That's a very good question, Jayne. I sometimes think it has. Writing is the art of really mulling over something, but blogging, like email over snail mail, is about blurting out a half-baked thought. At least it feels that way to me.
There is no time for contemplation in blogging.
No time for a considered edit.
No time to sit back and think, 'could I have said this better?'
I think in answer to your question, blogging has killed writing. I worry that blogging drains my creativity. It is an ever-hungry beast.
As much as I hate to admit it, the more I blog the less I write my book, and vice versa. I also have four Orble blogs now, so even if I write an entry every day I still feel like I'm neglecting a blog or two.
Hi Jo,
"blurting out a half-baked thought" - how fabulous, and rather suited to this particular post of 9 words!
Someone I know called blogging (not generally but in reference to some specific blogs) "banal subjectivity gone wild", which I think is a great - and probably apt -description. It really did get me thinking. Is Blogland just a bunch of people sitting around observing stuff and then 'blurting' out their thoughts? And then I wondered, but isn't that what writers have always done? And with this massive overload of observations originality of subject (if there is such a thing) becomes less likely.
I think that good writing can be found on a blog but it is not found on every blog. And perhaps the key still remains the same as for all good writing - beautiful, original and startling language choices combined with considered and purposeful structure. Unfortunately you are also right when you say most blogs don't allow for the 'considered edit, the contemplation' which makes writing... well, wonderful.
An 'ever-hungry beast'? I would have to agree which is probably why my Orble blog is starving to death!
Epiphanie,
It's like you have a little brood of children there with all your blogs and, trust me, all good parents neglect a child or two at some stage.
But that book of yours... now that's the one you don't want to neglect, otherwise how will we all get to read it?
I don't think so. The blog space allows all of us to experiment with our writing. Well, at least I use it as that. I use blogs to practice my writing for my more serious projects and blogging has only improved my skills rather than kill it...
Good discussion tho!
I think you are spot on Amy. We use our blogs to 'practice' our writing skills. As long as we do go on to our more serious projects I think the blog has served its purpose. I think it's when, as Epiphanie said, our blogs take away from our other stuff that we need to re-balance.
Great insight, Thank you.
Jayne
Comment by Joanne Fedler
There is no time for contemplation in blogging.
No time for a considered edit.
No time to sit back and think, 'could I have said this better?'
I think in answer to your question, blogging has killed writing. I worry that blogging drains my creativity. It is an ever-hungry beast.
Jo
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Comment by Jayne Kearney
Writers In Writing (and other writing)
"blurting out a half-baked thought" - how fabulous, and rather suited to this particular post of 9 words!
Someone I know called blogging (not generally but in reference to some specific blogs) "banal subjectivity gone wild", which I think is a great - and probably apt -description. It really did get me thinking. Is Blogland just a bunch of people sitting around observing stuff and then 'blurting' out their thoughts? And then I wondered, but isn't that what writers have always done? And with this massive overload of observations originality of subject (if there is such a thing) becomes less likely.
I think that good writing can be found on a blog but it is not found on every blog. And perhaps the key still remains the same as for all good writing - beautiful, original and startling language choices combined with considered and purposeful structure. Unfortunately you are also right when you say most blogs don't allow for the 'considered edit, the contemplation' which makes writing... well, wonderful.
An 'ever-hungry beast'? I would have to agree which is probably why my Orble blog is starving to death!
Epiphanie,
It's like you have a little brood of children there with all your blogs and, trust me, all good parents neglect a child or two at some stage.
But that book of yours... now that's the one you don't want to neglect, otherwise how will we all get to read it?
Thanks for your thoughts
Jayne
Comment by AmyHuang
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Good discussion tho!
Comment by Jayne Kearney
Writers In Writing (and other writing)
Great insight, Thank you.
Jayne