I realized the Web has led to many people joining the gig economy and being freelancers and touting themselves from their blog. Among publishers, since most books lose money, it is common to encourage their writers to have a “web platform” as in to already have readers, as in lessening the risk of publishing. As for Now Pages, it’s as if many people see their Now Page as a platform, with links to their other platforms.
The Now Page is defined as “what you would want a friend to know if they haven’t contacted you in a year.” Derek Sivers, who has lots of new projects from year to year to talk about, hosts a horde of people’s Now Pages through a link on his web site.
Hordes: Too many to read them all, my eyes glaze over.
Sivers has recently made a post about how to program one’s web site to have a Now Page.
Mine is the only unorthodox comment—Unlike the other commenters I am not enthused. I did not say my eyes glaze over at reading all the beautiful people; and I wrote using “I,” not merely to be politically correct, showing that “I can only know myself,” but to modestly avoid any chance of saying “you guys” or “you should.”
As for my own blog not having a Now Page, truly not much has changed since my first post. (where I told about myself)
So here’s what I commented:
QUOTE
They.
I remember one night when I stayed up conversing with an artist as he worked, and, as regards “artists,” he said, “Your perspective will change when you stop saying “they.”” … I thought, “Oh.”
In the years since then I have self-identified as an artist, at least in part of my life, and I can believe it when work teams say I am the creative one on the team. Such a change.
They: That’s how I see the folks on this website’s Now Page (found by scrolling down past the book covers) They seem to have so many titles, so many interests, so much energy, and so much positivity. I feel so plain.
In the years to come I might have commercial activities I want to tell others about, and glamorous interests. But just now I feel silly about telling anyone my hobbies that are fun for me, very fun, but puzzling to others. As for what’s changed in the last year, I’m as boring as Picasso, mostly in his room doing his painting year after year. Even my mother wouldn’t care if I have quietly changed from painting cube shapes to having a blue period. “That’s nice, dear.”
So I don’t have enough to say for a Now Page. Maybe some other year.
UNQUOTE
… …
… …
Sean Crawford
Enjoying the rain, (This will be drought year)
Calgary,
May, 2024
Update note: Arrgh! I still don’t have a daily morning writing practise!
But at least I am in a weekly fiction writing group where I write up to six pages weekly, (wow!)
a weekly fiction copy edit group of two pages, (revising my revisions to the above)
a fortnightly nonfiction group of three pages, (see next week)
and I still post here, but I’m no longer rigidly committed to a posting schedule. (see last week)
All of which would sound boring to respectable people, sans bookcase, sans library card.
