The Joys of Blogging

As I mentioned earlier this month, I am thinking of putting out a collection of entries from English Dreaming, English Rain in book form. Regardless of it being destined to only have a print run in single figures, I want to ensure that it can survive beyond binary oblivion. The need to preserve is not purely about author vanity. I have learned harsh lessons in how vulnerable memory and the words that help capture it can be.

One of the joys of blogging is interaction with readers and I would like to capture the flavour of that within the proposed English Dreaming, English Rain 2005-2007 tome. To this end, I am looking into the possibility of setting up this blog's first poll. The rough idea is that readers would be able to vote on which entries from the last two years deserve to make the transition from digital to dead tree format. Being the lowest of the lo-tec boys, I am not quite sure how to make that happen yet, so in the meantime if you have suggestions please email me.

Thank you

I love this blog. It is all about the writing. It is not about being good for my career, (anyone who knows me knows I have never been able to do careerism), it is just about the need to write.

There is no one here to tell me I am being libellous or striking the wrong tone. I can just get on with communicating, telling the simple stories with my life. I can shade my words with all the passion, humour and resistance spirit I cannot fit into my published work. This is David Southwell writing, not David Southwell as an author with the job of writing the 101 on parapolitics.

I am in control here. Unlike my books, I am totally responsible. The mistakes are all mine. If you have a problem with what is written, you can take it up directly with the boss. This in itself is one of the beautiful things about blogging, the direct feedback relationship it allows between writer and reader.

One of the pleasant elements springing from the nature of that relationship for me recently has been receiving so many messages of goodwill recently. I am very touched and very grateful. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to wish me a quick recovery. I promise I will try to get back to making regular dispatches as soon as possible.