Why Did You Start Orbling?
July 11th 2008 07:31
I found Orble because of Joanne Fedler. When I grabbed the fabulously titled Secret Mother’s Business last year I was entranced by this creative non-fiction which tells the story of motherhood like it is.
But beyond the original, refreshing, raw and authentic observations contained in the story arc I fell in love with the narrator, ‘our’ Jo. From within the pages of SMB she reached out to me - sort of like the song Killing Me Softly, it was as if she had found all my secret motherhood diaries and read each one out loud. I panted to my girlfriends and sisters about this thrilling book and my new heroine.
My hunger for all things Fedler led me to Google which led me to Orble which led me to Jo and her Secret Writer’s Business blog. I was an aspiring writer and I had been toying with starting a blog. Technologically immature I had no idea how to go about it but followed Orble’s simple directions and, like magic, I had created the Writers in Writing blog.
I subscribed to Jo’s blog – which is sort of like everything you wanted to know about writing but didn’t know who to ask. Following Jo’s tips about writing (as well as witnessing her social awareness and her dedication to the good guys of the world) I became emboldened to push harder with my own writing. I have since scored a couple of paid writing gigs – one being my parenting blog on the Child website. Really Long Link
Unfortunately these extra commitments have meant that I have been very neglectful of my Orble blog. Which also means that I have not reviewed Jo’s latest novel Things Without A Name. And I must review it because it is a beautiful story told exquisitely. But ... it also contains a character who is a writer – and that’s the point of this blog: to make a List of Writers in Writing.
However, I have a ‘condition’ which the fabulous Patrick Suskind called amnesia in litteris which means that I forget the details of everything I read. I retain impressions and thoughts only. So for my next post I am going to try to do justice to Things Without A Name but it won’t be a traditional review.
Stay tuned…
But beyond the original, refreshing, raw and authentic observations contained in the story arc I fell in love with the narrator, ‘our’ Jo. From within the pages of SMB she reached out to me - sort of like the song Killing Me Softly, it was as if she had found all my secret motherhood diaries and read each one out loud. I panted to my girlfriends and sisters about this thrilling book and my new heroine.
My hunger for all things Fedler led me to Google which led me to Orble which led me to Jo and her Secret Writer’s Business blog. I was an aspiring writer and I had been toying with starting a blog. Technologically immature I had no idea how to go about it but followed Orble’s simple directions and, like magic, I had created the Writers in Writing blog.
I subscribed to Jo’s blog – which is sort of like everything you wanted to know about writing but didn’t know who to ask. Following Jo’s tips about writing (as well as witnessing her social awareness and her dedication to the good guys of the world) I became emboldened to push harder with my own writing. I have since scored a couple of paid writing gigs – one being my parenting blog on the Child website. Really Long Link
Unfortunately these extra commitments have meant that I have been very neglectful of my Orble blog. Which also means that I have not reviewed Jo’s latest novel Things Without A Name. And I must review it because it is a beautiful story told exquisitely. But ... it also contains a character who is a writer – and that’s the point of this blog: to make a List of Writers in Writing.
However, I have a ‘condition’ which the fabulous Patrick Suskind called amnesia in litteris which means that I forget the details of everything I read. I retain impressions and thoughts only. So for my next post I am going to try to do justice to Things Without A Name but it won’t be a traditional review.
Stay tuned…
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Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
I heard about Orble from my best friend who used to run 'Health and Beauty' with another friend of hers. Apparently they were quite successful, but then she moved on to things that made more money. I had been toying with the idea of starting a blog too, and this seemed like a great opportunity. Sure, the pay is paltry, but it's great to have feedback on your writing, and I've made some fantastic pals as a result.
It's also very informative as a network, someone is always reviewing the latest texts, news and events, and the debates are lively. It's nice to get active by contributing to the community, and it feels wonderful to know that I am getting about 100 readers per day!
I'm glad you made your way to Orble, cause that means I get to read a terrific new writer!
Comment by Jayne Kearney
Writers In Writing (and other writing)
Thanks for your comment and I think the network thing is a big part of the attraction to the blogging community. I have been very remiss of late (as we have discussed before) and desperately need to get back into it.
You say 'the pay is paltry' - I'm so glad you mentioned it! I never actually signed up for whatever the thing is you have to sign up to to get any pay. I read someone who said they got like 19c for six months so I thought, 'why bother?' It's a love job I guess because I get paid to write elsewhere. Having said that... is it worth signing up for an account? It might motivate me if I get 20c every now and then.
Thanks, as always, for your support! And I'm popping over to your fab Monopoly post soon - I have been reading but very slack with comments.
Jayne
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
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Padsoc
I think the best part of having a domain blog is the domain itself - Orble owns the addresses for me, and as long as I keep them active I am in sole control of the content there (except for PADSOC, which is open to anybody). I still get a sense of pride when I add something to 'Postmodern Critic', for example.
I have earned about 20 USD in about 2 years... considering I don't have another job and rarely handle more than $40 dollars at any one time, that's probably more impressive to me than it might be to others. But I certainly don't blog for the money, let me tell you!
If you're interested in the domain option all you have to do is submit three posts to one of the admins like Charles, they will approve your blog because your work is really great, and you get to decide on your own domain title (and hopefully no-one else will have taken it before you). You have nothing to lose if you can be bothered switching over...
Have a nice day, and thank you for reading my work! ~
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
I started blogging because I need to get my thoughts out of my head and out somewhere...anywhere...that wasn't my husband. He was feeling a little overwhelmed.
Orble has been great. I've learned a lot from other writers on here. It's a great little community.
Jo Fedler is great. I 'met' her a couple of years ago now. She was a guest on a pilot episode of a talk show. My husband was the editor so we were in the studio audience. She was being interviewed about Secret Mother's Business.
A couple of weeks later I found it on a friend's bookshelf and she swore by it. I borrowed it, read it and then held it up and said "I wish I could write something like this".
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Jayne Kearney
Writers In Writing (and other writing)
How funny! I have just been perusing some of your old posts - kind of getting to know you in a cyber way - and found your first post where your husband says something like, "Start a blog already and give me a break!" I loved it. I am keen to find out more about you and your writing and how it's all panning out. I keep pushing forward with mine but always seem to be robbing Peter to pay Paul - time wise with hubby and kids and jobs etc. I'm sure it's the same for you. (Loved you To Do post BTW)
Jo Fedler is a huge inspiration to me. I admire her writing and her spirit immensley. I found her book as I was researching an idea of my own and it pushed me in a million different directions. I find the writing community so inspirational which is one of the reasons I am glad to be on Orble.
Thanks for stopping by and I shall be sure to see you over on yours!
Jayne
Comment by Chris Champion
moneywhither
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Newly Old
The same question (why/how did you start Orbling/blogging) was asked on another blog recently. Is it plagiarism if I borrow my answer from there and repeat it here? Will the blogosphere police come and take me away?
So much still to learn, but I'll risk it.
I heard about blogging on the grapevine a few years ago but, being past the age where technology and technological fashion are instinctive interests, I ignored it. Then a respected friend (and respected writer) told me more about blogging, and how it was getting big, and how it could work in certain ways for me.
And so I finally gave it a try.
Blogging today is about many things. It's not just about writing (although I think it is more about wrting than many bloggists understand). But the boundaries between blogs and web pages these days are often blurred and regularly overlap. The importance of the blogosphere in terms of business and marketing is growing quickly.
I've been blogging for two months, and I'm not afraid to admit, at the risk of attracting the envy of many, that I have earned, through Adsense, the amazing total so far of US$0.95.
At this rate, after two years, I will be well under postmoderncritic's $20.
Regards,
Chris
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
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Padsoc
Comment by Jayne Kearney
Writers In Writing (and other writing)
Thanks for stopping by.
I thought I saw a title by another Orbler about why they started blogging... I meant to check it out.
You are so like me..."is this against the rules?" "Am I supposed to do this?", I have that thing going on as well!
Did you read my post titled "My Lost Post" all about deleting a 'clever' (?) post because I was hung up about including images etc. Being trained in the 'old school' way I live in fear of the Copyright Cops - thus my very image-poor posts. And blogs are supposed to be much more appealing if they have images. Never mind, I'll get there.
But, for all of my technological ignorance (and my occasional fear that blogging is killing writing - I have a post on that too) I have embraced the blog as a way to build an audience.Although I fear I am too neglectful of my blog to build up much of one (I do leave a few comments around the place though) - but I am proud that, in my view,only the coolest Orble kids stop by my blog!!
Jayne
Comment by Chris Champion
moneywhither
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Newly Old
Comment by Chris Champion
moneywhither
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Newly Old
You know what they say: "If it was easier, it wouldn't be so hard." At least I think that's what they say. I guess we just have to keep clicking and hoping - like kids do - until we learn the rules and the layout of the land. Makes you wonder, though, why we get more reluctant to fumble in the dark as we get older.
And wasn't "Clicking and Hoping" a Petula Clark song?
Regards,
Chris
Comment by Jayne Kearney
Writers In Writing (and other writing)
I love the quote, "If it was easier, it wouldn't be so hard." Its meaning is elusively esoteric and that's the way I like my platitudes!
I think fumbling in the dark is less appealing as we get older because falling over and breaking your hip is a sure way to reveal your age. I don't have an issue with being of a certain generation but I don't want anyone to think I'm 'old'. lol (I learned that from one of the kids!)
As to Petula Clark - maybe just a little before my time but I could Google it.
Jayne
Comment by Chris Champion
moneywhither
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Newly Old
My first quotable quote! If I could come up with another 397 of them, I could be as famous as Oscar Wilde or Mark Twain.
The point about breaking one's hip is well-taken. It's so true it's painful.
You youngster you! Pet Clarke had a string of hits just the other day - well, in the 1960s - and one of them was "Wishing and Hoping". She also played opposite Peter O'Toole in the 1969 version of "Goodbye Mr Chips".
Chris
Comment by Jayne Kearney
Writers In Writing (and other writing)
Jayne
Comment by Candice
I too started blogging because it was great writing practise and it was fun to write about being a parent. It was really a great way to 'journal' my thoughts and experiences.
It was also wonderful to get feedback and read what other people were writing. It's great now to have a regular gig writing on parenting - I'm the Sunday gal.
Look forward to reading more of your posts!
Candice
Comment by Jayne Kearney
Writers In Writing (and other writing)
So glad to meet you! I have been very slack on my Orble blog because things have taken off in my other writing gigs and unfortunately Orble is way down the list. But I shall be sure to go over and check out your Orble blog and I always read the other Webchild blogs.
I have been a bit lax this week though (hence my late reply to your comment) because we have just come back from a short Gold Coast family break - guess what my blog will be about next week? Family hols are ripe with material. haha
Thanks for stopping by, I also love the feedback that blogging provides.
See you around BlogWorld.
Jayne