'm ok with that.
And I remember your blog from the Way Back Machine... ;-) Back in your days as a librarian at a small library in Michigan. Yeah, I guess we have "known" each other that long. It was great finally getting to meet you in the flesh! That was my biggest item on the to-do list, honestly.
The culmination was articulated very well. You made a lot of key points that really hit home for me. Good on you!
It scares the bejebsus out of me sometimes to think about how long I've been "online" and a member of some of my e-mail loops.
We have known each other a looooonnnnggggg time!
But don't go telling any stories about me. You'll shatter the mystique of the Super Librarian! ::snort::
ROFL Yes, ma'am...
Glad you are back.
I blame Maili for my blog (although I doubt she would remember). She kicked me off her blog until I got a blog of my own. So I did. I knew I was never going to review as seriously as others or that I would remember to stay on topic most times. So I called it Nocturnal Wonderings so nobody showed up with expectations. And I think I've delivered ;)
I like the blogs that mix it all up. I'd love to know what you are reading but a good rant about how cleaning the bathroom sucks is always appreciated by someone like me. It's how we all get to 'know' each other.
CindyS
Thanks, Cindy! That's the way I like it -- mixing it up some, because that's what I'm good at. And honestly I don't read all that fast, so making it nothing but reviews would be crazy. And awfully boring. At least now I hope I'm not a yawner as I am... LOL
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