I wanted to blog, but I didn’t have a deep serious topic to take on. And I was thinking about blog, and what an odd world it is we live in now. I have conversations with, and am friends with, people from around the world. I pop over and check in regularly with the blogs of people I know, and as I looked at Bayou Renaissance Man and Old NFO’s blogs today, I was musing on how it’s a bit like a long-running casual conversation where we talk on our blogs about the things we find interesting, and then commentors come along and join in the convo, and sometimes the bloggers talk to each other in posts… Ok, it’s not like a real-life conversation where the banter is timely, but it can be equally as funny, and it has the time to be a bit more thought-out than in-person opining while you’re standing there contemplating life and talking.
The other thing about the blog as conversation is that you don’t have to join in and speak your piece. You can wander by, read, and ponder. I did this earlier today with an online conversation about the difference between digital and traditional art. At a certain level, the digital requires the same skill to create as a traditional painting. But something I’ve noticed is that during my half-year so far of making art every day, mostly digital because that’s what I have time for… when I post traditional art, I sell pieces. Not a lot, and I’m not making tons of money because amateur. But with the digital? It’s very rare to be asked if I will sell a print of that. I don’t know? Maybe because it’s digital. Maybe because with a digital image people are just like ‘i’ll right click that and save it’ rather than ‘I want a copy and am willing to pay the price.’ On top of that, I’m not sure if it’s anecdotal.
It’s like my books. I sell probably 99% of my novels in ebook format. But every time I publish, I get asked if it’s also in paper. Well, yes, but why? Is it more legitimate that way? I know some folks want a copy to hold, and I’m happy to do what it takes for my readers. Which will probably include getting my act straight surrounding audiobooks, yes.
But in the meantime I’m downloading libreOffice to see how well it works for fomatting a book. And I need to drive a daughter to work before I get to work myself.
Nice talking at you.
You need a paper coy to have you autograph it.
Well, yes. Although I do sign postcards and such for folks who rely on ebooks.
have you made postcard covers? i wonder how much that would run…
answering my own question: 12 cents apiece or less for single sided ones.
I think it’s an image issue–even though virtually all of my pleasure reading is digital (mostly on audiobook) I have a negative reaction when I see that a work is only available in ebook. It’s kind of like a movie being “direct to video”, there’s the thought that if it were any good it would have had some kind of theatrical release.
When I bought my tablet, I went for a large one, not taking into account how heavy it would be. On the other hand, it’s easier to lug around a tablet than a carload of books!
You’ve done it again and the “it” is good.
This time you made me stop and think deeply about the role of the commenter in a blog.
I started typing a short and simple comment on the role of commenters, and the relationship between the blogger and the commenter.
And after several deletions and rewrites I’m going to apply the KISS rule.
I comment only when I think I have something worth saying.
I really enjoy it when the blogger joins into the comments, but I don’t demand it, nor have hurt feelings when that doesn’t happen.
If you have put the effort into writing a blog, I feel I should put the effort into reading it carefully, and I should put effort into writing a good comment.
A side effect of my commenting is that I have had to up my writing skills.
Ebooks and paper books.
My wrists and my vision both like having books in a format that is light weight, and has adjustable font sizes.
Thank you.
I engage comments when I can, but like you, if I haven’t got anything to say, I don’t (which is part of today’s post congealing in my head). Otherwise, comments are an immediate and tangible feedback. There’s some interesting studies done on the effect ‘likes’ or other upvoting conventions across social media have on the brain. It’s euphoric, can be addictive, and that’s because it’s positive feedback. I like seeing comments, for similar reasons. Not that I’m addicted to them! But they give me momentum to keep writing as I know someone is reading. Otherwise this becomes a journal only meant for my eyes, and why bother?