Yesterday, for the first time in over a month, I checked my book stats and reviews on Amazon. This used to be a weekly (okay, daily) obsession. Today, my books sales are so far in the back of my mind it's as if I never spent the last thirty years in the publishing business. I still answer a few emails from girls who "love Shadow Horse and Whirlwind and want a sequel" but as I reply with the usual cheery "great!", I am really thinking "I don't care if I ever write a sequel." I've been researching for a new book, but the content is Red Cross dogs in WWI--nothing to do with horses. So is it time for me to get bucked off the blog?
Lastly, yard sale-ing, thrifting, and junking have become verbs that have replaced trotting, jumping and showing as well as querying, writing, submitting and revising. I have dropped my professional affiliations for writing and although I have forty years experience writing and publishing, unless someone asks a specific question, I no longer talk about it.
So is it time for me to get bucked off a writing about horses blog? I need to know!
I have nothing to offer as far you becoming a lawn dart on this blog or not. (0: I read this blog because of the diverse group of people who write on it. I don't always relate to the topics nor do I always agree with them...but enjoy each author and what each author brings to the table so to speak. If you wrote about yard saling, junking, or what you saw walking to your mail box in the morning...I'd read it. May not comment...because I rarely do, but I would read non the less.
ReplyDeleteEven though the tone of this posting wasn't necessarily happy or horsey...I enjoyed it. Because I enjoy the way you write. Do whats best for you!!
With forty years experience, I think that you should post with advice for writers.
ReplyDeleteI like the way this blog is set up with multiple authors. I hope you decide to stick around. Your motivation may swell just when you decide to leave!
Alison--I for one don't care if you write about horses or writing--or thrifting or anything else. I do agree with Val that with all your experience you could post lots of helpful tips for writers. I enjoy your writing "voice" and always look forward to your posts. And you know, your horse doesn't need to do anything exciting to be worth writing about. I write posts about sitting in the barnyard watching my horses munch hay. You've never told us how you got Relish. Or Belle. Or stories from your horsey past. I hope you keep writing posts here. And I really like reading everybody's else's posts. For me its much more fun than a one person blog.
ReplyDeleteOooh, what Val said. Write about writing!!!
ReplyDeleteAlison - I am fascinated with the topic you said you are researching: Red Cross dogs in WWI. I'd love to hear about that, and it sounds like you are thinking about writing a new book, then, right? I know you've done a great deal of research for a lot of your books, and that interests me. How you research, when you sit down to write, how you use your research. I love your blog posts, because they are always such a refreshing change of pace! Besides, no matter where you are in life - once a horsewoman, always a horsewoman. (Maybe, like me, just not such an active one, at the moment.)
ReplyDeleteThanks for everyone's input. If no one minds weird content, then I will definitely continue.
ReplyDeleteOh, and Relish was an #$% this morning when I rode, so delete the comment about none of my horses ever do anything stupid.
I agree with all the reply comments from all. I enjoyed reading your post without "horse content". I had to chuckle after reading your own post regarding "Relish"; reminded me of my ride on "Kramer" yesterday. They can't always be sweet, can they?
ReplyDeleteHi Alison,
ReplyDeleteI have a confession, too - this is the first time I've seen your blog. But I have to agree with the replies -- you have a wonderful writing voice. I think horse people are interested in things besides horses, too, so I hope that you will continue to write what makes you happy. But if you decide to leave the horse blog, I would hope it to be a graceful dismount of your own choice. Sounds like your audience doesn't want you bucked off!