Feb 26, 2010

FuFri and, well, my future.


The one where I discuss my future, the present, and occasionally the past.


Are you like me? I know we're different, but in a way we're all the same. Sure we are at different levels of writing skill. We live in different parts of the world. But, aren't we all here for the same exact thing? Seriously, I'm asking. What are you here for? Here being this electronic virtual blogosphere that we would've considered SciFi when we were younger. I mean, this is the new future. Oops, I meant this.

If our realities about future technologies are changing from what we thought as a kid, are other things changing too? We've all been paying attention to the development of eReaders and the potentially profound affect they'll have on the literary world. What about the basic idea of a book? A beginning, a middle, an end. So, we log on every morning or so and see how others are going about their book. Where are they? In the beginning. The beginning of the beginning? We all write in our own process, but if you're like me, you need someone to forged a path ahead of you. Most of us are that way. How many times have you compared yourself to a published author? Lowry, DeCamillo, Mass, Black, Hiaasen...the list goes on and on. They've all made it. Did they have the help of tubular blogger friends or did they make their own path. We know Lowry didn't have blogger friends, Al Gore hadn't invented the internet yet, and somehow she managed to change my life. In five years, when my book comes out, will my acknowledgements be five pages long as I attempt to list all my virtual buddies? Will I even have a novel coming out in five years or will my ADHD prevented me from finishing because I've spent all my time on here? Lots of questions, very few answers. I am not necessarily asking you, my dear friends, to answer them for me, I am just babbling here.

Admission: I am a sick, twisted person addicted to blogging. It's really gross.
Proclamation: I am taking drastic measures. I will continue to blog everyday, but I am going to develop a template by which every post will be derived. Unless I am nervously sharing my writing or my progress, each post will be under four hundred words, this also excludes captions and SAMS days. I am doing this for so many reasons: 1. to save me time 2. to save you time 3. I believe it'll teach me the value of a word 4. I don't want to be a time-waster anymore! 5. I am trying to cut down on my use of commas. At first, the quality of my posts may suffer, so I beg of you, please bear with me as I become acclimated to using such few words. I am excited to see how well I handle this as I still try and accomplish my goals by March 11.


You srsly have to head over to Ali Cross's blog today. She has a vlog that will have you ROFL. Also, Sarah's blog made. me. pee! And Heather has another great interview. You must check it out, or we are so over! TFTBA.

If you noticed that this post makes zero sense, then we are more alike than I thought.

36 comments:

  1. Go Jonathon! I know the addiction --I have it too. I think you are right, you have to set goals for yourself and that means goals for the virtual world too. I am trying to only check this blog 3 times a day. Do my major blogging in the morning then everything else I have to do the rest of the day. BTW --I think I have ADD or ADHD so you are not alone.
    Now get to writing and critiquing :)

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  2. Christine - Yes, critiquing, that's what I need to be doing.

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  3. Yes, I've been in the same boat myself, and have had to set rules for myself. Sometimes I actually follow them.

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  4. I love that you know stuff about yourself. That takes a perspective that so many people lack. And, once you realize these things, that you take steps to move yourself in the direction that you want to go. No wallowing for you! Good luck reining (or reigning--I couldn't decide whether to go with a regal play on words, or just let the cliche stand.) in your blogging fetish.

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  5. I have rules about the internet too. I am just like you. I get on and I click in my habitual way checking if any of you have posted, if I have any email. Did anyone respond to my comment? Luckily I have lots of people around my house that I take care of and I purposefully turn off the computer when they are around. So that is an easy rule to make.

    But don't to be too hard on yourself. Things ebb and flow. Sometimes you write more and sometimes less, sometimes you blog more and sometimes less (you always critique for those waiting though!), and it has to be perfect the way it is.

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  6. I am a big fan of posts that make zero sense. Actually I write them on a daily basis!

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  7. Alissa - Sometimes is a good start! I have a feeling I'll be starting with 'sometimes' too.

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  8. Heather - I love your comment! I have a feeling the other homonym will come into play here too...from my eyes.

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  9. TLL - Perfect...hmm...thanks. I will take your comment into consideration as I try to follow my rules. The blog will be here, it practically writes itself. The novel needs me.

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  10. Marybeth - And somehow, all your posts make perfect sense to me. You speaka-my-language! Must be the BP.

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  11. If you spend more time on the blog than on the book, that's a problem. I'd lead an intervention, but your home is so far away and so covered in snow.

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  12. All I know is, let, the, comma, usage, flow buddy!

    -Comma for president!

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  13. Blogging is SO addictive. Why didn't anyone tell me this?! But I love how you are so real Jon, really enjoy your blog and how you so willingly share your life with us. I have to set time limits for computer time, and it's almost up now so . . . see you later!

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  14. So Jon, with your putting a limit on how long your blog posts will be, does that mean that we followers get to do a vlogbrothers thing and when you go over it we can assign you a punishment?

    Kidding... sort of. I applaud the fact that you are making an attempt to limit your technological interaction, even if it is in a narrow area. I wish you the best with it.

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  15. Okay, Jonathon's on to something! Foot rubs to all the folks on the Shiver queue?

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  16. Void - I am pro-semicolon for prez!

    Crystal - I am glad you like it here so much. I am a TMIer, always been.

    Jonathon - I'd consent to that. And thanks for the good luck, I'll need it order to avoid...

    Tina - ...FOOT RUBS?! Enough with that already, you could gag a maggot. I will allow you to assign punishments, Tina, you are in charge of orchestrating this, since you are nice and would be too harsh.

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  17. The other Jonathan throws me for a loop sometimes as it takes a second to click that it's another Jonathan!
    Anyhoo, our main focus is to write books. Blogging is secondary. Fun,informative, and supportive, but secondary (or even thirteenthary).
    You are very insightful, you've become a favorite blogger of many in the short time you've been here. I am sure you will be successful in your manuscript too.
    I so have to set better writing goals and I need to unplug certain times in the day. I need to, but most of the time I don't. We all understand!

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  18. Kelly- You make me smile. What nice kelly things to say.

    Jonathon- Maggots actually have a very delicate constitution.

    I will in fact be nice and I could in fact orchestrate punishments. But I can at least tease you, right?

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  19. ROTFL! I tried to watch Ali's vlog, but the stupid firewall blocked me! I'll remember to come back tonight, unless I forget to come back tonight. :)

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  20. Kelly - Tell me about it, I keep thinking that I have like multiple personalities or something.

    Whence I get my system down and I am a well-centered balanced writer, the tables will turn and I can get on your case.

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  21. Tina - Oh my can you tease... I can't wait to see what punishments people come up with. I love how I am talking like I've already broken my rule...

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  22. " I am a sick, twisted person addicted to blogging." Ha ha ha! You and me both, Jon. Sounds like you have some good strategies - let me know how they work. :-)

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  23. Ha! Love this: "Here being this electronic virtual blogosphere that we would've considered SciFi when we were younger." I remember when CDs first came out, and I thought, "those will never catch on. You can't make a mixed tape on them, for one thing." Haha! I also resisted the DVD player for a long time. Oh, progress.

    Good luck with your quest to stay under 400 words. I, myself, will be taking a blogging break for a bit to prepare for querying. And good luck with your agent search as well!!

    P.S. Now a follower ;)

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  24. Shannon - Oh, you'll know. Have I held anything else back?

    Carolina - I have yet to get an MP3 player. Just never needed one. thanks for following me!

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  25. Wouldn't it be cool if there were real consequences for not getting our writing done? Like Vinnie is standing over your shoulder ready to snip off your pinkie finger if you blog more than 10 minutes and don't get a chapter written by lunch? That would work for me, anyway.

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  26. I love your blog! I have noticed your comments on others and always smile at your witty sense of humor!
    This entry is wonderful!

    I love your outlook and goals are something I am working on...they get a bit cumbersome at times, I think but I know they are good for me ;o)

    thank you for a wonderful new place to wander...

    Visit My Kingdom Anytime

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  27. SP - Thanks! I do like your kingdom. I don't head over there as often as I would like, but I'll change that after my unpluggage.

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  28. We're rooting for you! Wishing you much success and here's hoping I can follow in your footsteps.

    I am VR, and I am a blogaholic...

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  29. Well, I guess we are not at all alike because I totally GOT IT.

    And holy wow the shout out! You rock Jon, thanks :)

    Now, I think I might have to be a total follower here because you just "said out loud" what I've been thinking myself. Shorter is sometimes better.

    Hey, like me! Short and sweet ;)

    Good luck in your new goal! I'll try to follow your lead.

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  30. 400 words! Pretty sure that would be impossible for me! You may just be my hero if you can pull that off!

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  31. VR - Thanks for the encouragement and funny!

    Ali - Well, this'll sure be a challenge, genetically a rambler I am.

    S.I.F. - *Strapping on cape*

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:D