FacebookTwitter
Hatrack River Forum   
my profile login | search | faq | forum home

  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» Hatrack River Forum » Active Forums » Books, Films, Food and Culture » 10 reasons why blogs are better than columns

   
Author Topic: 10 reasons why blogs are better than columns
Chris Bridges
Member
Member # 1138

 - posted      Profile for Chris Bridges   Email Chris Bridges         Edit/Delete Post 
10 reasons why blogs are better than columns

As of today, my weekly column Twenty-Four/Seven is moving to a blog format.

Why, oh why, you may ask. And well you should, although maybe not as whiny. You deserve some straight answers, I think as a reader of Twenty-Four/Seven you’ve come to expect them, and they’ll help fill up my blog.

1. No deadline. My weekly deadline for Wednesday publication has previously been “sometime Tuesday” and I have maintained that rigid discipline except for when I haven’t. But “sometime” has been getting later and later, until I’ve been seen sneaking into the building at 11:59 p.m. to slide hastily scrawled copy under the office door. Now, at last, I am blessedly free of that crushing pressure.

Of course, since I prefer blogs that update regularly, I’ve just traded my weekly deadline for a constant and never-ending one that demands attention every hour of the day until I can no longer hear of an event, no matter how inconsequential, without obsessively typing it out even if there is no keyboard in front of me.

More...

Posts: 7790 | Registered: Aug 2000  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Dr Strangelove
Member
Member # 8331

 - posted      Profile for Dr Strangelove   Email Dr Strangelove         Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
I mean, they’re all “look at me, I have ‘taste’ and ‘hygiene’ and ‘symmetrical body parts,’ lah dee dah.” Elitists.
Ah, its Wednesday .... Always good to start the day off with a smile on my face, courtesy of Chris Bridges. [Big Grin]
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
katharina
Member
Member # 827

 - posted      Profile for katharina   Email katharina         Edit/Delete Post 
Nice. [Smile] Now I can add you to my Favorites folder of blog links. [Smile]
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Farmgirl
Member
Member # 5567

 - posted      Profile for Farmgirl   Email Farmgirl         Edit/Delete Post 
Good column, Chris! [Wink]

I noticed our local daily here, in their online version, also have their columnists doing blogs now.

I can see all the positives you reflected, except I disagree that it is "cooler" to be a blogger than a columnist. I think "columnist" has the implication of professionalism, that you are a trained journalist who is being paid for what he does. "Blogger," on the other hand, can be practically anyone.

And I think I will keep my comments to when you link here on Hatrack. Or are you going to quit doing that now that yours is an ongoing blog?

Farmgirl

[ September 20, 2006, 10:34 AM: Message edited by: Farmgirl ]

Posts: 9538 | Registered: Aug 2003  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Orincoro
Member
Member # 8854

 - posted      Profile for Orincoro   Email Orincoro         Edit/Delete Post 
Don't you think though, Chris, that as a columnist you could have the luxury of ignoring (somewhat) the blogosphere and looking at the world sanely, calmly, from the distance of a spiraling 6 day deadline each week? There should still be columns- blogs are just well, like you said, wallowing most of the time.

I would relish a column for the freedom I would have from the blogosphere! I have had a column (but that was kid stuff-highschool), and liked the fact that I wasn't tied to "actual" reporting, and so I could feel free to kick back and riff on some idea that wouldn't go bad faster than the milk I left out on the counter last night. Blogs get updated so often for a reason- they are google.brain- they return 10,937 hits in .00124 seconds, when all you need is one good solid thought, (scatological references pop unbidden to mind). But whatever, enjoy blogging.

Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Icarus
Member
Member # 3162

 - posted      Profile for Icarus   Email Icarus         Edit/Delete Post 
:-|
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Orincoro
Member
Member # 8854

 - posted      Profile for Orincoro   Email Orincoro         Edit/Delete Post 
I'm probably being unfair yeah? I still don't think blogs are so hot.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
blacwolve
Member
Member # 2972

 - posted      Profile for blacwolve   Email blacwolve         Edit/Delete Post 
Are you still going to link here on hatrack? Or on your LJ?
Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
xnera
Member
Member # 187

 - posted      Profile for xnera   Email xnera         Edit/Delete Post 
Congrats, Chris! I think this is way cool, if only because that means I get MORE 24/7! [Big Grin]

I've made a LiveJournal account for your blog's feed, so LiveJournal users can subscribe to it and read it on their friend's page. It's here. That means you don't have to post a link to your blog from your LJ account--though, of course, you still can if you want to. [Smile]

Posts: 1805 | Registered: Jun 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
blacwolve
Member
Member # 2972

 - posted      Profile for blacwolve   Email blacwolve         Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks xnera!
Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Chris Bridges
Member
Member # 1138

 - posted      Profile for Chris Bridges   Email Chris Bridges         Edit/Delete Post 
I changed it to a blog for a couple reasons (aside from the ones listed, most of which are more or less accurate). One was that we wanted an entertainment blog that commented on local and national stuff, and my boss wasn't convinced it would keep going without someone at the helm so I volunteered. Consequently 24/7 will prolly mention a lot of stuff that anyone more than 60 miles away couldn't care less about.

There will still be longer pieces on occasion that may even work out to a weekly column, mostly because I'm a wordy SOB and I like the "finished" feel a carefully thought out column has over the average blog post. I'll post those here, when they happen, but I won't be linking the smaller blogs.

Thanks xnera! There's also an RSS feed for the blog here.

Posts: 7790 | Registered: Aug 2000  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Icarus
Member
Member # 3162

 - posted      Profile for Icarus   Email Icarus         Edit/Delete Post 
Sorry, Orincoro, I wasn't responding to you. I pretty much agree with you, and was voicing that.

So um, yeah, Chris, um, congratulations, and stuff. [Smile]

Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
erosomniac
Member
Member # 6834

 - posted      Profile for erosomniac           Edit/Delete Post 
BOMB THE BLOGOSPHERE!

I'll still read Chris', though. :-X

Posts: 4313 | Registered: Sep 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Eduardo St. Elmo
Member
Member # 9566

 - posted      Profile for Eduardo St. Elmo   Email Eduardo St. Elmo         Edit/Delete Post 
one reason why columns are better than blogs:

they can support buildings... [Smile]

Posts: 993 | Registered: Jul 2006  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
BlackBlade
Member
Member # 8376

 - posted      Profile for BlackBlade   Email BlackBlade         Edit/Delete Post 
One Reason Why Blogs Are Better Then Columns:

You can have no professional background in writing and still find work as a corporate blogger, I did [Big Grin]

Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Orincoro
Member
Member # 8854

 - posted      Profile for Orincoro   Email Orincoro         Edit/Delete Post 
That is not a valid Reason why Blogs are Better.

(certainly not coming from SOOME people [Razz] )

Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
BlackBlade
Member
Member # 8376

 - posted      Profile for BlackBlade   Email BlackBlade         Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
Originally posted by Orincoro:
That is not a valid Reason why Blogs are Better.

(certainly not coming from SOOME people [Razz] )

I know where you live Orincoro! Ok well maybe I don't but Ill blog about you nonetheless!
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Chris Bridges
Member
Member # 1138

 - posted      Profile for Chris Bridges   Email Chris Bridges         Edit/Delete Post 
So far I've managed to blog more or less regularly without injuring myself unduly, and I'll be posting a recap of Kevin Smith's talk in Orlando Saturday. FYI.
Posts: 7790 | Registered: Aug 2000  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Anna
Member
Member # 2582

 - posted      Profile for Anna           Edit/Delete Post 
I'll add you to the links of my own blog as soon as I create an English-only section. Which should be soon.
Posts: 3526 | Registered: Oct 2001  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Farmgirl
Member
Member # 5567

 - posted      Profile for Farmgirl   Email Farmgirl         Edit/Delete Post 
Mayfly to Chris....


Are you still writing on blog format? Because my link to your blog doesn't show anything since September 20th, unless I have the wrong link...

What's the update?

FG

Posts: 9538 | Registered: Aug 2003  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Uprooted
Member
Member # 8353

 - posted      Profile for Uprooted   Email Uprooted         Edit/Delete Post 
I think the original link Chris gave above was a permalink to that one entry. Click on the twenty-four/seven line at the top of the column where it says:

BLOGS >> TWENTY-FOUR/SEVEN

That will give you his latest. Which I'll go read now that I've figured out! [Wink]

Actually, here's the link without all the hoops: http://blogs.news-journalonline.com/247/

Posts: 3149 | Registered: Jul 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Farmgirl
Member
Member # 5567

 - posted      Profile for Farmgirl   Email Farmgirl         Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks! I thought I had looked for whatever link would give me most recently, but wasn't having any luck! Bookmark fixed!
Posts: 9538 | Registered: Aug 2003  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
   

   Close Topic   Feature Topic   Move Topic   Delete Topic next oldest topic   next newest topic
 - Printer-friendly view of this topic
Hop To:


Contact Us | Hatrack River Home Page

Copyright © 2008 Hatrack River Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classic™ 6.7.2