Kate Baggott's Blog: Cornfields of the Sea - Posts Tagged "manhood"
So Glad to Be a Woman
I wrote my last post Thinking About Image before my holiday free time was in force. My husband gifted me a Samsung Galaxy II, so I've been reading my favourite magazines that I neglect the rest of the year.
Two Salon articles I read made me relax a little on the appearances department. I might have some typically female neurosis about not being beautiful, but there is one saving grace in the whole issue: at least I am not a man. Those poor creatures have it bad. In particular, I'm thinking of the article in which Rachel Kramer Bussel has to ask the question Is My Vibrator Ruining my Relationship? due to her boyfriend's insecurity. And, another, in which Mychal Denzel Smith declares the Measure of My (his) Manhood at 7.5 inches, that's 19cm in case you were wondering.
That said, I am going to do the photographic experiment in February to see if a hotter author photo leads to increased book sales. I just have to figure out how to upload new photographs and actually take a few. After, of course, I figure out the whole hair and make up thing.
In the meantime, I've been taking some time off writing and the constant quest for publication/ public approval. I have noticed that one of my favourite writing sites Places for Writers was updated on New Year's Eve. There are opportunities for writers out there, but I am building a mental inventory of them to relax my fears about the coming year. Over the past ten years, the amount of money I earn through writing has not increased or decreased, but I am working harder to earn every single cent and I don't have the "secure" gigs like the monthy technology column I used to write or the regular corporate newsletters I used to ghost. I know other freelance writers are feeling the stress too. That's why we take risks on efforts like America's Next Author even though encouraging the model encourages writers to put their rights on the line.
In the face of economic peril, I chose to risk control over one short story. A story I might, one day, have been paid between $10 and $100 for first publication rights. Obviously, taking the risk paid off for me, but I knew I had a lot of friends going into the "social networking" portion of the contest. Feeling secure or insecure, whether it is about your work as a writer, the quality of your friendships, your appearance as a woman, or the "measure of your manhood" is largely something you have to ignore to get on with any aspect of life. I'm going to just get on with the rest of my holiday now.
Two Salon articles I read made me relax a little on the appearances department. I might have some typically female neurosis about not being beautiful, but there is one saving grace in the whole issue: at least I am not a man. Those poor creatures have it bad. In particular, I'm thinking of the article in which Rachel Kramer Bussel has to ask the question Is My Vibrator Ruining my Relationship? due to her boyfriend's insecurity. And, another, in which Mychal Denzel Smith declares the Measure of My (his) Manhood at 7.5 inches, that's 19cm in case you were wondering.
That said, I am going to do the photographic experiment in February to see if a hotter author photo leads to increased book sales. I just have to figure out how to upload new photographs and actually take a few. After, of course, I figure out the whole hair and make up thing.
In the meantime, I've been taking some time off writing and the constant quest for publication/ public approval. I have noticed that one of my favourite writing sites Places for Writers was updated on New Year's Eve. There are opportunities for writers out there, but I am building a mental inventory of them to relax my fears about the coming year. Over the past ten years, the amount of money I earn through writing has not increased or decreased, but I am working harder to earn every single cent and I don't have the "secure" gigs like the monthy technology column I used to write or the regular corporate newsletters I used to ghost. I know other freelance writers are feeling the stress too. That's why we take risks on efforts like America's Next Author even though encouraging the model encourages writers to put their rights on the line.
In the face of economic peril, I chose to risk control over one short story. A story I might, one day, have been paid between $10 and $100 for first publication rights. Obviously, taking the risk paid off for me, but I knew I had a lot of friends going into the "social networking" portion of the contest. Feeling secure or insecure, whether it is about your work as a writer, the quality of your friendships, your appearance as a woman, or the "measure of your manhood" is largely something you have to ignore to get on with any aspect of life. I'm going to just get on with the rest of my holiday now.
Cornfields of the Sea
When I was in high school, I was lucky enough to be part of a writing workshop with author Barbara Greenwood. Every member of the workshop was to write a short story for a group anthology. I thought w
...more
- Kate Baggott's profile
- 35 followers
