Just because some people haven’t built an audience and are not making money does not mean that everyone online writer has failed to do do.

When I began to think of blogging, I thought about extending my “brand” by doing something different online that I would own…my own IP. I’ve written as part of a group weblog, but am a bit wary of the echo-chamber effects of a blog versus the 100,000+ readers I *may* have reached through any one column.

And it does take time to CRAFT a column…not that some blog entries aren’t well crafted, but I think blogs are oftentimes a different genre. Blogs require a mindset about publishing — often — and responding — immediately — that is different than print publishing.

Michelle Ferrier

That said, newspapers largely dropped the ball during Web 1.0, with many choosing to charge for “premium” content, instead of shoring up their base readers while expanding their reach beyond some of the obvious limitations of the traditional print distribution model–geographic, economic, the copy’s limited shelf life, and the one-way communication model, among others. While broadcast journalism was playing Internet catchup, print didn’t capitalize on its inherent advantages (abundance of skilled content producers, established following) by developing and engaging online communities. By failing to become early adopters and leaders in this paradigm shift to collaborative communities, print remained somewhat stagnate during this transitional period and lost the advantage it inherited from 1.0.

Fast forward to Web 2.0 and columnists. Columnists, like franchise players on sports teams (think Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer), are the most visible, individual brands at newspapers. And similar to sports stars don’t establish the rules but enjoy certain privileges not extended to role players (think cub or beat reporters), many columnists didn’t immediately dive into this collaborative communications shift. Still today, some of the more prominent columns aren’t engaging their audiences. It’s like the veteran sports star who doesn’t see the need to show up to spring practice with rookies. However, unlike 20 years ago when the only place readers could find interesting and colorful copy was in columns with limited syndication, these days, people produce and syndicate copy all over the world.

And then there’s the intangible element that mystifies us all: no one can predict what will adopted on a viral level. Just because a person produces great content and engages his/her online community doesn’t guarantee that the blog, microblog, community, RSS feed, etc., will catch on. It takes a lot more effort to stay on top of trends and content. There’s no longer a division between when the day starts and ends. “Engagement” can literally mean around the clock.

I’ve seen columnists who do just that (one that I admire is David O’Brien at the Atlanta Constitution with his Braves blog … a terrific effort that stays busy around the clock). But I just don’t have the desire to do that, the energy, and maybe the knack.

The irony is that – for a long time, many years – I’ve had ongoing conversations with readers by e-mail. But when it comes to Tweets and the like I just don’t want to do it. Nor do I want to check comments in a blog every 30 minutes or so and add something – even at times when I really have nothing to add.

Maybe it’s my age – I’m old. So I suspect that – if someone wanted to assign fault – it would be my fault. But I’m glad you’re writing about this. I assumed when I made the try with the blog that it would be terrific. I was hyped to do it and figured – since I truly have been talking to readers one-on-one for many years – that it would be an enormous success.

Truth? I sucked at it.

Maybe if I had worked hard at being available and chatty on the blog that it might have turned out differently. (My guess? I would have still failed, the column voice did not translate into a blog voice.)

The interesting, and hopeful, thing about all this is that we are now seeing new voices, new styles, that do fit into this new world. I sort of enjoy all this as a reader.

Now its all different. They must defend what they write in real time and with sound logic. Otherwise, they’re laughed out of the blogosphere.

Plus, they now have to compete with all manner of informed and competent writers who didn’t have a printing press before but now do – the internet coupled to a computer.

Needless to say, I am a columnist.

http://www.dnevnik.si/debate/kolumne/1042277313
http://crnkovic.blog.siol.net/
@crnkovic

Having just started with blogging and Twitter, partly for my PhD research, partly for my own personal interest, I would say developing an online audience is quite time-consuming. Harder work than being a staff journalist on a paper/website with a ready-made brand.

I personally am not happy with this development. Now, columnists are forced to spend half of their precious time to fumble with twitter and “incite conversation”, instead of working harder to make their columns more entertaining or enlightening or whatever.

T think a column should be a masterpiece of clear thinking and excellent writing, while blogging should be more informal and conversational.

p.s.: I am not a columnist, I just expressed my concern as a reader.