Comments on: Interview with Susan Hill: The Art of Blogging http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/2008/02/07/interview-with-susan-hill-the-art-of-blogging/ A collective of bibliophiles writing about books. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:01:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: rosyb http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/2008/02/07/interview-with-susan-hill-the-art-of-blogging/#comment-978 rosyb Tue, 12 Feb 2008 09:57:05 +0000 http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/?p=337#comment-978 Yes, the writer as blogger. Not something we were covering in the feature but really interesting area altogether and something we should maybe look at. I wonder what publishers attitudes to blogs are? Do they want their authors to keep blogs? Is it something on the rise as a marketing tool or is it still quite a separate activity as there as so many? As Susan says "I don't see myself primarily as a blogger" and I think this the thing. That so many bloggers are also primarily other things or even other professional writers or reviewers. Indeed, it would be a bit dull if bloggers were only bloggers without other lives. But whether it is to share enthusiasm, find like-minded people, join a debate about something, or keep in touch with a reading audience if you are an established writer - these are all different motivations which lead blogs to have different attitudes to some of the issues we are discussing (perhaps.) As Stewart said in "Fox in The City", it probably depends on which of all these worlds you are part of as to what position you take on some of the issues "Fox in the City" was looking at. Maybe we should explore this further in relation to writers. It's been a great discussion and thanks again to Susan Hill for answering those questions so fully and giving us so much to talk about here. Yes, the writer as blogger. Not something we were covering in the feature but really interesting area altogether and something we should maybe look at. I wonder what publishers attitudes to blogs are? Do they want their authors to keep blogs? Is it something on the rise as a marketing tool or is it still quite a separate activity as there as so many? As Susan says “I don’t see myself primarily as a blogger” and I think this the thing. That so many bloggers are also primarily other things or even other professional writers or reviewers. Indeed, it would be a bit dull if bloggers were only bloggers without other lives. But whether it is to share enthusiasm, find like-minded people, join a debate about something, or keep in touch with a reading audience if you are an established writer - these are all different motivations which lead blogs to have different attitudes to some of the issues we are discussing (perhaps.)

As Stewart said in “Fox in The City”, it probably depends on which of all these worlds you are part of as to what position you take on some of the issues “Fox in the City” was looking at.

Maybe we should explore this further in relation to writers.

It’s been a great discussion and thanks again to Susan Hill for answering those questions so fully and giving us so much to talk about here.

]]> By: sequinonsea http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/2008/02/07/interview-with-susan-hill-the-art-of-blogging/#comment-977 sequinonsea Tue, 12 Feb 2008 09:47:11 +0000 http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/?p=337#comment-977 "These days authors should not – cannot – expect their publishers to do everything and indeed if they do they will be disappointed." I thought this was particularly interesting. Not about expecting publishers to do *everything* but it made me start thinking about what authors can expect of their publishers. Oh, I feel another feature approaching... Thanks so much to Susan Hill for coming on to Vulpes. Lots of food for thought in there. “These days authors should not – cannot – expect their publishers to do everything and indeed if they do they will be disappointed.”

I thought this was particularly interesting. Not about expecting publishers to do *everything* but it made me start thinking about what authors can expect of their publishers. Oh, I feel another feature approaching…

Thanks so much to Susan Hill for coming on to Vulpes. Lots of food for thought in there.

]]> By: Jackie http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/2008/02/07/interview-with-susan-hill-the-art-of-blogging/#comment-974 Jackie Tue, 12 Feb 2008 02:26:58 +0000 http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/?p=337#comment-974 This person is filled with contradicting statements. First she says blogers are claiming everything is "simply wonderful", then she says they shouldn't be negative. After pointing out that publishers' review copies are "free samples...to get the author some attention" she says her own publishing house sends out "few copies" to bloggers. And bloggers oughtn't be taken as seriously as newspaper reviewers, yet others such as Bluestalking Reader is "quite influential". Such inconsistancies. This person is filled with contradicting statements. First she says blogers are claiming everything is “simply wonderful”, then she says they shouldn’t be negative. After pointing out that publishers’ review copies are “free samples…to get the author some attention” she says her own publishing house sends out “few copies” to bloggers. And bloggers oughtn’t be taken as seriously as newspaper reviewers, yet others such as Bluestalking Reader is “quite influential”. Such inconsistancies.

]]> By: rosyb http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/2008/02/07/interview-with-susan-hill-the-art-of-blogging/#comment-937 rosyb Sun, 10 Feb 2008 00:47:55 +0000 http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/?p=337#comment-937 Thanks for the comments everyone. :) Thanks for the comments everyone. :)

]]> By: Emma King-Farlow http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/2008/02/07/interview-with-susan-hill-the-art-of-blogging/#comment-920 Emma King-Farlow Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:36:40 +0000 http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/?p=337#comment-920 A very interesting and thought-provoking interview. Many thanks! Emma A very interesting and thought-provoking interview. Many thanks!

Emma

]]> By: sequinonsea http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/2008/02/07/interview-with-susan-hill-the-art-of-blogging/#comment-917 sequinonsea Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:21:24 +0000 http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/?p=337#comment-917 Welcome Lisa/Bluestalking Reader! "It was typed in a very nice font.” Teehee. Actually, I shall hyperlink you, while I think of it! Thanks for visiting and commenting. Lisa/Sequinonsea/CheekyBlighterFox ;-) Welcome Lisa/Bluestalking Reader!

“It was typed in a very nice font.” Teehee.

Actually, I shall hyperlink you, while I think of it!

Thanks for visiting and commenting.

Lisa/Sequinonsea/CheekyBlighterFox ;-)

]]> By: Lisa Guidarini http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/2008/02/07/interview-with-susan-hill-the-art-of-blogging/#comment-905 Lisa Guidarini Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:15:34 +0000 http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/?p=337#comment-905 Gosh, Susan, you've made me blush! I'm so honored you mentioned me in this interview. Oh, and re: positive reviews, in all the time I've been blogging I can only recall one genuine negative review I've written. I've had some lukewarm, but the only truly negative one was about a book I found so offensive and reprehensible, especially after finding out more on the background of the author (who was a total sham). But otherwise I try to pass on books if I can't find something redeeming to write about, aside from "It was typed in a very nice font." !! Lisa Guidarini/Bluestalking Reader Gosh, Susan, you’ve made me blush! I’m so honored you mentioned me in this interview.

Oh, and re: positive reviews, in all the time I’ve been blogging I can only recall one genuine negative review I’ve written. I’ve had some lukewarm, but the only truly negative one was about a book I found so offensive and reprehensible, especially after finding out more on the background of the author (who was a total sham). But otherwise I try to pass on books if I can’t find something redeeming to write about, aside from “It was typed in a very nice font.”

!!

Lisa Guidarini/Bluestalking Reader

]]> By: Nik http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/2008/02/07/interview-with-susan-hill-the-art-of-blogging/#comment-895 Nik Thu, 07 Feb 2008 12:49:01 +0000 http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/?p=337#comment-895 What an interesting and intelligent interview. Thanks both. Nik. What an interesting and intelligent interview. Thanks both.

Nik.

]]> By: Feature: Fox in the City « Vulpes Libris http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/2008/02/07/interview-with-susan-hill-the-art-of-blogging/#comment-894 Feature: Fox in the City « Vulpes Libris Thu, 07 Feb 2008 12:28:42 +0000 http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/?p=337#comment-894 [...] an interview with Vulpes Libris, she says: This is something I do feel strongly about. You do not have a remit [...] [...] an interview with Vulpes Libris, she says: This is something I do feel strongly about. You do not have a remit [...]

]]> By: RosyB http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/2008/02/07/interview-with-susan-hill-the-art-of-blogging/#comment-893 RosyB Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:52:56 +0000 http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/?p=337#comment-893 Oh Stewart - how disappointing! And here I was welcoming the spam with cheer! Thanks for letting us know. I agree with you actually, both as a "reviewer" (if I were to call myself that) and as a reader. I look at the net all the time for reviews and I want an honest reaction, not promotion. I feel as a reader of blogs that I don't just want to be "promoted at" either. I also think that good criticism comes about by everyone engaging with and promoting good criticism, whether that is literary criticism or just good word-of-mouth criticism. I read Amazon reviews (mostly by friends and family as everyone knows) but occasionally a really good review (I mean informative and interesting and saying why it thinks as it does rather than just saying a book is good) will pop up there, in which case I'm far more likely to take it and the book seriously. But more on this...We have a big feature going up this afternoon with even more issues to be debated, in which you feature. So I hope you'll come along and join the debate after it is posted. Thanks for the comment! :) Oh Stewart - how disappointing! And here I was welcoming the spam with cheer! Thanks for letting us know.

I agree with you actually, both as a “reviewer” (if I were to call myself that) and as a reader. I look at the net all the time for reviews and I want an honest reaction, not promotion. I feel as a reader of blogs that I don’t just want to be “promoted at” either. I also think that good criticism comes about by everyone engaging with and promoting good criticism, whether that is literary criticism or just good word-of-mouth criticism. I read Amazon reviews (mostly by friends and family as everyone knows) but occasionally a really good review (I mean informative and interesting and saying why it thinks as it does rather than just saying a book is good) will pop up there, in which case I’m far more likely to take it and the book seriously.

But more on this…We have a big feature going up this afternoon with even more issues to be debated, in which you feature. So I hope you’ll come along and join the debate after it is posted. Thanks for the comment! :)

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