Comments on: What is slow blogging?

By: Jon Limjap

Jon Limjap — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 04:30:29 +0000

I think the underlying motive here is to prevent people from knee-jerk blog posts that result in lynch mob blogging (e.g., a huge number of bloggers echoing certain emotional opinions regarding certain people and events) and to challenge them to think and weigh their emotions first before they fire off ranting.

If that's the intention, then I'm all for it.

By: Todd Sieling

Todd Sieling — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:49:57 +0000

That's definitely what I had in mind, Mayank. Part of my concern is that the common wisdom that goes around about 'how to blog' has been shaped by the state of search engines, and that they give preference to frequently updated content. What's happened, in my mind, is that a fact about how search engines could be better tuned to the natural pace of creativity was turned into a failing of the human user, who is then framed as the weak link in the chain. If anything, search engines that rely too heavily on update frequency can be too easily tricked into serving lesser quality content. Thanks again for the reading and commentary!

By: Mayank

Mayank — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:25:17 +0000

ah! that definitely sounds good! Indeed, I will surely support you on this one. I think now I get the real message. You wanted to target those bloggers who stopped thinking before making posts and started making posts just because all the A-list bloggers have suggested them to do so. Am I getting it right?

By: Mayank

Mayank — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:20:15 +0000

I agree that thoughtful consideration should be given while making the blog posts. But the question is that why exactly this kind of movement or anything of this sort is required? People who are interested in making money will push their websites to whole new level as we all know that more content will surely help in making more money. At least, adsense farms have already proven that and those who are interested in writing good content surely put good enough efforts to bring out quality content.

Mashable is definitely an exception!

By: Todd Sieling

Todd Sieling — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:36:55 +0000

Thanks for commenting on the manifesto. I find it important to emphasize that I don't propose slow blogging as a rule to follow. Instead, it's more about 'if you don't feel ready to write something on a blog, don't force yourself just to keep pace'. In other words, we completely agree that there are no rules on how to run a good blog except those we set for ourselves, keeping in harmony with our natural creative pace.

By: Julie

Julie — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:55:39 +0000

Huh. Sounds to me like a fancy rationalization for not blogging regularly. My own blogging is sporadic (at best) — I think I'll adopt this excuse myself.

Seriously though. Although I agree with you that in blogging there are no rules (nor should there be), I think it would not be a bad thing if more people would give some "thoughtful consideration" before pounding out another post.