How to get Published
February 27th, 2005A VERY timely article by Rachel Singer Gordon (no stranger to print and online publication). She makes a poignant statement about weblogs:
“If you do decide to publish a library or information-related blog or web site as a counterpart to other professional writing, keep these simple guidelines in mind: keep it useful, keep it topical, and keep it professional. Look at what else is out there, and think about where you might fill a niche. Think about your overall research and writing interests and how these can intersect with your online activities. Before establishing your own site or blog, think about how often you can commit to updating it and whether you have the self-motivation to continue writing after the initial creative rush.”
You’ll see another wonderful quote (notice my satire – get it?) from El Presidente elect, which has already made its way around the library circle:
“The temptation to throw your work online without thinking it through leads some to speak quite dismissively of the potential of these self-publishing venues. Michael Gorman, for one, writes: “Unfortunately, if there are writers of genius, or talent, or even basic competence out there blogging, I have yet to find them. In the early heady days of the Internet, we were promised that, in the future, everyone could be published. Alas, that promise is being fulfilled, which should remind us all to be wary of what we wish for†(Our Own Selves: More Meditations for Librarians. Chicago: ALA, 2005: 208).”
The members of ALA are in for one heck of a year. I don’t envy them. Let’s hope that he doesn’t set our profession back 10 years when the job of the president should be to move it forward.
