An Off Topic Post

I have been instructed to write on the topic of "online writing as literature." When I was first posed the question of whether or not online writing could be literature, the very inquiry seemed ludicrous to me. Why the hell wouldn't work published online be considered literature? Does the meaning of the words change depending on whether they are posted on a piece of paper or on a screen? If the chapters of the Great Gatsby were posted in a blog form in 2012 instead of printed in 1925, would the work not be as great?

I'm not entirely sure if blogging has created a new genre, or expanded ones that already existed. We have always had special interest magazines and newspaper editorials and such, only now we have the ability to post them online and be far more prolific with them. "Miss James" of Bluebird Vintage might have to publish her style advice and ideas in a magazine only once a month without the internet, instead of being able to share her ideas with the world whenever she wants on her blog.

I suppose I should touch on the meaning of the word "literature." I take the word literature in a more literal sense, and basically any writing is literature to me. The quality is subjective and irrelevant to whether or not it is "literature." The word literature does not have any connotations regarding quality to me. My classmate Jack's old blog about Skyrim might not be considered literature by snobs because it has to do with video games and is a very special interest, abstract concept, but I would consider it literature. Just because it is posted online and is about a subject a lot of people look down upon (because people seem to think all new technology is inherently harmful) does not necessarily mean the quality of the writing is subpar. It is literature. Literature about Skyrim.

If I knew exactly what made a blog popular, well, I'd be famous right now. Alas, I don't entirely know. I suppose it would be the same way any creation be it a film or book or piece of art gets popular, you have to create something people are interested in and can relate to, and preferably something that is entertaining. Humor goes a long way on the Internet, and the type of people who frequent the Internet seem to very much enjoy sarcasm, wit, and general snarkiness. And cats saying funny things. Cats go a long way on the internet. I tend to be a bit snarky on the internet as well, maybe not so much on this blog as I am on the websites I frequent for non-class purposes, but I am a little bit. I don't entirely think it's an internet persona however, as people tell me I am a bit like that in real life. Perhaps it's exaggerated on the internet, though, because I do not have to deal with people's immediate reactions to the things that come out of my mouth.

I don't necessarily think popularity is a defining characteristic of a quality blog. My classmate Natalie's blog "My Cat Thinks I'm Funny" is certainly hilarious and something I would consider quality, but she probably does not have many readers outside of our classmates and her personal friends. Almost no blogs are popular from day one (unless they're started by someone otherwise famous), and an audience grows over time. That doesn't mean those blogs are crappy and magically because better once more people start reading them. There are lots of fantastic blogs out there with a small following because they are written on very specific subjects of interest to only a certain group of people.

I've learned that the nature of blog writing is more difficult than I expected it to be. I honestly feel as though my blog would develop better if I did not have specific assignments, and I could write when I was passionate about something and really had something to say about a film or show rather than just saying words to meet a deadline. I've learned that making things interesting is difficult. It's much easier for me to become "popular" on the internet by responding to other people's posts with a witty reaction than to create posts of my own. It's also easier when I don't have to censor myself for the semi-professional atmosphere of school.