whyroots

 
On blogging 12/10/2008
 

Recently, Ariana Huffington went on the Daily Show to promote The Huffington Post Complete Guide to Blogging, a new how-to on the blogging arts. As a newcomer to blogs myself, I carefully attuned my ears to hear the oracle's counsel. Yes, Ariana? What is the secret?

Ms. Huffington was up against my rather dismal view of blogs in general, particularly their informality and parochialism. Disconcertingly, she began by calling blogs the “first draft of history” -- have newspapers been so quickly replaced? It's true that newspapers have lost their monopoly on speed: they used to be the quickest form of print media, now outpaced by blogging, instant messaging, text messaging, and twittering. (Sardonic aside: Jon Stewart: “What’s black and white and completely over?” … “Newspapers.”)

But if blogs are a distinct form of media, as indeed Ms. Huffington was holding forth, then they complement rather than substitute for newspapers. And to each medium, its tone: the exaggerated syllables of TV news, the soothing sounds of NPR, the truncated words of text messages, and the casual, intimate tone of blogs. According to my Greek Mentor, achieving the ideal tone is a matter of composing posts off-the-cuff and publishing immediately. Blog posts should also be quite personal -- Huffington advises blogging your passions, both avowed and secret. While this is generally good writing advice, I prefer to edit my passions before clicking “Publish.” Neither Jon Stewart nor I was yet convinced that such immediacy was a good thing.

I perked up when Ms. Huffington touted her book’s “tricks for getting noticed.” Alas, her blogging mantra is “first thoughts, best thoughts” -- a theory to which I absolutely cannot subscribe. My “first thoughts” are at best irrelevant and at worst unprintable. My first thoughts could get me sued for libel in Great Britain. More likely, they could stultify readers' minds with their incoherence.

Ariana’s rejoinder:

“You don’t understand blogging, because blogging is not about perfectionism, blogging is about intimacy, immediacy, transparency, and sharing your thoughts the way you share them with a friend.”

Well, friend. It’s been lovely having this chat with you. Now, I think I may have a little nightcap and read my book for a while. Say, is it raining? Anyway, I’ll edit this last paragraph tomorrow, or maybe … maybe I’ll just post it …

-- Sarah Dalglish

 


Comments

Daniela Perdomo

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:58:15

In this day and age its not really a stretch to call blogs the first draft of history -- isn't that where all breaking news comes from these days? Even at the LAT, we were duly instructed to send a breaking news graf to our online team to post on the breaking news blog before we got into reporting the story out for full newspaper consumption.

I agree with Huffington, too, that blogging is a more intimate way of disseminating information. If you read anyone's blog regularly, even if you've never met them, you'll very quickly learn about their passions, interests, biases, etc. I like that.

A few months ago before I ever ventured into any form of blogging, I too would have agreed with you Sarah that my 'first thoughts' are unprintable. I have to say that's changed. I feel as though I'm quicker on my toes, better at writing cogently quickly, and come up with ideas faster. And I blame/thank the Internets.

 

dan

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:18:36

i agree with daniela, i have found that "taking the plunge" and worrying less about the printability, or more, REprintability, of your first thoughts, is the way to go. it is sad to say but no one pays really close attention to the developed character of your writing. i think it is helpful to start from that point, but you have to be able to adapt a certain set of interests/questions/ideas in a nimble fashion to the STUFF you're writing about. in a strange way this incomplete writing process can help you figure out your own thoughts - once you hit publish, you're already beyond it, and you know what? in just one blog year*, your audience will too. i think blogging is more about a constant stream of impressions rather than a fully developed thought...

*i.e. not very long

 

Daniela Perdomo

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:12:38

Hear, hear, Dan. (Also, ironic kudos for referencing an HRO meme.)

 

Sarah Dalglish

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 07:11:12

HRO meme? Now you've lost me.
Anyway, I think I'll be sticking to my "anti-blog" formula because dammit, if it's supposed to be "mine" (cf. Ariana), then so it shall be. Besides, I can certainly control any undue tendencies towards producing fully developed thoughts ...

 



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