Thursday, April 22, 2010

Where are the Brits?

In my recent explorations through the blogosphere I've noticed one thing: the number of British writing blogs compared to North American ones is severely lacking.

I could be wrong, but I have tried to find British writers who blog -- writers who, like me, aspire to have their fiction published. And I've found some great ones, but for the most part the majority of blogs I've encountered have been from across the Pond.

Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course, but reading Karen Jones Gowen's post about demographics made me wonder if I should seek out more Brits (if you haven't read her post, hop over - it's great food for thought). After all, I am based in London, this is where I have the most influence with bookshops should I ever be so lucky, and even though it is a global marketplace and all that, it makes sense to target my own geographical location.

But it's been a tough task! Have aspiring British writers not fully hopped on board the blogging bus?

And if they have, then where the bl**dy hell are they?

**If anyone reading this is a writer, from the UK, with a blog, please leave a comment so I can follow you!**

53 comments:

  1. *shouting* I love British writers!

    ReplyDelete
  2. You know, I'm not surprised! There are hardly any Brit agents that accept e-queries either. But re US agents, good luck finding one that still accepts queries via regular mail. Perhaps the Brits are too afraid to grow technologically? Just a thought, I'm neither, Brit, or Yank, I'm a bloody Aussie, so I proboably wouldn't know ;)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks Michelle! :)

    Interested in hearing if anyone else has noticed the same thing - or am I missed something?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Good question. Good luck in your search :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hey AA! (That rhymes!)

    I think you're right. Although agents here are slowly starting to accept e-queries, they are much more traditional, it seems. Also I think Brits perhaps are less keen on self-promotion and the whole 'building a platform' in general. Maybe that has something to do with it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dude, I'M A BRIT!!! *waves*

    But I think you already know that ;~)

    I totally agree and can only suggest they are hiding somewhere in an exclusive corner that I have yet to find.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Interesting to know this, I think I have only one other Brit who visits my blog. Any ideas on why the British might not be blogging as much?

    ReplyDelete
  8. i feel that way about fantasy writers sometimes. It's mostly YA or romance blogs i follow.
    But i actually follow more aussie blogs than brit.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Mia, I know you're a Brit! :) You, Old Kitty, Rosalind, Ellen, Brigid... I'm missing some, I know! I'm glad to have have found you lot but I'm wondering where the rest are hanging out?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oops - sorry Brigid and Ellen, I'm NOT suggesting you're British but rather that you're on this side of the ocean. I know you're IRISH! :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Actually, Talli, thats a good point, there are a lot of us Irish around and Americans, have to be UK ones around lurking somewhere, maybe they are all starving in a garret somewhere suffering for their art and have no technology available, will send some your way if I come across them.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Interesting that you gradually find people from your own country. I ask myself where are the Canadians? I am finding a number of good ones.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I don't know if you've ever been to the site, authonomy.com, but it's run by HarperCollins U.K. and it's full of Brits trying to get their books published. If you check out the forums, or post a question, I'm sure you'll get lots of replies. I'd say the demographics there were probably at least 50% Brits. Try not to get sucked into the site though. It's addictive, and I found, not very productive.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Part of what you're seeing is simply a matter of population. US and Canadian combined population is roughly 343 million, compared to only 62 million Brits.

    I also think the British education system probably plays into the phenomenon--a college education is still an elite thing, unlike here. As education has become (perhaps overly) democratized, we Yanks have developed a (perhaps false) perception that the ranks of the culture-making published authors is more open and less elite than it is perceived there.

    We Yanks are also enculturated to be braggarts by British standards. I've read _Watching the English_ and think Fox is spot-on about the way Brits highly value humbleness. Blogging is a bit too much like tooting one's own horn for some, don't you think?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Nice save there, Talli :p

    Funny, I've found a few Irish writing bloggers but very few Brits! I like Brits and most things British, so could you guys make yourselves known so I can follow you all immediately?

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hey thanks for the shout out Talli! And this can be a problem since we don't get each other's books right away without a whole lot of trouble.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi

    I hope you don't mind if I put the following fab Brit writerly bloggers forward?

    Milton!!http://miltonthemagnificent.blogspot.com/
    p.s. Milton's a cat and allows his writer human to use his blog now and again!

    Kate m - very talented - writes amazing flash fic and poetry!
    http://katemascarenhas.wordpress.com/

    alex fleetwood - she's also submitted a full ms - fingers crossed
    http://hampshireflyer.wordpress.com/

    the lovely Lexi!! continues her journey to find representation for her complete and fab novels!
    http://lexirevellian.blogspot.com/

    welshcake - she's really nice and writes children's fiction
    http://welshcake.blogspot.com/

    They're all lovely like you! And very British!

    :-)


    take care
    x

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh, thank you Old Kitty! I will check them out for sure!

    Ellen - *hangs head*. So sorry. I worked with an Irish teacher who made it very clear to me how annoying that is!

    Mary - Oh, Authonomy. I've tried it, and I ran away screaming!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I understand! A few of mine are across the pond, and the majority are across the line. I shall have to do a Canadian wide search.

    I do know one Brit fellow and will forward him your URL. It just takes one to create the domino effect!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Well you've visited me but do you know about the other NNovel Racers?

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hey I'm British too don't forget me.lol.

    I'm not sure why most brits don't blog. But I'm gonna check out those other British blogs old kitty listed.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Talli, I love British people, music, writers ... I pretty much love all things UK except for the food. But I hear London has the best Indian Restaurants in the world and I love me some Tikki Masala and Tandoori ...

    Uh anyway I'm guessing that the reason you see so many more American blogs is because there are just so many more of us in the world ... unfortunately.

    Best of luck with locating your countrymen.

    Today's guest blogger is Michelle McLean!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I have no idea where they are! You're one of the only ones I've met. :) Glad you're here.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Sigh...I wish I were in the UK. It's the only country I REALLY want to visit. Not sure why, think it's a former-life thing.

    I've run across several blogging Brits, I'm wondering if a lot of us just don't broadcast where we're from and that's why it seems there aren't as many?

    ReplyDelete
  25. I don't know where they are, but I love to read their (your) blogs because I love the way you speak - even if I can't hear the accent, I love the slightly different word choices, etc. I've always had a thing for England, when I was little I was convinced I was born on the wrong continent. Of course, that was deep into my Agatha Christie phase. :)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Im surprised you're not on the 'thewordcloud.org' They are sponsored by the writer's workshop and that's where I hang out! Emma Darwin is a moderator, whe also blogs and I have a few brit blogs on my page. You should join us!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Thanks Creepy Query Girl! I'll have to check it out. I have read Emma's blog from time to time but she doesn't seem to have a 'follow' button and I always forget to check back again.

    And Lindsay - sorry! You momentarily slipped my mind!

    I should clarify that I'm not a 'native' Brit but I've been for quite awhile so I definitely feel like one!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I'm not a Brit but I want to visit England very much. Does that count? Haha. Hope you're having a great day, Talli!

    ReplyDelete
  29. You know I've never taken a real notice to where everyone was located, of course ideally I would love for all of you to live in Houston so we could all be friends and joy tea (I don't drink coffee) and book talk!!!

    Good Luck with finding the brits! If I find some I'll send them your way!

    ReplyDelete
  30. One more thing!!! I was just about to search for you on facebook and low and behold you added me first!!! Too awesome!! Thanks bestie!

    ReplyDelete
  31. I'm not from Britain. But it feels sometimes like I live in The Twilight Zone. Just think. You're a pioneer. That's something. Roland

    ReplyDelete
  32. Old Kitty at Ten Lives and Second Chances and Marsha Moore at Write On are my British blogging buddies (besides you, of course). If you're looking for Irish ones, I have Brigid at Sort of Writing and Ann at Inkpots and Quills.

    Having an International fan base can't hurt. Just have fun!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Milton here. Thanks for the recommendation Old Kitty :) xx In the past I've allowed Muttie to talk about writing on my blog, but it was a mistake cos she's started demanding more exposure. I need the room for gorge photos of me!

    Muttie here - great to see other UK writers I didn't know about. I'll be linking in to them.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Well one of them is here - thanks for the kind words Old Kitty! :)

    ReplyDelete
  35. I'm over here on the wrong side of the pond, but I love reading blogs from elsewhere like Lauri Kubuitsile from Botswana. (And yours.)

    Also, if you were from the U.S., you could spell out bl**dy. It's not a curse word. ;-)

    Helen
    Straight From Hel

    ReplyDelete
  36. I have a lot of English and Scottish blood in me, does that count?

    ReplyDelete
  37. Me! Me! I'm a Brit and a wannabe novelist! A most endearing combination, if I say so myself.

    ReplyDelete
  38. I can talk in a fake British accent...if that'll help. :)

    ReplyDelete
  39. Fran! I'm so sorry, I couldn't remember your name at the time - all I could think about was 'the teacher who went to the seaside resort in Wales'... It *is* an endearing combination and I'm glad I found you!

    Thank you, everyone else, for the great suggestions. I'm going to check them all out!

    And yes - British accents, heritage, etc - they count! :)

    ReplyDelete
  40. Well, does it help that I am British at heart? I say Bloody Hell... I say Brits are across the pond, I have a love of tea with milk and sugar (grandma taught me to drink it properly.) XD

    I wouldn't feel so blessed if you weren't blogging. :D So glad you are.

    ReplyDelete
  41. And the Brits DO have beautiful buses! :o)

    Not sure why that is, but I've noticed it too. Maybe Brits do more vlogs? I mean, no other English speaker can resist your accents. (Ha, ha.)

    I can think of only one other off the top of my head: Jayne at The Novice Novelist.

    ReplyDelete
  42. I follow Kathryn at Crystal Jigsaw, The Virtual Victorian, Fairhedgehog and Really Rachel and Marsha Moore to name a few. All Brits. Oh and of course Kitty, but you know her! Oh and I forgot Jinksy.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Get those Brits going on the blogging, will ya?

    ReplyDelete
  44. I never really noticed or thought about it before, but that's a good question. :)

    ReplyDelete
  45. You know what, I think you're right. There aren't a lot of British bloggers, at least in my circle of friends. Most of the non-Americans I know are from Australia.

    ReplyDelete
  46. A lot of the sci-fi bloggers I follow are British, like Hagelrat at Unbound. They are out there!

    ReplyDelete
  47. Wow you live in Britain? That is awesome. I've always wanted to travel there. And that's kinda funny that you can't find too many british bloggers, no idea why there aren't more but hey :) .....

    I HAVE A BLOG AWARD FOR YOU OVER YONDER ON MY PAGE!

    ReplyDelete
  48. Talli, I have once again banished my electonic ghost from my blog, feel free to visit. Apologies !!

    ReplyDelete
  49. British blogger right here! I had no idea we were so rare until you pointed it out and wow, it's so true now that I think about it.
    - Sophia.

    ReplyDelete
  50. I'm not British but I'm from Europe - close enough? And I'll be moving to the UK in the fall:) Add me if you want;)

    ReplyDelete
  51. Thanks for the links, Kitty, will check them out!

    Talli, I'm a bit of an Anglophile anyway (London is my favourite city after Dublin, and if Dublin wasn't my home London would be in the lead), so I tend to let it go :)

    ReplyDelete
  52. Hi Talli,

    Sorry, I've come late to this party - but I'm a British blogger too! Just found your blog via comments on Welshcake's rather excellent blog and love the sound of 'The Hating Game.' Will be following you from now on :)

    ReplyDelete
  53. I'm a British blogger but I like to write about travelling and am rarely in London these days - not sure I really count but wanted to join in the debate regardless!!

    ReplyDelete

Coffee and wine for all!