Blog Takeover Day - Wednesday August 11th - a different kind of blogfest

Sally Quilford from over at Quiller's Place had this great idea to celebrate her birthday. It's not the first time she's run this Blog Takeover day. Due to its success she does it every year. I've decided to take part so watch out for a funky post tomorrow, Wednesday! Here's the details in case you'd like to participate. Please do. The more the merrier!


Sally says:

I've been reading The Lost Blogs, which is a funny book about the lost blogs of famous historical folk (didn't know Moses kept a blog? Well you do now) Now obviously I can't call my little challenge the 'lost blogs' idea as I'd get sued...


So I'm calling it Blog Takeover Day, and inviting everyone to join me, for one day only, in letting someone else take over your blog for the day on Wednesday 11th August. Now this doesn't mean handing the keys to someone else and letting them post and have access to all your blogger files. What it means is you posting a blog post on your blog 'written' by someone other than yourself.

SUGGESTIONS:

• Someone famous (and I'd stick to dead to avoid law suits if I were you), or
• A fictional character you've created (perhaps to promote something you've got published?).
• It can be set in the past or future(I realise the date stamps on blogs won't show that, but you could probably allude to various things in the blog post to show it is in a different era).

The important thing is that it's not you. It's up to you whether you put up one long post or a series of posts throughout the day, as long as they're by your chosen person and not by you. It's also up to you whether you use 50 words or 500 words. Of course, when you revert to posting as yourself again is entirely up to you.

The only rule is that it must have all the makings of a proper blog post, not a short story, so you/your chosen character might allude to their earlier blogs (which you don't have to write, don't worry), they might link to other sites, or share pictures. But they're only giving a snapshot of their lives. In short, a genuine looking blog post.

Then send the link to me (that is Sally, use the link at the top,) either in the comments on my blog or by email to squilford(at)gmail(dot)com and I'll put them altogether in one post and send peeps your way. Naturally I won't link to anything sexist, racist, homophobic or hate-fuelled of any kind etc, unless it's clear from the blog post that those prejudices/behaviours are being condemned.

So, remember, Wednesday 11th August 2010 is Blog Takeover Day. Join me in helping to put some smiles back on a few faces. If for some reason you want to take part, but can't do it on Wednesday, don't worry. Join in anyway, when you can and still send me the link. Or if you don't have a blog but have been directed here from my Twitter page, what about doing a Twitter Takeover Day? (it's given me an idea to combine the two).


I know it's short notice, but just think of it as the bit of fun it is, and not a serious writing project.

So bloggers, would you like to be someone else for the day?

The Cyberpoets

I was teaching the other day and we came across this definition for a 'cyberpoet' - one who makes frequent trips to the edge of technology society and traditional culture and strives to be artful in their use of the internet. Well, I thought, that's me and a trillion others. The article went on to say that 'active supporters of the Internet have given themselves a nomenclature to reflect their cultural aspirations - they are the new cyberpoets.'

I like that word 'cyberpoet.' I shall probably be nameless and fameless until I die, but my main claim to cyberpoet status is here on my blog. I've been very ambivilant with publishing posts and have often posted ones that are deeply unsatisfying - my Nike posts - just do it!  My most satisfying posts have been those when an idea comes to me and I give it time to develop before hitting my blog. For the first couple of years I've been full of insecurities - what has this got to do with writing? what will readers think of this? blah, blah...then I'd write something that was just to say - well, I'm still here...still plugging away...not dead yet...

For those wonderful couple of people who have been sitting patiently waiting for me to find myself, I hope you have noticed a difference in my blog entries. I'm hoping this difference has carried over into my short story/article/novel writing as well. I think it has. You ladies are truly inspirational and have found your 'cyberpoet' a long time ago.

My favourite blogs are those that fulfil my idea of 'arty'. Bloggers such as L'American who write on a simple topic yet take the time to craft it into something literary, something beautiful, something to be savoured. (Of course I'm always a sucker for a bit of travel and that might explain my addiction to Laura's blog.) I have a long way to go to reach Laura's level of 'cyberpoet', but I have my aspirations, and isn't that what writing is all about? Each piece should be better than the last as we surely learn by doing. Early blog entries, like early drafts of stories or novels, are surely a way of learning our craft.

So I am blogging the way I want to, refusing to fret over whether anyone will bother to read, to comment,to follow...Blogging is about sharing, reflection, ideas...and isn't that what being a 'cyberpoet' is all about?

As I make frequent (too frequent) trips to the Internet I hope I can write something to satisfy my inner 'cyberpoet.' How about you??

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Just reading through all the blogs I subscribe to and they are really inspirational. Seems people are hard at it everywhere, whether travelling to write about it, attending writing workshops, finding they're mentioned in other blogs, reviewing books...all good...hoping to get one done soon. I'm looking forward to being settled again and being able to work every day, not in bursts. Of course your mind never stops. There's always stories floating around. Meanwhile I have a few to finish up and get out there...