Jul
30
Posted on 07-30-2007 at 02:00pm
Blogging, BlogHer, Lindsay’s “new one,” & specialization
Filed Under (Opinion, Internet) by Kate O' on 07-30-2007

When we began setting up Music City Bloggers a few weeks ago, we discussed the possibility of sending a contingent to the BlogHer conference in Chicago to use it as a deep dive into the strategy going forward. The logistics didn’t work out, though, and we stayed behind. So I’ve been reading with extra curiosity the reports from folks who attended this past weekend.

Busy Mom and Lindsay of Suburban Turmoil both attended and have been posting their reports. Coincidentally, one of the reports from Lindsay was about getting “ripped a new one” by Penelope Trunk (who is, incidentally, slated to be the keynote speaker at BarCamp Nashville). Ms. Trunk’s thesis, it seems, is that specialization is all:

Penelope shoots audience member down with barbed one-liner like, “You can’t write about politics and knitting,” delivered in a withering tone. Mkay. This would all have been slightly more tolerable if the information were accurate- but much of it seemed just plain wrong, like when a mommyblogger was told that she’d have to write about just one subject, like diapers, to be really successful. Think about the most “successful” mommybloggers for a minute. Most of them will write about just about anything if the mood strikes them. We read them for their voice, not their specific subject matter.

I say it’s coincidental because I’ve just been thinking about this subject quite a bit. If you’ve ever read much about marketing and branding, you know there’s always an emphasis on specialization. More and more, it seems the experts apply that logic to everything: books, e-commerce sites, blogs, careers, even people. And the experts are right — that’s part of how the “long tail” model works.

Swiss Army KnifeBut the experts are also wrong, at least when it comes to people. People are complex. (It’s why I call my own blog High Holy Mass of Contradictions.) People are more interesting when they reveal their complexity. And when it comes to blogs that revolve around a central figure, why shouldn’t there be a mashup of everything a person wishes to reveal about him or herself? Again, as Lindsay says:

We read them for their voice, not their specific subject matter.

It’s true that the connected world is becoming more of a place for specialists. For now. Specialists can be a great source of focused information. But like any trend that swings noticeably in one direction, you can always count on it swinging back. In a short while, expect the experts to be advising bloggers (or authors of whatever medium is popular at the time) to broaden their focus or risk becoming repetitive and stale. There will always be a place for generalists, and it’s a good thing because the world is full of them.

Now it’s your turn. What do you think? Do you think of blogging as the domain of specialists? Do you read a range of blogs, from narrow focus to broad? How do you decide how much focus to apply to your own blogging?

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Comments

Jeffraham Prestonian on 30 July, 2007 at 2:12 pm #

Simple: I have BOTH kinds of blogs.
-
A scooter blog, and a cat blog.
:lol:
.


Sparkwood & 21 » Blog Archive » I Want Good Writing and Captivating Stories; Your Lists Do Not Amuse Me on 30 July, 2007 at 2:28 pm #

[…] (hat tip: Kate) […]


Newscoma on 30 July, 2007 at 2:33 pm #

I blog about a lot of things.
I don’t think there is a law. I talk politics, movies, television and Bigfoot.

Yeah, I’m complex.


brittney on 30 July, 2007 at 2:34 pm #

Yes, but do you want true success like Trunk has? That is the question.


Jeffraham Prestonian on 30 July, 2007 at 2:37 pm #

Yes, but do you want true success like Trunk has?
-
I’m sure she has her audience, but I had not heard of her prior to this li’l dust-up.
.


brittney on 30 July, 2007 at 2:39 pm #

‘Twas sarcasm, my friend.


Slartibartfast on 30 July, 2007 at 2:42 pm #

Specialization is for insects.


Busy Mom on 30 July, 2007 at 2:43 pm #

Yeah, it was a bit awkward. PT was, um, interesting…


Ron on 30 July, 2007 at 2:46 pm #

There are successful mommy bloggers?


Jeffraham Prestonian on 30 July, 2007 at 2:47 pm #

There are successful mommy bloggers?

I’m told Busy Mom makes more in a month off her ads than I’ve ever made with a blog.
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Am I joking? Probably not! :)
.


brittney on 30 July, 2007 at 2:49 pm #

Successful mommy bloggers? For my money, THE MOST successful blogger is a mommy blogger: Dooce.com


Tman on 30 July, 2007 at 2:53 pm #

It’s hilarious she mentions this as Glenn Reynolds, arguably one of the biggest single person blogs out there, writes about literally everything that’s on his mind. And he has stated on several occasions that he gets more hits sometimes when he does razor-blogging or some other non-political topic than when he doesn’t. This runs completely counter to Ms. Trunk’s thesis.

I simply don’t believe that there are any ground rules for blogging period. Write what you like, if people want to read it they will, if not, write anyways.


loonytick on 30 July, 2007 at 3:32 pm #

Perhaps it could be said that someone like dooce or instapundit specializes in a particular voice or mindset.

;>


Busy Mom on 30 July, 2007 at 3:37 pm #

Who is this “dooce” character of which you speak? Does she blog?


Peter on 30 July, 2007 at 4:11 pm #

I have to chime in with everyone else — I think Ms. Trunk is dead wrong. I quickly tire of one topic over and over, even if it’s something of great interest to me. For me, the whole point of reading blogs is that they offer many viewpoints, interests, and opinions. If you want one thing over and over, you might as well watch network TV.


Ron on 30 July, 2007 at 9:43 pm #

I wouldn’t go so far as to say that Trunk is dead wrong, but a lot of it depends on what you mean by success. If you mean you want to make enough off of advertising and sponsorship to make your blog something that doesn’t lose money, I think you can definitely be a “mommyblogger” without a strong focus and do it well.
-
HOWEVAH, if you define success as parlaying your bloggery into television appearances or book deals (like a political blogger who is always on TV), then having a narrow focus is best. It helps you look like you’re an expert on your field, even if that field is dirty diapers.


Squirrel Queen on 30 July, 2007 at 11:07 pm #

I agree with Ron that focusing may be one key. However, if you write and write and write about my favorite subject and you’re a terrible writer with no personality, I’m not coming back for your next diatribe.


Samantha Y. on 31 July, 2007 at 8:36 pm #

Great. Is this keynote at a time of day where it will be too early to drink?


Kate O' on 31 July, 2007 at 9:50 pm #

Samantha, would I be revealing myself as an alc a heavy drinker if I said it’s never too early to drink?
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Either way, your drink is on me for the comment that made me snort my vodka and tonic.


Music City Bloggers » Blog Archive » BarCamp Wants Me To Keep Still on 16 August, 2007 at 4:38 pm #

[…] seem to conflict with somebody I wanted to hear on the main stage. (If you think I’m missing Penelope Trunk after all the BlogHer stuff went down, you’re nuts.) So, yes, we’ll try to squeeze an MCB presentation in at Coco somewhere. And hopefully […]