Virtual Interview
Unlike typical media sources, the relationship
between blogger and reader is one to one. As I've mentioned before, I wanted the
reader to be a participant in this project. I haven't masked my email address or
used the book to keep distance between myself and the reader. So I created this
area so you can post questions in the comments section, and I'll answer them in
this blog entry.
You'll find the comments link at the bottom.
Ask away, but please be
respectful.
However, I
think it would've been nice if the list could've included more bloggers who
don't get as much exposure as some of the people here. I mean, doesn't Wil
Wheaton have a book deal of his
own?
(I have to say, I
REALLY resisted editorializing on the need for a Wil Wheaton book just
now.)
-From a Comments
post by
Candice
Candice,
A
valid point and one I struggled with. You see we had almost 70 initial bloggers
selected for the book...and each of those bloggers had multiple entries for
consideration. But I had nothing to do with the selection of who made it and who
didn't. There was no bias.
Also, when
we selected Wil's material, he not only didn't have a book contract...he also
hadn't self published his first book. Since he didn't announce it, we had no
idea he would have a book.
Keep in
mind that when we initially started collecting material, many of these bloggers
weren't the "blog celebrities" that they are today. Their celebrity status came
directly from the quality of their work. Remember this book has been in
production for over a year.
And in
defense of the bloggers who appear...I heard the same criticism from many of the
bloggers in the book who read it already. People like Wil and Choire Sicha
actually asked that we cut some of their
work.
One other factor in this was the
initial page count. The estimate my publisher gave me was off by about 100
pages. I didn't learn this until the book was already in production. At that
point I couldn't add any more content...but I wanted to. I now believe each of
the bloggers would have made it.
In
future books I would alter the rules so that there would be more
diversity.
Hope this answers your
critique.
-Alan
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Posted: Sat
- March 27, 2004 at 08:54 AM
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