Where have all the bloggers gone?

As I've been known to say from time to time, I get my ideas from unusual places.  This time it's from World Soccer Talk, one of the places I frequent for my soccer fix, where an interesting article notes that 55% of the 100 best soccer blogs, as chosen in 2011 by the English newspaper The Guardian, are now gone.  For those of you who are mathematically-challenged, that means 55 blogs that have either disappeared altogether or have ceased to exist for all intents and purposes,* and another 12 are considered endangered.

*The definition used in the article is that no new articles have been published since March, a period of time that would have included the recent World Cup.

As for why so many highly-regarded blogs have disappeared, the author suggests a number of reasons ranging from social media (many of them are still alive via Twitter feed) to media consolidation (the best bloggers leave the independent blog field to take up with larger sites such as Grantland).  The 30+ sites that continue have carved out their own unique niche, filling the need with content that remains unique and valuable.  It's an analysis that makes a great deal of sense.

Blogging does seem to ebb and flow.  I don't think there's much question that there aren't nearly as many blogs around today as there used to be; I know a good many that I've had to remove from the sidebar over the years, many of which were around long before either of mine started.  For many, it's a case of real life intruding - if you want a good blog, you have to devote some time to it, and that isn't always the easiest thing to continue, especially when you're doing it for little or no money.  Others have said what they have to say, and have nothing more to add.  Still others probably get bored a few months after the novelty wears off, and leave the site deserted.

My ideal writing forum always has been, and remains, the novel.  I've written two so far, and I'm at work on a third.  The latest one is probably going to be the first one published; I'm about a third of the way through it, and the subject matter is time-sensitive enough that I'd like to see it in print sometime next year, probably through my own publishing efforts.  My second book was almost self-published a few years ago, before I started changing jobs and moving across country; it needs no little revision, but it has good bones and might make it next year as well.  The first book I finished likely will never see the light of day, at least not without major changes.  It served its purpose, though - it taught me that I could write a story from beginning to end, and fill all the pages in between.  Add to this a couple of non-fiction books I hope to get from It's About TV, and you can see how the blogs can be something of a challenge.

In fact, I probably could get a great deal more writing done if it weren't for these two blogs.  I don't get paid for them, and every word I type for free takes away from one I could get paid for.  So why do I continue?

With It's About TV, there's really no secret.  I get a great deal of pleasure writing about television, and I think the blogging has helped me not only to refine my writing style, but organize my ideas for the inevitable books that will grow out of the blog.  It may take away some of the time I'd spend on my novels, but in now way do I think it is a waste.  It is, as I've said before, one of life's simpler pleasures.

As for this site, honesty commands me to disclose that I've seriously considered closing shop at least twice.  The first ending was averted when I rebooted the site from one with a focus on religion to that of a general cultural awareness, which included religion but also politics, television, movies, books, and sports.  When I spun the TV portion off into its own blog, I considered wrapping this one up again, but then I looked at the outstanding contributors that keep it running - Bobby, Steve and Drew - and there were so many pieces that each one had written that I loved, I couldn't see the sense in letting them fade away.  Even when It's About TV became the primary blog and I could have abandoned this one, I decided instead to give it a face lift, a new name, and redouble my efforts to keep the content coming.  Indeed, I don't know if you've noticed, but we've already surpassed last year's number of posts, with over four months still remaining.  The two blogs have, in fact, an equal number of posts, though this one can make that claim only because there are four of us working on it.

Eventually the time will come when this blog stops being a useful form of communication, when Bobby and Steve and Drew decide they've got other things to do, and when that happens I might pull the plug, or keep it going on a much more limited basis.  Likewise, there may be a point when I fell It's About TV has run its course, when it's completed its mission of demonstrating the link between television and American culture and it becomes time to move the discussion to the book format.  But until then, I enjoy the challenge of succeeding where others have given up, and as we come up on the tenth anniversary of In Other Words (!), it's my goal to continue writing here for as long as I can.  Every time another blog fades away, I become more determined than ever to keep this alive.   Besides, we'll never stop having opinions, and as long as that's the case, we'll keep expressing them here.

Good news in the old "Our Word" family

If any of you are long-term enough readers to go back several years, you might remember some very funny and very good posts written by one of our old contributors, Kristin. (Check this one out, for example.)

Sadly for us, Kristin's stay at the blog was too short, and she went on to bigger things.  I wouldn't have thought they were necessarily better, though - after all, what's better than this blog?  Well, Kristin found something a lot better than that.  A month or so ago, our friend tied the knot, and she's now happily married!  I knew this some time ago, but sadly I've neglected to broadcast it to our readers until today.

I'm so happy for you, Kristin.  Best of everything for the future.  And if you ever want to make a cameo appearance or two, you'd be welcomed back with open arms!

And now a "word" from the editor...

If you’re one of the half-dozen or so who actually still read this blog, you’ve probably noticed a few changes over the past week or two.  Although many of them are cosmetic, I think they better express the place this blog has in the grand scheme of things.

First of all, the title.  It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since we came up with “Our Word and Welcome to It.”  As many have surmised, it’s a pun on James Thurber’s “My World and Welcome to it.”  It was originally going to be called “My Word and Welcome to It,” before I found out more than one person was going to write for it.  We’ve had writers come and go, and some who you might not have seen lately but are still here - and through it all, you’ve always been welcome to it.

About four years ago, I started a companion blog to Our Word – I called it It’s About TV!, because, well, that’s what it’s about.*  I found myself writing more and more about television and it’s relationship to American culture, but it was increasingly difficult to work these long-form pieces into the established format of Our Word.  Thus, the new blog.

*Clever, huh?

Over the years, that blog has become the dominant form of written expression for me, and it’s built up a loyal and intelligent readership.  It’s not an exaggeration to say that It’s About TV! is now the top blog in the Hadleyblog universe.  So a couple of weeks ago, I came to the conclusion that it was time to redefine where Our Word stands in that universe.  

The simplest way to look at it is like this: if you want to read what I have to say, you’re probably reading it at It’s About TV!  But what about those times when I’ve got something to say about a non-television related topic?  It does happen, though not as often as it used to.  And then there are my co-writers to consider, most of whom now write at this blog more than I do, or at least on a more consistent basis.    And so the changes began.

The blog’s name has changed to In Other Words because, literally, that’s what it represents.  They’re the words that aren’t about television, not primarily.  And they’re the words that aren’t necessarily written by me.  There will be more short posts, and links to and commentary on other pieces on the web.  Consequently, In Other Words has become a part of It’s About TV!, rather than the other way around.  I could have folded the blog completely into It's About TV!, but then it wouldn't be all about TV, would it?  If you prefer, think of TV! as the main channel, with In Other Words as a subchannel.*

*You didn’t think I’d let slide a chance to use a little TV lingo, did you?

You’ll notice this in several ways.  The layout more closely approximates that of TV!, for one thing.  I didn’t want to clone the look of the site, but I think anyone visiting both blogs will see a uniformity – a synergy, to lapse into business-speak – that shows the relationship between the two.  In the next week or two you’ll see a weekly digest appear on this site, giving you a rundown on what appeared over at TV! in the last seven days.  Hopefully, it will make you want to include that site in your regular reading as well.  Finally, In Other Words will assume a sidebar presence at It’s About TV!, so that if you only want to have one of them as a favorite, you’ll still be able to tell when a new entry appears over here.  And since the most recent posts will be listed by topic, you’ll also be able to discern whether or not they’re of any interest to you.

Someone once said it was impossible for any writer to successfully have multiple blogs.  By definition, one of them would have to suffer as the other monopolized more of the writer’s time and talent.  By keeping a good stable of writers here at In Other Words, I’m hoping to avoid that.  But it’s also important to let you know that there will be weeks when this channel will be quiet for days at a time – when there aren’t any other words besides what you see on the TV side.  When that happens, I’ll probably resort to that favorite tool of television programmers – the rerun.  Conversely, if there’s a subject of particular interest to either me or my colleagues, you may see more activity here than there.  A miniseries of posts, as it were.

Although most of these changes have been implemented, it’s not done yet by any means.  The weekly digest and the sidebar presence at It’s About TV! will happen in the next couple of weeks.  I’ll also be updating the links on this page, removing old sites, adding new ones, and expanding the list of blogs to cover additional topics.  If you’re a fellow blogger who’s listed Our Word as a link on your sidebar, a name update to In Other Words would be appreciated.

In any event, ten years is a long run for a blog.  I’ve been most fortunate to come into contact with some great people, many of whom have taken the time to write or comment.  I hope you’ll continue to make In Other Words one of the blogs you read from time to time.  And I hope you’ll invest time in It’s About TV! – in my humble opinion, it has much of the best writing I’ve done, and it’s a lot of fun to boot.  But don’t worry about this site – regardless of the name, regardless of the frequency of posting, it’s not going away any time soon.

In the meantime...

Fishin' in Minnesota in March? Well, not exactly, even though it's supposed to hit the 50s this week. But I will be taking the next couple of weeks off to take care of some other business. In the meantime, I'm leaving the blog in the capable hands of Drew, who's agreed to come out of semi-permanent retirement to fill in, and Bobby. And maybe a guest post or two. I'll be back in case anything breathtaking happens, but in the meantime you can still catch me over at It's About TV, where I'll have some pre-written pieces up over the next couple of weeks, including the popular "This Week in TV Guide" feature. See you soon! ◙

The State of the Blog 2008

The Management

Last year in the annual summary, we reported on a steady rise in the volume of traffic at Our Word. That trend has not markedly continued this year; partly, perhaps, because we’ve cut back on our commentary on other blogs. In order to drive traffic you really need to make yourself visible, and that’s something we haven’t done a lot of in the last year. Maybe it’s because we spend so much time trying to figure out what to write on our own site, we don’t have time to share anything with others. However, it also has to do with the nature of the blogosphere itself.

Why blog?

It’s a simple enough question, one our colleague Terry has asked in many different ways. It would seem as if there are at least as many different answers as there are questions. But as we survey The State of the Blog for 2008, it becomes an issue worth discussing.

For our friends and fellow bloggers, we need to note that if your site is listed on our sidebar, we’re not talking about you, so we don’t want you to think that this is aimed at you. Frankly, as Terry has pointed out, there has to be a degree of ego, of self-absorption, of publicity seeking (if you will) in all of us, or else we wouldn’t think that any of our thoughts were worth the time of day. However, in surveying the blogosphere and our part in it, it helps to look back at what’s out there, and where we fit in. And this is the state of this blog as we see it.

Now, there are blogs out there that seem to detail every single aspect of the writer’s life, no matter how significant it may be. Think of it as the “Dear Diary” approach, the idea that somewhere out there is bound to be someone sitting on pins and needles waiting to hear the latest activities of the writer’s life. In previous days one might have kept these thoughts private, or at least confined them to a real diary, lock and all, but this is the 21st century, and why pass up an opportunity to share your life with everyone? We’re all entitled to our fifteen minutes of fame, after all. The best struggle to rise above the level of self-centeredness, and the worst are just plain boring.

Then there’s what you might call the “True Confessions” mode, in which not only the most insignificant but the most intimate details of the writer’s thoughts are bared for all and sundry to read. Someone from the old school might be uncomfortable about divulging such personal details to perfect (or imperfect) strangers, but, in the world of Oprah and Dr. Phil and The View, nothing is apparently too private anymore. There’s probably some Freudian principal of repression at work in it all, the thought that nothing is best left unsaid. A couple of years ago a formerly Catholic blogger discussed at length his conversion to the Orthodox church, and it was just painful to read. The temptation is to shout, “Don’t you understand? This isn’t any of our business! Don’t play it out in public!” But nowadays we do air our personal laundry in public, and then we wonder why the resulting conversations become so personal. It’s bad enough when someone invades your own private space; it’s even worse when one gets rid of their private space as well.

Running through many of these blogs is the attitude of the “Know-It-All,” the one who feels compelled to give his or her own opinion on whatever it is that’s going on out there, often making their pronouncements with a gravity that suggests some special storehouse of knowledge. You think to yourself, “Why do I care what this person thinks?” And they seem to think it’s their responsibility to comment on everything. It’s bad enough when professional pundits do this; when amateurs do it, it can set your teeth on edge. I think all of us at Our Word are sensitive to this tendency ourselves; many times I ask whether or not my writing has anything constructive or enlightening to contribute to the discussion; if, in fact, it’s something that’s even worth writing about. More often than not, if the answers are no, the piece goes on the spike – or in the trash bin, if you prefer.

In particular, there’s a blogger out there that did as much as anyone to drive us out of the Catholic blogosphere. His site proudly proclaims that “No Thought of Mine, No Matter How Stupid, Should Ever Go Unpublished Again!” and then goes on to prove it. This isn’t meant to be a harsh assessment, but in reading his site one literally comes to the conclusion that every single thing running through his mind winds up appearing on his blog. Not only that, but his opinions are often expressed in so pugnacious a manner as to turn off anyone who might be seeking an honest dialog on an issue of disagreement. No doubt this writer has enlightened many to the wisdom of Catholicism, but at the same time how many people have been turned off by his attitude and incivility, which often devolves into name-calling? People like that, one suspects, aren’t really looking for an honest discussion; they’re really only interested in putting down the other guy. You couldn't look for a better description of this trait than the one from Michael Crichton, quoted by Mollie at Get Religion:

I grew up in the 1950s, supposedly the heyday of conformity, but there was much more freedom of opinion back then. And as a result, you knew that your neighbors might hold different views from you on politics or religion. Today, the notion that men of good will can disagree has disappeared. Can you imagine! Today, if I disagree with you, you conclude there is something wrong with me. This is a childish, parochial view. And of course stupefyingly intolerant. It’s truly anti-American.

In fact, encountering that kind of intransigence usually serves only to stiffen the opposition of those with an opposing viewpoint. Many of us share this particular Catholic blogger's reservations about the war, about the moral fiber of America, about the two political parties; but after reading him you’re tempted to come out in violent opposition to just about anything he says, purely out of spite. That’s not a good reaction for anyone to have, but you have to think he deserves at least a share of the blame for going out of his way to provoke that kind of reaction.

So where does this leave us? Our rule of thumb is if you’d be uncomfortable seeing your material appear in a nationally syndicated newspaper column, you’re probably better off forgetting about it. That’s why we shy away from the diary approach, why we leave confessions to the church confessional. We’re not averse to expressing our opinions when we have them, but we try to do it in such a way that invites civil, intelligent discussion. Frankly, it’s often a lot more fun to have a stimulating argument with someone with whom you disagree, as long as there’s mutual respect and enjoyment involved. Life’s too short, and words too precious, to waste them on preaching to the choir.

So as we enter another year at Our Word, we’ll continue to try to provide our readers with pieces we think are interesting, entertaining, or informative. Hopefully, on occasion we’ll accomplish all three. But our goal, as always, is to strive for a high level of literacy and professionalism, to write with an originality and intelligence worthy of our readers, and to display a flair and panache while doing so. Most of all, we hope to do it while maintaining a sense of dignity and civility, as a means of showing your our respect.

* * * * *
Having said all that, we’ll now ask your indulgence to allow us a personal note. As of this weekend, Mitchell will be taking the summer off from the blog in order to work on another writing project. That doesn’t mean he’s going to completely disappear, as there are some things out there so outrageous, only he can write them. But you’ll be reading him much less frequently for the next few months. (Please, hold your applause until the end.)

In his stead, Kristin has agreed to assume the role of Principal Contributing Editor, so you’ll be hearing a lot more from her in the following months. Judie will act as Principal Managing Editor, so have no fears that Our Word will grind to a halt – nothing else will change. And over the course of the summer, you may even encounter some special contributors from time to time. Stay tuned!