More and more I find myself stumped for blog topics. Oh, I can think of all kinds of things I want to blog about when I’m nowhere near my laptop — and they aren’t all rants, either — but when I sit down to blog…
So I went prowling the Internet for likely topics, and I came across this blog. The topic was 100 Blog Topics I Hope You Write. And there are some great topics here, but what struck me was how much of the stuff listed there is stuff I never heard of. Or, if I’ve heard of it, I’m sort of vague about what it really is.
Is it just me? Do the rest of you know what Twitter is? Have you been to PodCamp? Can you define Social Media World in ten words or less?
There’s obviously lots of great stuff to take advantage of there — stuff we can all use for marketing and promotion and connecting with readers. I mean, Crimespace uses Ning, so I sort of know what that is (not really). And I know what podcasts are, and I think they’re a great idea, but are the rest of you doing podcasts? Are you listening to podcasts?
I have seen the future — or at least its tail lights in the dust.
So how techno savvy are you? What are you taking and leaving in this Brave New World Wide Web of ours? Is it possible to still make money writing and selling books the old fashioned way?
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I guess it’s sort of expected of people my age to know this stuff, and by spending way too much time on the internet I suppose I’m not helping much.
I know what Twitter is, though I see it mostly as a waste of time (for me, at least), and I subscribe to a couple of podcasts.
And yes, I’ve made a couple of podcasts myself, but mostly because teachers here see it as the next “cool” learning tool. To be perfectly honest, I don’t think anyone WANTS to listen to a make-believe interview with Margaret Preston in podcast form. Sigh.
by Kaitlin on February 25th, 2008 at 2:02 am
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I thought I was fairly techno-savvy, but I’ve never heard of those things you mentioned. Well, except Twitter. I’ve heard of it but have no clue what it actually is.
I do know what podcasts are, but I’ve never actually listened to any. I guess i need to get out more. 
by Tori Lennox on February 25th, 2008 at 4:20 am
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I was telling a woman in her 20’s what my son does and she just laughed. She said I sounded like her mom trying to explain her job. Although I was totally offended, not, I started to understand that there are computer geek jobs like my son’s that I just don’t understand.
Now for at least a year I can say he’s a tester for Microsoft. People understand that even though I have no real clue what he does.
Techno-savvy, nope. And I don’t even have a web page.
by Lynn on February 25th, 2008 at 7:32 am
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Timely subject, Diana. It’s funny how things come about. I did a cultural guest blog about my recent trip to China and Chinese New Year.
http://www.riehlife.com/2008/02/18/wilfred-bereswill-on-chinas-spring-festival-guo-nian-chinese-new-year/
From that came an e-mail from someone who followed the link to my website and saw I had a book being released soon. She runs a yahoo group dedicated to virtual book tours (or blog tours). I still can’t wrap my mind around it, but terms like twitter came up there.
What I’ve gleaned from delving into the subject is that I really don’t have time to do a virtual book tour. That sounds idiotic, but they are a heap of work. The world is changing quickly.
by Will Bereswill on February 25th, 2008 at 9:10 am
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Nope. Nope. And nope.
I have no idea what they are, and I’ve never done them. I’ve got enough problems just working out the website, the crimespace page, the blogging…
Oh yes, and the writing. Can’t forget that, although sometimes it’s easy to, with all the techo-stuff we have to keep up with. Not sure we can get away from it anymore, either. But I still think what it comes down to is writing a good book. If the book isn’t good, nobody cares about the rest of it. Or at least that’s what I keep telling myself…
by JennieB on February 25th, 2008 at 9:25 am
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“Is it possible to still make money writing and selling books the old fashioned way?”
I am certain that it is possible - although I am no more certain that simultaneity is possible.
by Bob Rudolph on February 25th, 2008 at 11:07 am
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And yes, I’ve made a couple of podcasts myself, but mostly because teachers here see it as the next “cool” learning tool. To be perfectly honest, I don’t think anyone WANTS to listen to a make-believe interview with Margaret Preston in podcast form. Sigh.
Kaitlin, of all of these Podcasts seem to me the most useful — and I probably think that because I’m a big fan of audio books (or at least I was when I had a long drive to the day job). But thinking they’re a good idea is as about as far as I’ve got with the idea…
by Diana Killian on February 25th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
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I thought I was fairly techno-savvy, but I’ve never heard of those things you mentioned. Well, except Twitter. I’ve heard of it but have no clue what it actually is.
Tori, at least you and Kaitlin have both heard of Twitter. I suspect I’M the one who needs to get out more often! 
by Diana Killian on February 25th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
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Techno-savvy, nope. And I don’t even have a web page.
Truthfully I don’t see the point of a webpage unless you have something to promote on the web — if you’re a reviewer, I guess, or selling hand crafted thingies. But when you consider that something like ninety percent of blogs have like…NO…readership…what’s the point? Unless it’s just to make the owner feel good (which is certainly worth something, I guess).
by Diana Killian on February 25th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
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Hey, Will, that’s very interesting.
The virtual book tours…I don’t know. Because they’re probably less effort than the real life book tours, and certainly less expensive…but so much of the web seems to be people talking loudly to…themselves….
I admit I’m divided on the topic.
by Diana Killian on February 25th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
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Oh yes, and the writing. Can’t forget that, although sometimes it’s easy to, with all the techo-stuff we have to keep up with. Not sure we can get away from it anymore, either
Frightening how that falls on the back burner, isn’t it?!
by Diana Killian on February 25th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
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Bob, I tell you what, if it’s not possible than I’m going to continue writing books for just my own pleasure because there’s a limit to how much of this I can work into my life and still stay sane and productive!
simultaneity…yeah, that’s the word for the day!
by Diana Killian on February 25th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
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Diana,
The other thing I noticed, a lot of the web promotions seem pointed at other authors, not necessarily readers.
Case in point. This group I mentioned talks about what blogs make for useful blog tours for authors promoting their books. Well the examples they throw out there are blogs aimed at writers, not fans of books.
by Will Bereswill on February 25th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
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Diana,
I’m right up there with you. I have heard podcasts and even made some when I worked, but when I saw twitters, I thought you were getting into erotica writing. 
I did see an article about cell-phone novels. I can barely text message, I don’t think I could write a novel on a cell phone, and I know I couldn’t read one, unless I get my glasses adjusted.
by Tricia S. on February 25th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
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Hi Diana–
Great post and thanks for the link.
Really, if you strip away the words, Twitter and all those things are just ways to connect people. Just like blog comments are a way to connect people. It’s just a bunch of stuff that connect ideas to reactions, and back again.
Audio podcasts are useful to people who have long commutes, or people who work in an office and want to hear something other than the person at the next desk whining about their deadlines.
Twitter *can* be useful as a way to get status from people you know, and/or it can used like a “director’s commentary” for what people say on their blogs or in their other media.
Social networks like the Crimespace site are a new way to give your community a voice.
So I’m going to bet that you actually know lots more than you think you know, maybe just not the particulars. : )
Thanks for the post.
by Chris Brogan... on February 25th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
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If it were not a pleasure, you wouldn’t do it - at least I am that way - if I want to do something it will get done, and if I don’t want to do something nobody has enough money / booze /motorcycles / toys to convince me to do it.
BTW - I haven’t forgot - as soon as Alfred (my big server) is back up I’ll get your tasks done.
by Bob Rudolph on February 26th, 2008 at 12:05 am
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I did see an article about cell-phone novels. I can barely text message, I don’t think I could write a novel on a cell phone, and I know I couldn’t read one, unless I get my glasses adjusted.
Oh, Tricia, you’re a techno babe compared to me. 
I still can’t work my cell phone half the time — it’s a really bad sign when you have to hold it out about two feet to even read the little numbers.
by Diana Killian on February 26th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
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BTW - I haven’t forgot - as soon as Alfred (my big server) is back up I’ll get your tasks done.
Oh, that would be very cool!
by Diana Killian on February 26th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
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Well, thank you, Chris, that’s an amazing site you have over there. I left it feeling convinced there were many ways I could be effectively promoting my work for less money — not to mention mileage.
Very interesting stuff.
by Diana Killian on February 26th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
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The other thing I noticed, a lot of the web promotions seem pointed at
other authors, not necessarily readers.
This is one of the things that worries me about so much of the promotion that I’m currently doing — Crimespace, for example. It’s almost totally made up of other authors or aspiring authors.
Whereas some of the things like podcasts seem more likely to appeal to readers. Finding readers has to be the goal, and yet there are times when it seems easier to spot a blue whale than that rarest of creatures, the reader who simply enjoys…reading.
I must study this “twitter” thing. I like it if only for the name alone. 
by Diana Killian on February 26th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
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