The other problem with blogging is its immediacy. Yes, I know that this is supposed to be its great virtue. But it is really a curse. Iain Dale says that he updates his blog five times a day. Five times a day! That's more like a psychological condition than citizen journalism. It's really not possible to have five things that are worth saying every day.
Again, this is how the blog form actually shapes a lot of the content. The idea is to make as much of an impact as you can within the parameters of the hundred and fifty word post. Unlike newspapers, no one actually sits down and reads a blog, in the way they read a newspaper or a magazine. You can't cuddle up with a computer - even a laptop. I don't know how bloggers manage to preserve their eyesight sitting in front of the computer for that long. You have to hit and hit hard.
But there is a more serious issue. The form requires that sources and information comes largely from the blogosphere itself. This is because to promote the blog you need to link to as many other bloggers as possible. I'm useless at it as you can see. In fact I'm useless with the web full stop. Surreal things always seem to happen when I try to use it.
For example, Blogger has just told me that it is going to take my blog off the air because it thinks it is a spam blog. Something to do with repeating words and search engine optimisation. I had been doing this as part of my controlled experiment in blog-promotion. Of course I am not a spammer, I am a real person. Honest.
Blogger has a link to a form which you are supposed to fill in to plead your innocence. But when I hit that link it comes back to my own edit blog page. I'm sure there is a reason for this, but I can't work it out. This means that I will be removed with extreme prejudice in twenty days time and there will be a warning plastered over this blog until I can prove I am innocent.
I'm contemplating a new form of it - slow blogging. These will be very very long pieces that need to be downloaded, taken away and read. But the trouble is finding the time...
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7 comments:
Hi Iain,
Some of the Scottish blogging luminaries are getting together for an evening to discuss our plan for world domination.
If you'd like to join us, we're meeting at The Albanach, on the Royal Mile, from around 7pm on Wed April 29th.
Mind you, don't know how much room there will be, what with all the egos in the room...
http://malcintheburgh.blogspot.com/2009/04/meet-bloggers-details.html
You really are a crashing bore.
First time here and I certainly won't be back.
Iain I would like to take the opportunity to indulge in everything you have just decried and promote my own blog:
http://www.pooranponders.blogspot.com/
As a fellow affiliate to the 'dead tree press' I feel much of your pain!
I don't know how bloggers manage to preserve their eyesight sitting in front of the computer for that long. Iain we do that in exactly the same way as most of us do in our day to day jobs. Regular breaks from the screen, wearing any prescribed corrective eyewear oh and having a life.
As for earlier comments about us having feeds that show us when we are mentioned. Yes it is another wonder of modern technology that link backs and google alerts can be alerted to us on any machine at any email we chose to do so. Yes it does make blogging an instantious art.
If you happen to be able to type there and then, even just a bookmark of breaking news you can do. Then return with a more substantive story later such as the breaking news of McBride's resignation on Saturday when in order I believe Dale, myself and Guido flashed a headline, then fleshed it out as the news unfolded wheich we appear to have all been watching simultaneously.
Oh course this is never a practice that the Mainstream media either televisual of print would ever stoop to....oops they do.
Ian
As a scottish blogger par excellence I wonder if you are aware of walk talk tours, the downloadable audio tours for the independent traveller?
They are available in Edinburgh, York, Chester Manchester and London.
Please take a look at www.walktalktour.com and see what you think
Macwhirlspin, do the good people of Britain a favour and contract lung cancer....you really are a total hoon
I think that you're spot on. I try and do an entry a day, to keep up with events. And find it very dificult.
By the way, sorry for dissing your piece on the blogosphere, just my opinion on how your piece came accross.
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