Couple Things

I did manage to import all the posts from all my previous weblogs. I have since been patiently going through them and categorizing them. I’m almost to the end of the 2003 weblog, where I took about a year off from blogging and focused on just writing.

I’ve discovered a number of interesting trends so far. I love my first weblog. It was both personal and on-target; it was all about writing and life as a writer, and going back through those entries done on Blogger software — from the oldest entry through about the middle of July in 2002 — was a lot of fun.

When I moved over to the Greymatter weblog, comments were suddenly incorporated into the weblog, and they worked all the time. I became more aware of writing to an audience; at the same time, I found a lot of things outside of writing to write about. Some of that next batch of entries, which start in the middle of July 2002 and run through the last entry in 2003, I love — they were some of the best journal-writing I’ve done. (You’ll find them in Favorite Posts, if you’re interested) Some I hate. I read them now and wonder what the hell I was thinking then. I hate politics, and yet in that period I embraced politics, and anger. I was angry a lot of the time in 2003.

I haven’t categorized the Geeklog weblog entries yet. I’m working on it, but there were some bugs importing them (all extended entries include only the opener, no comments were imported, etc.). Not sure what I’ll find there, not sure how the entries will change as I started opening up comments in the latter portion of that weblog’s existence.

But it comes down to this. I don’t like me much when I’m publicly political. I think I’m right in the stands I took. But I don’t think this was, or is, or will be, the place to take them. So I’ve put the categorized political rants under password, (and the ones I haven’t gotten to yet will go under password) while I decide whether I should just delete them, or open them back up again as a “this is who I was back then” bit of personal history.

Along with writing and the writing life, I will continue to comment on science issues, social issues and other things not exclusively political.

Beyond that, I’m back to debating comments. Should I permit them, if I permit them, when should I permit them? Or should I go back to silent journaling?

I’m evaluating, in other words, the place of the weblog in my life. Yet again.

Gimme a break, I’m a Libra. We do this.

Comments are enabled for this entry. If you have an opinion on any of this, now is the time to express it.

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12 responses to “Couple Things”

  1. Penny Avatar
    Penny

    Thank you Holly,
    We are all very excited to read the book. Told my mother what you said and she just giggled.
    Penny

  2. Holly Avatar
    Holly

    Hi, Penny.

    The book the Marosites will be in is HAWKSPAR, which I still have to finish revising. Not sure when it will be out, because I’m delaying things badly by having such a struggle with the narrative.

    As for how I came up with the name … oy. I had the Ossalenes already, and they needed a parent religion that their order could be an offshoot from, so I played around with letters and came up with a combination that I thought sounded both pretty and sort of austere. I double-checked a handful of languages that I’ve sold rights in to make sure it wasn’t profane in them. It cleared the swear-word test.

    It didn’t occur to me to check that it might be someone’s last name. Glad the Marosites are a decent sort.

  3. Penny Avatar
    Penny

    I found your website by typing in my maiden name (Marosites). I am not kidding! A big smile came to my face. I would like to know how you came up with the name of the order for that book. I think it is totally cool! And exactly what book is it…i will buy it to read. Please let me know. I know you are very busy, but I want you to know that I am excited to here about it. thank you in advance.
    Penny Marosites Pattterson

  4. Angelique Avatar
    Angelique

    Hi ๐Ÿ™‚

    I found your website, what? Six months ago? I have lost track of the time. Regardless, I have been a faithful reader ever since. Yours is the only site I found that has satified many of the curiosities that I have had as a fledgling writer.(especially since I am a young nurse that in truth, is more of a writer at heart)) It’s been a wonderful learning experience for me. As nice as it is to be able to post from time to time, I will still be here if you decide to nix it.

    ~Angelique

    P.S. Half way through Talyn and loving it!!

  5. Linda Avatar

    I like being able to comment. But I understand that dealing with comments can get hard sometimes. The decision is yours, but if I get a vote, it’s to allow comments. ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. PolarBear Avatar

    Jim,

    I like that play on “ICU.”

  7. arainsb123 Avatar

    I enjoy being able to comment, but I know that leaving them open is a massive time sink from personal experience (and I don’t get nearly as many comments as you). I think you should leave your rants up, because even though I disagree with you in some matters (I am liberal, after all), I have fun reading them.

  8. Jim Avatar
    Jim

    For what it’s worth —

    That period of 2003 was a very important time for me as well, and I enjoyed being her and participating in those debates which took place in comments associated with you, and my , and other’s political views.

    That said, I understood (didn’t like, but understood and supported) your decision to get away from blogging at the time, and to keep comments off on political comments here.

    I personally feel that you have reached a happy balance — you have a place to go to share (and to rant when necessary), as well as the control (by leaving comments off) to avoid the flamewars w?gich made the old format so draining to you.

    My personal preference would be for you to continue as you are, but it would be OK if you limited comments even further if you need to. I also hope you will leave the old political discussion fully available for everyone.

    It’s all up to you; if you need to get something down on silicon and off your mind in order to write effectively, then please please post it here, comments off. If you want to share someing, comments off. If you’re at a point where taking the time (or energy) to post keeps you from getting another Talyn or Last Girl Dancing out to the paying public and your adoring fans, then leave the site open and take a break.

    (Comment — while entering in the window here, the borders break down and the window controls disappear, making it difficult to edit or break up an entry.)

    Take care, and I’m looking forward to Hawkspar and ICU ๐Ÿ™‚

    Huggs

  9. Kayla Avatar

    Personally, I like what you’ve been doing so far — allowing comments on some entries, but not allowing any on others. I enjoy commenting, and I hope you keep the option open, but I’ll still read your blog everyday even if you don’t. You’ve done a lot for other writers out there; the least we can do is give you a break if you’re not up to the task of monitoring them and/or replying.

    (Excuse any typos — the comment box extended off-screen.)

  10. Bridget Avatar
    Bridget

    Holly,

    I found your blog a few months ago, and this is my first comment. I hope that when I’m up and running as a full-time novelist myself that I can pay forward even half as well as you have to me, and to so many others. =)

    Even though this is only my first time replying to one of your posts, I have to admit I’d miss the ability to comment if it were gone. However I’d completely understand and entirely support a decision to turn them off forever, if that’s the way you feel you need to go. Your heart won’t lead you wrong.

    Thanks for reaching out and giving so much of yourself so bravely. I’ll keep reading here every day no matter what.
    Bridget
    P.S. I adored TALYN.

  11. Rick Avatar
    Rick

    It’s your decision entirely. (I know, I know – helpful, isn’t it?) While I admit that I love the interactive feel the comments bring to your blog, and always have, if you feel more comfortable and more productive without them, by all means. Turn the suckers off. I’ve been reading your blog for three years, and I’m not going to stop now, comments be damned.

    I would also suggest that you leave your political posts open. We have different political stances, and while I may not have always agreed with your posts, I have always, every singly time, without fail, learned from them. I have never come away from one of your political posts thinking the exact same way as I did before. Sometimes you have changed my mind completely. Sometimes you have opened me to new ideas. Sometimes you’ve I’ve just flat-out disagreed, and we exchanged some very pleasant e-mails over it. As productive and formative as this blog has been to you, it’s been to others.

    Hope this helps.

  12. Warbric Avatar
    Warbric

    I like being able to comment on those things that I want to comment on, but I understand that things can get out of hand quite quickly if you leave everything open to comment, and I understand how easily managing and maintaining control of it could become an unwelcome distraction. I have no problem with your prohibiting comments as you see fit. Nobody who writes for a living should be expected to have to deal with all the extraneous distractions that come with dealing with all of that.

    I check in here at the diary every single day, but where I spend a lot of my time is over there where you discuss the craft of writing, the writing life, and the business of writing. I truly appreciate everything you do here to lay bare the whole process. You’ve peeled back the veneer and opened my eyes to the truth of it more than a couple of times here, and you’ve taught me quite a lot about what I’m getting myself into.

    Whichever you decide, I know I’ll still be here.

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