It was ten years ago when I got the ‘tri-spiral’ tattooed on my upper arm. A cliqued place for a young Irish man to be inked, and even more unoriginal a Celtic symbol. It was at the time a quasi-rebellious, if pathetically tame, act of self-expression and body ownership. I say was because had I been born five to ten years later, the perceived norm has become littering yourself with every pop icon symbol or phrase you saw once, liked and can barely comprehend the depth of.
Filed under Observations
It’s peculiar the relationship that writing and emotion have for me. There has always been a strong connection between misery and writing, for me. Whenever I’m going through a rough period I turn to writing as a means of escape and self-treatment. Conversely, when I’m happy writing doesn’t come as easily, or more correctly, the ideas don’t flow as easily.
Filed under Scribbling a Path
I’ve written before about the need to write and the significance of this desire to my life and writing. However, the more I think about it – when I’m not writing – the more I believe that it is almost like a psychosis or (more correctly) the cure for one.
Filed under Observations, Scribbling a Path
I’ve made a few major decisions this week, as I feel awoken from some self-induced trance. I’ve abandoned the alcohol binges that characterised the majority of my adult weekends. This – it would seem – has been the catalyst of those changes. My Sunday’s have been transformed from an alcohol-coated vegetation into a renewal of life. I’ve started learning Spanish – the official language of the country I’ve called home for the past eighteen months. In doing so, I’ve been attempting to eradicate a lifetime of failed attempts towards competently communicating in a foreign tongue. However, the greatest change is related to my novel.
Filed under Scribbling a Path
Waterfall VERSUS 
I begun the unnerving task of writing my first, feature-length screenplay – Downward Mobility – recently. Months of planning, treatments, pitches and character profiles behind me, I now begin at the start line as it were!
The story has been carved out, it just needs a gentle sanding . However, I am now charged with the mammoth, albeit enjoyable, task of communicating that story for producers, actors and directors to interpret. Remarkably, I’m discovering that the most difficult undertaking is capturing the economic-simplicity of a screenplay.
Filed under Scribbling a Path
Is Blogging Devaluing the ‘typed’ word? Part IV
It is difficult to gain any clear-cut evidence to support a claim into whether it has a direct effect on one’s publication chances, my research found. For instance, 62.5% of those I interviewed – who had been published – suggested that blogging had no effect on their chances of publication. With 32.5% claiming that their publication was of a direct or indirect result of their blog. Therefore the evidence, suggests that one cannot simply advocate blogging as a direct link to publication; however, neither can it be dismissed as irrelevant to the process, based on the results that I gained.
Filed under Scribbling a Path
Part I
Over the next five days I will be examining the reasons that writers blog and the effects that blogging is having on the typed word.
To be a writer in the 21st century there is a prerequisite to be a blogger – or so it would seem. The days of signing an agent or a publisher – without an ‘online presence’ – are behind us. I myself have been blogging for a number of months now and have some thirty-five blog posting in my repertoire. In terms of the blogging world, I blog sporadically and a little infrequently. The reason being that I’m eager to have an stimulating topic to explore before I write. I don’t see any point writing anything unworthy of reading. That said, I also don’t write anything that I see as worthy of monetary value. By contrast, my blog is a place for me to explore, to vent, to celebrate and to express myself and indirectly to build an audience for my writing. Therefore, in many ways, I am the stereotypical writer who blogs.
Filed under Scribbling a Path
Hello everyone,
I’m continuing with my research into the effect that blogging is having on modern day writing. I’ve already gathered some very interesting information from my survey and many thanks again to everyone for their help.
I’m now arranging interviews with writers, bloggers & publishers in order to get opinions on the effect that blogging is having on writers. If you’re interested is sharing your experiences, ideas or opinions then I’d love to hear from you. I’m interested in finding out how bloggers feel about blogging and the effects that it is having on their careers. I’ll post the interview on my blog and credit all of your opinions as your own.
If you’re interested please leave a comment after this post or email me at: olearyac1@gmail.com
I look forward from hearing from you.
Thanks,
AC.
Filed under Scribbling a Path
Are WordPress writers, YouTube musicians & Instagram photographers the new generation of starving artists or the pioneers of a new economic system? As some of you already know, I’m completing some research on the whether blogging devalues the written word[1]. However, I’ve come across an interesting article[2] that suggests that they might instead be the first ‘chosen few’ onto the proverbial Arc as it were, while capitalism is swept away in the flood leaving the earth cleansed.
Filed under Scribbling a Path
So everyone, I’m starting a project about writers blogging and the potential for devaluation of intellectual property. I think that this must be an issue at the back of every blogger writers mind. We blog for exposure, for pleasure and to connect with people; this seems needless to say. Further, not everything we produce could be said to have a monetary value – this project for example which I am completing for my MA. However, where then, as writers, do we draw the line? That short story you’ve been working on? The novel you’ve just given the final proofread to? The screenplay you’re struggling to find an agent for? Should you post it online for free? Why? Why not?
I think that we all have our own ideas of where exposure – literary or otherwise – turns from the golden tan to sunstroke. In the coming weeks I’ll be delving deeper down the rabbit-hole and asking bloggers and writers how they tread the tightrope between what they should give away and what they expect payment for.
I’m more than happy to hear anyone’s views on this matter so feel free to comment on the post, send me an email: olearyac1@gmail.com or ask for a questionnaire if that helps.
Filed under Scribbling a Path
Scribblings and Broken Glass 