This is Not a Blog

When Diane, my publisher, asked me to write a blog for our new Web site, I was excited—at first. I was eager to inject my opinions into the swirling mass that is the blogoverse (one thing I like doing is coining new words…I’m sick of “blogosphere”). But then, I remembered something: I don’t read any “blogs.” Not only did I feel like less of an expert, but I wondered who would read my blog? Is writing for the blogoverse like writing into a vacuum?
Don’t get me wrong, I do a lot of online reading. I read Rafat Ali’s PaidContent.org. I read Paul Conley at PaulConley.com. I read Prescott Shibles and Eric Shanfelt. I read FishbowlNY. And, OK, I read John Buccigross on ESPN.com. But aren’t these columns? Aren’t these experts? Are these really “blogs”?
I don’t know. And it doesn’t matter. The fact is, these people have my eyeballs, and not because they are spouting off their opinions. They have me because they’re spouting off their opinions and they’re experts. When I think “blog,” I think “amateur.” This may not be the truth, but it’s certainly an image problem.
So, call this a blog if you must. I call it a column. If you think I’m not an expert, we can talk about downgrading to a blog. Let me know.