You can probably double those figures of readers, based on my experience, there are a lot of lurkers without LJs who mention to me in cons that they read my LJ.

I think it's best to be really clear what you're doing. I don't see LJ as reaching a large audience, even as large as it is, I see it as a way to hang out with my friends, about as productive as going down to the pub and hanging out would be if they all lived near enough.

But all the same, I do see the attractions of instant feedback -- and while getting addicted to it and doing nothing else would be awful, having a bit of it in your life to compensate for the long lead times on everything else can be a help.

Writing a novel takes me a year, then it usually takes Tor a year to get it out there, and then there are maybe six reviews. If six reviews in two years time is all the feedback I can expect, I may as well get what gratification I can out of LJ today.

The really bad thing would be tuning oneself to write for one's audience, doing more of what gets response, toning down what isn't liked, to end up in a position of perfectly pleasing the only 183 people in the world who like what one is writing.

But don't worry. I'm newly reading you. One of my friends posted a link and I checked you out and like what I see.

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For me, LiveJournal is just a way of indulging my excribitionism. Then again, I've taken on a new Internet addiction every year since I was 10. I've turned into a bit of a feedback whore too, but I don't get nearly as much!

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Well, a novel's a fantasy for me. I know that I can write well, and I have a huge sprawling multi-novel fantasy that I'm writing - I'm about a quarter of the way into the second book - but I'm realistic and I know that it'll probably never get published. This is more real, yet ultimately less satisfying; I'm not going to be lying on my deathbed saying, "Boy, I made some damn fine posts."

As for me toning it down: Fuck that. I've lost friends, and I'll do it again. Part of my charm is my bluntness.

Congrats on the novel, by the way! I'll have to look for it in my spare time, whatever's left of it.

(Note to self: LJ Friends-hunt LATER, not now...)

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