Greetings all,
Well, it has been some time since my last entry and I suppose that deserves an explanation.
Over the last few months I have had what my best be described as a “crises of faith” with respect to my online D/s-oriented writing. Simply put, has all of this effort on my part done any good at all?
I use to have a web site, which I paid for myself (but which I had a great deal of help in creating and maintaining), that was devoted to both fictional and non-fictional aspects of D/s. I kept the site going for close to three years and in the end I closed it because it was not attracting the attention I had hoped for. This led me to consider writing a blog as perhaps a better way to outreach.
But coming up with something new and different to write about every day proved to be a challenge. More so, since I was not really getting a great deal of feedback. Yes, I was getting some comments from some readers, but by and large these have been people I have known for quite some time. Frankly, I was hoping to pick up some new readership, and after two months of posting every day, I didn’t see it.
At the same time as all of this was going on I began to question the value of the online mentoring work I have been doing. I have always felt that to properly mentor/advice/train a submissive one needed to be able to do so in a hands-on sort of way. For a variety of reasons I have tried over the last seven years or so to see if it was possible to mentor submissives over the Internet, with the occasional phone call. My initial reaction was that perhaps it was indeed possible to help submissives develop in this manner, but recent events made me question my assumptions, I seemed to be doing more harm than good.
Finally, there were events going on in my private life that required my direct attention, and this was taking time away from my online life. There were not enough hours in the day for me to do both.
One of the first online activities to be cut was writing in my blog.
Have I missed the writing? I suppose the answer is a qualified yes. I enjoy writing, both fiction and non-fiction but I have found that I need some inspiration to decide what it is I should write about. Normally, for non-fictional writing, this has come from the questions and comments of others. Lacking that, I tend to find I have much less to say.
But, some events over the last few days have compelled me to start writing again. How long will it last? I do not know. But I will give it another try, and see what happens.
So, for any of you who have been waiting for more of my ramblings… I’m back.
Peace.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Back after some thinking
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5 comments:
Greetings Mr. Cross,
It is GOOD you are back, and writing.
this one has missed your entries.
As to 'crises of faith' she hopes it passes and you see soon some of the fruits of your hard efforts.
As to enough hours in the day, it seems that none of us have enough.
teela hopes your readership picks up because what you write here has great value to those of us struggling with the concepts of D/s. Your voice lends much clarity in this realm.
She, and she believes others that she knows are reading your new blog would miss it greatly if you didn't continue to write. She wonders why
readers, especially other men or Doms aren't commenting. she knows they are reading. However, she has read this is common enough with other websites that try to address these issues.
She likes your non-fictional work best because it is thought provoking and speaks to the heart of the matter.
She hopes that soon your efforts are more greatly rewarded and new people buck up their courage and start to ask the questions they so much banter back and forth.
This forum, this blog is where they should land.
With her regards,
teela
Greetings Sir,
sienna was worried you would stop writing on your blog.Every time you write you share such important and knowledgeable information about the D/s dynamic. How rare it is to have a Master who has been in this lifestyle for 30 years willing to spend his valuable time teachings others.Truly Sir, you are an honorable man.
Perhaps part of the reason people have not caught on is because so many people are scared to face the truth about what they want.
sincerely
sienna
Greetings Allison,
Thank you for your note and your kind words of encouragement. They were greatly appreciated. I have never really looked for a “fan club” but some level of recognition always provides a certain measure of satisfaction. As you may have noticed, I am continuing on with the blog, having decided I still have more things to say, and enough people have asked that I continue to make it worth the while.
Your group sounds very interesting and perhaps someday in the future I will have an opportunity to share some correspondences with them either as a group or one-one, as the case may be.
As to trying to find me on the Internet, well, it is true that I am probably deep in some out of the way corner. I don’t do very much in the way of self-promotion (though others have suggested I should) and that is probably why it is still somewhat difficult to find me. But you did, and so perhaps others will as well. Thank you for the advice of linking mackenziecross.ca to the blog. That is an excellent suggestion and I will probably do it.
Thank you as well for the suggestion of looking up Issey Miyake. I do not know this designer at all, but I will certainly take a look and comment at some later point.
I am not sure what you mean by “preferred audience” since in general I am not sure if I have any such preference at least with respect to common demographics such as age, gender, social background, etc. It is true that I am mostly interested in dominant male and submissive female interactions, but beyond this I try not to be too restrictive. What I can say is that I believe that a certain level of maturity is required in a female before she can fully accept that her nature may be submissive. How mature? I really couldn’t say. It is just that I believe a woman must have a certain amount of life experiences before she is ready to talk openly about D/s. Although there have been some notable exceptions.
As to your first impressions of me, I am rather well known for the expression –“beginnings are dangerous.” It is much too easy to allow first impressions to sway our opinion. I am pleased you decided to stay around a bit longer and learn a bit more. I may sadist, but I like to think I a rather charming (if somewhat plain and simple) sort of fellow. The two conditions are not mutually exclusive. After all, some of the nicest people I know are masochists!
Finally, I would like to say again, that I do not consider myself an expert or scholar in the areas of sexuality or D/s relationships. What I write is based on my own experiences, my own thinking, and what I have observed over the years. Others may have rather different experiences. So, rather than taking my word as gospel, I much prefer when people use it as either a starting point for their own journey, or perhaps another facet of the gem that is known as the dominant/submissive interaction model.
Best regards.
Be seeing you,
MC
Yikes Mackenzie,
Please do not consider cyber seppuku just yet.
Would it help to know that you have a new little fan club? That your name alone sold 8 copies of “He's on Top” last month? That your blog postings and contributions to other sites (yes, you are being studied in-depth) are considered to be the overall most helpful to a diverse group of highly intelligent woman exploring their sexuality? To some, you are even essential.
In addition to your broad range appeal, your obvious education and experience show through in your intelligent and entertaining articulation and aesthetic styles. We find your discussion organization promotes orderly analysis. Your explanations provide enough detail to serve as handy personal litmus tests. We use your knife edge definitions to referee debates. Your preference of Shibari vs. trite D&D style garners enthusiastic snaps. Hmm…might we suggest Issey Miyake for alternate sub-wear? So, overall you’re considered best on the web by a group of women who all have advanced academic degrees.
Now before you launch into a lush fantasy involving a nubile graduate students on the college green…ah, go ahead…we’ll wait…This group ranges in age from 40-52. Is “cougar capable” any consolation though? Like your advice to the older submissive, this is a consequence of your own emerging maturity and you are going to become increasingly alluring to the discriminating older woman. Take it as a benefit or a curse as you will.
Also, we oh-so-appreciate your candid explanations of your own motivations and your general lack of PC gloss. We’ve all grown quite weary with the standard party line “this is all about you, the submissive”. (By the way, is there some place where Doms get real? Is there some secret site we’ve missed perhaps, and if so, where is it and can we sneak in?)
Finally, your self description in your July 9 post was spot on, and you weren’t initially viewed with favor largely due to the very honesty we now so greatly appreciate. Our own first reaction, for instance, was a nasty visceral shudder and a hot impulse to stomp your instep. But gradually through your words, you emerged as our favorite sexuality expert.
Thanks again, Mackenzie, for making the effort to share all of your helpful thoughts and please keep doing so.
P.S. We have some traffic flow statistics that may be of interest to you. We did not find you as a unit, nor individually at the same sites. The majority found you at Taken in Hand. One found you in a literature review. Several found you referenced within other sites (you have a noticeable community presence). Only one person found your blog first. You might consider adding “mackenziecross.ca” to your blog to increase hits.
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