Andrew Sullivan on "Why I Blog"

Blogging is not dead!

This is a good article in the Atlantic “Why I Blog” by Andrew Sullivan. I saw it in the print version last month but hadn’t gotten around to reading it until I saw a link from the not-dead blog post referenced above.

The only part of this article I question is on the first page where he says that blogging doesn’t allow review or editing. I self-edit a lot. I usually write a draft, and then come back to it a few hours later to read through it and publish it on blogger.

I love this -- “The blogosphere, at its best, [is] a conversation, rather than a production.”

Starting on Page 3 is a fascinating history of blog-like writing.

The 4th paragraph, 3rd page is great! (this magazine won’t let me copy & paste text!) The idea is that blogging is like hosting a dinner party. Starting a conversation about an interesting topic, then allowing the guests to feel welcome contributing thoughts as well. This doesn’t apply to my blog, but does applying to several I often read...you know who you are Barbara, Sam, other dinner party hosts. :)

Blogging is different from print journalism in that “whatever authority a blogger has is derived not from the institution he works for but from the humanness he conveys.” I take issues with the generic “he”… I like a generic “they”… but I enjoy the sentiment of the line.

He talks about the miracle of email, which is a great way of putting it.

Says blogging is like cable news or talk radio. “People have a voice for radio and a face for television. For blogging, they have a sensibility.”

4th paragraph from the bottom on the 4th and last page, I really enjoyed. About how blogging interacts with his print journalism writing and how they are both part of the conversation and inform each other. Then he talks about jazz and blogs. I love it!

Yeah, a very good article. You should go read it now. :)