Saturday, December 03, 2005

If you have read Joshilyn Jackson's blog, Martha O'Connor's or any of several others concerning the changes at the Momwriters (tm) list, then you may skip this post. If you aren't one iota concerned about the demise of a listserve, you may also skip this post.

Hey, it's a free country and you don't have to read everything :-)

Momwriters (tm) is a Yahoo list I have been for about five years. I have gotten to know many of the women on there (although with 1500 members now, it's not nearly as cozy as it used to be). I have given writing advice, received some myself, and contributed to everything from the Help fund to just general needs.

However, a couple days ago, the listowner decided to start charging a fee to be on the list. I'm all for capitalism, but am vehemently opposed to charging anyone to receive advice that has been freely given BY CHOICE by the membership for some time. I understand the costs of running a business, being self-employed myself, but do not agree with this approach.

And I'm sad. I really, really enjoyed the list, and though I tried a hundred times to go no mail, I couldn't do it for more than a couple of days. I don't necessarily post often (writing six books a year does keep one a tad busy :-) but I do read nearly every digest.

I'm going to sorely miss the list. I simply don't agree with the new policy and can't, in good conscience, pony up my $60 to stay with something I don't agree with, no matter how many women I like in that group.

It's too bad. A community that had been fostered on sharing and support has been fractured permanently by the introduction of money.

If you are a member of the list and reading this, and you want to join the refugee list, :-), then come here: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/thewritingmother/

If you want to post a comment on my blog, there's no charge ;-) but please be a nice person, since my kids are often reading over my shoulder.

Now, back to work. No FreeCell today. Uh...maybe.

Shirley ;-)

6 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:56 PM

    LOL...I've tried to go no mail a hundred times myself - and managed till my heart ached from lonlieness and then I returned. And often I wondered why, but lately, its been ok.
    I miss being in touch with some people, who just aren't there any more, or ARE, but don't post, but there's no helping that. And I think I've done a lot for the list, but maybe a lot is only a tiny drop, or nothing at all compared to the trouble I know I caused. All I know is this feels very wrong, and like we're losing something really important. Not the list as much as the people involved though.
    Someone else was saying they didn't understand how momwriters could become so much of someone's world. For me, its family, like I said in my own comments on this. And I hate seeing families do this to one another.

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  2. Hi Shirley,
    It's sad but... not. The energy of the new group is amazing. "The more things change, the more they stay the same..." Or better.

    Kai, I said this on my own blog comments page, but I'll say it again here: It's the people, not the brand name. If you're still emailing and communicating with the people who are important to you... that's what matters.

    See you both around...

    Love,
    Martha

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  3. Anonymous12:06 PM

    I could blog on this myself instead of going around to all of your blogs, but since you all say how I feel, I'll just keep agreeing :)

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  4. Hey, one good thing about this is that I'm finding a lot of people's blogs I hadn't found before! I've always enjoyed your posts and am glad I found the new group.

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  5. I glad you blogged about this whole thing, cause I was wondering if you were staying (or even paying attention).

    I was planning on sticking with MW, but now I'm not sure. I guess I'll wait it out, see what happens.

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  6. Thanks, all, for the support and the comments. Leaving the list was an incredibly hard decision for me, one I've gone back and forth on a hundred different times. I just have to look at what it's done to me emotionally and protect that -- it's been a hard enough year without adding this in.

    Shirley

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