In reference to the title, I’ve actually told this to a few people lately. Yeah, I know! This coming from someone who’s been blogging since fucking Geocities was in its prime in 1997! But these days, sitting down to write these long form entries has become less of a joy and more of a chore. It’s not that I don’t have things to talk about, it’s just that most of the time it doesn’t leave my head and make it to this blog, especially if I’ve been out running around all day. Hell, on a busy day, even sending out tweets slips my mind. So many people have already asked me questions like “when are you going to blog again?” and “how come your blog died?”
And for me, those lead to a bigger question. What’s the future of Black Gay Blogger look like?
Since this blog started in 2003, I’ve mainly only talked about personal stuff, sprinkled with my thoughts on current events, technology, and the like. And for me, that format works. I could never be committed to report on any and everything gay like some of my contemporaries, nor could I just post pictures of half-naked (or fully-naked) dudes for people to ogle over. That’s not to say that I don’t have an interest in gay things or hot men, but it’s just not what I choose to blog about.
When I blog, that is.
My online blog platform of choice these days is Tumblr. They make it super easy to update, whether from your phone, via e-mail, or easily from the web with a bookmarklet. (Posterous does these same things, but I’ve been with Tumblr first, and I’ve just never jumped on the Posterous bandwagon.) My Tumblr is mainly filled with pictures of sneakers, random images and YouTube videos, and a few long form pieces sprinkled throughout. It also automagically scales down big images to fit into whatever Tumblr template you’re using, giving you even less to worry about when you want to post something. And perhaps what I like best about Tumblr is how easy it is to add content from other sources with automatic attribution. It makes posting something that I’m interested about a quick and easy process.
I’m wondering if I should just integrate some Tumblr-like capabilities into this site, because that’s where I’ve been the most active lately, and I’d like to give y’all a little something to tide you over until I actually get back in the swing of real blogging again.
What do you think?
I don’t think it has played out. I just think the form has changed. Long-form is still acceptable, but it’s not critical or necessary.
I switched to a more tumblelog style myself recently. As a result, I blog a lot more, but my entries are usually way shorter: a paragraph or two of commentary. Sometimes, I bang out an essay-length piece. But mostly? It’s “Hey, I thought this was interesting and here’s why.”
I’m totally right there with you. I think I agree with Tiffany. Many of the reasons we blogged in the beg ginning have been replaced by a number of other platforms.
Ironically as you build a blog audience and make connections, you interests evolve as well. I run a Blogging conference and I find that my desire to get up every day and write a tome is abating partially because I have the ability to do the same or similar things with other social media tools.
That being said. I don’t think blogging is played out, I think there is still room for it it just might not be the main thing you do.
I also think that a lot of people start blogging out of passion and adrenaline and eventualy that gets tapped out. That’s why we have to build structure that will endure beyond passion.
I’ve taken off three months of blogging at my personal blog. My other blog runs without me since it is a group blog. I am about to launch some new platforms in 2010, but those will nor be blogs.
I also think there is a difference for people whose full time job it is to blog and those who are juggling like you and me.
BTW, you need to write a book
Well i enjoy your blog but if you must go…….ill learn to cope.
Whoa whoa whoa! I’m not quitting blogging! I’m just re-thinking and re-examining how I interact through blogging, which these days is more quick, one-off posts rather than longer, more thought-out pieces. But I’m saying, this place could really use an overhaul to incorporate more content, and I’m planning that out now.
I still blogs. I like Twitter et all but even when they’re few and far between a half way descent blog entry is better than a tweet. Just my 2 cents.
I’ve fallen back on the sharing of links with the very occasional longer post (pretty much only when I Have Something To Say) on my “traditional” blog for the better part of a year. Hell, probably more like two at this point. But I like maintaining the flexibility of WordPress on the back end. But damn, Tumblr is so simple. So actually, maybe that’s where Posterous can fill a gap. Hmmmm, I should look into that.
But, you know, we all know how to find you. And I think we’re all struggling with how to integrate our disparate content without too much duplication for our closest followers. I have yet to come up with a great idea.
I love how dead simple Tumblr is. I love it. But I’m not willing to put all my eggs in that basket, especially since you can’t export.