Category Archives: Blogs, Socials

Authors, Blogs, Socials

Grading Websites

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Michael Hyatt has some interesting thoughts on author websites and points to a tool for grading your site. I thought BwB would rank fairly low, and I could see how we could improve our grade, but our website grade is 95. I wish that meant something. Maybe it means more than I know. Perhaps a more realistic score comes from the blog-specific grader, which gave us a 68. And the grader did not find our Twitter account, so I wonder if that put us down a notch.

Anyway, I’m a little encouraged by our 95 grade. That’s a solid A, and we have room to improve. Our traffic could be much better. Our images could have alt tags, and our pages meta tags. We could allow Sissel to guest blog. Anyway, I’m encouraged.

Blogs, Socials, The Press

Would You Pay to Comment?

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The Sun Chronicle hasn’t appreciated reader feedback recently and has now guarded its article comments with a 99 cent fee. So you can fill out the order form, pay almost a dollar, and comment freely thereafter. I don’t know if that system will apply to only this Massachusetts paper or also to the other two papers the D’Arconte company owns.

Blogs, Socials

Maybe I exist after all!

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I’m sitting here dumbfounded. Andrew Klavan–THE Andrew Klavan, the power cord of whose laptop I am not worthy to untangle–has linked to my story about the “outing” of my pastor, in its separate life over at The American Culture.

Nunc dimittis.

Blogs, Socials, Fiction

Dynamite and other destructive forces

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Loren Eaton at I Saw Lightning Fall reviews Andrew Klavan’s Dynamite Road, and–to my horror–is not entirely sure what to think about it.

It makes sense, then, in telling such a story to join tough-guy mystery with breakneck thriller. What seems a little odd is the unabashed romanticism infusing the proceedings.

I’ll tell you what to think about it, Loren! It’s brilliant! It’s a timeless masterpiece! It will outlive us all!

I’m sure he’ll come over to my view once he’s read the rest of the trilogy.

If not, I have ways to persuade him…

We had bad weather in Minnesota last night, but it came not near me. Here at Blithering Heights we had rain and clouds, and weird light that would do a Broadway stage production proud, but nothing serious. However, down in Rochester where I had supper Sunday night, they did have serious property destruction (three people were killed in small towns in the area).

I thank God it wasn’t worse. One feels a strange, irrational chill when a disaster happens somewhere you recently visited, even though technically it wasn’t anything like a near miss. Strange to think that there was wreckage strewn across Highway 52, on which I drove.

But I’ve given it a lot of thought and have concluded (tentatively) that it probably wasn’t my fault.

Blogs, Socials, Writing

Eight Habits, Make That Nine, for Best Bloggers of Greatness

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Guest blogger Celestine Chua writes, “Top bloggers of excellence have 8 consistent habits – 8 habits, which, when we practice duly, are guaranteed to bring you results.” I don’t see wordiness on the list, so that may be a ninth habit thrown in for free. [/snark]

Blogs, Socials, Religion

Call it a draw

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I got into a disagreement with the gang over at Threedonia today, and found myself decidedly in the minority. They are participating enthusiastically in “Draw Mohammed Day” today, and I said I couldn’t support that.

The odd thing is that, unlike most instances where I find people I like disagreeing with me, I remain pretty sure I’m right.

Which doesn’t necessarily mean I think they’re wrong.

I think we’re dealing with essentially different goals.

I believe I see the point of “Draw Mohammed Day” pretty well. In fact, for a short time I was considering participating. I can see it as a line drawn in the sand against Islamic noodgery, the constant “what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine too” mindset that says they are free to insult our religion, but we have to keep our unclean hands off theirs. “This is America,” the Mohammed Drawers are saying. “In America, we may not like it if somebody insults our religion, but if somebody does, we don’t kill them. They don’t even go to jail. If you want to live here, then get used to our rules. Otherwise, go back to the Sharia paradise you came from.”

If promoting Americanism is your primary value, I entirely understand.

But my primary value is not Americanism. It’s the Kingdom of God. I want to win the Muslims for Christ, and Christ’s commandment is to love our enemies, and pray for those who persecute us.

I don’t want anybody to insult my faith. So I won’t insult theirs. Even if they started it.

Seems pretty simple to me.

Blogs, Socials

Tweet Round-up

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I’ve been tweeting on a BwB profile here, saying things like this:

  1. People can’t talk about themselves with total honesty, but its harder 2 avoid t truth when you pretend 2B other people http://bit.ly/baPrBB
  2. “Massive Oil of Olay slick causing fresher, younger-looking fish” http://bit.ly/9PXrqR HT:Lars Walker, http://bit.ly/16Ujpg
  3. RT: jaredcwilson “The very thing we are allergic to — our helplessness — is what makes prayer work.” — Paul Miller
  4. RT @bwladd: Spurgeon:The greatest enemy to human souls is the self-righteous spirit which makes men look to themselves for salvation.
  5. “It will be a Republican year. The question is how much.” Joe Savino #p2
  6. Read O’Connor’s “The Life You Save May Be Your Own.” Didn’t get it. Is the incomplete man acting dishonorably b/c he’s incomplete?
Blogs, Socials

Who Do You Follow on Twitter, If Anyone?

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Rachel Deahl of PW writes about who is influential on Twitter. She notes, “One firm fact of the publishing Twittersphere is that it’s a meritocracy. CEOs and editorial assistants—if they’re skilled (and frequent) tweeters—can draw equal crowds.”

Rados, who was named repeatedly as someone who ‘gets’ Twitter, said she believes the social networking site can sell books. ‘An author can tweet about their life, their process, start a conversation about their characters, and those readers who feel a connection will most likely buy a book. I know I do,’ she said. Rados then elaborated with an example, pointing to Jen Lancaster, author of My Fair Lazy, who she follows. The day Lancaster’s new book came out, Rados said she bought it, in hardback.

I’d think blogs can do that too, but one does have to be where the people are. I’ve thought about tweeting a bit, microblogging as it were. I’m not sure it’s for me though. I don’t even have a smart phone or a personal laptop, so why should I try to get involved in the Twitterverse?

Blogs, Socials, Bookselling

Between the Pages: Bookselling

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The invaluable Roy Jacobsen has a daughter bookselling and blogging now. Her name is Patricia Schnase, and here’s a post of her tips for a more pleasant experience for everyone at the local bookstore.