Mix blogging, cooking and Paris, and what do you have? A recipe for success.
As an avid blogger, and an optimist who plugs in her cell phone every Sunday night, just in case Random House calls first thing Monday, I’m convinced Nora Ephron made “Julie and Julia,” just for me.
When I first saw the trailer for “Julie and Julia” two months ago, Meryl Streep, in the role of Julia Child, propelled me to my kitchen where I circled Friday August 7th with a giant red Target-like ring. Thanks to Meryl, I forgot my twenty-third wedding anniversary on August 10th.
What fascinated me in Julie and Julia, wasn’t only the life of Julia Child in Paris, but the way the publishing world works, and how an ordinary employee, bored with her day job, could get 70-80 publishers, agents and media people calling her, thanks to her blog being discovered, and one interview.
According to Drew McWeeny from HITFIX “Nora Ephron, thanks to this film and “You’ve Got Mail,” has emerged as one of the few filmmakers who seems to be actively chronicling the way the Internet is changing us socially. I don’t think anyone’s captured the lifestyle of a blogger on film until now, and the little ways they get it right impressed me.”
Catherine Sanderson, an English author I blogged about here, also succeeded in receiving media attention from her blog as an English expat living in Paris.
I’m trying to follow the footsteps of both Julie and Catherine Sanderson, and on Sunday, August 9th, received the best present I could wish for when my blog post was picked up by the OC Register, The Mom Blog. My wedding anniversary gift in disguise.
If you’ve seen the movie, what did you think?
Do you like the way the Internet is changing how we promote ourselves as writers, business owners, professionals?
Please add any other thoughts or comments that can stimulate a discussion.
I love the way the internet is changing things, I think its so much easier to keep in touch with people now and I am hoping that more attention is being paid to the written word and that more writers get noticed. For me its a fun way of having a small audience of faithful readers. Whether I ever get published or not is not important at this time, what I do is entertaining enough for me.
I have not seen the movie and will probably have to wait until it comes out on dvd as I cant sit in a movie theater yet.
I went to see Julie and Julia last night. The movie was cute, but without Meryl Streep I don't know if it would have worked. Who else could have played Julia and make the performance so convincing? On our way out of the theatre (it wasn't very crowded, probably because it was a Monday night) most everyone was commenting about how wonderful Meryl Streep was, her energy jumped right off the screen, she really pulled off being Julia Child marvelously.
It was so weird to see blogging featured in a movie. Nora did a great job of capturing what it's like to blog your brains out and wonder if anybody will read your work. I am relatively new to blogging. I'm sure I could do a better job, but I'm so pleased to have my followers. I'm so pleased to see how many people from all over the world come by to read my stuff.
Brenda makes some good points. How else could you get these readers in the old days? You couldn't have, not without Random House, or Simon and Schuster. I try to respect my readers and provide a little somethin'-somethin', while tending to real life, working on my second short story collection, as well as a novel I'm working. Whew. It's hard, but not as hard as trying to cook over 500 recipes from Julia Child's book in 365 days, while holding down a full time job as Julie/the blogger/writer from Julie & Julia the book managed to do.
Great post!
After living so many years without even a phone, I am still in a bit of awe with the internet. It has made an impact on my life in many ways.
I watched, via web cam as my daughter deliver her baby on another continent!
I remembered when my son was born in Venezuela, years ago, and it took us three days to get an international call placed to the US to inform our family.
I love the fact that people care to drop by and read my ramblings on my blog. This alone motivates me to keep trying to write.
I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'm hoping to go sometime soon. I love the way the internet is changing things. I like blogging. I've met some amazing people through the internet. Having my blog noticed by someone in the publishing industry would just be an added bonus!
You've made me very curious about the movie! I love Meryl Streep!
About the Internet, and blogging, that has been the most amazing discovery I have made in my whole life! I have found so much through blogging, met some beautiful friends, and I'm even going to meet some of them in real life when I make a trip to the States this coming November. That in itself is already the greatest gift of all. Will my photography ever get discovered,(my writing won't be, that still leaves too much to be desired for) or published? I don't know.But even without that, blogging has changed my life, that's for sure!
I haven't seen the movie, but I will be sure to go now. The blogging questions are interesting to me since I started blogging mostly to help myself be more conscious of what is happening in my own life. My background is as a journalist and I most enjoyed writing feature stories and a weekly column ….blogging has kind of taken me back to that(without the circulation or pay, of course). I have definitely enjoyed reading some of the blogs you follow written by your fellow writers. My original attraction to your blog was the Belize connection. Years back, I drove from Colorado to Belize and spent most of a summer there….loved it and would love to go back. Gotta go now, I have a movie to see
@Brenda
I've read what you went through with your chemo treatments and I understand how wonderful it is to have "faithful" blogger friends visiting. Thanks for your comment.
@Elizabeth
I agree, Meryl Streep is incredible. She is capable of making you think she is every single person she portrays. Yes it is so much easier to reach out to many people today. Thanks for your comments.
@Jungle Mom
How amazing to see your daughter deliver via a webcam. Never heard that before. You prove a good point.
@LazyWriter
Yes we can reach out to so many more people via the Internet.
@Jientje
Where are you going to in November? I know your photography is so beautiful and you capture so much more than just the picture.
@Jeanie
I didn't know you were in Belize before. Which part did you stay in?
Did you visit Ambergris Caye?
I did blog about Belize and shall again, especially as I'm going back in October to volunteer with some nurses at Hopkins Village.
I do think the Internet is leveling the playing field and opening more doors for all kinds of activities to those for whom those doors might have been closed in the past. Yeah!
Hi there. I have gladly added you on my 'Blosg List'. Kind regards, Philip
Congrats on being picked!
I haven't heard of the film, but it looks funny – even for someone who hates cooking! 😉
The Internet is certainly changing the way people interact and how we gather information. Citizen journalists have quite a lot of power these days and can report facts more quickly than established media.
Also – just look at how all those Iranians kept us updated on what was REALLY going on in Iran via Twitter. Amazing!
My journey starts in Washington DC where I will stay three or four days, then fly over to Portland ( days) from Portland to Hawaii, where I will stay for one week until I return via Chicago.I will spend three days in Chicago before I return home. And I'm hoping to meet as many blogger friends as possible!
Without the internet I'm not sure if I'd be a writer, I know for sure I wouldn't be as successful as I am. I recently completed two television series with my writing partner who lives 200 kms away.
Last week I interviewed three writers- on in UK, one in Israel and one in South Africa for an article on flash fiction for a lit mag in South Africa- I live in Botswana. That could have never happened without the internet.
My blog is very important to me to get my writing out there and to meet other writers. I'm very isolated and need that contact to stay sane and connected to the writing world.
@Elizabeth Mahlou
Once again I agree with you about the Internet opening doors. I still have a couple of freinds in the U.K. who don't want to use a computer. I can't imagine that.
@Phivos
Thank you so much. Very nice of you.
@LadyFi
You bring up a very good point with Twitter and the Iranians giving us news. That is the media of the future.
@Jientje
Wish you were down in California. What a huge expanse you're covering. I might do to Paris in October/November to visit my dad.
@Lauri
First of all congratulations on the TV series. Where is the program aired?
How long have you lived in Botswana?
I thought Julie and Julia was absolutely fabulous. Meryl Streep continues to be fabulous. And I thought the scenes that showed Amy Adams blogging were things other bloggers could relate to.
Looking forward to reading about your Belize trip. When I was there we stayed in Belize City (it was a quasi business trip,(a long sort of sad story) and took lots of day trips and some overnight. I wish I had been blogging then, or at least keeping a journal so I had more specific memories of the names of places.
Thank! I've been in Botswana since 1989, I'm now a citizen. The TV series will show in Botswana, on BTV, though one may also be shown in South Africa. That one is the second series of a very popular drama, the first series was shown in South Africa so I imagine the second will be as well.
Sonia, I almost missed this post. I loved the book, and of course was fascinated by the fact that Julie started her success by blogging. I'll certainly watch the movie when I get a chance.
As a writer I love the Internet for all the obvious reasons. I've sent off finished manuscripts to my editor with a single click. I used to print them, separate the pages, box them, go to the post office, pay money …
I love doing research, connecting with (writer)friends on the Internet. And so on and so on.
I do NOT like that publishers now expect authors to do so much of their own publicity, marketing, building the dreaded "platform" and so on. We end up spending endless hours sitting in front of the computer NOT writing our creative master pieces, but doing business tasks with the other side of the brain.
As you know, I am blogging, having fun with it, but what is happening to me now is that I find myself having a "virtual" life that is taking over too much of my "real" life!
Ah, balance.
By the way, I'm back from my travels to Europe.
Miss Footloose, who hasn't even had her real-life breakfast yet…
http://www.lifeintheexpatlane.blogspot.com
I haven't seen the movie, but would like to. I remember seeing a few of her shows when I was younger. I recently saw a few reruns of her show on youtube and thought this woman lived and breathed food; she definitely had passion for it!
Technology (internet and blogging) has really opened me up as a writer. I think before getting online, I was at a standstill. What I didn't know, I didn't know. Now what I don't know, I seek out online.
@Dominique
I completely agree with your comment on Meryl Streep and the blogging aspect. Thanks for adding a nice comment.
@Jeanie,
I've posted some stories about Belize earlier if you care to see them. I shall be guest blogging soon about my boys and our move there. You'll find posts about Belize in April. here's one:
http://gutsywriter.blogspot.com/2009/04/3-monday-is-belize-day-just-stop-by.html
Thanks Jeani, would love to hear more about your visit and why you like it there, one day.
Meryl Streep never disappoints me, so I look forward to seeing the movie.
I just saw the movie…A few comments. Although I think it's interesting Julie chose to make the recipes and blog about it, that was clever, I don't think she did anything outstanding..My mother had that cookbook and made the dishes, she never needed applause or commentary. I think Julie comes from the spoiled generation of kids that were created by the Internet. Look at me, read my blog, here's my twitter,etc..
I love Julia Child. I especially appreciated her love for her husband and her attitude about life. She didn't complain and she wasn't bitter. Julie was upset that Julia didn't like her, Julia didn't care who liked her…This spoke magnitudes for me about generational differences..Julia's story is not just one about food but about love and being willing to put yourself out and be vulnerable. I hope Meryl Streep wins an oscar, she deserves it, so does Julia!
@Margot,
You bring up a very interesting point especially as I've heard many people say they didn't like the fact that Julia refused to meet Julie. Great response. Thanks.
Sonia, I just saw the movie and absolutely loved it. I actually went with my teacher friend who had the heart attack, and he loved the movie..
poignant and inspiring, the movie[as well as meeting you]has been the kick start to upping my focus on writing my book.