Blog Prompt #1 (Bruce Schneier)

I found the evolution of Schneier's blog to be interesting. I almost found it analogous to the evolution of the newspapers, who have been doing things in a certain style for so long, and had to transition their style, even just a tiny bit, for online distribution. Schneier started his monthly email newsletter and had so much time to perfectly craft his intended message. But he had to transition his style, even just a tiny bit, for a more blog-like style. That includes more immediacy, shorter posts, and probably more interaction with readers (i.e.- comments).

In the end, the advent of his blog changed the way he writes. Of course, he still writes some longer, essay-like blog posts that are similar to the way he used to write his monthly newsletter, but I really do think that if one gets used to micro-sized blog updates (that include only a link and some additional thoughts), it changes the way one writes. More shorthand. Shorter sentences.

Kind of like this.

Also interesting-- the brick wall that a blogger has to put up against unnecessary negative comments. I think constructive criticism is good for anyone putting their work out there in the public forum, but I suppose bloggers (or more to the point, popular bloggers) can get their fair amount of abuse and stupid comments from the naive or uneducated. But Schneier just ignores the abuse. He tells new bloggers to "just do it." Don't worry about being interesting or too boring-- just do it. What I get from this is just to do something that you're proud of and feel is interesting. Not everyone is going to view a situation in the same light. But that's the beauty of blogging and the internet in general-- everyone has access and everyone has their own opinion.