I think I would endorse the truth of multiple of these arguments at various points in my career. My ambient impression is that folks think blogging is "so saturated right now" and:
a) blogging is a terrible form factor for impact and value
b) virtually no one writes enough well.
a) blogging is a terrible form factor for impact and value
b) virtually no one writes enough well.
Blogging autocommoditizes itself via the branding of the form factor suggesting "hobbyist in their bathrobe."
Blogging makes the date of publication (and sequence of posts) central to perceived value of the piece, causing it to depreciate to ~0 for *no darn reason* within days.
Blogging makes the date of publication (and sequence of posts) central to perceived value of the piece, causing it to depreciate to ~0 for *no darn reason* within days.
Blogging sets people up on a content treadmill, and if you get off the treadmill you have a "dead" blog, which makes you a failed blogger in many's eyes.
I wrote a book once. I haven't written a book since. Nobody has ever suggested I am a failed author.
I wrote a book once. I haven't written a book since. Nobody has ever suggested I am a failed author.
Because all of the above are known about blogs, it is excessively difficult to cause non-blogging decisionmakers in your life to value them effectively for the purpose of deciding to collaborate on them, reward you professionally for professional work done in making them, etc.
People reading blogs have interesting preferences with regards to the form factor which may not match your interests, such as a strong preference for them being short-form.
There are many pieces whose natural length is not 800 words. If you call them a blog, readers nope out.
There are many pieces whose natural length is not 800 words. If you call them a blog, readers nope out.
There are people who are engaged in the life of the mind who would seriously consider reading your blog on an iPhone for 4 minutes on the subway to be an adequate, effective environment for idea exchange, which they *would never consider in any other context.*
