Thursday, September 20, 2007

Blogging Around -- Robin

I’ve been unfaithful lately. I’ve been “checking out” those other blogs…the ones that aren’t kidlit blogs (but it was only this one time and I’m sorry and I had too much to drink and it was reckless and cruel, but if you just took out the trash more often maybe I wouldn’t have to stray).

Nah, I’ve been visiting political blogs because my new middle grade novel has a political/historical thread to it and I needed to do some research. And when you start doing research on political blogs…you can lose three hours real quick.

Everyone and their cousin and their cousin’s invisible friend has a political blog nowadays. You can find an opinion on anything. Even opinions on having opinions! Which I find to be a good thing, but you have to scrape through the muck and the gunk to find the one nugget of information that will actually make it into your novel. And that takes time, especially when you can’t help yourself from reading through the comments sections and, in the political blogging world, they can get really nasty…and very entertaining!

One thing I’ve found useful when researching public opinion on historical events is to read the blogs of those on “the other side.” Because, of course, I take with me my own opinions when researching, but knowing both sides to an event is critical when presenting information to kids (or anyone).

So hopefully I’ll get this fascinating research done soon so I can start planting these nuggets into my story. But meanwhile, I gotta get back over to the comments section at LaughAtLiberals.com and find out if Suzanne and Dave are still slinging obscenities over gay marriage!

I love being a writer.

- Robin

7 comments:

LindaBudz said...

Hah! My husband has a political blog, and so I spend about half of my time on kid lit blogs and the other half on political blogs. A very different tone to the comments sections, wouldn't you say? And yes, the posts on gay marriage always tend to elicit the most, and the most colorful, comments!

Disco Mermaids said...

I knew it!

Eve and I had our suspicions for several months now. Don't think we didn't notice your late-night comments on those "other" blogs. And don't think we didn't notice the way...

You know what, nevermind. I'm sure you had your reasons.

I'm gonna go take out the trash.

- Jay

Disco Mermaids said...

And take out the recycling while you're up, dear.

-Robin

Natalie said...

I noticed that Cheryl Klein (http://chavelaque.blogspot.com/) has added a political endorsement for Obama on her blog...could this be the first kiddie lit/politico blog combo on the internet? How about having the D.M.'s run for office?? I'd vote for ya.

Disco Mermaids said...

Don't think we haven't thought about it, Natalie. But we're gonna have to wait till 2012 when Jay's eligible to run for office (right now, he's still 3 years too young...just a little baby).

Anonymous said...

Once again, more comments from the DMs themselves on their own blog than from other readers! Of course, I just evened the score. Lamy

Sarah Darer Littman said...

hey, I have a political blogging alter ego too: http://saramerica.livejournal.com

In fact, I'm a blogging co-host to a blograiser pub quiz:

http://party2win.com/himesforcongress/parties/index.cfm?e=pubquiz

Too bad you guys live on the Left Coast - you could be Saramericans!