Katiaesque

The Magic and The Price of Virtual … Reality?

Katia Raina

Two weeks away from the Magic Mirror!

I am so sorry! Inexcusable! Unacceptable!

Here is my excuse, anyway: my manuscript. I’ve been re-writing. Re-thinking. Re-plotting. The different possibilities of my emerging story have been driving me wild.

Even with all that, though, I couldn’t stay away from the web — that sticky virtual web of Facebook-twitter-blogs-gossip. Even in the midst of working out a thorny plot problem (especially in the midst of working out a thorny plot problem?) I just had to stop all and go take a peek.

What’s everyone doing? What will J.K. Rowling’s new novel be about? What’s this twitter story about a boy? How did this author make it? What’s my agent up to, lately?

Etc., etc., etc.

I think the Internet is a wonder, its own kind of magic. Oh the connections. The new friendships. The opportunities. The information. The motivation. The gossip. The powerful writing. The occasional laughs.

Oh, the incessant blah-blah-blah of it. Oh the hours down the drain. Oh.

Yeah. Every wonder has its price.

I guess I am trying to make some decisions, even as I write this. Should I post here more often? Maybe even daily? Something about the idea of such discipline appeals to me. (Or would you get sick of me if I do?) Or — or, or, or — should I do the total opposite and limit my check-ins with the virtual world to, like once, a week, say Sundays, and be really really strict about that? (I’ve tried that before and failed miserably, but hey, I could always try again!)

Oh, the choices. Always the choices. It’s just like revising, those twisty pathways keep beckoning me in a zillion directions. At least in real life I have been getting better with making big decisions, lately. And here I am, trying to make one more.

What do you guys think? How do you do it? How do you keep that balance between what is precious to you in your so-called real life, and what’s exciting, useful, necessary, lovely in this crazy new world we have created?

And who is to say which world is more real anymore?

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7 responses to “The Magic and The Price of Virtual … Reality?”

  1. joycemoyerhostetter Avatar
    joycemoyerhostetter

    I’m so not a good person to give advice in this area. I’ve been too busy trying to blog for my character (and living life) to pay attention to my blog. I do feel badly about this (when I think about it – but mostly I don’t think about it.)

    Sometimes I think you just have to go with life’s flow. And here’s a conclusion I am coming to about blogs. People have so many choices when it comes to online reading. They no longer check back to see if you’ve added something and then give up on you if you haven’t. Rather they subscribe and when they’re notified they eagerly read your post. In between they are happy to do other things.

    I feel a little turned off by daily postings – mostly because it is just too much! I tend to quit reading those blogs. We can’t possibly keep up with all our friends all the time. And maybe we can’t write something so compelling every day that others will want to read it. I know I can’t!

    Okay back to the Kelsey blog now. Working my way through your comments. Making changes. You are making a big difference, dear Katia. Thanks for taking time to help me when you wanted to be writing your own story!

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    1. Katia Raina Avatar
      Katia Raina

      Joyce, you’re the right person to ask about this! Sorry to gush, but once again, your advice is brilliant. Now that I think of it, I am the same way — just like you, I stop reading the blogs that post too often!! But I sort of didn’t realize this until you “said it” just now. Now, back to Kesley’s blog you go. As long as SHE blogs daily, we readers will totally understand if you neglect your own blog there for a little while 🙂

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  2. joycemoyerhostetter Avatar
    joycemoyerhostetter

    Glad if I could offer a little brilliance. It’s a rare thing. Sort of like my blog posts. But I am working on one now.

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  3. Sarah Pearson Avatar
    Sarah Pearson

    I think you would put yourself under immense pressure if you ‘had’ to blog daily Katia, then it might stop being fun. Joyce is right, most people use readers these days 🙂

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    1. Katia Raina Avatar
      Katia Raina

      In other words, Sarah, if you don’t hear from me for a while, you won’t go, “wait, who is she?” and stop coming over? The truth is, this year I am taking on a lot, trying to move things forward, just working it. This explains the erratic frequency of my posts. I hope that’s still okay by you guys. This won’t last forever — maybe just this year. 🙂

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  4. Medeia Sharif Avatar
    Medeia Sharif

    It does get to be too much, but I’m hooked on the information and friendships.

    I don’t know how people who blog everyday do it. I did sign up for the A to Z challenge in April. I wanted to see what it’s all about, and it’s only one month. I know I’ll be under a lot of pressure to blog six days a week. My posts will definitely be on the shorter side. On my normal blog schedule, with no blogfests and when I’m not hosting an author, I blog twice a week like clockwork. It works for me, but others do better with fewer or more posts than me. It all depends on what someone has to say, their blog theme, etc.

    I use my reader and with WordPress I get email updates. People who regularly comment will know when you have a new post up, and they will pop in to say hi.

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    1. Katia Raina Avatar
      Katia Raina

      You, Medeia, are a blogging queen. I, on the other hand, thinking about this now as I am “talking it over with you guys” am not ready for that level .. yet! 🙂 I know what you mean about the information and the friendships. I will keep you guys posted as I search for my own balance with it all.

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