Andrew Sullivan on book writing vs. blogging:
| I have to say that producing a book – I have four under my belt if you count my dissertation – is a draining, soul-sapping catharsis. Part of the strain is working for a long time and not knowing if any of it will be worth it. Blogging is almost the polar opposite: almost everything you write is read and used by someone. On a simple hour-by-hour basis, blogging is harder work. But the thinking required for a book – the slow sifting and weighing of competing ideas, themes, structure, arguments – is a deeper, more painful process. |
| Most of my books have clocked in at around 80,000 words. I write around half a million words a year on this blog. On a pain-per-word basis, books are harder. But at least there is a point at which they are over, at least in the writing. A blog never stops. The deadline is always with you… |
Actually, Blogging is more like watering plants. Ya gotta do it often enough that they don’t die, but not so often that you drown the things.
Heh… that’s actually very interesting. I find the same thing with any monumental writing task. Blog posts, magazine articles, reviews, opinion essays — all are quick.
Books are a pain, like Andrew mentions not due to the size, but rather the singular, monolithic type product.
Blogging is much more modular. 🙂 Yes, yes, books have chapters, but they must be wrapped up in a pretty bow before they’re done.
Thanks for the link though, that’s an interesting piece.
Blogs are like eating dessert – quick, satisfying, then you move on. Books are like a multi-course dinner – takes a long time and you end up wondering why you ate so much. 🙂