Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Two Things

1. I hit 90,000 words today on the sequel to MAZE. I'm right in the thick of the climax, and it hasn't been easy. Not sure why. It's funny, though. I'm so anxious for people to read this 2nd book and the first one is still over 5 months away!!!

2. Simple question. Should I twitter, or should I not twitter? I've signed up, even have some followers, but haven't used it yet. My faithful blog readers are going to decide for me. Tell me what you think.

42 comments:

Q said...

Yes! Twitter.

And keep working on that sequel.

Don said...

I think I'm too old to 'get' the big deal about Twitter. But if you figure it out, maybe you can share it with us unlearned masses.

Why Not? Because I Said So! said...

Of course you need to Twitter! With TweetDeck you can post a comment to facebook and Twitter at the same time. Jump in join the fun.;)

KitKat said...

I personally use Facebook. In writing my book as well, I've noticed that it gets sluggish in the parts I least anticipate it to be. Aw well, I guess it's all part of being an author deal.

Magenta said...

I haven't twittered before. Unfortunately, this YouTube video set my opinion on it instantly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN2HAroA12w

The vid's funny, but the ending is weird.

My Dashnog word is Stized. That reminds me of stigma. Maybe it could be an adjective synonomous to boredom.
Usage: I'm really stized right now.
(Not really. ^,^)

The Scarlet Tart said...

Mmmmmm. I'm not the one ask. I don't Twitter. I used to be on Facebook all the time, but it was sucking my life away so I stopped.

I wouldn't worry too much about getting stuck at this point in the writing process. It doesn't have to be perfect this time around. There's still the editing ahead of you. :)

Natasha @ Maw Books said...

Oh yes. Twitter. I even follow you even though you haven't said a thing yet. I've had nothing but positive experiences with Twitter. I love it.

Unknown said...

Yes, Yes, Yes! I love Twitter. Seriously love it. Come find me @bookmom2000

Anna said...

DON"T TWITTER. I don't use it, but it'll just be one more thing on the internet to clog up your mind and distract you when you could be doing other more important things.

Suey said...

1. It seems that authors must learn to have a HUGE amount of patience.

2. Please! Twitter! I'm following you already and have been wondering if/when you'd ever start tweeting. I went to it rolling my eyes, but turns out, it's actually quite fun.

James Dashner said...

Anna is the only voice of dissent so far. Rebel! You better do some campaigning or you might be outnumbered.

It actually seems pretty easy. You can just send quick texts with your phone to tell everyone on the list what you're doing.

But I sent my confirmation text and it still hasn't worked. Not a good start!

The Scarlet Tart said...

It's a sign. I'm with Anna. Don't do it.

Tristi Pinkston said...

Personally, James, I wouldn't. It's cool and quirky and all that, but I was on it for a little while and didn't consider it a good use of my time.

Laura said...

Don't do it. It will suck the spare minutes out of your life. Minutes that could have been spent eating ice cream, taking a walk, or staring blankly out the window. A study was done on college students who did myspace and ones who didn't. The ones who didn't had higher grades. You've already got facebook, a blog and a crazy tour schedule, not to mention conferences and writing books. Breathe already!

Anna said...

Looks like I'm not the only one anymore! Seriously, since I started facebook, I really wish that I didn't. A friend sort of forced me....and these kind of things do have advantages, like keeping in touch w/ friends and fam, or getting in touch with people you never see. But it is time consuming. Literally brain fogging. That's why I don't start Twitter.

numberonedashnerfan said...

I cant use twitter or myspace facebook youtube ....ok a lot of things so I dont know...most likely not.....yay for word count...woot woot...lol....honors orchastra was amazing yesterday...tell you more when I found the program cause well ya.......my list above is kinda sad.....I was lame and walked the mile in gym today so it took me like 11 min. its lame I was sapostta run it in 8 min 30 sec for full points but i walked cause it was early i was tired it was like 8:40 in the morning....word areast def tmi (too much info) usage i tell areast too much....tiki tiki

Anonymous said...

I'm a dissenter but only because I don't have time for things like twitter. I barely have time for my blog, let alone facebook or twitter. But it's a popular concept and it might help with increasing your fan base. You decide and we'll support you. =]

James Dashner said...

Hey, this is startin' to kind of even up here. I must be easily persuadable because now Twitter is sounding really stupid and time wasting to me.....

Plus I did exactly what they told me to with the phone confirmation thingy and it didn't work. I'm not an idiot. I don't think so anyway.

Unknown said...

Are you kidding? You're James Freaking Dashner. You wrote The MazeRunner, for crying out loud! Don't get tangled up with the Twitter crowd.

They're run by a militaristic Jetenta anyway; jetenta is the new Dashnog, meaning a mob-minded aristocracy with terrible tech support and a nonexistent customer service department. Rise above it, brother!

Ben Crowder said...

Twitter is just a tool, folks. You can use it or abuse it just like anything else. You can read every tweet or you can just skim; you can post tweets all the time or just when you feel like it; you can follow thousands of people or just a small handful. It's all up to you. Besides, there are many, many benefits to Twitter that are worth the small investment of time (which only has to be five minutes a day, if that). You connect with more readers, and they feel more connected to you. It's far more fun than Facebook, and since it's so lightweight, it doesn't fill up your mental RAM. It did take me three tries before I finally decided I liked Twitter, but now I'm hooked. (Make sure you give it a decent trial run before deciding one way or the other, by the way -- two or three weeks should be enough.) Twitter's value makes it completely worth the time I put into it, and it honestly doesn't feel like a burden at all. I love it. It's hard to predict trends, but Twitter is a bandwagon you don't want to miss out on.

Magenta said...

Has anyone seen the video yet? I'm guessing not. Here's the link again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN2HAroA12w

I think this must be what Twitter is really about.

I guess I don't use it because I don't have a cellphone, and making long, proper blogs is much too fun to bother with tiny, trivial snippets.

Ah, here's a funny word: Dibbyxo. A spoiled brat who calls dibs on just everything about. If you're five years old, you absolutely hate this kid.

J.N. Future Author said...

don't twitter!

Diva Donna said...

Okay so here is the only thing I know about Twitter--Costa Vida has a twitter special and every once in a while they send out a twitter something or other and you get to go in and have a FREE Burrito. That's right you just show them the phone message from them and your $8 lunch is Free. That's the only thing I know about it.

Dashnog= Entely--certainly or absolutely usage I entely think you should make up your own mind about whether or not to Twitter.

Diva Donna said...

new word--Chanti [shan tee] cool, awesome. smiley.
Usage: Chanti! You hit 90,000words.

The Scarlet Tart said...

Are you at Storymakers this week?

Cluttered Brain said...

1- I have a twitter account, signed up a couple of months ago. I have to agree with Anna on this one. Don't twitter. It IS just one more thing to clog up your head and computer that you just HAVE to do. Just update your Facebook account or your blog and that should be good.

2- I just attended the LDS Storymakers Conference yesterday and met you for the first time at lunch. Then I went to your talk about Lessons Learned from the Maze Runner! WOW! You are a terrific speaker and I haven't read anything you have written YET but I'm sure you are probably good. WOW! I can create something good too. I will! I will! Thanks for the motivation to get off my BUTT and start writing. I have one more day of the conference and I am so EXCITED! I have always liked writing since my high school creative writing class. Now I think I will pursue and submit. (Submit after I think I have something poloshed enough to send to publishers) Your lessons learned were harsh--but it helped me. I can do this. Even with three little monsters destroying my house. Well, I better get ready for one more day of the conference.
3- And also (oops I just started a sentence with And. . .) Oh well. You are also an EXCELLENT blogger! I can almost hear you talk through your blogging. Awesome! I'm following you for sure. I don't know how many followers you have but I bet it has to be close to the thousands by now.

Cluttered Brain said...

And yes I had to giggle when I read my last comment. When I have something that is poloshed enough...I meant polished. Sorry. Isn't there spell check on your leave a comment form? Come on, get with the program now!!!! LOL!

Shaunda said...

Twitter. It's fun. And takes less time to keep in touch with folks than a blog or email. I don't link it to my phone. I just check in from the web now and again.

Lisa Mangum said...

Congrats on your win at the Whitney Awards tonight!!!!

Unknown said...

I took a moment to read the first chapter of Maze Runner at the conference today and it was pretty slick. It's like that word on despair.com, "wickedosity". Don't bother looking it up. You are the definition.

Diva Donna said...

WHAT happened at the Whitney's?
Graham you are hilarious and I love 'wickedosity' that is fabulou.

NEW DASHNOG WORD
Pelizi=[pel eeezee] A really intense form of please like a quadruple please with sugar frosting on top...Usage would someone pelizi tell me who won the whitney's!

Diva Donna said...

Rondie--euphoric, happy and exhausted and ready to dance all night at the same time. Usage-After the rush of the first day at the conference, I'm feeling a little rondie.

James Dashner said...

I won the Whitney Award for Best Youth Fiction. Completely unexpected and I'm very honored.

I'll try to do a full report of the conference tonight or tomorrow.

The best part? Seeing and hanging with all the Dashner Duders.

The Scarlet Tart said...

Congratulation!

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

I definitely suggest using Twitter. But only if you follow me. Otherwise it's a complete waste of your time.

Melinda said...

Congratulations James!!!!

I'm so happy for you!

You are having a really great year and it's only April.

Diva Donna said...

Dashner!!!!
Chanti! You're Bross! After sawantling around the conference knotted up with mangst and spewing picis comments like "Mull's gonna win." You look like an andavat cleale now because all of us CHALSIONS had faith and we are Ringled, Exaphyd, and totally Rondie over your win! Typor is jealous of your honspot. Sarkbil, Dashner.

Diva Donna said...

I'm an official follower now. Look how cool you are.

Unknown said...

Dashnog: reakisko. It's the practice of selecting only the awesomest books for one's personal library. Usage: all Dashnoggers live by the tenants of Reakisko.

Kellie said...

Ok, this has nothing to do with Twitter, because I hate networking sites and am kinda bummed that everyone talked about how important they are at the conference. Anyway, I just wanted to say congratulations on your Whitney Award!!! See you next year (unless I can get to Utah sooner)!

James Dashner said...

Thanks everybody! I finally blogged about it.

Donna, that was some major good use of Dashnog.

Austin said...

Don't Twitter I'ts Not Worth It! Tee Hee. Everyones gonna bee pist at me :(