A lot of authors are giving up on blogs in favor of communicating with readers on other social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Facebook and my Goodreads group. I'm not a fan of Twitter, though I do occasionally pop in. The problem with Twitter is that it's difficult to have an actual conversation, and as I think about it, one thing that I do really like about blogging is the discussions that often arise out of it. This is also why I used to enjoy LiveJournal so much. The informative and amusing discussions that would evolve in the comment section.
But then again, as more and more members of the m/m romance community become writers and reviewers in their own right, there's less time for discussion anyway. Do you still visit blogs like you used to? Do you yourself blog? I used to visit and interact on blogs, but that was years ago. I really rarely have time to read blogs, let alone comment barring the occasional industry train-wreck or post on something of current interest.
Which brings me back to my own blog. I don't have a huge following here, and most of you follow me elsewhere as well, but the traffic is pretty decent and I enjoy our interaction.
So I expect to continue to blog on a weekly basis. My question is, assuming you still plan to read the blog on a weekly basis, what would you like to see here?
Most of you are readers, not writers, so I assume general writing info would not be of interest. But then again, you never know. Do you want to see more guests on the blog? Do you want more excerpts? Contests? Giveaways? Incessant babbling from me? ;-D What would be of interest?
Now's a good time to figure this out because we still have half a year's worth of blogs ahead.
I do like blogs, although yours is the only one I read reguarly. Social media is usually too frenetic for me. I like the intimacy of blog posts--probably for the same reason I like to read, and prefer letter-writing.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I enjoy your personal musings the most (maybe what you'd call "incessant babbling"?). I'm not big into contests--unless they invite interaction like the "things you love" lists--and I usually skip over excerpts in favor of waiting for the whole story. I really love to hear about your experiences with the process of writing--where you are with the stories, what you're learning during research, barriers and inspirations, life itself. I like your honesty. You don't do "how to write" posts, and I appreciate that. I've got enough books on my shelf for that! But as a reader and creator both, I do love to hear about the personal creative process. (I'm currently watching In the Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, a documentary bout Miyazaki as he works on his last film, and also just dropped an ungodly amount of money on concept art books. ;P ) Also, I like your posts interviewing other authors, and audio book narrators, exploring *their* creative process.
Thank you for inviting feedback. :)
I LOVE your "babbling," though I wouldn't call it that, or incessant, for that matter. I particularly like it when you "go off" on some topic. It's fun and always well-placed.
ReplyDeleteI also like to lurk and read the comments of others, though I do not participate a lot. Seriously, what can I say the others do not?
My favorites are your musings about your life, have enjoyed your posts about house hunting and moving in. This brings your humanity to all of us, because we see ourselves in them.
I usually read the excerpts of your works because they excite me for novels and novellas I will be purchasing. I don't read them to make purchasing decisions though I do enjoy the "taste" before the meal.
I'm not really crazy about the other author interviews, but usually read them. I DO enjoy the interviews with the audio readers.
I do love blogs, though I have abandoned a couple. My favorite thing right now is a FB page called "Gimme A Book." It's a bit of an online book club, peopled mostly by southerners, though focusing on no particular genre or region.
I spend so very much time researching and writing that I view yours and other blogs as mini vacations.
I'm a big fan of incessant babbling, so please, knock yourself out (not literally however)(meaning the knock out, not the babbling).
ReplyDeleteBrooks babble, in case you didn't know.
EXCERPTS I LOVE EXCERPTS.
Ok, I just figured out what I want: the put up a picture and let us write a paragraph or two about what is happening. I love those! I love writing them, I love reading them. A fun creative group here.
What else? I love reading about the writing process, what's going on in that noggin of yours. Fascinating.
Contests? Giveaways? Who'd say no to that.
I'm done babbling: time to get back to work.
I love seeing the little slices of your life, I love seeing where you get your inspiration from because I cannot write for toffee so the process facinates me.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy the excerpts as it whets the appetite and increases the anticipation levels.
Please, please babble away, it's one of the highlights of my week.
Oh hey. I love Instagram. I don't do any promo or book talk at all. It's just photos. LOVE IT. You would like it. Come to the dark side. They have photos of puppies.
ReplyDeleteInstagram is of the devil!!!
DeleteI still read a few blogs, mostly romance-related reviews, authors, writing how-to's. Yours is one of my favorites. Off the top of my head, here are some things I've enjoyed on your blog:
ReplyDeletecodas and excerpts
publishing frustrations/business topics
the audiobook narrator contest
personal life glimpses (new house pics!!)
project status updates (even when announcing delays)
any and all randomness and babbling (Five Things…)
Author interviews are hit-or-miss for me, and I no longer participate in giveaways/contests. I feel guilty for winning as I don't review or promote or go online and squee about my prizes. I'd rather just pay for the item and let others enjoy the freebie.
I enjoy technical discussions on writing. Jenny Crusie's and Joanna Bourne's blogs are faves, and I'm always interested in your take on things (but there's this great book called Man, Oh Man…).
Anyway, I'm glad you're still interested in blogging. I don't always comment, but I always stop by to read. I enjoy the comment section here too…good people follow you :)
Hi Josh,
ReplyDeleteI am a blog reader. There are multiple blogs I visit on a daily basis, and no surprise, I leave comments all over the place! As for your blog, and the choices you listed, my #1 choice would be the “incessant babbling” choice. :-) Your thoughts on almost anything are always a treat, and yes, even as a reader-only, I am very interested in hearing about your writing process—the good, the bad, and the ugly first draft! But really, anything that strikes your fancy on any given day would be a delight. I am confident if you want to discuss something, I am going to want to listen.
However, I have no interest in contests, giveaways, or unlike a lot of your blog readers, reading the “sneak peeks.” I don’t want to read snippets that leave me wanting more; I would rather wait until the entire story is released.
I like your author interviews even when they are not with a favorite author. You make them interesting because of the unusual, thoughtful and funny questions. And the narrator interviews are particularly fascinating. Their methods for making an audio book come alive are all so individual.
Thanks for asking.
I love your incessant babbling, so please babble away. I liked when you put up the covers you were thinking of and let us choose. that was one of my first introductions I had your blog. And I agree with LbGregg..Instagram, Puppies and kitties. and FOOD. Lots of foodie people
ReplyDeleteLove the babbling and the writing process, now if I could figure out how to reply on the blog I would be doing great
ReplyDeleteI read three blog with regularity. That's it. I enjoy the reading, I enjoy getting insights into someone's thinking or story, or whatever. I enjoy your blog because I enjoy your books, and you have a sense of humor I can appreciate. I do really enjoy Christopher Rice and Eric Shaw Quinn's weekly internet "radio show". They have guests, they have variety, but its a totally different experience than a blog. I don;t blog because.. boring if I'm the one doing it. You could just as easily send a mass email to everyone who follows you, but I have to admit, i enjoy the give and take here on the blog with your responses as well as on facebook. But you do what you like best, I'm sure I'll find you. If for no other reason than to find out when the next audio book is going to drop.
ReplyDeleteThat's a really good question. I like very much how you write and you have very often an unusual approach, that forces me to think, before answering. I can't do it on autopilot. All what you write about writing is very interesting for me. I would love to hear more. I like it, when you give us a task, because It is nice not to to think about numbers and staff, not to be practical. I love your snippets, but it shows me that I really should work on my impatience. I would like to read more about your research. It was very good to read about your new house. And I like your guesttalks. In short I love your blog!
ReplyDeleteI don't read any blogs regularly, but when I see your posts on fb I always click to read it. I love to read your slices of life posts, the little stories you tell about your writing process and what's going through your mind as you're writing a particular story, and of course the excerpts. But really I'd read about anything you post. :-D
ReplyDeleteTwitter, Instagram are more like one liners to me. You can communicate, but nothing in depth. With facebook you can delve a little deeper, but still, it's usually momentary thoughts and images, to be swept away with the next thought or action. I love the depth you can achieve through blogs. I read a few. To me they are like sitting in a nice quiet living room, not worried about being interrupted, and having a pleasant conversation. It doesn't matter what the topic. I enjoy reading thoughts on writing, even if I'm not a writer. I'm enjoy reading comments from the blogger. I guess I just enjoy the different opinions.
ReplyDeleteI love your "babbling", dear. Please keep it up. :-D
ReplyDelete"Babbling," thoughts on the writing process, author and narrator interviews, and excerpts are my favorites. I also like seeing what images you've picked to head the blog and illustrate your posts. There seem to be plenty of contests on FB and GB, but the occasional "comment for a chance to win a book" seems popular, especially when the questions are so interesting. I tend to pre-order everything, but enjoy reading the responses.
ReplyDeleteI don’t visit a lot of blogs - mostly those of the authors I read or of people I know - but yours is one I always check out. I like it just the way it is and I agree with the other posters about your babbling. It comes across very stream of conscious. I really enjoy listening to what you have to say and I've learned a lot of things from you as well as from the people who post and discuss. I don’t think you need to gimic it up with giveaways or contests, but the idea of you interviewing a guest or even a character in one of your books, is a nice thought.
ReplyDeleteInstagram to me is just drive-by eye-candy. I think it’s mostly for people who want people to look and like and ooh and ahh, all without the pesky inconvenience of having to respond. I love Twitter, especially for the quickie interactions it allows. You CAN carry on a conversation, if you go through Direct Messages, especially since Twitter has recently allowed DMs to go beyond the 140 character limitation.
I love that you asked this question, Josh! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI prefer to read blogs over social media outlets: I might leave FB at some point because, well... the election. I just don't think I will be able to handle it. Twitter is almost completely advertisements to read someone's book when I would rather read about the writing process you endured while creating the book.
Two writer's blogs that I love and find very well done are Chuck Wendig's, Terrible Minds and JA Konrath's blog. They both have a static front page that list primarily their current works and then tabs at the top that lead you to their Blog, Bibliography, Store, etc. But my absolute FAVORITE part is the "Free Stuff"! They will write little short stories (and I know many authors will do this) that are sometimes new and other times they are stories from their most popular works. I love that!
You are by far one of the blogs I visit the most because you are one of my auto-buy authors, but I would love to see a spruce up on your blog :) Seriously, do you know why so many of us want to hear you babble? Becuase your babbling is more interesting and better written than some of the new M/M books out there right now. Please keep babbling!
Like others, I love peeks into the writer's writerly lives, what's going on in your head when you have one of those "A ha!" moments? We love that stuff :D Contests and Giveaways only interest me when its a new book that's coming out.
I'm going to be uber-selfish and say I would love to see more posts than once a week, even if some of them are short and sweet but poetic! Okay, it doesn't have to be poetic ;)
I'm fine with blabbing. :D
ReplyDeleteI only follow your blog, Josh. I'm a stalker, actually, 'cuz I haunt your GR and FB groups, too. I'm a reader, but I enjoy, well, everything, especially the codas. Please continue to babble and share. I agree with StacieH4 and the others said. Maybe not the Instagram thing, I don't have enough time to keep up with GR & FB! Gee, if I didn't need to sleep...
ReplyDelete--Judy Stone
I only follow two blocks yours and Dorien Gray because I love the books and like the way or the energy you write. I try Goodreads but I don't understand the format so I get stock and cannot join the party, so I gave up. Facebook is ok to play g Ames and keep up with schedule of new books. I like very much when you recommend authors, like Ginn hale books. There are now so many authors that is difficult to pick the books without reference, first I read t he review s in Amazon and the stars , and after reading the book I was so disappointed,so I stop buying. Too many bad books and I am very open minded. So now I am kind of picky . So when you invite author I now for sure is going to be good. What I don't read is the is the excerpts of new books...kind of spoils , for me, the fun of the new book. But is great to came here and read whatever you have to say. It is always fun and interesting. And forgive my English I am not good at putting my thoughts in paper. For t that I envy you.
ReplyDeleteI'm a lurker most of the time. i definitely appreciate your blogs and it gives me incite to one of my favourite authors! Please continue but at the same time don't feel pressured, i'm sure most of us want you healthy and free to write more amazing books!
ReplyDeletei used the wrong incite...maybe insight would have been the better choice! goddamn English!
DeleteI only read this blog any more. I like the musings and updates on what you are up to. I don't read excerpts because I like to wait until the book is published to get it all at once.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading anything you have to say, Josh, whether it's personal or book-connected. Your posts about writing, the M/M genre and the book industry always interest me as I don't have a professional connection, not being a writer or reviewer, but I do have a strong interest as a reader, and it's fun to read whatever you like to share about your private life. Please keep up the blog if you have time and inclination.
ReplyDeleteI read four blogs regularly; yours being the one I look forward to the most. I read a couple of others occasionally. Yours is the only one I really feel comfortable commenting. Cuz, you know, Fanyons. They are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI love your rambling blogs just discussing day to day things. I know you try to maintain some privacy, so when you show us pictures of your new home and discuss your love of your family, it is a special treat. I love the excerpts. I like Penelope's "taste" before the meal comment. I really enjoy your interviews with other authors and the narrators. I loved helping you pick your narrator and the book covers, but that was a one time deal. I appreciate the excellent creative control you keep over your writing. I don't really like the contests and giveaways (I always get your stuff as soon as it come out). You are so generous with your FB and GRs groups and you have excellent help there in planning parties. I do, however, like seeing you convert your readers to listeners. I enjoy the heck out of your Christmas Codas. Each one is truly a gift. I enjoy learning about your writing processes. It still seems like magic. I like when you talk about your projects. I don't even mind when you delay a book, because I know it will get written eventually. You always surprise us with unexpected offerings. I love those because it seems like something you wanted to write instead of something you were supposed to write. Anyway, you babble beautifully. Keep it up. Please.
Babbling in your blog is as great & soothing as a babbling brook! Never do contests or giveaways as I buy every book so my authors can eat in their writing caves. I try really hard not to read an insert because I want the feast not a crumb! Please keep babbling ... rambling ... wandering ... we'll keep you safe & bring you home. I have accounts in twitter (don't use) ... instagram (don't use) ... fb (use) & follow quite a few blogs. I'm retired & unsupervised! Your books are on auto buy & your blog is on auto click! Keep babbling ... one of our salmon just might swim up your stream! Love from Alaska
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy your incessant babble the most--just like so many of the others have said. I don't really follow any other blogs. I found that if I tried to follow things on Twitter it made me crazy after a short time so have pretty much given up on that. I tend to stalk you on various sites and really enjoy keeping up on what you are doing.
ReplyDeletePlease don't quit babbling.Your blog is the only one I read regularly, and I always enjoy it, no matter the subject. It's like a weekly letter from an old and favorite friend.
ReplyDeletePlease don't quit babbling.Your blog is the only one I read regularly, and I always enjoy it, no matter the subject. It's like a weekly letter from an old and favorite friend.
ReplyDeleteI love NPR News (compared to network news) because of the length of their individual pieces; I love getting immersed in the story, hearing different people go on and on about things that they're interested in. The same goes for blogging vs. social media... I prefer reading blogs because I want the long, detailed story, not the quick recap. The topic almost doesn't matter, as long as the writer is interested in it. My favorite things on your blog are the codas, but I understand they are reserved for special times of the year. I was reading Amy Lane's blog the other day and she has been writing bits of Superman-Batman fanfic (snicker-snort) and has promised Captain American/Iron Man in the future. Now, I would never expect Marvel Comics m/m fanfic from you, but if you ever want to try out bits of things, I'm sure we would all be a rapt and appreciative audience.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading your blog and hearing your musings and what's going on in your life. I only check in with a few blogs regular and fb pages of favorite authors. Of course I check yours frequently. Please keep up the babbling because it is enjoyable for us readers.
ReplyDeleteYours is one of the few blogs I still keep up with regularly (sadly in part because, as you say, so many people have stopped blogging in favor of facebook and twitter, neither of which I'm as much of a fan of). I miss Livejournal a lot. I feel like less of a dialog happens now in the current popular social media, it's more reblogging and likes and just...yeah, less conversations...and random musings.
ReplyDeleteI love your random musings, your excerpts, your insights on your characters and your writing process. As long as you keep writing, we'll keep reading! ^_^
I'm far more likely to read blogs than any other type of media.In fact, never read facebook and twitter. Only really moved to reading blogs because so many websites no longer regularly updated.
ReplyDeleteMore incessant babbling please, and giveaways, contests, news about new books...
I have only lately arrived to your fandom. I follow you a bit on Goodreads, but I have little interest in Facebook or Twitter, I enjoy your musings, and hope you will continue blogging away. Lee.
ReplyDeleteI read a few blogs regularly, and I really enjoy yours, Josh. You've always got something interesting to say. Your thoughtful musings are always enjoyable to read. I, too, am a fan of the babbling. I've really enjoyed the interviews you've done in the past, both with real people and fictional ones. I tend to not read excerpts because I'd rather wait for the whole story, but I know others love them. Guests are always interesting. I like hearing about you're working on. The cover contest a while back was really fun. The holiday codas are certainly a highlight. Basically, your blog is already great, just as it is. Carry on. :)
ReplyDeleteI love blogs. Blogs have news feeds. News feeds are all connected to my news reader. I have all info in one place, with new items popping up. I love blogs :D
ReplyDeleteAnd I like yours very much. I like the babble, I like the reviews. I don't care about the contests (maybe because I never ever win those ;) ). So please, keep this blog alive. With whatever you wish to put here. Because it's best when what you write comes from you.
Love your blog just as it is, the musings, the questions and contests, the interviews, the photos you add, and the holiday codas! :-)
ReplyDeleteLongtime lurker...longtime Fanyon...add another vote to the "enjoy the babbling" column. Really - the insight into your writing process for the stories and characters; the small details that make a scene 'just so' are truly fascinating. Please do continue and know that your words are reaching appreciative ears...even if we don't comment much (at all). :D ~muffett
ReplyDeleteLongtime lurker on Blogspot because it doesn't play nice and let me post. I enjoyed your Live Journal a lot but understand why you left that platform. That said, your "babbling" is enjoyable and I throw my vote in for that. :D
ReplyDeleteI lurk a lot here, and I still have a LiveJournal account, but I don't post very often. I also follow several blogs, although they're mostly about education reform and politics, which intersects with my job. So it's nice to follow a couple of author blogs, like yours, that are just about reading and writing.
ReplyDeleteBTW I refuse to be converted to Twitter. Refuse, I say!