What have these two women got in common? They have both written blogs that got read by the right person at the right time and they subsequently gained fame and riches. On the right is Julie Powell, the Julie behind Julie and Julia.
On the left is Catherine Sanderson who is the blogger behind La Petite Anglaise
Both blogs are still online, Catherine's is much more guarded now than it used to be, Julie's is one that I am getting to know whilst I eat my lunch.
So, fellow bloggers, it could happen to you.
37 comments:
Yes indeed, dear FF, it can happen to any of us!
You may recall in a recent post I wrote about alien life and a day later read the very same thoughts by Stephen Hawking! QED. So otherworldly!
X LOLA:)
PS Me again! Haha!
X LOLA:)
I met Catherine "Petite Anglaise" Sanderson at a blogmeet in Paris three years ago. (You can see a photo of me with her and my son in my Miscellaneous album on Facebook).
In fact, Petite Anglaise was "discovered" by my pal Colin Randall (he blogs at Salut!) who as a reporter for The Daily Telegraph ran a story about her getting sacked for blogging; all the other newspapers latched onto the story and the rest is history.
Seriously though, FF, you might be surprised who IS reading your blog(and could "discover" you - as per Dumdad's piece above).
For instance, I found out quite by chance that I'm on the blogroll of at least a couple (could be infinitely more) of " big" bloggers (one listed in last year's Sunday Times's 50 Major Blogs list, the other probably declined the publicity) yet have never had a comment! Very flattering nonetheless.
So we've virtually no idea who's watching us in this virtual world!
All of which raises the very real issue now of:
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
X LOLA:)
It's a lovely thought, isn't it...? I could lost a whole afternoon daydreaming about that one!
Hi FF, yes, I have heard of agents scouting online and that. But no-one's head-hunted ME yet! sob xxxx
Lovely thought, FF!
I'm more likely to be sued. I had Proctor and Gamble turning up in my site meter for about a month after I wrote a derogatory post about Always Envive. I did twitch a bit.
Sx
I'm familiar with Julie and have visited her blog, but Catherine is new to me. Thanks for the introduction. Going to check her out...
Does it mean that I've been living under a rock that I've never heard of La Petite Anglaise? I'll have to check it out!
Oh yes, fame awaits...........hmmmmm
I think Buster stands a better chance than I do.
He is now sent review copies of books
and samples from all over the place!
My friend Maryam (my marrakesh) on my side bar has just done a REAL book.
Real publisher and all!
Wouldn't it be fun.
In the meantime it's just fun to publish for our friends....
Oh yes, fame awaits...........hmmmmm
I think Buster stands a better chance than I do.
He is now sent review copies of books
and samples from all over the place!
My friend Maryam (my marrakesh) on my side bar has just done a REAL book.
Real publisher and all!
Wouldn't it be fun.
In the meantime it's just fun to publish for our friends....
My dear, I must see this film my dear!! If only Elizabeth David was still alive, I think she would be the first blogger writing about her pots and pans or on how to make a perfect boiled egg.
PS> John Minton designed ED's books with his surreal drawings in her early cookbooks. So, I wonder who would she employs to design her blog!
But which actress would you want to play you in the film?
i can't imagine anyone wanting to make a film about me reading - but you never can tell I guess. Lovely, heartening piece, thanks for posting
Hannah
Nora - sometimes sychronicity is very spooky indeed - and BOO for your second visit
Dumdad - what a shame Colin didn't sign her to an exclusivity contract before the rabble got their hooks into her
Nora - three strikes today! Impressed with your elite readers - I wonder who they are...
Steve - you deserve a publishing contract
Jen - keep at it and you could say goodbye to invigilations
Fly - you should be a professional writer too
Scarlet - oh I must look back and find your abusive piece
willow - that Julie Powell blog is very entertaining
Laura - she became the vogue for a while. I think the link I supplied is to her last few entries - not the blog that propelled her to fame (and got her discovered by Dumdad's friend, Colin)
Ewix - perhaps Buster could write a book - ghosted by you of course
ASD - I've only got paperbacks of ED's works, so no fancy pictures for me. How are you btw?
x
Dedene - Well I love Meryl but I would prefer someone a shade younger, um perhaps either Emma Thompson or Helena Bonham Carter
Hello Hannah and welcome to the blog. Never say never
Seriously, I think I'm too contrarian to be picked up by agents looking for books about France...and too political, I suspect.
I could never get to grips with Julia Child... but I really got hooked on cooking with Elizabeth David.
I've never read Julie Powell. Must go hand have a look.
La Petite Anglaise has finished now I think. At least she said she'd just about lost the need to blog her life. I can imagine that kind of blogging would be exhausting.
Wife in The North had a book too. And then there are some massive ones in the States like The Pioneer Woman. It's a full time job (and income) for them.
I'm just happy reading the ones I 'know' though. The ones who become like friends:-)
It's a little scary, contemplating the explosion, eh? I guess I'm already fairly guarded about what I say over at my place, so I feel a sort of sadness for Julie of Julie and Julia. In a way, it's like she's lost her personal space, paradoxical as that may be for a blog, which is meant to be public ...
Some folks have all the luck. Or not. And would we really want fame and riches if they found us ?
Scratch that... the fame part anyway...
:-)
HAHA with 1,187,727 blogs that Technorati is currently tracking for a start, I think the odds are against us.
Ah well.
Anything can happen!
My very first blog carried the first chapter of my 'tome'. After a week with only two visitors [one of whom was Sazzie of course] I took it down and began The View From This End and hav'nt looked back.
I will go and investigate! BW Blu x
*tut* I must be the only person in blogland who hasn't read either of those blogs. Not sure why I haven't but I'm sure they haven't noticed that I'm missing :)
I shall put them on my list of blogs to read.
Being discovered though thrills and scares me in equal measure.... given that that my blog is pretty much a secret confessional !!
fly - I've got all the paperbacks of Elizabeth David but I have to confess to having barely given them a glance. I must remedy this.
I've emailed you - sorry for delay
Lane - So many of the blogs I read are riveting and I try and analyse what makes them stand out and I just don't know. It's that mysterious quality that just makes you have to carry on reading.
CT - when I read some of the vitriol directed at Julie Powell I feel so sorry for her. It seems that with fame comes abuse, resentment and jealousy.
Owen - I don't want fame but - as you said - I wouldn't mind some riches
Sarah - we 'gotta get a gimmick' (what show is that from?)
Fi - We just never know do we. I never thought I would end up living in the French countryside.
Moannie - I must be the only blogger who has not written a book. I've got some ideas and a few pieces of autobiography I am working on, but it's just a personal hobby
AWONI - you go ahead and sully, me dear
Blu - the Julie Powell one is very absorbing
Deej - you have no bloody time that's why! Too busy writing and being a success with your own books.
Selina - now you have it - that extra quality that makes your blog really compulsive - well, for me anyway
Well, you never know, do you? In the meantime, I cannot wait for my life to calm a bit so I can get back to my regular blogging.
Sadly I think that by the time blogs get big enough to command that kind of attention they have often lost the thing about them that made them so interesting. Which is a great consolation for those of us who are still labouring in obscurity.
I just came across your blog and have followed so that I can come back and explore properly when I have more time :-D
what a fun thing to think about. i just started blogging a few months ago (found you through lady fi-- loved your scoff about kids wanting to grow up to be beyonce). getting 'found' is a delicious thought, for sure. at the same time, i feel like we're found (and we find) exactly the people we're supposed to.
inspirational piece!
I have the DVD of Julia and Julia on my shelf, ready for a free evening and when I'm stocked up with wine and chocolate. Can't wait to watch it. Everyone says it's great. Didn't know about the blog.
Hummmm----interesting idea. And true. I'm a writer and a friend hounded me into having a blog b/c she said she wanted to me to be read, and a friend of her's is now writing for Family Circle b/ c they found her blog and liked how she wrote about her kids and family life...
I liked the Julie Powell book and loved what Ephron did with the movie. Do not know the other woman....
Angie - I'm always amazed that people with young families ever get the time to blog. Yes, come back soon please
Hello Mr London Street and welcome to the blog. I would guess once publishers are pestering one that the impetus for blogging dies rather. When you have to do it to order because thousands of people each day are hitting one's site - it must be quite a responsibility
Julietk - what a lovely compliment, thank you very much
Hello Ed. thanks for popping by - you are living somewhere lovely, I really envy you.
Fran - oh it is so enjoyable and I've spent some time looking at Julia Child clips on youtube - Meryl has done it/her perfectly
Hello IWW and welcome to the blog. I'd not heard of Julia Child before but then I'm English - that's my excuse.
Ah, if only huh?!
Hiya Sub, how lovely to see you here
Post a Comment