Sunday, March 08, 2009

Thoughts this week

I realised I haven't blogged much this week: I have been reasonably busy with one thing and another that hasn't necessarily included writing. But here are some general wonderments from the last few days.

Thought 1: It is rather unfair that book sales have to suffer because a wunch of bankers couldn't do their sums properly. If I stopped being able to spell, it wouldn't affect their careers, would it?

Thought 2: Why when I have the Firefox English Dictionary installed does the spellchecker still try to correct my British English into American?

Thought 3: Spike celebrated his third birthday on Friday. Okay, all right, I celebrated it for him. At least I stopped short of making him a cake.


Thought 4: A week tomorrow I'm off to Center Parcs for my birthday, and I know I'm getting old because I made a shopping list on Tuesday.

Thought 5: I have been informed this week something that I kind of suspected anyway: that editors and agents will Google authors who have submitted their work. What are they looking for? Evidence of a professional web presence? Past scandals that might be stored in online news archives? Photos of the author looking young, gorgeous and marketable? And if your book is subsequently rejected, does this mean they didn't like it, or you're just too ugly?

Thought 6: I think I was happier before I considered the prospect of being Googled before I even sold the book.

Thought 7: Re: Thought 5. If you're an agent or editor to whom I've recently submitted, forget you read this post.

8 comments:

  1. My God, based on the photos of me on Facebook a "kind" friend posted recently, any potential agents would run screaming. Well, that's my writing career done with.

    Oh, and happy birthday, Spike!

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  2. Yes, this is the problem with Facebook. It does make pennames more attractive...

    And Spike thanks you, from the far side of a big heap of expensive birthday catfood.

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  3. Um, perhaps they (the Es and As) just want to check you can spell?

    Happy Birthday, Spike. Yes, I think it's a shame about the cake too.

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  4. Well, I can spell...but quite often I just can't type.

    You know, they should make cakes for cats. (I was going to write 'cat cakes' then, but that'd have been a bit gruesome)

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  7. Anonymous6:00 am

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  8. Anonymous6:33 am

    Der, you are young, gorgeous and marketable! Let 'em google away!!

    What a cutie Spike is. Happy birthday.

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