The reluctant blogger

In a world already rife with opportunities for self-indulgence I was initially less than enamoured with the idea of the blog. What we do not need are more words, we need more intelligent use of the ones already floating about. While the current system of natural selection for that which is “publishable” is certainly flawed – ask any novelist attempting to sell a book – hell, ask me – the prospect of unfettered, unjuried, unintelligible ramblings from anyone who can wrap their digits around a mouse is a far more frightening prospect than the possibility that some works which perhaps warrant publication, might fail to achieve that end.

And yet, new media create new creative opportunities and fabulous things can and will emerge. Yes, there will be dross – there always is and always will be until we find a way to outlaw stupidity and bad taste. But within the cloistered world of blogging, I’ve already come across some great stuff that I never would have seen without the surfeit of monomaniacal offerings in this reality based, memoir crazed time.

I'm not a huge fan of rants. I've been known to rant against rants. And yet as with anything, there are always those who take the form to a new place. Eurotrash comes to mind. Angry, funny stuff. And Mimi Smartypants – five years of badass craziness – you’ve got to love that. Then there's the thoughtful articulations of someone like Library Dust – a pleasure to read. Or Jessamyn West – librarian blogger extraordinaire. How many blogs does she have - and how does she get it all done? The blog that started it all for me (I saw it referred to in a writer's discussion group) was Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind – laid out cleanly and clearly, chock full of info and links to one small part of the world – specifically crime fiction – yet another much maligned form. Coincidence? I wonder. And as the neophyte of neophytes I am aware of only the tiniest sliver of all the fab stuff that is out there.

I may be late to the party but I can assure you I'm not headed home anytime soon. Besides my tardy appearance is pretty much business as usual for me. In fact my record for recognizing significant new developments is truly stellar. I hated the idea of the internet at first (I was in my back to the land - I hate that I compromised and got electricity to my cabin in the woods - stage). Again, my concern with the internet was that there would be too much opportunity for the proliferation of garbage.

The natural extension of this particular philosophy is that if I ran the world, nothing at all would be allowed in case it could possibly result in some form of trash. Sorry, no food for you – it’ll only result in crap. Nix on the whole clothing thing – everyone will want some and next thing you know, polyester will be invented. Shelter? I don’t think so. It can only lead to sad puppy figurines and skylights (of course it’s going to leak people – you’ve cut a HOLE in your roof).

My first impulse is to distrust change (oh, oh, this can’t be good), then like a too typical convert, I gleefully adopt it as my own personal saviour and will attempt to recruit all in my path. So, if you’ll indulge this self-indulgent reluctant blogger, I better rest up before my next blog-rant (ooh, that looks way too much like igno-rant – do you think it’s trying to tell me something?)