I have a few chapters jammed in the drawer of my coffee table, layered between Battles of the Civil War and Titanic: The Disaster in Newspaper Stories. Once, my mom opened that drawer looking for scrap paper and grabbed a page all covered in red pen and hot coco rings with a look of "What the hell is this?" and I snatched it out of her hand like it was my vibrator.
"Nothing! Uh...that's...that's nothing...."
I don't want to write a memoir or some real-life sob story about my struggles with fill-in-the-blank or a self-righteous parenting/cleaning/budgeting/cooking/get-your-shit-together-like-ME! advice book. Frankly, the story of Jaci the Real Housewife of Butler County isn't all that exciting.
I'm not the typical Mommy Blogger hoping to land a non-fiction book deal...or magazine column...or talk show...or whatever it is that serious Mommy Bloggers want. (I don't really pay attention. Sorry.) My biggest dream would be to have an agent land on my blog and send me an e-mail saying, "Love it! Do you have anything else I could see?" and I'd send her my struggling attempts at Chic Lit/Coming of Age/something-or-other and VOILA!
That's why I started this blog. That's why I'm not like other sites with giveaways and reviews and Twitter parties and loading up my sidebar with ads. (Although I should, because DAMN, smart bloggers be WORKING. IT.)
I stumbled onto the blog Adventures in Agentland and lurked quietly in the corner because zomg! an agent! squee! (I know. I'm weird. In my mind, a real live approachable agent is like spotting Brad Pitt or something.) And when she asked for questions, I slipped mine in.
Jaci said...
How important is a blog following for a fiction writer? Are blogs really seen as credible, or do you roll your eyes when someone says, "I blog!"
Not very credible at all, I’m afraid. The reason for this is that no matter HOW many followers you have, there is no guarantee they will all go out and buy your book. People with followings like SH*T MY DAD SAYS are credible because they’ve proven a very WIDE audience, and so there’s more of a probability that many people will buy the book.
Fuuuuuuck. (Sorry, gentle readers. This is curse worthy.)
Wrestling with wording on posts..the nights I lost sleep because an anonhole got under my skin...the irritation when a post is taken the wrong way...the name calling and insults on a Guest Post Gone Mad...laying it all out there for random people to judge...
All--ALL OF IT!--is for nothing. This little blog isn't going to help me become an author.
Ouch.
Deep down, I think I knew that. The only dependable way to get published is to write a good book and send to agents and publishers--over and over and over again--until one of them gets it. I just hoped this little ol' blog would get my foot in the door.
I'm not sure where to go from here.
17 comments:
Aww, Jaci, I'm sorry. Really. Also? I'm glad I blog for the sake of blogging, or I'd be crying rn.
You should come over. I'll make you a latte (or cappucino or mocha) and some lemon pound cake, and I'll read the shit out of your manuscript, and then we'll spam every agent we find via Google. It will be good times. Or just good coffee and cake, but hey, that is nothing at which to sneeze.
I'd buy your book! :) It would be hilarious!
So maybe it won't land you a deal, but it can't hurt, right? I mean, putting yourself out there at least leaves the possibility that MAYBE, just maybe, a friend of a friend of a friend might say "OMG Jaci RAWKS. You must read this/contact her/ publish her NOW."
My point, don't let one person's opinion get you down. Damn it, I'll buy your book.
I'm not a serious Mommy Blogger either. I got an offer for free bumper stickers if I put a link on my page, and that's about as exciting as it's gonna get.
But, I don't get the whole "I'm not an author" thing? Why aren't you? Because you don't have a hardcover bound book to show? I don't think that's fair and it's certainly not a fair representation of your work. Maybe an agent doesn't see your blog going anywhere, but there are people still reading your work and taking something from it. Sounds like an author to me...
And now I'm done blowing sunshine up your ass...
Ok, a blog will not get your published as an author but it will help you to fine tune your craft. The best way to get good at something is to practice and blogging makes you write therefore when you do write your novel, it will be awesome.
Or something like that.
I respectively disagree! I would have never heard of you without your blog and I would buy your book and read it.
Also, blogging helps a writer learn her voice and develop consistency. So, it's not for nothing.
:-(
i'm sorry. does it help that i love your blog? and that i'll keep reading regardless? and i'll buy your book?
probably not. but it's all true.
:-)
What she forgot to say is "but writing on a blog is an excellent way to keep your skills sharp". I'd buy your book!
Well, I don't know shit so I can't say. But...
Blogging definitely is publicity. That's something.
Plus, just because you have x number of followers, I have y number of followers and I can tell my y followers to buy your book. then it's all zomg! 24/7!
And, like Jen said, blogging helps fine-tune your craft. Plus, I think reading other blogs (like the awesomeness that is www.texanmama.com , ahem) will give you ideas and help the creative juices flow.
But again, I dont' know shit. That's all just a guess.
Okay, so maybe the blog isn't a novel, but it is a creative writing space. And as I recall back in 7th grade English, they'd make us sit down every day and brain storm for 10 to 15 minutes. Well, crap, that's the blogging equivalent back in the dark ages. Keep your blog going! (I think it's awesome!) And use it as your brain-storming site.
Thanks for the link to the agent- I'll be lurking too. Smiled at your brad pitt analogy- you are my kind of thinker.
Your "little" blog is still an accomplishment to be proud of - you never, ever know where it may lead.
Jaci, This post was so provocative for me. I started blogging 14 months ago for the sole purpose of marketing my novel (I self-published my first novel after receiving no-thank-yous from 60+ agents), and I, too, thought it might help score an agent (for my second novel). Regardless of whether agents care and/or notice, the blogging has proved tremdously valuable in ways I could not have anticipated: I've found a community; I write more often than I otherwise might have (and so my writing improves); I get support from other writers; I understand how MANY great writers are out there; and yes, I've probably sold about 6 copies of the novel that otherwise would not have been sold. Don't worry about agent-world! Do what you enjoy, and if writing is what you enjoy, keep doing it and keep sharing it with those of us who travel the blogosphere.
Boy, are there some very serious clique type bloggy Mom's out there ... maybe pat yourself on the back for not trying to fit into the pack! Write because you love it, write because getting some of what is in your head out onto your screen helps makes sense of your day and write because not only does it make tyou feel good but it impacts others ... and whats better than making someone else laugh or making them pause for thought?
And I think you make some new friends on the way, I am fairly new too this, so maybe I have no idea what I am saying - lol ... but hey, nice to meet you :)
Well I'm still glad you're here. And I will TOTALLY buy your book.
I agree with Jen. You have learned a TON by writing your blog. You have become familiar with your voice. You have learned what readers relate to, care about and get riled up about. All great things to know! Look at this as a great opportunity to write the type of book YOU want to write and keep your online support group intact without having to sell it out to make a profit.
When I first read your post, I thought of "Romancing the Stone". I think you would write fabulous romance drama with a twist. You know how to draw us all in, break our hearts and make us laugh and swear all at the same time.
It would be so cool if you wrote a book under a pen name, then recommended it to us as fabulous book and then we all bought it on your recommendation. You would certainly have the last laugh then, sister!
Stunning words! Stunning with respect to every 1 the hands down
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