Back in action
Well, all, I've been horribly absent on these pages for the past couple
of weeks. Apologies for letting it lie but deadlines bred the need to
"unplug." I just finished writing a book manuscript on chronic pain and
the only it was going to get finished was if I disappeared for a while.
I'm going to have to add a chapter on how writing about chronic pain is
such a pain.
So if I've not responded to your e-mails, I
apologize. I wasn't dissing you personally, only avoiding e-mail and
the Internet altogether.
The deadline is done and I find
myself in the unusual position of a little breathing room. Wanted to
share this comment from Graham Holliday that I thought you'd enjoy.
Hi
wendy. I wrote the piece in the Press Gazette. I've found blogging on a
niche topic unrelated to much of my freelance work (streetfood) has
helped increase my visibility. I'm very much of the opinion that the
narrower the niche you blog the better it is for your visibility.
On a related point, as an experiment I blogged the entire process of writing a feature for a magazine:
Here
It produced some interesting feedback, led to some interviews, discussion on forums etc. Again increasing visibility.
With
some stories and story ideas now I just blog what I'm working on,
thinking about, people I'm interviewing etc. I tag everything in
Technorati to increase visibility and I bookmark related stories and
blogs in del.icio.us. All of which has helped some stories go down a
different path from what might have otherwise been the case.
Lastly,
as a direct result of editors reading my blog and approaching me I have
received commissions from a wide range of mags and papers. I also do
consulting work for one company because I reported on them a year ago,
they kept reading my blog and offered me the work.
So, you know anything can happen if you put it out there. Right
on, Graham. Thanks for sharing your story. Wonder if you'd be so kind
as to share a little of your knowledge about Technorati tags and
del.icio.us?
Jill Carroll updateHere's an interesting piece about blogs taking up the effort to free freelancer Jill Carroll.
U.S.
bloggers are linking to public service announcements airing on Iraqi
television. They feature an appeal from Carroll's mother and one from
the politician she was trying to meet before kidnappers ambushed her.
They also include references to her love for Iraq and show interviews
with Iraqis who say they have come to regard Carroll as one of their
own daughters.The
Christian Science Monitor is backing hte effort.
And finally…Because
it's St. Patrick's Day, I'm married to an Irishman and I have three
sons — Ryan, Patrick and Michael — I thought I'd share my favorite
Irish proverb. Cheers to all!
It's the merry-hearted boys that make the best men!