The problem with publishing

If you post something online, it is published.

Unfortunately, what this means is that one has to stratify their ideas-- is this concept craft-worth? Something I'll work on and refine, revise and turn into something artistic and meticulous?
Or, is it just a blog idea? Something to post, think about, and move on from?

Originally, my nonfic was going to be blog-material, and my fic was going to be career-material. It's a silly notion that relegates nonfiction to a second-tier artform, but at least it's not arbitrary, like any other line I draw seems to be.

How do you folks balance the two pulls? Do you only post about yourself and your day? Or have you drawn other lines?

4 comments:

Lux said...: I don't really separate blogging in my mind from craft-work, but because of this, I separate out different kinds of blogging. What attempts I've made at craft blog nonfiction have been distinct from my general sketching— most sketches end up on my personal blog, and the others end up in various other blogs about the topic (for example, Cinnabar Road is craft nonfiction, as separate from flash!squees about food on my personal blog).

My personal blog is more akin to my notebook— cursory, fleeting, meant to capture emotions and outlines rather than scene, character etc from my craft work.; October 9, 2009 at 1:03 AM
floraldeoderant said...: Hmm.

So you post ideas that may turn into publishable manuscripts? Are you just not worrying about editors reading them on your blog and refusing to publish them, as they are considered previously published?; October 11, 2009 at 9:42 PM
Lux said...: Manuscript != published product. Through the traditional publishing process, any blog essays or what have you would be significantly transformed (à la Julie & Julia) enough to be publishable.

Publishers care little about whether or not something's been published before; it's all about whether a new printing would be profitable. The concerns arise with the issue of rights, and any entries on my blogs I own without question, so there's no potential conflict between current and previous licensing.*

*I, like Cory Doctorow, plan to own all my own works in perpetuity, and license print runs.; October 11, 2009 at 10:12 PM
floraldeoderant said...: Oh, granted, that model works well for people who are already known-- Cory Doctorow, George Saunders, David Sedaris, etc. I too, plan to maintain ownership of all my works (and release all under noncommercial share-alike Creative Commons, or through print-runs which will be negotiated separately).

Unfortunately, I am not yet known, so I'm at the litmag and Contest stage of my career. From what I've heard, 90% of the time with litmags, work being previously published is the kiss of death (unless specifically solicited by the zine).

I've just got to pick up enough momentum to be able to sustain a career like that-- in the meantime, I ponder about blogging vs. publishing.; October 12, 2009 at 1:50 AM

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