![[Logo]](/images/101ReasonsLogo.png "101 Reasons to Stop Writing")
It occurred to me this week that preparing the Weekend Updates for 101 Reasons has become my own self-inflicted slushpile.
I use RSS feeds to speed up the process, but I’m now tracking over eighty blogs, many of which post several times a day. At the moment each Update is compiled from an average of over 400 posts/articles, most of which I read thoroughly before coming up with some pithy comment to swing the context in my favour (which is more work than simply pasting “Not right for us” into a reply email).
Most of it is basically irrelevant, of course (you would not believe how many reporters, esp. sports writers, tell themselves in print to “stop writing” about some hobby horse they’ve been hyping to death), but it’s not always obvious from the first paragraph. Much of it is blog-blather from people who mix business with self-pleasure. Some of it is rah-rah you-can-do-it from people who haven’t done it. A small proportion is thoughtful, well written, and simply cannot be made funny, even by me. A sliver of it is concrete, helpful writing advice that I bookmark, and don’t tell you about.
So I’m getting a crash course in what agents experience — thankfully without the cold-calling, begging, whining, name-calling and spite that agents have to put up with. (Cue begging, whining, name-calling and spite in the comments section. Be funny.)
Since I’m now one week behind, I thought I’d start using my twitter account to keep you informed of just how far behind I am. At the bottom of the column at left, you may notice an Instead of Writing box, which lists my recent updates. I’ll post numbers there every day or so. The number will represent the current backlog.
Presently there are 879 unread items in my queue, dating back to May 1. Yeah, I’m that bad. Whenever I get through a week’s worth, I’ll post a Weekend Update. Or, if the queue hits 3,000, I’ll sell.
Note to writing bloggers, or blogging writers, or bloggers of or about writing:
If I’ve never linked to you in a Weekend Update, there are a number of possible explanations:
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Wasn’t there a longstanding thing about not talking about your writing as it dilutes it? It occurs to me having just found all these blogs about writing, which are therefore very easy to relate to…. but I still prefer the blogs that are obviously by writers but not explicity about the process. Anyway: my two cents, although largely irrelevant.
What’s your twitter name?? I’m kimidreams. was going to add you but couldn’t find you
oh and my writing blog is http://www.talechasing.com
Wasn’t there a longstanding thing about not talking about your writing as it dilutes it?
Yeah. It was called Pre-Internet. Now, blogs are to writers what music videos were to bands in the early ’80s.
kimi, I’m “seanlindsay” on twitter, and just about everywhere else. I’ve changed the link in the sidebar to point to my profile.
I’m blogging interview of writers and publishers and who(m)ever else I can talk into it. Is there anything on my blog to discourage writing? Well, the fact that I’m spending lots of time doing this instead of writing might be an indication. Keep up the good work. I’m almost convinced to give up writing entirely.
http://mgddasef.blogspot.com