Writing a blog can be a long and winding road. It’s just you, an idea, a blank screen, and a blinking cursor. You start out with tons of energy (okay, well, maybe not tons) and the best of intentions. With thousands of films, scores, and composers, you’re never going to be at a loss for something to write about. Every idea seems like a winning post.
And then you hit a wall.
You wonder if what you’re writing is of any use. Are the hours hunched over the keyboard trying to come up with fresh insights, pulling together videos, photos, and audio clips, and putting yourself on the line adding up to anything of value to anyone other than yourself?
Is it entertaining? Is it informative? Or is it simply writer masturbation?
With the first 100 days behind me, it’s time to check in with you–my readers. I need you’re help in determining the direction of this site over the next 100 days and beyond.
- Posts–Too long, too short, or just right?
- Video and audio clips–Too much or not enough?
- Topics–Interesting or not?
- Categories–Which categories do you like/dislike?
- Interests–What are your interests? What would you like to see discussed?
Bring on the good, the bad, and the ugly. (Insert Morricone whistle here.)
If you’re a new reader, welcome! For all of you regular readers, thank you for your continued support. And for those of you who have commented, thank you for taking the time to put your thoughts down in words, making this site far richer than I could have envisioned it a few months ago. It’s a pleasure hearing from each and every one of you.
Now bring it on!
You know I love your blog, Jim. It’s one of the few that I regularly read. I think the post lengths are just right most of the time – some of them could actually afford to be a little longer.
I LOVE how you embed whole tracks into the blog. It makes it a rich, interactive experience, and it has exposed me to new music. As you well know, you inspired me to finally buy Return to Oz.
I don’t have anything of real value to suggest – I say just keep it up! I like the mixed bag of reviews, personal anecdotes, the “9 best” series, and the lost in the shuffle series.
I’m amazed at how you can devote as much time and energy as I know you must into this blog, without reaping any fiscal benefit (I’m assuming). I’ve tried several blogs in my day, and each one dissipated into the cosmos of good intentions. But I for one read yours faithfully, and will be glad to see the same quality and quantity of output as I’ve seen these past few weeks/months.
Thanks for the kind words, Tim. I always enjoy our discussions, whether here or on Twitter. And if this blog did nothing more than inspire you to buy OZ, then I’ve done what I set out to do.
Posts are a weird thing. Sometimes I just want to give a flavor of the work and have the reader do their own exploration. Sometimes I want to go in depth. Sometimes I’m pressed for time (or experience a brain fart) and just can’t write any more. Hopefully the mix ends up being a little bit of the first two and less of the third.
This is the second blog I tried. And if I have any advice that I could share over these past few months, it’s narrow the blog down to one topic. My old one had so many interests–film music, books, etc.–that it just ended up being a mishmash of crap. I found when I centered the blog around one topic, it made it much easier to write.
Thanks for reading and participating. :)
Don’t change a thing, brother. I’m with Tim; I have a blog that sits in mothballs 9 times out of 10 because I’m simply inconsistent. You empower me to keep at it, and you’ve even reinvigorated my personal mandate to learn how to play this damned piano that glowers at me from the corner of our living room every day. Wanna hear scales for 60 minutes each morning? :)
Steve, as always thanks for commenting and the vote of confidence. :) My old blog was wildly inconsistent, so I know exactly what you mean. As for your piano, my old sat here gathering dust (which I never dusted) and I finally had to sell it just to stop the guilt. Good for you for giving it the love it deserves. Though I don’t envy you the 60 minutes of scales every morning. (Undergrad flashback!)