Wine bloggers: Blogging, or slogging?
Are you a blogger? Have you been at it for a while? Are you running out of steam, not as passionate as you use to be? No, I’m not looking for contestants for the Jerry Springer show, and this is not a Viagra ad. It’s an issue that’s at the heart of soul of wine blogging today, because most of the most popular blogs have been around for years now, and it would be strange if they weren’t getting a bit tired.
That, at least, is the thesis of this story, When Blogging Becomes a Slog, that appeared last September in the New York Times. It wasn’t specifically about wine blogs. They profiled a couple, John and Sherry, who admitted that their popular home-renovation blog had been “feeling off for a while” after eight active years. The problem, according to someone the Times reporter interviewed, was a downward spiral well-known to longtime bloggers: “A passion turns into a hobby, which becomes a full-time career. And in some predictable period of time, it consumes your life and sucks the joy out if it.”
This is particularly true of bloggers who post every day, or almost every day. Readers want fresh stuff all the time, and the bloggers understand that, in order to keep their readership up, they have to supply the meat. That, in turn, can cause intense pressure to produce, to the point where it becomes a heavy weight. And, feeling that kind of pressure, a blogger is not in the best emotional or intellectual condition to write strongly, colorfully and informatively.
I know from personal experience—and not just my own–how challenging it can be to produce every day. Some of the most popular bloggers have told me, off the record, of the tedium and difficulty of coming up with fresh topics Monday through Friday. One blogger told me his spouse was furious at him for always staying up well past midnight, just to have that new morning post. It can interfere with your sleep as well as your relationships.
There are different ways bloggers deal with this. Some just resort to reviewing wines, which actually is the easy way out, because you don’t have to do anything original or creative, just pop the corks (sent to you for free) and write up your impressions. My own feeling is that such blogs are no longer among the best, although they may keep going for quite some time, because winery marketing departments will keep sending them wine just to get that hoped-for high score.
Another way of dealing with the Blog Blahs is to rehash the same topic over and over. I will admit to being guilty of this on occasion, although I do try to give a different interpretation and style even when I re-address an older topic, like the 100-point system or California’s AVAs. Some bloggers put up a lot of photographs, which is pretty, but also is a fairly easy way to create a post.
Since I love my blog and wish to continue it, and because I know that lots of people like to read it on a daily basis, I work very hard to come up with these posts. I would never want to do stuff on the cheap or compromise the quality of my blog. Sometimes it’s hard. Ideally, I’ll post a topic the day before, for publication at ten seconds after midnight the next day. That happens 90% of the time, but there are times when it’s just not possible. That leads to what I think of as my Morning Nightmare: It’s 6 a.m., I don’t have a post up yet, what to do? I usually come up with something. It’s not always the most gorgeous, beautifully-written or eye-opening topic, but it’s me, and the best I can do. I think I’ve failed to post maybe ten times since May, 2008. Most of those have been due to illness. One or two were because of hangovers. But usually, no matter how I’m feeling, I post dailyt, for me—and for you.
The reason this matters is because blogs really do represent an important evolution in wine writing. And wine writing, of course, is my soul’s blood. I believe in wine writing; we need good wine writers. The question is, can a blog succeed for the long haul, especially if—as is the case close to 100% of the time—it’s not making money, and is getting tired and predictable? I no longer hear bloggers talking about replacing print publications—that fantasy died long ago, alas. Yet wine blogging continues. I’m hoping that the best ones can keep the creativity going for as long as it takes, no matter what it takes.
Steve,
“Ideally, I’ll post a topic the day before, for publication at ten seconds after midnight the next day. That happens 90% of the time, but there are times when it’s just not possible. That leads to what I think of as my Morning Nightmare: It’s 6 a.m., I don’t have a post up yet, what to do? I usually come up with something. It’s not always the most gorgeous, beautifully-written or eye-opening topic, but it’s me, and the best I can do.”
Do you “bank” blogs for future use?
Or solicit writers you trust to submit guest blogs on timeless topics you can “bank” when on vacation, on an extended business trip, or just not feeling particularly “writerly”?
~~ Bob
[posted at ten seconds after midnight]
When I wrote The Liquorblog at Martini Republic (2004-5)I found it a challenge to write twice a week. I admire your stamina in doing it 5 days a week.
The problem I was having was keeping it fresh for a limited audience. This was in the very early days of California Craft Brewing when there was a “sameness” to many of the brews I critiqued (Back then a “Big Beer” was in the 7-8.5%ABV range, my how things have changed).
That being said, I see where doing it at your level is a passion, and for others merely a hobby.
As a regular reader I have no problem with you re-posting some of your more thought-provoking or even controversial subjects. If a song is worth listening to over and over can’t the same be said for a well-discussed topic that elicits a broad range of opinions?
I also like Mr. Henry’s suggestion of guest writers. It might give a talented up-and-comer exposure they might otherwise never receive in the crowd of also-rans
I greatly admire my fellow bloggers who post daily- that is a lot of work.
Our identities and work personalities change over time, as do our voices. I have a very busy “day job” as a consulting winemaker so conceivably some day I may abandon my blog, or invite someone else to take it over. I see no shame in discontinuing a daily post, even though it may mean reduced views or ad revenue, if one participates in such things. If a blog becomes a slog, the spirit of the material changes.
Steve- (and this goes for all my other favorite blogs/wine writers), I will still read and enjoy your posts, even if they come with less frequency. It’s your voice, experiences and experience that we (or at least I) want to hear, no matter how or when it comes.
Bill is absolutely right- when a blogger has so much great material and a body of work, I see absolutely no reason not to re-post or re-present older material that is still relevant, as long as it is pointed out that it’s a re-post. Steve I would love to see some of your “older” stuff collated and presented again, especially with something on “this is where we are today.”
To chime in for Bob, above, I definitely “bank” blog material in the back of the house at the girlandthegrape.com WordPress site and often bang out two or three posts or at least outlines when something particularly fun to talk about strikes me. Harvest makes it tough to get a post out even weekly so I write hard when I can.
I also jot down notes on my iphone notepad in the middle of the cellar or the vineyard or in a restaurant (yes) if a topic I think my readers would enjoy hits. That way when I’m stuck for ideas I have some things queued up.
Whether it’s SEO, ad revenue or audience retention, some of us have tough decisions about posting frequency no doubt. The value of the content, however, is what draws many of us to follow specific writers, not how frequently their writing appears.
Sometimes a little of each.
Steve said: “Some just resort to reviewing wines, which actually is the easy way out, because you don’t have to do anything original or creative, just pop the corks (sent to you for free) and write up your impressions. My own feeling is that such blogs are no longer among the best, although they may keep going for quite some time, because winery marketing departments will keep sending them wine just to get that hoped-for high score.”
Steve, your are the ‘elite’, and looking down on us which primarily review wines doesn’t surprise me, but keep in mind that I’ve never received a wine (I buy mine), and I don’t advertise, but rather I try to be a real guide to wine lovers in NH, as the magazines seldom make it easy, because so few of the wines reviewed are found here. Wine blogging is my hobby and your condescending attitude is typical.
Sincerely,
Dennis
I’ve been blogging religiously two days a week for years and years now. I don’t run out of things to write about but I sometimes do run out of time and have a day job, which during certain times of the year(like now), gets pretty demanding.
other than that, I’m pretty happy about life as it is.
See section labeled “WORST PART OF THE JOB” . . .
Richard Jennings, a wine-drinking buddy from Los Angeles, told me privately some month ago of his plans to reduce his blogging output.
See “The Personal Pursuit of Balance – RJonWine.com”
Link: http://www.rjonwine.com/observations/personal-pursuit-balance/
From The Wall Street Journal “Career Journal” Section
(February 6, 2007, Page B13):
“Blogging for Web Sites”
Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117072031237598933.html
By Sarah E. Needleman and Aja Carmichael
“Paygrade” Column
THE JOB: Blogger
THE PAY: Most self-employed bloggers take in between $2,000 and $10,000 a month from ad sales, says Henry Copeland, founder of BlogAds.com, a Web advertising concern based in Carrboro, N.C. The few that have huge audiences make significantly more, he adds. During election time, for example, a political blogger can bring in $20,000 to $30,000 a month, says Ken Layne, West Coast bureau chief for Wonkette.com, a political gossip blog owned by Gawker Media. Some bloggers are employed by companies, but they are often part of the marketing department, and blogging is usually only a small part of their duties.
THE HOURS: Self-employed bloggers set their own schedules. Writers of breaking-news blogs say 40- to 60-hour workweeks are the norm. To scoop his competitors, Mario Lavandeira, author of the celebrity-gossip blog PerezHilton.com, says he averages 19-hour workdays that start at 5:15 a.m.
BENEFITS: Free-lance and self-employed bloggers must develop their own health-care packages. Full-time bloggers working at corporations typically receive dental, medical and prescription-drug packages.
OTHER INCENTIVES: Mr. Lavandeira, who is based in Los Angeles, says he is frequently invited to events hosted or attended by celebrities. Jim Cahill, manager of marketing communications at Emerson Process Management, a global supplier of manufacturing systems and services in Austin, Texas , cites positive feedback from readers and being quoted in the business press.
BEST PART OF THE JOB: “I can work in my pajamas and set my own hours,” says Joel Cheesman, author of Cheezhead.com, a blog about the recruiting industry. Notes Mr. Layne, who has worked at Wonkette for two years and generally acts as his own editor: “I get to be a national political columnist and comedy writer.”
WORST PART OF THE JOB: “I HAVE NO LIFE,” Mr. Lavandeira says. “I AM ALWAYS WORKING, and I CAN NEVER TAKE A VACATION.” Adds Jeff Jarvis, who blogs at BuzzMachine.com, a site on news and the media: “Blogging is an obsession. The guilt that piles up when I’m too busy to write a post is the worst.”
CAREER PATH: Most bloggers start out using free Web sites such as WordPress.com and Blogger.com. They say it takes at least six months to build readership and clout in the blogosphere. Mr. Lavandeira advises picking an area you’ll enjoy discussing for a long time because “you have to be passionate about what you’re writing.” A background in journalism or communications helps but usually isn’t required. “I don’t want to hear where candidates went to college or where else they worked,” says Ryan Block, managing editor of Engadget.com, who hires most of the site’s employees. “I review writing samples.”
HIRING: Full-time and free-lance opportunities can be found on Internet job boards. Some recruiting agencies help bloggers land free-lance work. “We help them get jobs with companies that can’t afford a full-time blogger,” says Jim Turner, chief managing partner of One by One Media LLC, Firestone, Colo.
Dear Dennis, I hear you. I should have pointed out that not all bloggers get their wine for free. But I think most do. And I don’t “look down” on reviewing blogs. The point I made was that they’re easier to write because you don’t have to come up with new ideas. All you have to do is review the wine and that’s it. Remember, I reviewed 100,000 wines in my time. That was a lot easier than coming up with an idea for a column! Or so it was for me.
It’s tough to give away for free what you’ve been paid for all of your life. Even tougher to write five newsprint-worthy wine columns a week, when just one a week used to take up a big chunk of your work life. Blogging may be an easy entry point to an online presence, but the daunting tasks of 1) building a readership; 2) constantly producing good material; and 3) making a living would seem to suggest that wine blogs are not among the focused topical blogs most likely to last. You, my friend, are the glaring exception.
Nice to hear from you Paul! Regards to Mrs. G.
Supplemental to above Wall Street Journal article titled “Blogging for Web Sites”
From The Wall Street Journal “Marketplace” Section
(August 31, 2006, Page B1ff):
“No Day at the Beach:
Bloggers Struggle With What to Do About Vacation”
Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115698487629850100.html
[See accompanying exhibit]
By Elizabeth Holmes
Staff Reporter
Being a “vlogger” rather than a blogger creates different challenges. Depending on the vlogger’s setup, doing a wine review can be as simple as sitting in front of your laptop, or can be as complicated as setting up a full-fledged set with green screen and all. No matter what, it’s the same as writing when reviewing a wine. No need to really come up with anything creative other than some witty thoughts.
After that comes the editing, rendering, creating the movie file, uploading to various outlets, and then publishing on the blog itself.
And reviews are mostly what I do. Usually with a green screen. When I do have a third non-wine segment, then that takes more prep. The equivalent to writing an article on general wine. My schedule is to do this weekly. Videos released on Mondays. And I will record more than one show at the same time. These “in the can” episodes allow me to actually use my days off from the day job as off days. Besides reviews, I’ll do interviews or visit wineries, like I just finished doing this week in Napa and Sonoma.
But even then, I take time off from the show. Being video, I treat it somewhat like a TV show. I don’t produce 52 shows. I take time off from the show too. And in those cases, I try to let my audience know, but life sometimes happens and I miss a couple weeks. But sometimes I do write the occasional post.
After 5 years of doing this, I find that the passion is still there to produce one of the few video wine shows out there.