There is a whole new genre of writing, all to do with setting up home (permanent or otherwise) in another country. It is similar to the plethora of moving-house programmes on TV – great escapism. Unlike the Lilian Beckwith type of book, which irritated the Western Isles people so much, the modern breed of writers manage to engender praise rather than criticism from the locals in their chosen new areas. Could this be to do with the craving for celebrity, or does it simply reflect a desire for vicarious publicity and monetary gain? Sadly it is probably the latter.
What then of Blogs? Do the writers want publicity, influence or is it all mere whimsy? There is no chance of monetary gain – unless one has incredible traffic, in which case advertising might bring in revenue. But that is the exception rather than the rule. So we must all be budding authors, sitting at a keyboard at unsocial hours, speaking to a partly unknown public, waiting to be discovered. Travel writing of a different kind, through cyberspace. Immortality or idiocy?
Freda: That's pretty deep…I thought it might simply be an interactive diary! Whatever it is doesn't really matter all that much as long as it makes you feel good to do it. Life is short, keep it sweet. Starr from Winnipeg.
In your case at least, I’m sure it’s not idiocy! I very much enjoy your writing. I live in a very small town in the US and work as a counselor – so my social circle is small and at work I hear mostly about others’ problems and hurts so it’s nice to have your writing (whimisical and/or thought provoking) to read at the end of the day. Thank you for your blogging! – Annie