Sunday 8 February 2009

My achievement (edited version!)


If anyone's wondering why the 'google news' link and 'edit me' links have appeared apparently randomly at the top of my blog screen, rest assured, this isn't the result of some random blog activity. No, it's my technological incompetence rearing its shaggy pretechnosapiens head once more. Yes, I tried to 'edit' the link to a link to my publisher's website and no, it didn't work. What is it with me and edits?

If you click on one (don't ask me which one, I can't be expected to remember everything - or even anything) it takes you via some miraculous virtual highway to the details of CUT SHORT - a short cut to Cut Short. The other one takes you to Crime Time magazine (article on page 14-15 I think - another memory lapse) I'd intended the links to be identifiably named and also to appear in the links section of the blog, not appear hovering weirdly in space. There's also a link on the profile page which calls itself a link to my webpage. It's not my webpage, but it is the webpage about Cut Short on my publisher's website.

So I've achieved something. I don't understand how I did it, and it's not what I intended, but it's something. Which is quite an accurate summary of my life as a writer. Sound familiar?

26 comments:

Middle Ditch said...

Well, at least it's there Leigh. Does it matter how you did it? Technical incompetence? I wouldn't even be able to, how hard I would try. Anyway, I'll come back later to check it out. Hubby is impatiently standing behind me wanting to use this computer, so off I go and continue writing that episode I began an hour ago. LOL

Eryl Shields said...

It's a pretty accurate summary of my entire life: intention = action = unintended occurrence + eventual acceptable, if amusing, result = slightly confused, but able to go on, me...

Leigh Russell said...

Do you hand write Middle Ditch, Monique? And I don't believe in your incompetence. it's the gremlins!!!

Leigh Russell said...

Oh the law of unintended consequences, Eryl! Look how it messed up Macbeth . . . It's all there, in Shakespeare. And life.

Leigh Russell said...

I've just been rereading my last post and I'm not sure I understand what I'm talking about, so you're not alone, Monique . . . I feel more than slight confusion, Eryl . . .

I'm off to do some writing . . . maybe kill someone . . . (fiction of course!)

BernardL said...

Sometimes, success can only be taken at face value. :)

Middle Ditch said...

Oh it's incompetence alright Leigh and I write on my other computer, downstairs in my tiny study on an ancient apple mac that's too old to be connected to the internet. When hubby lets me I visit some of my friends in blogland and check Facebook, Myspace and the Ditch site Hyves where I'm in touch with my family on his computer. Busy, busy, busy ...

Middle Ditch said...

Ahum, read Dutch for Ditch. Cat distracted me.

Charles Gramlich said...

I think you may have just summed up what it means to be a writer. It means something but we don't really know what. Maybe that's true of all art.

I think I might get me a t-shirt that reads. "my work means something" on the front, and "I just don't know what" on the back.

Lol. This was well worth a smile this morning, so you accomplished that for sure.

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

As long as the links are there somehow, who cares.

I'll go and have a look now.

Leigh Russell said...

bernard - too true. Sadly, all too often, people follow Macbeth's advice - "False face must hide what the false heart doth know" It's all there, in Shakespeare!

Leigh Russell said...

Middle Ditch - Oh. There I was, picturing a "Ditch" website - with you in the Middle of it, of course!

Leigh Russell said...

Charles - where can I order one of those Tshirts? On second thoughts, do you do one that says "I just don't know what" on the front and the back?

Leigh Russell said...

debs - yay! someone is following my new link - although I don't think it's really new as I'm sure I put those same links on the blog somewhere else - not sure where . . .(hopeless!)

Barbara Martin said...

Leigh, have you considered taking a wee vacation, maybe to one of those lovely beaches down near Bournemouth.

Not to concern yourself with technical difficulties with blogs, I have the same problem myself at times.

Anonymous said...

Only techytypes understand technology - they designed it that way so we would all have to pay them megabucks to sort out the messes we technomuggles would make of things.

Leigh Russell said...

A holiday sounds great, Barbara. I love Bournemouth, but only a virtual holiday possible at the moment - and not ideal conditions here right now - snow & ice! I don't think I'd be paddling in the sea, even if I were in Bournemouth right now...

Leigh Russell said...

You old cynic, Aggie! But quite right, I suspect.

fizzycat said...

Well, they work and you did it, that is what matters.

Leigh Russell said...

Deciding what matters isn't always easy, fizzy, seeing the wood for the trees. Sometimes it's all trees to me.

Emily Cross said...

Hi Leigh,

i know you started this blog to share your experience of writing - which is brilliant but i was wondering if you would be interested in dropping into http://thewriterschronicle.forumotion.net/forum.htm

its a writer's community forum i created for bloggers to meet, network and share their experiences with writing.

I'd greatly appreciate it if you came over and had a look,

thanks

emily

Leigh Russell said...

Your blog looks great, Emily. I've been working with a group of 6th form at my school - some of them really talented writers - and your blog reminds me of their enthusiasm and optimisim. Makes me feel quite jaded and cynical - but perhaps that's just as well, considering I write crime fiction. If I had too rosy a view of human nature my characters might stop killing each other, and then what would happen to my detective?

Sleepy said...

This whole computer/internet/blogging stuff is all 'magic' to me.
One day I will have that "Fly away Peter, Fly away Paul" moment, when I suddenly undertood that it was the finger that changed and there was no magic..
Until then, I'm still that transfixed 4 year old!

Leigh Russell said...

What are you talking about, Sleepy??!!!No magic? NO MAGIC? You're pulling my leg, if you say it was a finger that flew away. Everyone knows fingers can't fly. Next you'll be claiming there's no tooth fairy!

Sleepy said...

Oh, there is definitely a tooth fairy.
I've met him!
By day he is a Submariner, by night he has a Tutu and a lot of loose change!

Leigh Russell said...

He sounds very scarey!