Daybook Entry 2010

When I began my daily blog four years ago, my intent was to raise my profile as a writer in the hope that more of my books would sell.  Crass as it seems, that old bottom line was the initial driver for “Oysterville Daybook.”  What I didn’t expect was that the Daybook would take on a life of its own.

I have no way of knowing whether I have accomplished my primary intent.  I do think that some people have purchased my books after learning about them through the blog but none of them have suddenly leaped onto the best seller list.  On the other hand, readership of the Daybook has continued to escalate, much to my pleasure.

Continuing Commentary

Again, it hasn’t reached best-seller status, or more specifically, it hasn’t “gone viral” as I think the appropriate terminology goes.  But, it has developed a loyal following which continues to amaze and delight me.  I never expected that the blog, itself, would gain a regular readership and, even more amazing, that some of my readers would start to converse among themselves and actually become “friends” though they have never met!

Another serendipity has been that the blog has become a “source” of sorts.  People using various search engines on the internet and looking for ancestors or Peninsula personalities or information about Oysterville often are directed to my Oysterville Daybook.  Most amazing to me is when I am searching the internet and run into my own blogs as a source.  That never fails to make me laugh.  Who knew that the Oysterville Daybook would become a source for researchers!

Daybook Entry, June 2013

The greatest gift, though, and the most unexpected, has been the many people who have contacted me about a specific blog – sometimes months after it was written – and who have additional information for me or just for ‘posterity’ in general.  My Daybook entry last June, “The Error of My Ways” about Judge John Briscoe is a good example.  Since that blog was written, I’ve heard from people as far away as Canada and Australia who have more bits and pieces to add to my Briscoe puzzle.

And then there was the Daybook Entry of August 7, 2010. “Remembering Charles Mulvey,” about his retrospective exhibition at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum.   I still get the occasional email or comment about that blog from people with stories about Charlie or information about one or more of his paintings that they purchased long ago and still treasure.

When it seems appropriate, I send copies of these blog comments to the Heritage Museum to be added to their archives.  It pleases me no end that I can ‘network’ in this way and, perhaps, help round out a historical record or two.  What an unexpected and welcome gift from cyberspace!