MySpace Page

[alex_beecroft]

Yay! I now have a mySpace page, which is pretty and highly saturated, and has no truck with concepts of tastefulness ;) Also it's got one of my favourite songs ever embedded in it. (My finger.. is on the button) Unfortunately nothing twinkles, as yet, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time :)

Check out my wounded-angel themed mySpace page if you fancy a glimpse into an entirely different culture from that of LJ ;)

Comments

[joyful-molly.livejournal.com]

Heh! Can't wait for the twinklies! :)

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

Yes, unfortunately I couldn't get in to Facebook to see your new account either, as it wanted me to create an account before it would let me see it. But at least we've mostly got it covered between us!

[layangabi.livejournal.com]

*facepalm* Alex, I am VERY embarrassed, but what with teaching placements and the like, it took me a while to figure out who you were and friend you back. Mea culpa.

And yay for the new myspace! I await the twinkles with patience. ^^

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

*g* No problem at all! Even I'm finding it hard to keep up with who I am any more :)

I'm not really a twinkles kind, but I am starting to feel a few discrete ones somewhere might make it all fit in a bit better!

[black-hound.livejournal.com]

Twinkles?! Oh my. *g*

*covers eyes in advance*

XD

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

*g* Maybe I can make twinkles that look like the muzzle-flash of cannons? That would be almost cool :)

[wulfila.livejournal.com]

So far, I like the looks of your LJ a bit better than the mySpace version, and, pardon my ignorance... Just what does one use mySpace for?

Hm. At least, it made me realize for the first time that "The Witch's Boy" could be characterized as "Dark Fantasy" (ignorant as I am, I always believed that "Dark Fantasy" was the sort of tale where the world is bad by default and everyone laughs maniacally while the entire cast gets murdered... or something like that, anyway. ;)).

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

I have to say I'm not 100% sure what you use it for myself, but I think that it's a quick way to come to the attention of lots of people. It's not set up for people to actually do serious talking, as they would here, but it's good as a networking or advertising tool. I don't think it's going to replace my LJ, though!

Yes, I don't know how dark WB is, technically, but I use the term as a sort of warning that the book contains strongly implied scenes of child abuse, and deals with it as a recurrent theme. It's actually, I hope, quite a hopeful book, but it's too painful a subject not to merit a bit of a warning :)

[shrike-15.livejournal.com]

This is the first myspace page I saw which I almost like. =)

(To me myspace looks to clutterred, but probably it is necessary for artists to have a myspace entry?!)

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

Yay! Thank you! *g* and I did have to hunt through a lot of layouts before I found one I could live with. Some of them are so overwhelming that you can't actually read the writing :)

I think there probably is something to be said for having a page - I mean, on LJ you're doing well to have 100 friends, whereas on mySpace you can get thousands, and each one of those friends will then display your icon/details on their page for all of their friends to see. Advertising-wise if you're trying to sell your book or art, the exposure is greater than LJ by a factor of ten. Not to mention that all the small independent publishers seem to be on there too. I've found more of them in the last day on mySpace than in the last 6 months on LJ :)

[shrike-15.livejournal.com]

=) nice to hear, ehm read.
If time permits I will look around myspace for a bit, maybe it's also a question of getting used to the style. I want to know what's going on online in the local area. LJ is a bit under-represented in Germany.

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

Yes, initially it looks terribly confusing, and then you slowly get used to the layout and it stops being quite so bad - and it really does seem to be massive in terms of the amount of people on it, compared with LJ. I don't know how it compares with Facebook, though. joyful_molly could probably tell you more about that.

[hms-dauntless.livejournal.com]

Alas, there must be something wrong with the new settings of my PC, because the my-Space webpage made my browser crash thrice in a row. However I was able to take a short glimp of the angel, and it's very beautiful. :)
Cannot conceal I'm selfishly hoping you will go on posting in your LJ too. I'm old fashioned, you know. ;)

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, I'm not abandoning LJ at all :) I think they're two very different animals and I probably need both. Though I probably am abandoning GJ, IJ, Wordpress and all the other things I experimented with as an alternative to LJ. I can't keep up with so many blogs!

I enjoy LJ, but MySpace is more in the line of a duty, because it's expected of me by the publishers - who use it themselves to advertise.

[hms-dauntless.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm finding more and more difficult to manage both LJ and GJ, too. I barely catch up with the few comments and posts of my LJ f-page and my average answer-time is dramatically increased to 4-5 days. Of course, it must be taken into account that, in the past, there was a substantial amount of daily posts/comments that were just fandom squeeings or bursts of fandom exasperation, so I suppose I've only come to a steady state. LOL, at present, even the 30 odd icons offered by LJ are almost more than I actually need. :)

I'm following with great interest and curiosity your discoveries of what is expected from a professional writer in terms of self-promotion. BTW, I love very much the "revised " cover for Surrender you offer for download at your website. Very classy and naval. It would be great if they used it for the second edition. :)

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

*g* After hanging about mySpace for some time, I've realized that the current cover is very much the sort of thing that the majority of people like. But for those of us who would prefer a bit of clothing, I'm glad you like my attempt too :)

Oh, and speaking of mySpace, I've now managed to get it so that it looks like my site and blog. The tasteful matching-ness of the whole thing is almost beginning to get a bit over the top now :)

I'm also taking a break from the self promotion thing at least until I have a firm release date! I can't keep selling the promise of a book - I'll just wear myself out before I can really achieve any good. I'll start again once I know it's going to be out.

I think, like you, that in becoming less fannish it automatically becomes harder to find the time to follow all the posts and communities. When you're doing it because it's a duty and not because it's what you really want to do, it's very easy - and often more productive - to do something else instead. (Though I still love my icons ;) )

[hms-dauntless.livejournal.com]

the current cover is very much the sort of thing that the majority of people like
That's fascinating. Doubtlessly, the editors know what they're doing when it comes advertising and selling. Yet, I'm strangely satisfied with my tastes being different from those of the majority. ;)

Alas, my Space remains a forbidden groud for my PC. I tried again your page, but the browser crashed before anything could appear. My new firewall's fault, I suspect.

Was not the book due in December ?

No lack of interest, as far as I am concerned. With a few not noticeable exceptions, the people and the few communities I still have in my f-list are all persons I share interests with and love to follow. But without the fandom pressure, I tend to take my time to answer or enter into a discussion. Which is not a bad thing, all in all : think before speaking is always a good rule. :)

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

*g* Yes, I have to admit that I'm not intending to change what I like and don't like as a result of exposure to a majority of people who are different from me. I think it's too late for that to happen now! If it was going to happen, it would have happened in school. But hopefully, now that I'm a bit older and more mellow, I can learn to enjoy more things and appreciate the variety :)

Ah well, you're not missing much! My myspace page now looks very much like my blog and website.

I have news on Captain's Surrender! I got my first round of edits posted to me today. Hurray! I have no idea what to do with the document, full of comments and red marks, but I daresay I'll figure it out :) So I may be late in replying myself until that's been done and sent back. Which means that I totally agree that lack of fandom pressure is a very good thing!

[hms-dauntless.livejournal.com]

*G* As far as I am concerned, older and older I am for sure, but I've yet to notice any symptoms of age-related mellowing in my sad, cross self. At least where personal tastes are concerned, If I do not like something, there are small chances I can learn anything better than the diplomatic art of keeping my mouth shut about how much I dislike it. :D

I imagine you're overbusy with all these blogs and websites and whatnots. Do you still happen to check your LJ f-lists or do you just use LJ as a blog now ?

That's good news. I means publication is nearer and nearer. Good luck with the revision, then ! I hate editing proofs, because my reading is very quick and I tend to miss details. Take your time and keep me updated about your novel's publication. :)

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

I think with the highly saturated, airbrushed, artificial fantasy-type art which is prevalent on myspace, I used to really hate it, but it's helped me to look at it as a particular naive style. If I accept it as a genre in itself, rather than a replacement for other styles, then I can start to appreciate it for itself. But yes, there are some things that you can't like no matter how you try (and somethings where even trying seems like a bad idea :) )

I am suddenly very busy now that the edits have come in, but I do still check my FL. I just check it less often - usually early in the morning and in the evening. Possibly at lunch time too. But three times a day is a lot less than I used to!

I've done two and a bit chapters today, but I'm quite enjoying it so far! So far it's mostly been a case of missing commas, so that hasn't been too bad :)

[hms-dauntless.livejournal.com]

Taking your word about myspace, as I'm unable to directly see it. :) And yes, as far as I am concerned, trying to acknowledging a sense for the things I do not like is usually the surest way for me to hate them with a vengeance ! :D.

Well, it's still an admirable effort, considered the tons of mails you surely have to manage from having so many blogs/sites/etc ! No wonder you get headaches so often !
I've kept the old habit of checking LJ several times per day, at least while I'm at my work PC, writing the papers some evil editor without any taste will unmercifully send me back as soon as they find them in their mail-box. *G* But I've set a tight filter and it happens very rarely, now, that I comment or reply at once.

That's good. I'm always pleased when I find the publishers have been careful with my work. Enjoy your proof-editing, then. :)

[cassiopaya.livejournal.com]

::ick:: MySpace. Anywhere you go I'll follow you down...I'll follow you down, but not that far.

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

LOL! I think it's quite nice really. It's cheerful :)

[caffeycathie.livejournal.com]

Hi Alex! I was at your myspace before coming over here! I don't know if I left my comment or it was deleted. I get confused with the 'delete' key being first rather than 'post' so either its delayed or I deleted it (again and again) by mistake. LOL

But great to find here too :) I'm trying not to have you think I'm stalking you, smile. Just so looking forward to the releases!

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

Hi Cathie! I'm glad you found me over here - this tends to be the place where I hang out most, and I'm still adjusting to mySpace, which is quite different than what I'm used to. Not to mention that something dodgy seems to have happened to my mySpace page, which has lost its background... very strange!

I was just off having my dinner, as I'm in the UK, but your comments both came through fine, thank you! And I'm so excited to meet a bonafide Linden Bay fan! I hope I can keep up their fine reputation, particularly as it was lee_rowan who gave me my break by telling me about the competition.

I've just had the first copy of the new improved version of Witch's Boy through the door today, so as long as there are no typos or problems with that, it will be available by the end of the week. And 'Captain's Surrender' is due to go in for editing any moment now - which means it'll be out in time for Christmas. Thank you so much for getting in contact and being interested!

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

Oh, also I keep trying to comment on your mySpace page but it tells me 'you must be a friend to comment' - and when I go and click on 'add', it tells me 'this person is already your friend', so I seem to have cursed mySpace already. Sorry!