Antony N Britt (Nick) used to blog on Myspace.
‘What?’ I hear you ask. ‘Myspace allows you to blog?’
Yes, it’s true, though these days you’d be hard-pressed to recognise such an outlet for writers ever existed. If you hook up to the once great social network site now, you’ll see a front page loaded with music, music and … erm, more music. Do not despair though, it’s not all filled with tiny tempered dappy rappers. Somewhere at the bottom of the screen, hidden among the small print and the report abuse control, are functions directing you to celebrities, fashion, games and so on, if you like that sort of thing. What you won’t see these days is any clue that you can actually blog on the site as millions used to do in the Myspace glory days of old. Instead, you are more likely to be encouraged to click the links which will tell you ‘what’s trending,’ instead.
Trending? Give me strength.
Well, I can see from today’s notifications that Taylor Swift, Ghost Rider 2 and Rhianna’s reality TV show are trending, but one thing isn’t at the moment – blogging.
Myspace was once a fantastic, ready-built website for the casual blogger and it certainly served me well with my ‘Empty Souls’ blog. Built up over a number of years, ‘The Sunday Roast’ column regularly topped the popularity charts the day following being posted. I could get anything up to 500 page views and 100 comments and it wasn’t just me either. At its height, half a million blogs went online each day on Myspace. Now, as it stated this morning – 11,952.
The Sunday Roast, along with hundreds of thousands of other blogs vanished as users deserted Myspace on a scale not seen since Gary Glitter sent out annual renewal slips for people to be a member of his fan club. Many Myspace bloggers found new homes in refugee camps such as Friendburst and My Boomer Place. Some, like this writer here, decided to develop their own blogs on Blogger or WordPress where we can now do what the hell we like, which suits me fine as I usually do anyway. You see sites like Myspace might think they know what the user wants. They might also try to disregard our opinions and remove us, but they can’t stop us writing.
I have been quiet for too long. Myspace is dead. This … is MY space
The potential latest Myspace logo
Nick
Antony N Britt - Author 
Onward and upward, Nick.
It’s a dilema: go for bold by walking solo into the world of self and e publishing or trust the professional instincts of the established industry.
Someone said “there’s a reason a book’s the shape of a door.” You work’s a pleasure to read, a room where you’re never quite sure how the furniture’s going to behave.
My furniture falls apart if you simply look at it. Explains a lot about my writing.
Well done, you talked about this enough, but actually followed it through.
Ok, now you have finally got me to comment online. I think I might be traumatised.
I shall expect this level of commitment each time now.
Can’t keep a good man down !!!
Despite dodging all the low flying rocks
Great to see you all setup with your own site. It should allow you to do even more than MySpace ever did.
Here’s hoping that’s the case.
So glad you found a new outlet. I miss Myspace too. The old Myspace that was more user friendly. I see Facebook is beginning to create it’s own death too. I enjoy reading your posts and can’t wait to read more.
Yes. Myspace tried to copy Facebook, now Facebook is trying to look like Myspace.
Let me know if you have a website/blog.
Ahh I miss Myspace too 😦 Those were the days! I’m on blogger now and hope to soon get my own site. Good luck with this one and all that you do, I am following so it will be great to catch up. I hope to see a few more Myspace users commenting, would be great to know what everyone is up to now.
Louise
x
aka Spiderboots (myspace)aka Little Harriet (blogger)
Myspace in its day was great. Really served me well. Thanks for stopping by. Let me know your blogger page and I’ll stop by.
Nick
well hello Nick. Although I did not officially desert MySpace, I just don’t write there anymore. It just does not feel like home..know what I mean. How are you and those kiddos doing??
It’s the same with me. It became so un-user-friendly. At least anybody can comment here without having to sign up.
David is 19 now and in his last year at school. At 6ft4, he is hard to manage when he has his meltdowns. I can cope with him … not so the authorities who regularly put hurdles in our way. Toying with the idea of a ‘Living with David’ blog again.
Hope all is well with you and yours.
Nick
http://mstink00.wordpress.com/
Followed 🙂
It could be argued that MySpace went backwards because people like you *chose* not to stick it out. I salute the 11,000 who did stay and make for a lively, intimate community. I mean, where did I find you trolling for readers? MySpace! 🙂 Good luck with the new blog.
Tis true. I owe a lot to Myspace but I still stand by the fact they abandoned blogs and sent the site in a direction far distant from the wants of 90% of users. I hung around nearly a year after the changes but finally gave up the ghost after every time I tried to post or read another persons blog, I was met with glitches and hurdles.
Now, I try to look back and find many of my older posts have been wrecked with relevant supporting photo’s gone, thus making the post look stupid. I mean, what’s the point of a 100 word piece saying “take a look at this picture,” when the picture is no longer there?
I understand that Myspace is a business and that they saw their own way forward. However, it was at the expense of the millions who made it a great site in the first place.
I am still there and will post but for the main outlet of writing, I need a site that works.
Nick
There’s a big debate on this on MySpace right now – is it worth carrying on with or not. It seems to work 95% fine now (apparently the blog categories don’t work so well, but they were always useless anyway because Leeza Coleman and co always rigged them) but people are getting very terse with each other – I think it’s just because the community is only a couple of thousand people and they are all tried of being in each others pockets. I’m really just there to find sex partners nowdays.
I hope the new blog goes well for you and I look forward to the Sunday Roast!
I do miss the old days, but I suppose things move on. For a short time, there was something really special there. I was always going to do this anyway but still undecided on how much of Myspace I carry on with. Even sending messages was hard work. I’d click send and nothing would happen, so I’d press again … and again. Then when I checked, I found the messages had been sent and I’d created multiples.
Thanks for stopping by and feel free to click to follow the blog.
Nick
I miss Myspace too and still drop in from time to time, It feels like dropping in an old neighborhood that has gone all ghetto. After what Murdock and cohorts did to the site, I was so mad that I deleted all of my blogs, then I posted several of my old short story blogs to Blogger and moved on in life. I’m happy with Blogger.
It’s good to see you again. I’ll follow your blog.
I know what you mean. It annoys me that all my older posts have lost the comments people made, plus half the pictures have gone.. Murdoch has a lot to answer for. Social Networking Genocide.
Nick