This Post is So Meta

(There should totally be a rocking-out-style hand gesture for “meta.” Whoever creates cultural phenomena, I hope you’re getting on that.)

Part of the reason I don’t update this journal more frequently is that I’m still grappling with figuring out what kind of blog, exactly, this is. That it’s a writing blog means, to me, that it’s related to writing rather than to my life in general. But beyond that, what is it?

The writing-related blogs that I follow (to greater or lesser degrees) can probably best be separated in terms of their intended audience, which falls into one of two categories:

1. Writers

2. People who aren’t necessarily writers, though a lot of them are going to be anyway, as this is a writing-related blog

The first category is a larger one than some might think. Take a look at the comments section on, say, Nathan Bransford’s blog. Most of these people are writers. Indeed, if you aren’t a writer, or possibly a literary agent, his blog is not especially likely to interest you. It’s largely about the publishing industry and how writers might best go about appealing to agents (like, say, Nathan Bransford). Limyaael’s journal has a more specific appeal: it focuses on worldbuilding with an emphasis on fantasy.

Some blogs are, by their nature, particularly relevant to writers, but are entertaining enough to attract a more general readership. The Rejectionist, for example, offers publishing advice, but is also awesomely hilarious.

Some blogs have something specific that they do. They may run regular contests, or provide an esoteric service (see again Merit Badger).

There’s a whole set of blogs by published writers. Yet another snazzy bit of being published: you automatically have content that will, at the very least, interest other writers. (You know, providing that your presentation of this content isn’t miserably awful. Which, hopefully, if you’re a published writer, it won’t be.) Blogs like Kiersten Writes include wacky tales of book signings, descriptions of how the author got her book deal, and contests to win copies of the book. Scott Westerfeld’s blog includes this sort of content, too, plus fanart and features on steampunk creations, which are relevant to his recent work.

There’s also a sort of continuum of reviewing books. Many authors and agents review the odd book, whereas some bloggers do nothing else.

Presumably, nonfiction writers also sometimes blog about whatever their nonfiction books are about. Enviably simple, and rather difficult for anyone who’s writing alternate-world fantasy.

So I suppose my main angst here is content. This does, I believe, get much easier once one is published, because there are release dates and signings and (if you’re lucky/active) tours and conferences, and various announcements. Then, too, I feel like having a novel published would remove, or at least reduce, the slight insecurity I feel about posting my thoughts on writing experiences, techniques, etc.. It’s not as if I’d turn up my nose at the writing-related thoughts of anyone who hasn’t published a novel – far from it – but I do look at such people’s publication creds.

I don’t know how this will actually affect my continued posting. I suppose it’s largely a lame explanation for why I don’t post more often. Should I come up with an effective gimmick (and I don’t feel that’s necessarily a negative thing in a blogging context), then you might see more from me.

In the meantime, I’m gearing up to start querying The Dogwatchers. Wish me luck, and enjoy this excellent interview with a vampire . . . dater.