The World Probably Doesn't Need Another Blog. But You Might.
The days of bloggers getting "discovered" are over and in reverse, evident in veteran writers migrating to Substack. Is there much point in blogging left for undiscovered talent?
A Writer Asks:
I have been toying with the idea of writing a music blog for a while now. I’d like to focus on general interest and music history stories, as it suits my background in media and music. I’ve got a good collection of ideas! But I’m not sure if a blog or website like this is worth pursuing. My ultimate goal is to write articles and freelance edit. Would a blog help or hinder my ability to sell story ideas?
Should I just focus on pitching, or could this help me sell myself as a freelance writer/editor/proofreader if I had some work published on my own website?
—Not Another Music Blogger (Namb)
Dear Namb:
Usually, my boilerplate response to “should I start a music/food/whatever blog?” is, “the world neither needs, nor wants, another music/food/whatever blog.”
However, I’m having a change of heart after consulting Renato Pagnani, a former music blogger who’s since written for The Fader and Rolling Stone. I kicked your question up to him, and his reply surprised me.
I’ll get to it in a moment. First, let’s talk about the stigma of blogging.
Personal blogs (think Blogspot) arguably sparked the “social web,” but quickly proved to be the least sustainable of what we now call social media. In 2008, 95 percent of blogs were inactive, according to the New York Times. I doubt that’s improved in the present day, with more than half a billion blogs scattered worldwide like fossilized remnants of an ancient meteorite. Furthermore, blogs are practically invisible without secondary social media pushing each post to semi-loyal followers.
Sorry to break it to you, Namb, but we’re way beyond peak blog. Even the term “blog” sounds dated and tainted. Most over-35 writers still harbour resentment for the cheapening effects blogging had on our trade, myself included, if you hadn’t already deduced that.
Despite my prejudices, I acknowledge the value in blogging for unpublished writers. The fact is, selling pitches without clippings is hard. As Renato put it, “It’s a chicken-and-egg scenario: Editors still want to see samples of your writing before assigning a piece, no matter how tantalizing a pitch. But how can you show editors samples of your writing if no editors will give you assignments?”
I’m in agreement with Renato. Choose your stories carefully, write them with the same rigour you would any assignment, and get a competent friend to edit them for beer. Do that five times, and you should be able to sell the rest of your pitches elsewhere. From then on, your blog should only be a liquidation warehouse for the articles you can’t sell but strongly believe in.
Where we disagree is the platform on which to build your body of work.
I’d avoid highly-personalized sites like Wordpress and Tumblr, which, in my opinion, evoke the worst connotations of “peak blog”. I recommend Medium instead. Well aware of the aforementioned stigma, Medium uses the terms “publications” and “articles” to describe what is, essentially, a blog. I use it for the occasional open letter or story update, and am a big fan of its restrained and clean design. The consistency gives all bylines a subtle (and totally illusory) sense of equality.
Renato, though, recommends Tumblr specifically because you’re a music writer, and, to my surprise, Tumblr is still a mainspring of music journalism. He says:
“Admittedly, the music writing community on Tumblr isn’t what it was from 2008 to 2013. Back then, the platform allowed writers who didn’t live in New York, or have the right connections, to find an audience for their writing that they otherwise would never have. Seriously—speaking as someone based in Edmonton, Alberta, there’s no way I would have the bylines in the publications that I do without my (now inactive) Tumblr. But there’s still a music writing community there, and it’s still supportive.
“At the very least, a Tumblr would act as a centralized portfolio for your writing to which you can link when pitching editors. If your writing is up to snuff, editors will assign you pieces even if you’ve only ever written on your Tumblr.
“Starting a music blog in 2020 might feel a little absurd, but if you’re worried that it will in any way prevent you from successfully pitching publications, worry not.”
Alternatively, Renato suggests contributing to an established Tumblr with various bylines like The Singles Jukebox. “It’s always open to emerging writers,” he says. “It’s acted as an incubator of talent that’s helped nurture some of the greatest music writers working today.”
I like this advice a lot. Because, let’s be real, what he’s describing is a digital magazine by another name. It reminds me that some of my first bylines, in 2006, were freebies published in what most of its readers probably called a “music blog.” Maybe I haven’t credited blogging enough for helping me get clippings…
There’s one last road both Renato and I think you should consider. It’s the platform you’re reading right now. Nobody guessed that newsletters would be having a moment in the Year of Our Lord 2020. But here we are, reading long-winded emails like we just heard back from a Hotmail pen pal.
In hindsight, it’s obvious why “flying direct” is a better way to amplify your posts. Speaking from experience, my Substack posts reach far more readers than anything I post on Medium without any additional boosting. But a modest fraction of the traffic comes via social media, effectively making At Large both newsletter and blog.
This is true of music journalism, too. “Music blogs are experiencing a sort of renaissance in 2020, albeit in this slightly different format,” says Renato. “Substacks typically work better for writers who have established a name for themselves and can monetize an existing readership; if you’re just starting out, though, starting a Tumblr in 2020 is still a good way to get started in music writing.”
Here’s another idea: do both. Publish regularly on Tumblr and then a monthly roundup on Substack, acting as a secondary device to drive traffic to your blog.
You probably won’t reach the monetization level on Substack that’s attracted famous writers like Matt Taibbi, who is probably making more money directly from readers now than from any Rolling Stone cheque before. But that’s not your objective; your objective is proving you deserve those Rolling Stone cheques one day soon. It worked for Renato, and, upon further reflection, it probably helped me too.
Whatever platform you choose, the quality of writing remains imperative.
Have a question? Email me! Are you shy? Ask anonymously!
Something for Your Toolkit
Missed Pitches Substack
I’m no doubt over-subscribed to Substacks, but I allowed myself just one more last week. Missed Pitchescurates and disseminates rejected ideas. Freelancers submit estranged ideas for essays, podcasts, and even apps, hoping to find long-lost collaborators. I really hope this new venture becomes a discovery zone. If nothing else, the creators, Abigail Geiger and “Rungomez,” include writing jobs, freelance opportunities, and writing contests in each article.
And One Shameless Plug…
Life and Death in the ICU: An Oral History
I was happily surprised to see something I wrote is on Toronto Life’s annual list of most-read features. “Life and Death in the ICU” is the harrowing first-person story of COVID patient Larry Pancer, a beloved pediatrician from Markham Stouffville Hospital, and the colleagues who saved his life—twice.
At Large is edited by Danielle Paradis. Find out about her and her work at danielleparadis.com.
Special thanks to Renato Pagnani for his generous response to the writer’s question. Check out his portfolio on Contently.