Saturday, May 29, 2010

Blog your way to fame - part 2

There is another blog which made the writer very famous but I bet not many of you here have read it. I know that I didn't read it when it was at the height of its fame. The blog is Nightjack and it has been the subject of a court case, when The Times tried to find out the name of the blogger behind it. It is a fascinating blog written by a detective and it went on to win The Orwell Prize last year.

I came to this blog very late and was mesmerised by it. The blogging detective deleted it but luckily someone put the archives back online (link above). Following his notoriety the detective was inundated with agents, publishers, television people - all eager to get him to sign an exclusivity deal and a big fat contract but he refused. How do I know this? He is a friend of mine, well more accurately we used to work together and have renewed our contact via Facebook. He is a man of integrity and passion and it just goes to show that some people do not want riches or fame (although I think that both will be his - in his own name - before too long).

30 comments:

the fly in the web said...

Yes, I did find Nightjack...and it's all you say.
He seems a really upright chap.

Clarity said...

Dear darling,

How are you? I don't think my blog could ever bring me fame and that is fine, fame is a transitory state. Prefer respect.

I am intrigued by the detective though, much more than any cooking/lifestyle blog. Shall peruse the archives after, God willing. Next time let's email to avoid such a gap in comm. Peace, X.

Lane Mathias said...

Now that sounds interesting. I shall investigate.
Thanks:-)

Dumdad said...

I remember this blog and the court case etc. I didn't read much of it though. I'm sure it's excellent but I've way too many blogs I follow. I really should cut down to say 15 max but I keep stumbling across blogs that pull me in. Oh well.

Steve said...

This sounds very intriguing. When I've got a spare half hour I might nip over there and take a look!

French Fancy... said...

Fly - He is a lovely lovely man - and didn't deserve all the stick he got from the force. I've emailed you btw.

Clarity - yes, let's stay in touch that way - unless you are going to be in the blogosphere a bit more often

Lane - I think you will find a lot of what he writes absolutely fascinating

Dumdad - doesn't time just whizz by when one is in the blogosphere. You really have to devote a lot of the day to staying abreast. I used to do little and often - now it's more like not so often but for much longer

Steve - and then you can spend another half an hour on the Guardian thread. I feel it is so *you*

Lulu LaBonne said...

I've heard at least two great blog/books serialised on radio 4, one of them was a police one - I wonder if it was Nightjack

Angie Muresan said...

That sounds interesting, FF! I will check out your friend's blog.
I've got to admit that if I was offered a ton of money, I wouldn't say no.

Tess Kincaid said...

Really? Gotta check him out...

the fly in the web said...

Re e mail...thank you. Have replied.
Re Nightjack...the reaction validated all he said.

The bike shed said...

Fortune, yes please; fame, no thanks

Ayak said...

How interesting! Will definitely check this one out.

Anonymous said...

Sounds fascinating! Just goes to show that writing is a more powerful force than money sometimes...

French Fancy... said...

Lulu - Oh I wonder too. I must check Radio 4 out more often. A lot of the progs I do find very patronising though

Angie - It depends for me - I'd rather stay anonymous I think - but rich. I guess you can't have one without the other

willow - I've not read much of it but he does write well

fly - x

Mark - yes, I feel the same. Hope the week was good

Ayak - I think it makes good reading - I'm not a very political person but I think he covers lots of things

Fi - yes, totally agree

Lola said...

April last year (if link works HERE!) wrote with great admiration about Nightjack’s winning the first Orwell Blog Prize. As a writer myself, really looking forward to his anticipated fiction...

xxx LOLA:)

Ms Scarlet said...

I'm happy for anyone who gets success from their blog.
Good luck to your friend.
Sx

French Fancy... said...

Nora - so it seems it is almost just me who had never found his blog - oops. As for his book, I really don't know how he finds the time. He has a young son and is still an active detective - still us writers (I'm sort of one) just have to cram in the minutes somehow. The difference is with him the agents are queuing up to sign him.

French Fancy... said...

Oh Scarlet - hello, I do like you being around here, I must say. I've always thought that Mrs Poulter and Lulu Labonne deserved success from their blogs too.

Ms Scarlet said...

Mrs Pouncer!!!!
Goodness, she'd have a fit!!
Sx

A Woman Of No Importance said...

My darling, FF, I have also not had the chance to find Nightjack - I'm not surprised that you know him - It's probably easier to compile a list of those you do not know or have not seen!

I am off to gawp now - Fascinating, this fame blogging! Ready for our close-ups now, Mr de Mille - You'll have to get mine and FF's best sides however! xox

French Fancy... said...

AWONI - Sadly my days of mingling with the stars is behind me now. I've had three jobs where my path crossed with the glorious slebs of the day - it was time for me to retire to the house in the country and count the weeds

e said...

Best of luck to your friend; I'm with you...I'd rather have the country and the weeds than fame, though it would be fun to be infamous, don't you think?

Ed Pilolla said...

it is fascinating the power of controversy, especially accurate controversial material. the fight the power spirit is very much alive and well, thank god:)

Owen said...

Hope his book gets published, thanks for bringing this to our attention. Like I like to say... instead of "live and learn", now it's "blog and learn"...

DJ Kirkby said...

I read this post and think the mystery man is 'cooooooool'. Very impressed.

A Super Dilettante said...

FF, dearest, I'm sorry to read the article about your friend. I think they always pick the wrong one!

French Fancy... said...

e- I think it would be fun for about a week and then I would start to panic and go shy and become a recluse

Hello Ed and welcome to the blog. Mine is a very uncontroversial one - mainly because I'm not a crime detective or have a lot of political savvy. I just drone on about 'stuff'

Owen - I think it will be a best seller with a lot of hype (deserved) around it

Den - he was cool when I worked with him, he can only have got cooler

ASD - hello sweetie, I think it got a bit difficult for him for a while but it is all sorted now

This Ro(a)mantic Life said...

Amazing how the internet makes reconnecting possible. I've been leery of seeking out old acquaintances because it felt a bit too much like stalking, but it seems socially accepted these days?

French Fancy... said...

CT - I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. I seem to have got lots of 'friends' from the online bichon frise club of which I am a member, but I don't really know any of them. As for seeking out old friends - it's been lovely getting in touch with most of them again. When I realised I did in fact know 'Nightjack' it was the chap who published the archives with whom I got in touch, Facebook came much later.

Delana@dujour said...

oh this is just great. I'm weeks behind reading my favorite blogs, and now I've been diverted by a new one! And of course, I have to start from the beginning!
Okay, so here's my question. There are times that I'm completely stymied by British english (mostly slang). Here's a sentence from Nightjack's blog:

I remember one time bailing out of refs to an assistance shout near the nick and he was there, pitching in

what the heck does that mean?
Feels so good to be reading you again FF!